specialbikejames

Without spacers 265/75's don't stick out more than a few mm (depending on rim offset). So ditch the silly spacers.

I used these online breakers in the past to get parts for my old Alfa 145, did the scrappys not leave a number/email address in their quote? Last time I used them the quotes all had the companies numbers in them, so I phoned them direct and cut out the middle man. When it came to paying I used Paypal and the websites payment system- so I was secure if the transaction went bad. No problems the couple of times I used them, and the prices can be very cheap indeed.

Handbrake drum can stick too, so check that at the same time as the wheel brakes.

If it's that steep and muddy that a wheeled vehicle is going to roll over/loose grip then you've got to go tracks. Just hire a tracked dumper for the duration. Small ones aren't too expensive and you'll be safer and more productive.

I cant believe ARB went to all the trouble of designing and manufacturing that small part. Have a look around some large tent/caravan sales places. There must be something on some manner of awning/tent which is virtually the same.

Oh, think they're a couple of hundred quid odd, check the websites or details.

You can buy similar covers from Devon 4x4 and Challenger 4x4. If all you want is a bolt on cover then either of those will do the job. If you want a KAM locker specifically then you may need their specific diff pan I guess?

Tyre prices are going up, but so is the price of everything else! The biggest problem I have found is that manufacturers are not making tyres in the odd sizes we like, so for instance 255/85 KM2's are in short supply. Apparently Michelin (who own BF Goodrich) are going to concentrate production on more popular sizes. They will still make batches of less popular sizes but you'll have to wait for that particular batch to be made, this goes for car, 4x4 and truck tyres.

I fitted my spare to the roof of my old 110 by just using the original door mountings. The original mount on a pre-TD5 truck is just two simple plates with the long studs for the wheel to sit on. I just slightly modified the plates to fit around the thin tubing of my rack and bolted it all up. I adjusted the backstops on the wheel carrier so the tyre was resting on the rack to add extra support and it was fine. Tyre did rub against the bars slightly as there was slight movement but no damage after a few thousand miles. To get it up there (and back down) just use a piece of rope/tow strop to lower it down with/haul it back up. It sounds like you're a fitter of some sort so a Defender wheel and tyre isn't going to bother you much in terms of weight. Dont throw it down ffs!

You can test your starter with a set of jump cables once its out of the car, when you apply 12v it should throw the cog out of the motor housing- it's obvious if it's not working. Years ago my old 110's starter would play up, taking it out and cleaning the soleniod and solenoid housing was enought to get it working again. And no, there is no easy way to get the top nut undone (not that I know off anyway). You can always just lump it one with a hammer if you cant get it out- that will also free up a stuck solenoid.

Give Christain Autos in Bristol a call, the guy who runs it is excellent and will help if he can. I'm sure he'll drop them in a jiffy bag and post them for a few quid.

What about using one these things, I know it's not very 21st century but they are hard to ignore: Remember you are ordering parts with a profit margin of about 20p.

Southdown: http://www.southdown4x4.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=7&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1 Does what is says on the tin.

Panda 4x4

Christian Autos in Bristol are not too far from you too.

Cheers Diablo and Bowie, that seems sorted then. I got home and actually measured the pipework for my Td5 tank and it should all work nicely. Right price too. Thanks.

The second one from my first post? The plastic marine deck filler? how do you get on with it? The website says 50mm hose- waaaay too small.

Cheers Dave, seen those fillers too,but was hoping for something less than £70! Where I'm going that's another week on the road... You do, but i've seen it happen on a UK greenlane as a friends expedition truck climbed up a rock ledge. The trip I'm planning has some off road routes and as I'm a solo vehicle I'd rather not risk it. The Series filler looks good, didn't think of that. Would the profile of the surround match a Defender's shaped rear panels do you think? I might pop down to the local landy garage and see if they've got one of them lying around I can measure up against my truck. Thanks for the ideas all.

I've had a second rear fuel tank to fit to my 90 for a while now, it's got shunted to the back of the line mainly as I don't have a solid plan for the second filler. It's a 300tdi 90 so the new tank is a Td5 tank mounted behind the cross member with the fuel filler coming out the rear wings. what have people used? I don't want to use a 'V' neck filler pipe from the original tank filler as these have two main limitations a) they take an age to fill up at a pump. b) fuel can move between the tanks at high angles and leave your main tank (and therefore the engine) dry! Saw that happen once which caused panic\hilarity\relief when we realised what had cut the engine out. So that means a new hole to be cut. A genuine filler needs a massive hole cutting, LRS do this but it's expensive and needs a similar sized hole: You can buy this kind of thing for boats but they are not the same sized pipework: Any sugestions welcome! Cheers.

They shouldn't be used purely as the perception by other byway users is that they are overly aggresive. Anti 4x4 groups use pictures of 'extreme' land rovers with 'extreme' tyres on greenlanes as adverts for why we shouldn't be allowed access. My 90 is now fairly modified and I cringe sometimes, I try to make up for the image by being polite and actively chatting to other people I stumble across. The difference is that your paddock has probably never been compacted, so initial settlement will be massive. Greenlanes are not as bad as this scenario because they have been used for many years and even soft lanes generally have something fairly hard/compacted underneath. As greenlane users we should be shaping our own community when we are out on the lanes, gentle chats with 'pikey' off roaders often leads to some understanding being imparted (sometimes it leads to swearing). Unfortunately the tyre issue can't be viewed in isolation. Lots of guys run one truck for 'pay and play', laning and the odd comp. They see greenlaning as an extension of a play site anyway so the more aggresive the tyre the better. We are all doomed.

Good note above- the main point to consider when driving Strata is to stick to the right of way! It's getting steadily mullered by bell ends driving all over the shop.

It's definately a lane to drive with another vehicle to start with, I did drive it solo last summer (we had a very dry summer last year) but I't is more of a risk. The last river crossing (where the young lass died in the Disco) is now quite cut up, and theres nothing to winch off. So care requried. The fords are deep and fast flowing, having said that- last time I drove it we passed a Series 1 petrol coming the other way. He wasn't on all cylinders but he was going ok, so not unpassable even when deep. There are loads of lanes you can link up with Strata to make a weekend, or just a day. Try using Trailwise or searching on here, there must be loads of threads on this. You running Memory Map?

It's a low humming type noise, so not really very obtrusive. As Chris says if there is any ambient noise you wont hear it.

http://www.trailwise.org.uk/ Use an OS map/Memory Map in conjunction with the above, it's quite accurate. If they are unsure of a lanes status they just say so, so you can then research that one further. But always obey any signs you find out on the trail regardless of what any website states.

The dial control on an Engel is by far and away it's worst feature (or more accurately, lack of a feature) but I wouldn't discount buying one because of it. Up in the Pyrenees this summer tempratures were fluctuating wildly from day to night time but the with the dial set at a 'normal' daytime setting the temprature never varied that much. Maybe a degree cooler at night compared to daytime. The only thing I can think of is that some of the larger Waeco's have a freezer compartment dont they? That's got to be good for ice for G&T! You can go around and around with good quality compressor fridges though- they are all pretty good (and expensive). Jim