SteveG

I know it's not the British thing to say , but maybe the new Defenders and the rest of the range should be built in the US too. I'm sure that Land Rover can't be making much money on each vehicle sold in the US market, going by the prices they have to sell them at. This means that every other market has to subsidise the US division. If companies struggle to make a profit overall, then it makes sense to make some radical changes so that they can sell cars in the US market at a profit and survive. The likes of BMW and the Japanese realised this a long tiime ago and set up local manufacturing plants. As for the new Defender, you'd think that with modern materials and techniques they can continue to keep it simple, easy to fix, adapt etc at the right price point. The hardest thing to achieve will be making it look good. Hopefully they don't try and go for a corporate look and they update it like BMW did with the mini. As long as they don't give it the same rear end as the Discovery, otherwise it will be ****ed for sales Steve

So where did everyone finish then?? I saw post on event forum that Paul entered too - did he win a scorpion racing t-shirt again?? Also who one the subscription to LRE ??????????? Cheers Steve

Sorry guys, the comment was only made in jest, as it was actually for a 7 series ad at the time. Cheers Steve

Well reminded, also name change was well timed too Steve

Got to agree with you there about ECU's Chris. Also look at the amount of RR V8's running ok with elctronics. I also have direct experience of off-roading for 3 1/2 years a RR with more computers than the Apollo spacecraft (according to BMW anyway) and never had an issue. TDI's seem to have plenty of engine issues that are not fixable in the field. Why is this different from an ecu going belly up? Which also as Chris says - how often does that happen. Cheers Steve

Just asked as it seems latest tanks on p38 and l322 RR are not vented as there is always a pressure differential when the cap is undone. Cheers Steve

Hi Nige excuse my ignorance, but why does it need to be vented? Cheers Steve

As Stephen says, latest rumour is 2008, with Ford diesel going in next year. They are not giving any firm dates on both yet. Cheers Steve

Mark, the quote I had from Ashcrofts was 275 +Vat Cheers for the pics Will. Cheers Steve

Hi Michele It's in latest copy of LRO. Daves's running a nice new one page ad. I can't scan it in, but maybe someone else can. Anyway one section of it says "Products Cuirrently Under Development" with CV Joint,Cush Drives and Drive Flanges. Text for CV's is "We are developing two CV joints as direct replacement for the early 23 spline and later 32 spline CV i.e. the early and late models. {that bit must be for the thickies!! hehe } The joint is a complete makeover with smaller balls, allowing greater wall thickness and higher grade steel for the inner and outer members. the combinationof changes results in a much stronger CV that can be retrofitted ina stock housing" Couldn't be arsed to type out the rest,but basically the cush drives are there to help absorb shock loads on HD shafts and the drive flanges are bling ones similar to Maxi-Drive ones to accomodate HD shafts, pics for both of these were shown. As most of the readers of LRO don't know what a CV joint is,I suppose you could still say it's secret!! Cheers Steve

Ask Chris, he know's everything about McDonalds and PDA's!! Cheers Steve

what about the.. "is the house in the background included in the Sale??" Steve

Who said anything about over inflating them??? They will wear more and won't handle as well if they are run on-road at 20psi or less. Cheers Steve

yes it is worth it, if only for the fun of watching them try!! They will last no problem with that amount of mileage on them. They fair better wear wise and handling on road if pumped up a bit. Yes you will notice the difference, no problem with that Cheers Steve

Can't be that top secret as they are mentioing them in their latest ads as under development. Using small ball bearings to increase thickness of outer ring. Will when you get a chance to post some more pics, can you post one of the pattern NAS/50th central housing you installed. I assume that you got this from Ashcrofts?? Also Will, why are you planning to increase performance of TGV 2.8i that much?? If it drives ok now, why potentially reduce reliability for some more bhp? If your answer is "because I can" that's a good answer Cheers Steve

Is this what you meant when you said, imagine rubbery half shafts that can twist!! Lara posted a pic of his old Kam HD shafts over on Devon 4x4 Forum, after he is replacing them with his new and unique bling versions you can read about it here.. Devon 4x4 Forum Cheers Steve

The HP24 was fitted to P38 Range Rover and Discovery II V8's. Well done Will, looking forward to pics. Cheers Steve

Ok Mark I get it know And yes on this subject I'm thinking too much and it hurts so I give up now. Cheers Steve

Of course you can have torque without resistance. Power = Torque x RPM (or rotational speed) HorsePower = (Torque x RPM)/5252 No resistance or load factor in any of those two equations And an open diff is a torque splitter. The problem I had before was understanding that when it's locked it's providing the same amount of torque to both axles. Cheers Steve

How can this be with a locked diff. Torque is just a measurement of force required to move an object over a distance. With a locked diff there is no way the force on each half shaft can vary. Yes? Otherwise it's just like an open diff. So the force is there all along whether there is a load or not. True? As you know with an open diff the reverse is true, if there is no load there it gets all of the force. If the wheel suddenly finds traction you have to be careful as you are for an instant putting all of the force through a single wheel. With an axle diff lock in locked position both wheels are turning at the same rate all of the time irrespective of load on each. With it locked there can be no way that the force or torque is varying between each wheel. Cheers Steve

if you think about a single axle with the diff open. You raise one wheel in the air, the open diff will give the wheel in the air 100% of torque - Yes? Ok so if you now lock the diff, both shafts will now share the torque equally and rotate at the same rate-Yes? So does the front diff truly divide the available torque because it can't give both 100%. If any engine gives out 200lb of torque at say 2500rpm, there's not 200lb at each wheel. Surely if each wheel has the same amount of traction the each will be getting roughly 50lb. It couldn't be giving 200lb to each otherwise you would have a 200lb engine putting out 800lb on the road. Would be good ifyou could, but it's not going to happen. If your examples are true and let's say you had front and rear diff locks and centre diff lock all in the locked position and let's say you have three wheels in the air. That means that the single wheel on the ground would be getting 100% and all the others 0%. But if that's the case why does the other axle with two wheels in the air turn?? And if it were to find traction it would have the force to move. The diffs wouldn't start to suddenly put the torque back - it's because it was there all along. Surely this is correct? Yes? So what's happening. Surely with a centre diff lock in and just one prop-shaft it's going to get half the torque irrespective of whether there is load or not, or am I wrong? Cheers Steve

if you remove the front propshaft and lock centre diff lock. The diff lock will divide the torque equally between both front and rear outputs whether there is a load or not. Therefore the front propshaft will receive 50% of the torque. True or False. If false give your reasons Cheers Steve

Yes you need permission, insurance etc it's quite complicated actually. I think they actually prefer it if it is like this to put 4x4's off. Last time I was there I spoke to one of the Rangers that had been called out and he said the problem with only opening the few months of the year they get some real "Persons Resembling a Pink Starfish" going there. They get called out 2-3 times a day by ramblers and mountain bikers at the weekend when it's open reporting 4x4 drivers. Had to agree with him as when I was up there last a group of about 10 assorted 4x4's had driven up on to the grass section at the top of the gap for either a better pic or group photo. It was that bunch that was reported and that he'd cometo meet. Cheers Steve

it's almost ideal, now if it was armoured I'd happily buy it now. The number plate at 28 quid looks a bargain though. To re-sell of course wouldn't want to look a tosser by actually putting it on a car I own Steve

Hi Geoff It was there this time a year ago and in same condition in March, so I assume that there is no immediate rush to fix it. Before it was usefully filled with rocks and the logs that fling up and smash the underside of the LR cheers Steve