Mossberg

Just an update. I ended up speaking with a friend who works for a firm that buy x military defenders and sell them on. I explained about the stripped threads and initially he suggested timserts. I asked him who could do this for me as the kits are so expensive. He asked around and then came back to me letting me know that helicoils would be fine in this application. Those in the know said because of how these bolts hold the caliper and how the load is applied they don't need the timesert. I had already ordered a helicoil kit so I was happy that they would be suitable. I stripped off the hub and stub axle to allow access for drilling/tapping/fitting. I was hoping to get away with just removing the hub, but that would not allow me to use the tap wrench and I wanted to keep the tap square and thought using the tap wrench was best for this. I had not filled the swivels with one shot grease so it was not too messy to do. I looked online for videos of using helicoils with brakes calipers. I found a couple of American vids and they used red locktite when fitting them and I decided to do the same. I was worried that if I didn't then when fitting the bolts the could potentially try to wind through the helicoil. I tried a couple of practice runs with the helicoil and found that if any pressure was applied into the hole when fitting the helicoil, then the first couple of threads could jump a thread as that pressure is effectively stretching the "spring" of the helicoil. When I fitted it again I consciously made sure I did not put any forward pressure on the fitting tool and let the thread take the helicoil into the hole. As this was a through hole I could just keep on winding the helicoil straight through the hole to take them out. As I was now happy that I could set the helicoil correctly I applied the red locktite and fitted them. I left them for over 24 hours to let the locktite fully cure. I refitted the stub axle and hub assembly then moved to the caliper. I fitted it dreading that it would not work. My heart sank as the bolt just seemed to keep turning but that was just me worrying before the bolt was fully in. Both bolts torqued up as specified.

I have just ordered outriggers, so glad I found this thread.

I was looking at making the risers out of smaller material but I wanted the strength in what was left after I cut the material out. I also already had some 40x40 box section and 30x30, but felt the 30 would not be strong enough. I agree with the steering wheel comment, however whilst I am tall I am not too hefty (though not slim!) And I cope OK. I have considered a smaller wheel but have not been using the truck enough for it to be an issue. Also I would look at a removable one but that puts it further back.

These photos are of mine which are from 40x40 box. I thought I had dimensions of the holes but I can't find them. I can measure up tomorrow if you want. I used Euroserts into the box sect. I put three positions in expecting to use the furthest back but did not need it. The main thing is the removal of the upper part of the bulkhead or the seat can't recline so defeats moving it back. I am 6' 3 1/2"

I made mine from 40x40x3 steel box section. I can take some photos and dimensions but it will be in the morning.

That does indeed top my problems, as at least I knew my swivels needed doing, just that I had planned to do them later. My truck is almost 30 years old. This is classic car territory. Last year I saw an older every day Ford that was a K reg. I looked and thought "wow, that's looking good for its age" snow then clicked that that is the same age as mine. But we don't treat our Land Rovers like polished showpieces. I am dreading finding that ever growing rus spot like you found and I just hope I can hold it off for a few years so it is not quite as much as an issue to my other half 😕

Well I tried the wood on the pedal. I lost some fluid but not too much. I had pre made a cap as cackshifter recommended and the fluid had stopped dripping before I got cap on, so perhaps depressing the pedal works - I am not sure as I would not know what to expect. I do intend intend to fully bleed/replace the fluid when I have fitted the calipers but I did not want to loose all the fluid out of the tank as I believe this makes it more awkward to bleed. I wanted the pipes off first so I could copy them in cunifer. Hopefully I will finish the RH side tomorrow and I will start on the left too. I also put a wire brush on the rear bleed nipples and give them a dose of Plusgas. Fingers crossed they come loose so I can do the full system.

I need to replace my solid brake pipe on the front RH of my 90. This is the solid pipe between flex and master cylinder. I want to minimise fluid loss so is there a technique to do this? I have seen somewhere that you can fit a piece of polythene over the fluid tank and fit a plain cap - but I don't have a plain cap! I think I may have seen that if you use a piece of wood to depress the brake pedal slightly that this stops the fluid leaking out - does this work? Open to suggestions if anyone has other methods. Many thanks Mick

Believe me, if I can't do workshop manual torques then it ain't going back on! Also, any bolts that I think show any damage will be replaced. All the fixings I have used on this refurb have been new even though many of the ones that came out were in good order. This is my first venture into this kind of work and if I ain't happy with anything then it gets changed- in fact I have had to reign myself in as I keep wanting to replace with new, but I believe many parts are serviceable. This particular side has had new swivel kit, stub axle, discs and calipers, flex brake lines and all fixings. The hubs, cv, drive flange are existing. A kind gent on another forum has offered me a swivel pin housing so that too may well get changed. However I still think this thread is good to continue as lt may be helpful to future users. BTW, this started as changing a wheel bearing!!

Another point I can see from the chart is that the fine threads have a higher torque value than the coarse threads - but the torque value in the workshop manual is under the torque in the fixings chart.

Thanks folks. I can assure you that I have no intention of doing a shoddy fix on this. I need to be happy the caliper can be fitted to the correct torque. One point I note from the torque chart is the lower torque required to fit the caliper compared to the torque specified in the attached chart. My thoughts are that the bolt size/material used for this task has been chosen for its shear strength rather than its clamping ability, and you also have to consider the fact that the female thread is in the swivel pin housing and not using a nut of matched strength to the bolt. I don't have the specified number in front of me but I think it was 80nm/60ft lb torque. Thinking of the physics of what is going on with the caliper, the caliper clamps on the rotating disc forcing it to slow or stop. As the pads clamp from each side they should (in an ideal world) keep the caliper in a neutral state on the left/right axis. The real energy being exerted on the bolts is a shearing action as the caliper clamps to the disc rotating around the central axis of the axle. Thanks for your comments folks, I appreciate the time you give to help with your advice.

Well it seems I may have been a bit of a pr1ck. When I took the first caliper off it was a bit of a challenge and it took quite a bit of effort and keeping the fingers crossed. The heads were rounded before I went anywhere near them and it ended up with me cutting the caliper in half to get to the rear of the bolts so I could put copious amounts of plusgas on the thread. Even then I had to drill them to release some tension on the thread, lots of release agent and two sets of nut extractors and heat via mapp gas. I got them out and noted the coarse thread so I had to go and get a set to replace the fine thread I had got to replace them. So, when the other side came off with only the use of a good socket and braker bar, I was just happy to put that caliper to one side and carry on with the refurb. However with the discussion about thread types and diameter I decided to go and check the parts that came off. The right hand caliper (the one that was an ar*e to get off) was fitted with coarse bolts. The left caliper was fitted with fine M12x1.25, and I had refitted with M12x1.75 So perhaps its no wonder the thread stripped, though I think originally it would have been a coarse thread! So after considering the above, do I go for fine or coarse thread. One point - the fine threaded bolt comes with threadlock applied whilst the coarse thread is slightly longer but uses a spring washer which roughly equates to the additional length of the bolt. Lesson learned - don't assume!!

Well I have ordered a helicoil kit I will try it and see what I think. If I can torque them correctly then I suppose it will be OK. I just wasn't sure about the use of them with them being brakes and any potential heat involved - but the main part these will be fitted into will have quite a bit of mass and thinking about it I can't see any real heat build-up in that area. It seems others have done it before and it has been good, but anyone with any bad experience with this, please let us know.

No, when I took the existing bolts out I realised I had got the wrong ones and went and got the correct replacements. I cleaned the thread by cutting slots in one of the existing bolts and used that.

If you mean we're they forced off centre by the hole centres of the calipers, then yes they were fine. I did put them in just using the extension and socket, so yes they went in quite easy.

No I originally ordered the metric assuming mine would be. I had to go back for the others. The hole centres are definitely the same, and if it wasn't for this thread stripping I would of hoped that I would been onto making the brake pipes!

I do indeed and one side is fitted. I was very disappointed that the thread on this side gave up.

Thanks Mo. I have measured the diameter of the bolts and as far as I can tell they are the same, but the threads are definitely different. I originally bought metric as I assumed they would be that, but when it came to them coming out (which took some doing on one side), they were definitely a coarser thread.

Hi Paime, how is your caliper repair holding up? I have just managed to strip mine when refitting the caliper, so I will have to do the same as you. My caliper bolts are imperial but I will use the metric ones on the repair as I don't think an insert will be available in the imperial size. Thanks for your. Mick

OK, the saga continues! On the right hand side I have managed to do the swivel housing, wheel bearings, brake disc, fitted caliper and the small fixed brake line + flex pipe. I now have to replace the solid brake line between the flex and master cylinder. On the left I have managed to do the same as above up to fitting the brake caliper. I got it onto the swivel housing and test fitted it without using locktite or fully tightening. Spun the hub, nothing catching, all seems OK. So took one caliper bolt out, cleaned it, added locktite, back in and taken to the point ready for torque wrench. Did the same on the other bolt then started to torque them to 60ft/lbs I got the bottom one tight but no click. Did the same with the top. Back to the bottom and I realised that I was getting no increase in resistance - the thread has stripped! I can't believe it as this is the side that came off without too much hassle. So the question is, is it safe to put a thread repair insert in for a brake caliper?

I am running low on lithium grease and need to get a new tub. I have used this on the bearings, prop shafts, track rod ends etc. I decided to have a look on the Gwyn Lewis site, as I know he is respected in the 4x4, and see what he recommends/supplies. I can only really see the Morris k48 grease and hee seems to recommend it for everything. This is a moly grease so I am a bit confused as I thought it was recommended to use lithium grease on wheel bearings. So, before I go and purchase grease that is not quite as good as one that is just slightly more expensive, could you experienced folk share your knowledge on what grease should be used in which application. In the replacement of my front swivels and wheel bearings I have used the following; Granville CV grease on the CVs. Britpart one shot grease on the lower swivel bearing. Lithium grease on the wheel bearings. EP90 in the Railko bush top pin. Currently the grease in my grease gun us Lithium - which I use on anything with a grease nipple! This needs refilling so knowing which grease is best now would be an advantage. I actually have two grease guns (the small pistol type) so if it is better to have one with Lithium and one with moly then I can do that. (I also have a tube of red rubber grease and pot of copper grease) One more very important question- do lithium and moly grease mix? I don't want to fill the grease gun with moly if it is not compatible with the lithium that had been used up to now. Also if my only grease was the K48, would I need to degrease the wheel bearings before using the K48 in future? Thanks for your help folks. Your advice so far has been invaluable. Mick

Uninformed/Western, thanks for coming back with the information. I suspected that may be the case but thought it was worth asking you guys. The learning curve continues. Thanks again. Mick

Could anyone tell me the difference in the front hubs upto KA and then those after. The two part numbers are FRC6139 up to KA And FTC942 after LA You can see from the images that the earlier hub has a thicker section to the casting only in the areas where the wheel studs goes through. It looks like the main part of the hub could also be thicker. So are these two hubs interchangeable or are there other differences. My axle has the old hubs and the thicker drive flange and these obviously mate to the drive shaft. I believe the thinner drive flanges were introduced to allow fitting alloy wheels, but did they make other alterations to the hub at the same time? If the only difference is the casting to suit the wheel studs then I can see them being interchangeable - but if they changed the dimensions in relation to how the bearings are seated and the relation to how the drive flange is attached, then the differences may require the stub axle, wheel hub and drive flange to be a matched set. My reason for asking is that I wondered if the hub casting was altered to accommodate vented discs and calipers? ATB Mick

I don't really intend to bolt anything to the truck unless I feel I need it. I am making the rock sliders myself and to be honest I am not thinking of going out and jumping into rock holes. I do like to tinker so I want to make a decent job of them - including provision for a high lift (though I would prefer to get some experience with more seasoned users before rushing into lifting the truck with it). Regarding lighting, I do want to change the headlights as I consider standard to be under powered (or whatever the term is for not enough light!). Another thing I would like to do is fit a decent reverse light - but this can wait until other jobs are out of the way. One thing I have learnt through experience is never just buy the gear that a shop wants to sell you- take advice from those that use the kit and know what they are doing. Also, when listening to advice, read between the lines as so many people will just tell you to fit the same kit they have.

Mine were Britpart. My front right caliper was showing signs of age and a pair of calipers and discs came up for sale on another forum. They are unused and we're £100 for the calipers and discs so thought I would get them. I am glad I did as I had to split the caliper to get it off to do the wheel bearing, and the state of it wasn't great - god knows when it was last blead as the bleed nipple only just resembled a bleed nipple! I was hesitant about them being Britpart, but then I read reviews of people saying they were fine. If I was buying new I may have looked at others, but as these were unused and at the right price I thought they were worth a try. I will report back after I have tried them. My original brake setup was standard discs and to be honest I was told they would fit and never really thought about them being wider. The other swivel/hub assembly will go back on as soon as the weather us decent enough to do it, so again I will report back with how that side goes. Mick