Mossberg

Ooh- that's a useful tip!

Replied.

Yep, interested, where about are you and how much you looking for? I will be doing the job myself and don't mind a bit of fettling.

I am looking at getting a replacement rear crossmember for my Defender 90, K reg (93). Looking around I have seen RCP do one that is from 3mm steel and includes the extensions. Has anyone used this type and can comment if it's good or bad? Alternatively, can you recommend a good one? Also, please flag up if any out there should be avoided. Thanks for your help. Mick

Do you have a 90 or a 110? If you have a 90 then more powerful brakes on the back may cause them to lock up. I have recently replaced my discs and calipers, front and back - the rears lock first without a load in the back (not really done any serious braking when loaded). I thought the axles on a 110 were a heavier load rating, like the Salisbury? I am still quite new to land rover maintenance so please don't read any of my comments as being from an expert.

I think it's more playboy black and turns purple in a flash. It sounds interesting and I look forward to seeing it. He already has a Shorland, but he has a thing for armoured land rovers!

It's currently away getting its electrics sorted, then I will go over and have a look. He said it's left hand drive and the wiring loom goes down the left hand chassis leg, so it needs extending. Apparently this is the first of the prototypes so things have been difficult or impossible to source. It also has dents in the side where it was tested with 9mm, .38" and 7.62mm ammo. I look forward to seeing it myself. He is having difficulty sourcing an aircon unit. It seems the original sat on the bonnet. He will be putting it through an mot shortly, though it doesn't need it due to its age.

Holy thread revival Batman!!!! A friend of mine has just been around - he has the armoured version from that photo. It is currently coming to the end of its restoration, though it won't be original paint, infact I think it is now a fancy black that changes colour in different light. Quite an extensive restoration by the sound of it!

Thanks Fridge - I think dedicated earth multi point units wired back to the battery is a good idea. I just need to find myself some relevant colour wire now.

Fantastic - thank you very much FridgeFreezer.

Thanks monkie, that's really helpful and useful information. I will try to digest what you have written and try to understand it. The reason I have had to look at some of the connectors is I have changed the fog light and one of the connectors just dropped out. Obviously unless addressed that will be an ongoing intermittent fault. Also I need to replace the RH outrigger and some advise taking the loom out, and I really don't want to damage it in the chassis when welding. My thoughts were to try and understand the wiring before I attempt that. I am trying to understand the earth's too. As a bad earth is the cause of many electrical problems, I am trying to understand where they are located (main earth points) and also where earth wires are fixed to (from lights etc). Thanks for your help, anything like this helps tremendously!

Thanks folks, I appreciate your replies. I will have a look at the suppliers mentioned. The bullets seem to connect multiple wires to one circuit whereas some of the connectors available look to be multiples of single wire joints. I agree that a fixed soldered connection would be best, but as many of these are for lights, and looking at the state of the fog light I have just replaced, I can see further replacements due in the future. I also need to replace my outrigger shortly and may have to remove the loom to do that. Thanks for your help. Mick

Does anyone have a link for the wiring diagram for a 1993 90. It has a 300tdi fitted so I have a 300tdi wiring diagram, but that means it's from 1996ish, and that has a different wiring loom so non engin items not the same. A typical example of the difference is my rear wiper. My loom seems to have three wires wher my wiper motor (I presume updated with the engine) has five. This is my first dabble into electrics so the incorrect info of the wiring diagram is confusing. I accept that it will be a case of looking at both diagrams, but that is something I am going to have to learn to live with. Thanks for your help. Mick

So my learning curve continues, this time into electrics. I have a couple of faults (rear fog light and rear wiper) and when starting to look for the problem I have uncovered the mass of connectors that is the rear part of the harness. One thing that has become apparent is the connectors are tired. I suppose this is to be expected with a 30 year old vehicle. Some are loose, some look as though they are corroded and some where the wire looks to be braking at the connector. The connectors are the bullet type and I wondered if there is a thread on how to replace them. I have tried a search but you can imagine the results list! Where is a good place to get decent replacements or is there a better alternative? Thanks for your help. Mick

Well I have been using the oil can for a while now with Plusgas and it has worked well. It soon returns to the can, which is probably because the liquid is quite thin. However, a few pumps and it's back. I used it to apply it to the threads on each end of my draglink and it was really good at directing it where I wanted, even in the split in the draglink which was positioned at the bottom. As the spout is a flexible pipe you can also aim it at the back of something. Far better than the standard can and less wasteful.

Thanks Sean, I'll do that. I might just start putting Plusgas on the relevant areas!

Thanks cackshifter, I really appreciate the help of you folks. It gives us the confidence to attempt things we wouldn't without knowing knowledge is at hand. I tightened everything once the truck was either on the ground or axles on stands, so hopefully all good. I will apply some thread penetrant in preparation for adjusting the drag link.

Well after changing the axle case I didn't get to drive it until the other day. Before the axle case swap the steering wheel was roughly central, but now it seems to be a bit off centre clockwise. So the question is, would you expect a slight deviation from what it was before when doing an axle case swap? I also changed the hockey sticks as it went from the thinner version to the slightly wider 300tdi version. I changed the panhard rod and that had far newer bushes than the old one. Also changed the shock turrets and dampers. If it isn't expected, what should I be looking for? If it is expected, I presume its just adjusting the drag link? As always your advice and experience is greatly received.

Well I decided to look at an oil can but was concerned about the seals. I looked at a can in a local budget shop and found this can. As far as I can see there are no seals. I tried it with plusgas and it pumped OK. The only downsides I can see is it looks like it will need to be at least a third full as the mechanism doesn't seem long enough, and also the tube is flexible and i wonder if that will perish over time.

I wouldn't have thought you would need a lift, tust Jack up that wheel then take it off and see what's happening. Take photos, post on here and let the helpful knowledgeable folk on here help you out. The knowledge base on here is extensive but the more information you can give, including photos, the more accurate diagnosis you will get.

It may be worth posting the year. It may also be a good idea to take the wheel off and take a photo of the hub. Oil leeks can be associated with the axle bleed being blocked so may be worth checking that. I am not the most experienced guy on here so hopefully someone who knows what they are talking about will be along soon to help.

I did consider that Stephen, but as the box spanner was performing I decided not to.

I have a socket that fits the back but not deep enough for the front. I also have a Defender with the thick drive flanges. I was going to get a deeper impact socket but I have managed with the box spanner but I am not sure how good that would be on the ones where you have to torque the nut. this is the one that is too shallow.

I positioned the axle stands similar to litch. They sat inside the bracket for the gearbox cross member so there was no way they could slide. When it was on the stands I tried pushing the truck over and was happy it wasn't going to move. I had also put some kerb stones under the front as a just in case! These were not quite high enough but it meant if the truck did fall it wasn't by far. I also didn't go under the truck until the axle was ready to support the weight, and even then I didn't go fully under until the axle stands were under and supporting the axle.

Definitely agree with this. The same goes for your brake caliper bolts. There are two types of bolts for the calipers, the older ones being a coarse thread, but I think yours will be the fine thread. Before you bolt the calipers back on check the old and new bolts side by side as fitting the wrong ones will ruin the threads! Also, don't forget threadlock where required. As a newbie I was worried about using it as I was worried about removing the bolts later, but I watched a YouTube video about it and it put my mind at rest. Some of your new bolts will have it on anyway.