Lewis

I cant take credit though - it was a mates idea first. I'll see what i can do for pictures at the weekend - even if its on a camera phone it will give you an idea of what i'm on about

75mph is way more than i would risk on large muds anyway so thats ok Have you experienced any problems with tyres comming off the rims at 8psi or do you run beadlocks? Lewis

Yeah do, it would be good to meet up with more likeminded folk. The only Oslo blue 90 ive seen is Steve Foster's (the crane hire people) lads 90 Lewis

The exhaust you have fiited does not appear to be a genuine 200tdi exhaust. Both the exhaust fitted to my old 90 (factory 200tdi) and the one bought for my new 90 (Disco 200 conversion) have the back box between the chassis rails in the place where the fuel tank is located on a TD5. The pipe enters from the front of the car on the passenger side of the box and then exits just behind this also on the passenger side of the box and passes beneath the chassis rail to exit behind the rear wheel, it does not pass under the rear cross-member at any time. The arrangement of this allows an easy conversion to a high level exit through the bodywork, simply by cutting and rotating the elbow from the main pipe as it enters the back box, then welding this to the tailpipe (also cut from the back box). This can be made to pass through the stilt above the main chassis rail that supports the tub just in front of the rear crossmember. This completly removes the backbox and with careful positioning allows an exhaust that does not protrude beneath the chassis rails at any point. I will post pictures when I get hold of a camera

Thanks for all your replies, it gives me something to think about. As suggested i will probably look for some secondhand Simex JT's, anyone selling any? Also has anyone got any recommendations for where to get Simex new - who is cheap, who gives good customer service etc "Stripy" What speed rating do they have, how tall are they? Are they as stiff as the ex-military origins suggest? Are they good in the mud? Smo, what do you drive - i thought i knew everyone around here (Uttoxeter) that was into Landy's. The pic in my avatar is an old one of my S2a daily driver - Try the photos in my galleries for a few more. I used to drive a blue Tdi 90 with Grizzly's and loads of lights (doesnt everyone? ) The new 90 lives in a field at the moment, waiting for a few finishing touches before the MOT. Cheers eveyone Lewis

Road tyres are 235/75 Runway Enduros IIRC and are pure road pattern, will probably change to 235/85 when they need replacing. On my old 90 i had 265/75 16 Bronco Grizzly Claws, they were fantastic off road but a bit noisy on road (I know that all aggressive tyres are like this). I broke 1 shaft in a year, this was again with standard 10spline axles. Currently I have 7.50 "Made in Wales" Super Mud Plugga's that have been re-cut with the tyre cutter, they have been used just to move the truck around the field and workshop though so no real experience with these. They are tubed and perished so need replacing, hence my questions I should point out that i intend to upgrade axle components, shafts cvs etc at a later date when funds allow, I was just concerned that buying larger tyres (simex) now would mean that in the mean time the car became almost undriveable offroad due to excessive breakages - afterall i dont want to be spending all the time in the mud swapping shafts Lewis

I am considering which tyres to get for my 90. The car runs Gwyn Lewis suspension on Red/white RR springs so not much lift, but I wouldn't mind cutting the rear wheel boxes for clearance on larger tyres if i have to. Its going to be my everyday car but i do ocaisional lanes, go to the pay and play site every month and would like to try a few winch comps next year. I have another set of tyres for the road. I have spoken to as many people as i can and canvassed opinions but i am still undecided. Current options are: Simex Jungle trekkers in 34 11.50, + Large + Quality tyre + Fantastic Grip - Spendy Greenway Anaconda in 265/75 16 + Cheap - Remould - Small Petlas 900s(?) [dont know who the guy is or whose truck it is, was just the only image i could find of these tyres ] ^^ Does anyone know anything about these tyres? ^^ Insa Turbo Special Track 265/75 16 + Cheapish + Simex Copy - Stiff sidewalls(?) - Very Noisy - Simex Copy (not as "cool" as the real thing) - Small So what does the panel think? Has anyone got any other suggestions? My 90 is on standard 10-spline axles so is it a bit optimistic thinking i can run JT's without an endless supply of halfshafts/cv's? Any help is gratefully received Lewis

A friend of mine has one of these for his 1989 110 but was unable to get it to fit properly - apparently you need to have a 300tdi pedal box. Sorry dont know anything else Lewis

Yeah, same here, got them from David at Llama 4x4. Very pleased with them so far Lewis

Cheers guys, I'll dig out the dies from work and try it at the weekend FYI its an 1987 90 with the shaft from an 84/85 110, it fits the wheel off a disco 200tdi Many thanks Lewis

Can anyone tell me what thread it is at the top of the steering shaft above the splines - the threads on the shaft on my 90 need re-cutting to repair them and i cant seem to find a suitable die Many thanks Lewis

There does seem to be a variation in pricing between stores, might be worth shopping around. You can get even more money off (15% IIRC) if you can get a trade card, you just have to work somewhere auto industry related and they'll give you one - theres even more discount off of their halfords branded parts filters etc, more than 70% in some cases Lewis

I missed that one. My mate lives oposite a huuge dairy place so that might be worth pursuing, thanks

Sorry I forgot to mention that I had used the guide in the tech archive and found it invaluable I sadly dont have the 11 hours available to try making one myself (nor do i have the welding skills)

Just completed engine change in my 90 and now run out of budget and i still need the downpipe for the turbo. Does anyone know of another company that makes these - i really dont want to have to shell out the £130-odd to Steve Parker Many thanks Lewis

I bought a 15quid clarke jobbie from machine mart, its pathetically underpowered but what can you expect for £15. It will stall if you try to take paint off with the 65mm wire-wheel Only good thing is its garenteed so i just take it back when it breaks Lewis

Mmmmmmm Thats going on my christmas list, along with the lego pirate ship

Christ my memory is bl**dy terrible How can they call the mag Practical Performance car? it should be called Ridiculous Performance Car Lewis

If we are going to descend into sillyness then how about this - I was reading Practical Performance car magazine (they have it in the library at work) and there is a guy fitting an 18lt V12 or 16 (cant remember) aircraft engine into an SD1, he ran it through three torque converters so the box could cope with the power. 1800bhp, yes please

If thats JCB's own then its 80hp n/a or 100hp turbo - gotta be ripe for some tuning if it can break the land speed diesel record. If its the earlier one then its just a perkins

Dunno really, i heard about the M3 engine being fitted from a mate, i didnt ask about any of the other lumps, i guess if they use the same flywheel/housing then their shouldnt be any issue According to the guy i share a lift to work with (ford geek enthusiast) the 1.8 is a smoother motor, not sure in what respect, and is the popular choice for tuners, especially when doing the ZVH hybrid route. Try looking at Burton Power or OddKid creations websites for inspiration. Loads of companies out there are doing cheap tuning and nice low mileage engines are ten a penny so its gotta be worth some research. Lewis

Zetec should fit essex adapeter plate, can go 2.1 ZVH Hybrid for silly power for liitle £ BMW 6cyl diesels are easily done (or at least the 2.5) and cheep like the budgie - use the south african spec adapters for lt77/r380 BMW 6cyl 3.2 from old M3 should fit above adapter but try finding a lump that hasnt been spanked for less than £1k BMW/Range Rover 4.4 V8 should fit above, I say should. But then you spend all day worring that the pistons are gonna fall off the end of the rods and waxoil the engine bay (did production ones do this or was it just the bags of sh*t i got to see?) Audi 2.5 diesel has been mated to ZF 4HP so use that bellhousing. Cheap, powerful, last forever, sounds ideal. 2.2 Ford Duratorq mated to new (transit engined) defender bellhousing would be drool-worthy, may pose packaging issues though 2.3(?) or 2.5 Honda/Rover V6 mates to Lt77/r380 using disco mpi/italian defender bellhousing, you could get 5 donor rover 800s for your £1k 6.5 Turbo GMC diesel V8 with Dieselsquirt and straight-through pipe for uber-torque and to free up some revs, cheap and bombproof but try finding a box that wont melt with the torque Big fan of the already mentioned Cossie V6 4ltr hybrid, bags of potential there and soooo cheap Really really want TDV8 auto in defender, could only be done reliably with portals though Plus its megabucks so ignore for the purpose of this discussion As jez already mentioned AJV8 Supercharged can be done fairly easily but it costs, and the engine is very wide

You could use an air solenoid to lock it with a sliding pin etc Just a thought Lewis

Mate (Si) turned up at 8am and within minutes we were on our way to our first Sodbury ever. Barely 5miles into our 280mile round trip from North Staffordshire my mate comments that the car warmed up quick this morning and is now almost in the red. Damn. We are in a standard TD 90 and visions of warped heads are going through my mind . Heaters on full and we soldier on. Three hours later we make in into Old soddenbury mud fest car park, its the middle of winter and yet i feel like ive just stepped out of a TD powered sauna Jumpers abandoned at the car and we make our way into the jumble, qucikly spot the first thing on my list and we are away, its the defender steering column cowl and the switch panel for the indicators, the guy wants a tenner for each! Cheeky tw*t - i later find both for less than 3quid 11.30 and the heavens open, instantly drenched we just think ahh sod it, cant get any wetter now, how wrong we were . Jeans suddenly weigh 15stone and we head back off into the now deserted show, pick up some bargains and head back to the car to dump the first lot. We learn from our mistakes and grab our rain coats and get back to the stalls only to find glorious sunshine, b*llocks. I buy some paint, Si buys a steering guard, we pick up yet more trim and dash bits for my 90 and head back to the car again, almost falling face first in the mud. Trainers ditched and boots donned we return once more for bargain hunting. Spotted Paul Wightman and Marks Disco at the X-eng stand, and almost talked to SimonR about his chopped radius arms, but was too shy to say hello to anyone, this was probably the closest i get to feeling what normal people do when they see a celebrity Saw the Tecknik stand, and saw their bumpers in the flesh, seem well made and fairly heavy duty so i thinks they well be recieving my order soon. Also saw 4X4 R US who make some nice stuff and it seemed fairly cheap, they make a nice alternative to QT diff guards, link here Picked up a winch plate from Champion that they reckon is for 15,000LB winches, not sure its upto Nige's (HFH) standards though. Interestly they didnt have any of thier two-speed winches, apparently they are having problems getting them to pull anywhere near the rated load (this from the guy who works there). So we take turns lugging this lump of steel with holes in around the show whilst desperatly trying to find a rear fog and a number plate light for my MOT. We get rained on some more and think about leaving at 3ish. The TD gets to temperature before we even leave the car park and we gently coax it back up the M40, stopping at the services near work to check the Viscous - despite being hotter than a big pile of fire next to a radiator the fan will spin freely with the engine off It starts raining so hard the dry motorway collects an inch of surface water in an instant and the wipers cant manage the fast speed. B*llocks. Almost passed Birmingham and just passed the last services the fuel light comes on and the wiper motor has begun to sound like its trying to grind sandstone with a cheese grater. B*llocks. We stop for fuel and its gone dark, the 90 has consumed a tank of diesel in 237miles so we are averaging V8 economy at half the speed, at least we can go out in the rain tho So, spent up, soaked and extremely tired we roll up at mine at half six. Did we have a good time? Hell yeah! See you there next year, by then i might have the courrage to say hello

This is my mates 2 door running 265/75 R16 Grizzlys, the arches have just been cut back to the lip around the arch, no folding. The sharp edges were covered using rubber strip as used in car window seals - nice and cheap Lewis My apologies if this comes out huge, and also for the rather bleached picture - its off a camera phone