bishbosh

All monkey's most welcome. You can slum it with me if you like.

This is what I was trying to present (I think ) in the right hand side of my sketch. However, I think the best suggestion so far is to put in a standard hoop with double cross bracing. I somehow managed to miss that post on my first read through... It is proven and should be relatively easy if you are happy to chop the box out about. You'd just have to sort out mounting brackets to connect it through the side of the vehicle to the external cage.

Don't like the look of your second picture Si . You're tubes will bend under vertical load and the foot on the box out will go straight through it. Obviously the ideal route involves straight lines and triangles, but I presume you cannot "modify" the box out beneath the speaker? I presume it would afect the bass reverb! Er, sorry, back to the issue in hand: On the right is what you'd ideally want to achieve but you can't because of the box out. On the left is a vague attempt at getting around the corner whilst maintaining some vertical stiffness The hatched areas are gussets welded between the tubes to try and add some bending strength. With the two hoops so close together you could also gusset between the internal braces to try and avoid front-to-back deflection of the braces. As we are talking about a primary piece of safety equipment, I would like to stress (no pun intended) that I have not carried out any calcs and the layout shown is only an idea. I would councel speaking to a cage specialist, if only for advice. Hands up who's confused......

Despite your assertions, I would suspect the A frame ball joint. Do you get a clonk when you pick up drive (other than the usual drive train clunk of course! )

Hang on a minute, one of the joys of the auto box is that it chooses the best gear for the load on the engine - if you are attacking a steep hill climb it may start in 1st but will change up to 2nd, or third as necessary and back down again all the while minimizing wheelspin but never stalling the engine. Why would you want to rev the cojones off the engine by keeping it in gear? You can do that by selecting a gear rather than messing with the kickdown. Just my 2p.

Very nice Ian, but are you sure Blue goes with Black...? I would have thought you would have been a bit more adventurous with your choice of colour....

and so LR4x4.com was born... exactly why we left LRE.

Things are moving on steadily. I am in talks with a brand new site and am also lining up a backup in case things don't work out.... The date is going to be the 11th definately. Will post more when I know more...

The holes are only there to ensure adequate airflow throught the engine bay - only really a problem for desert touring etc. I would go solid for the UK.

I have Bilstein on the Rangie. Can't fault them and the improvement in ride over standard shocks is very noticable.

I had one on the Rangie and Matt Neale and White90 amoungst others have them on their 110 and 90. I don't think anyone has a bad word to say about them, but I am sure Matt and Tony will be along shortly to correct me if I am wrong . I never bothered sealing the gap and never had any problems although it will silt up so I dropped the guard periodically and cleaned it out. Highly recommended.

Realistically you wont get away with the same hawse fairlead for steel and synthetic. Even a Bling Tonk Stainless item will be scratched and burred by the wire rope thus making it useless for use with the plasma subsequently. I would stick with the roller fairlead (which is the best option for steel anyway IMHO) and get the ali or stainless hawse when you buy the plasma. My 2p.

Ian, You can remedy this, should you feel the need, by adding another stay from the hoop foot up to the inside of the bend on the rear stay..... but I am sure you already know that.

The bridges I design have a 120 year design life.........

Thanks Tim, most appreciated! Duly stored for reference. CB.

The amount of thread protruding is really only a guide - 1 turn or 1.5 turns or 5 turns is neither here nor there as long as all the threads of the nut are engaged on the bolt. It is just easy to say 1 turn or whatever to ensure all the threads are engaged. Where did I say that???

Simple fact: Nuts should be rated to the same grade or higher than the bolt they are to be used with. Also, at least one full turn of the threads of the bolt should project through the nut to mobilise the full nut strength. If bolts are breaking regularly then the connection is poorly designed or is being subjected to loads beyond its design parameters. In the case of the machine it may be fatigue in the bolts.

Despite my original post it looks like I will be co-ordinating to a certain extent. I am NOT organising as that introduces insurance and liability issues. We'll go for the Saturday 11th March. I would personally prefer to try a new venue so if Luvvers or Pugwash have some ideas then let's hear them. Fruity - can you confirm availabilty for punches etc? I am willing to take the Friday off if you want to set up the day before...? So far we have (in no particular order): Bishbosh JST TJ101 Pugwash Will Warne (tentative..... ) Dunsterhybrid White90 SiWhite Exmoor Beast (yeah right!! Like he's not going to cancel ) Turbocharger V8 Camel (novice class only ) Nigel Webber and I reckon it's about time Dave Lang (landrover598) crossed the boarder too......) So twelve vehicles so far and looking good. As far as format goes I think it should be up to the attendees - Do we want a two car team format? Do we want a limit on the number of winches in a team? Do we handicap the points scored based on lockers / winches? Personal preference is two vehicle teams with no penalties and no winch limit but I don't want people to feel it is going to be competitive - it is you against the terrain that's all IMHO. Small teams just means the vehicles tend to spread out a bit better rather than having four or five cars nose to tail in one corner of the site. That's OK at Seven Sisters but I don't think we'll have a site even a fraction that size! The floor is open - let's hear your comments.

Thanks Tim - you're a gent and a scholar!

Thanks for the offer Tim, [cheeky mode] You couldn't pop out to the workshop and have a quick measure for me could you? Overall length and distance from each end to the centreline of each outrigger...? pretty please? I can't see myself down your way for awhile yet and I'm chomping at the bit to order my sill bars....[/cheeky mode] I'm sure I could stretch to a pint or three... B)

Yes please Graham! FWIW, my Rangie is four door. TIA

Bishbosh, White90, Exmoorcop, Paul W, Mark90, Rob, Will W, etc,etc!!! I don't think there was a single attendee at Slindon who wasn't "moved" by your expert skills! We'll just have to wait and see if Les can be as poeticaly verbose!

One of the items on my list for the new year is a set of wheel arch flares for the Rangie (D44 stylee). However, they are lower down on the list than the sill bar / rock sliders / tree fenders that I shall be installing first.(Mill Services stylee) In anticipation of the wheel arch flares I would like to know how much I need to cut off the front and back of the cill bar to tie in nicely with the flares. That way I can get them manufactured specifically to fit. Can anyone shed any light? Ta muchly

He doesn't need your permission now Les - got more than 20 post now hasn't he...!

Nuffink to do wiv me guvnor - I've only got a single garage, honest!!