Mossberg

Jon, my apologies for not responding sooner - if I try to respond on my phone (where I often view the forum) I end up with huge gaps between lines. It was your post that made me consider a set of waffle boards in the first place, but unfortunately it would have been a 150 mile/3 hour round trip to collect them. I never thought of a forum relay to get them! To be fair I ordered a pair off eBay on Sunday and they turned up at my mams house today, so I cant fault them really. I would have preferred a set from yourself as I don't know if these have the texture on one side. However, I don't really plan on having to use them as I will try to avoid any areas that has a likelihood of being too soft - but if I don't get any I will end up needing them! Thanks for your offer Jon, it is appreciated, but obviously for now I am sorted. Mick

Folks, thanks for your responses, I appreciate your time and sharing your knowledge. I did try to respond earlier but my phone has a habit of creating huge gaps between lines of text and then it just froze on my as I was about to press the reply button! To answer some of your comments; I will certainly walk the route first. As this is a route I will be using more than once I intend to position some subtle markers so that I can stick to and alter if I feel the ground is getting damaged. I don't want to p**s the farmer off by creating damage to the ground so will avoid any areas that are soft. However, I did end up getting my Range Rover stuck along this route a couple of times before (and I haven't used the route that many times!), once in a soft part of the moor (during heavy horizontal rain) and once when I managed to find a hole in the moor - you couldn't see this due to it being dug probably 100 years ago so covered in the wild grass. This ended up with me being cross axled but thankfully had someone with me so by standing on the front bumper (and me being heavy) we managed to get enough traction to get moving. I am not too worried about the weight. These will only get used if I get into soft ground, but I will aim to avoid any areas that are soft as I dont want to create damage. Not too worried about storing them in the back of the truck. I will either take a tarp to put them on or just wash it out when I get home. I certainly agree with the fitting of a rope to get them out if they get used. I have seen the boards for sale by Jon W and to be honest it is that add that got me looking. I would happily take a set off Jon but he is 75 miles away so unfortunately the £35 for a set added to a 150 mile round trip to get them is trumped by the ebay £39 delivered. I have seen the Maxtrax boards but I like the possible use of the waffle boards as a bridging ladder - also I don't have deep enough pockets for those!!! Another thing I need to do is learn how to drive my defender off road! I have relatively little experience and learning some basics can only improve my capabilities in the vehicle. Here is an image of the ground to be covered. It has a good covering of coarse grass and I do hope that I can drive sympathetically enough so I don't damage it. If I do feel I am creating wear then I could deviate the route slightly. And I have just done a google earth measurement and it looks more in the region of 500m each way. I am currently running General Grabber AT3s but have some Insa special tracks, but I thought the special tracks may be more likely to cause damage. Thanks again for your help. Mick

I am considering buying a pair of waffle boards. I don't compete or do serious off-roading but in the near future I am likely to need to cross a section of moorland a couple of times per week. This will likely be a round trip of 500m. I don't want to be in a situation of getting stuck so thought a set of waffle boards would be a relatively cheap addition. I have seen a set on ebay for £39 delivered. These are 38mm thick and 1220x310mm. Before I buy, are there any points of note I need to look for or are they all pretty much the same?

Some work going into that. That looks really awkward to get to. I have considered making my rear floor a removable part so that I can access the rear section for maintenance.

I actually bought a ctek "CT5 time to go" charger from Lidl. That was earlier this year and cost £29.99. I thought it odd that they had the ctek brand on sale but have since read (though no idea if it's true) that ctek make the Lidl chargers?

I have used mine (with the built-in compressor) for my bulkhead outriggers, dumb iirons and rear crossmember. It's good on those places you can't get to with a grinder, but on some of those parts thick rust can make arcing up problematic and getting through the tips quicker. You will still need a grinder (or I did) to clean up rust, trim back some bits and remove rust. I would say I used the grinder more than the plasma but plasma did make some difficult parts far easier.

Thanks Tobias. I have the coolant alarm fitted and it has saved me once when my rad sprang a leak. I will fit the Durite sensor and gauge and see how that responds.

Thanks Western. What type of sensor would you recommend for that location and would that work if i lost coolant?

CliveT, did you manage to fit your gauge? Would be interested to see how you went on. I fancy one of those gauges but the exchange rate has pushed it above the customs charge threshold. I Should have purchased it when I first posted. However I have purchased a Durite gauge and sender which I intend to install as a direct replacement for the land rover one. It has a graduated scale rather than cold/warm/hot/goosed!

My truck has limited milage at 3k per year, and I have never got anywhere near that. I hope to do much more this year, but I am happy to remove the wheels and inspect them on a regular basis. If I ain't happy with them they can come off.

To be fair the nuts for seem to be the profile to suit the spacer.

Thanks Snagger. I only have the blue (medium) and red (high strength) so i will to invest in some of the low strength suff, which I believe is purple.

Many thanks folks, I appreciate your responses. I will clean the threads and use medium strength locktite for the spacer to hub nuts and also the spacer studs to secure them into the spacer body. You are right about me using copper slip on the wheel studs and I will keep doing so. I haven't fitted them yet as they are not on my insurance yet and it's due at the end of the month so I'll fit them then - then I will have to see if I get on with them.

I have a 1993 90 and as it has a 10 spline axle it has thicker drive flanges which unfortunately interfere with the plastic centre cap on the alloy wheels. I am not usually worried about the cosmetic side of things, but I do feel the little black cap poking out through the centre of the wheel doesn't do the boost alloys any favours! So I decided to get myself some wheel spacers to help with my vanity. Unfortunately these sat on the shelf for a while as they also clashed with the thicker drive flange, but with the slightest of fettling with a file they now sit flush on the wheel. I decided to trial fit them but one thing caught my attention. The wheel studs in the spacers are in fact just bolts recessed into the spacer and threaded I to a tapped hole so they pass through the spacer and act like a wheel stud. These bolts were not fitted particularly tightly and my thoughts are that if they unscrew whilst fitting the wheel nuts, on tightening they will be pulled tight up against the back of the spacer which in turn could damage the thread they are screwed into. If the threaded hole in the spacer becomes damaged then, if you end up with a tight wheel nut, is there a risk of the bolt just spinning as wheel nut is undone? One spinning wheel nut and the wheel ain't coming off!!! So, should I use locktite on these bolts into the aluminium spacer? If I do should I use the blue medium strength locktite or the red "needs heat to undo" type? Your advice, as always, is greafully received. Many thanks. Mick These look similar to my spacers. They are the alloy hubcentric ones (mine are second hand so not sure of actual make).

I do this every time I can. This allows you to cut the end off if you forget to put the fitting on or you cock the flare up! I have had to do this more than once and I haven't made that many pipes - but I would have had to make more if I didn't leave excess when I cut the pipe. But I also allow a bit extra to allow flex when fitting too. It's easy enough to loose it by increasing the angles you set the pipe at. I also have a piece of tape on the flaring tool box with "put the fitting on the pipe" in big letters with a marker pen.

This may be worth a watch.

Have a look at this recent thread on d2 https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic86440.html

I think that stainless is only a fraction heavier than mild steel especially if you compare it to a galvanised one. I did wonder myself about the possibility of stress related fractures but i suppose it is a relatively small piece. I think the parts I would be more worried about would be where the door hinges fix - possibly the windscreen brackets. The other issue is painting as I could see it scratching quite easily. Also I wonder if it has been passivated.

Wow you certainly have a few there! Whilst I am currently unlikely to use them, as they are at such a reasonable price, could I have a set off you please. Would it be possible to have a first and second tap in each? It looks like you have 12 sizes so that would be £12 plus postage and even with me not having a use for them, at that price they can sit on the shelf until I get a series (would really like a lightweightat some point). Many thanks. Mick

I am not sure, but I may have seen that Maer do a SS bulkhead.

I find drill bits to be one of those items it isn't productive to skimp on. I find cheaper ones either blunt or chip. Some tend to be so sharp they snatch which chips or breaks them. I find a good way to keep a drill bit in a good state is to use it in a battery drill and pulse it's use so it doesn't go to fast or get too hot. I use a lubricant and often use a bottle top full of oil to dip the tip into. This lubricates and cools it.

I think the issue here is the vast difference in price. Unfortunately people like land rover seem to charge like a wounded rhino. I will buy some parts from Britpart. I think about the part I am buying and decide if I feel it will be suitable. I did buy Britpart calipers and discs - but not pads. I bought Britpart swivels but not wheel bearings (got Timken), or seals (I got Corteco). I don't do much mileage so that also influences my decision. If a Britpart part will do 50k miles to a land rover doing 150k, the Britpart will last me well over 10 years anyway. I feel its such a shame that some parts, with just a little more care or perhaps better materials, would be a match (or very near) for the genuine part and probably for not much more cost than what they charge now.

I bought a second hand one off ebay, I think about £35 delivered. I am not the wealthiest of folk so a brand new one seemed expensive and I would not use it enough for the cost. However I am happy I have mine as it certainly helps with some tasks. I presume its the gas that is the main component in producing the heat,so I am sure other cheaper torches will work, but I took a punt on the used one having enough use left in it for my requirements. I have used it to remove threaded things that I thought I would have to drill out and re tap. My first use, and the reason I bought the torch, was the removal of bolts holding on the brake caliper on the front of my defender. I had already cut the caliper in half to get to the back of the screw so I could apply penetrating fluid. Penetrating fluid just didn't work (I broke a screwfix socket remover trying to undo it). I was advised to use the map gas with the Rothenberger so I got that. I got another socket removal kit (Toolstation this time - I would have preferred Irwin but nowhere had them at the time), I drilled the caliper bolt from the back to hopefully remove some stress on the thread. I then heated, quenched then heated again and used the socket removal tool on a 2ft breaker bar - both bolts came out. I also removed the swivel housing oil plug that I was sure would never come out and also a steering lock stop bolt which I also believed would never move. If I drove over the Rothenberger would I replace it - perhaps. I would certainly replace it with something but I don't know what are reliable alternatives. I am not a tool snob but I like things to work. I will often look for a good second hand quality tool than a cheap make - I would like new and quality but that often is not an option on my budget. If I was starting a land rover restoration I would happily buy a Rothenberger as I would be happy I would give it enough use to justify the cost. However, I would certainly ask people for opinions on alternatives, but map gas in my opinion is a great addition to the toolbox.

I think it's bits like this that will be good to print. Being able to tailer parts for your needs will be good. If its possible to make simple clips etc then it will hopefully save lots of trying to find small parts then paying for postage etc.

Your designs really are well thought out and look of a professional standard. I look forward to getting to grips with the software so I can start doing some designs myself.