red90 driver

Just read the info pack. Under 'Equipment Reccomended', is listed - Speedos. If anyone else thinks its going to be rather bracing weather in north Yorkshire in March, then the wearing of skimpy swimming trunks is not to be undertaken lightly!! I therefore reccomend / volunteer that my co-driver (who is rather better insulated then me) takes charge on any stages involving rivers and puddles... I'm going to sit in the truck with the heater on full blast, or rig up the driving controls so I can sit on the roof. Alternatively, i'm packing the sun cream!!

Checked with a tape measure 1230 mm eye to eye on the track rod (behind the axle) and 930mm eye to eye on the drag link. The figures were checked with my disco 1 Haynes manual, and seem to match what it says. D'you reckon I need to get them checked properly at a tyre depot?

Not done the swivel preloads. All the bolts are done up tight. No wear in the bushes. No wear on the bolts. Steering damper was replaced some time ago with hydro assist. Would the swivels need the preload changing if the complete swivel and hub assembly were just swapped from one axle to another? It feels like there is no castor on the steering. the only things that are different is the axle casing, and new shafts / cv's....

I have just finished doing a front axle swap on our '93 Defender 90. The original axle was a 24 spline setup and was only swapped due to having refurbished a discovery item. So, the axle tube was swapped over, and I re-used the swivels and hubs from the 90 axle. Everything went back on perfect. I also installed new ashcroft defender cv's and shafts at this time. When on the post fitting test drive, the steering has absolutely no self centering and is vague to the point of being dangerous, as it will wander all over the road at anything over 25 mph. Is there any difference in the swivels and hubs on 300 defender / disco axles? The ball joints were all replaced at Christmas, and the whole truck drove fine until the axle swap. If anybody can help shed some light on the matter......

Because some people can't seem to get out of bed before 9 am! And even if they do, it takes 4 mugs of tea/coffee before they can function. If you remember from the last Wormhough event, we were ready to go for 7 ish, but some teams did not arrive until after 8, and by the time they unloaded and got their s**t together, it would have been getting on for 9. But I don't have a problem with early starts. Suits both Ian and myself. There may be problems with early starts regarding site usage and noise?

Same thing I thought. Anyone for truck swapping?

Many thanks for clarifying that Dave. Makes it a much more attractive proposition now. Hopefully we'll be accepted for a weekend of pain and humiliation.

Get back to work, yoof! Theres some breakfast cereal machines need fettling!!!

Yes. March 20th to March 22nd

Probably not doing any of the AWDC events, going to do some of the Northern series and also some of the Midland Off Road event. We would like to do Muddy Truckers and Midsummer Madness as well. Going to be a busy year for us compared to 2008! What are you and Saley intending entering?

The entry forms have been released! Reading them, it is only open to members of Yorkshire Offroad Club. No other affiliated clubs are mentioned. Therefore, I would assume you have to be a member. Bugger! thats £175 to enter, plus 2x£25 for membership. Going to be expensive for 2 and a bit days.

Our front 8274 has a 50mm diameter drum, and is 75mm wider than standard. The stainless steel fairlead is setup so that it is 30mm narrower than the drum. we spool on under load but try to criss-cross the rope as it goes on (having a winchman built like a brick khazi helps!) This still does not stop the rope from jamming itself into the lower layers, especially after the first pull of the day. The rear 8274 has a standard drum, but is set right behind the rear bulkhead, with the fairlead in the rear cross member. Having it set this far apart makes the rope spool on loverly. And we don't seem to have problems with the rope cutting through the lower layers. We also use 11mm Plasma from Andy-T, and have not snapped one this year after 6 challenges. Of course, the ropes are washed after every event and then checked for damage. Only had to splice a damaged section once this year, after a recovery over a barbed wire fence!

We've used carling switches and have not had any problems in the 12 months that they have been fitted. As can be seen, we are using a mudstuff panel, which has the 3 switches for the ARB's and compressor (On-Off) 3 switches for the winches (MOM-Off-MOM) 1 electric fan control (On-Off) 1 winch main supply control (On-Off) 2 auxillary light controls (On-Off) and.. 4 resettable fuses. 1 Volt Meter 1 Boost gauge That is the MK2 layout. I have also used the correct wiring plugs that fit onto the spade terminals on the back of the Carling switches to make life easier if I ever have to change a switch.

The other problem is if you go to a parts counter and want to buy something that is not meant for the original vehicle. I have had several aguments with staff who insist that I can't have part X, because it will not fit onto vehicle Y, when I know I that part will fit because I have modified the vehicle to take that part, i.e. X-brake hand brake cable for the 90. Can't give you that one sir, it is not for a 200TDi Defender, you need..... In the end the local motor factors get to know you, and run for cover when they see you roll up outside!!

Don't!!! CAT5 cable although having 6 separate cores, each core has only a single strand of solid wire. They do not like the vibration in a vehicle as the cores will snap in time, giving you intermittant operation. Plus solid core cable is a sod when soldered or crimped for snapping. Thinking aloud mode....... You could use external grade CAT5 cable, but that starts getting pricey. If you must use a multi core cable, use one in which the cables have more than one wire, e.g 7/0.2 which is 7 wires of 0.2mm in each core. I have used 4 core RS-232 comms wire in the past, with 7/0.2 cores for relay operation, and also some 4 core artic spec mains cable, that has 30/0.2 cores. Confused? You will be!

2 waffles on the bonnet, 4 ladders in the tub,

We have 2 on the bonnet, secured with anti-looses(?), just far enough away from the cage so that the bonnet will lift OK. But there is a large piece of checker plate on the bonnet, and it all lifts up on 2 big gas struts due to the weight! We also carry up to 4 steel ladders in the rear of the tub, stacked vertically and secured with bungees. Daf (GSR341) carries his 4 waffles in some nice ali box holders in the rear of his (very short) tub, stored vertically. I think those holders can be aquired from flea bay for not much.

Yeah, but, no, but, yeah, whatever! That means that you will also have to then be in class 1. Ha. Time to step up to the mark Daf, and set the standard for us to follow. But just cos I might have them does not mean that I know how to use them. Like most of the kit on the truck. I don't see that having fiddle will put us on a par with portals. Just means that we'll be in direct competition with the likes of Alan! Oops! Ah well, plop happens.

Thanks gents! (and others...) After being put right about non exploding transfer boxes, I feel I have all the info I need. Just need to persuede the winch man that I NEED fiddle brakes to make his life easier. And one (or two) of Saley's winches. And Ashcrofts finest front axle candy. And some boggers.. and anything else shiny.... So, a set of front calipers grafted onto the rear axle, a set of Milners finest, and then some practice time with the 205's and a grassy area. I feel a christmas pressy to myself coming on. Don't tell the missus!!

So my understanding of the matter is: If I use fiddle brakes, I will need a secondary set of calipers (Fronts) on the rear axle operated from the in cab levers, coupled with a large application of loud pedal to spin the truck round. But, by applying the power, I will probably bollix up the centre diff in the LT230 in very short order! How do the ppl in the CCV class in trials cope with this problem........ Is it really worth putting fiddles on then, in order to break transfer boxes quickly? (Sorry David, I think my eyesight want checking, I always read your name as Sparkles, and not Sparks. But I think its not too bad a miss-spell....)

In reply to David Sparkles - we are using the standard LT230 transfer box centre diff lock. Why? Thanks for all the inputs from everyone. Have found the fiddle brakes from Milner, but no prices on the web site. Any ideas of quality/cost for the milner items? If we have to put another set of calipers on the rear axle, would another set of defender rears be ok, when using big wide tyres? Is it a good idea to change the discs to a grooved type, or just stay with the standards?

Evening all. Sitting here, post several Leffe's, thinking about next years comps, with particular regard to the use of fiddle brakes on the challenge truck when I decided to throw the question open to derision and ask you lot..... OK, we have got: Ashcroft rear shafts, ARB's and 14.50" wide pitbulls, which make for a slightly bigger turning circle than standard! So, for more manoeuverability, if we fitted fiddles: a. Would it help in tight sections? b. What is the best way of installing them? c. How do they work exactly, if you only have 1 caliper on each wheel? d. Does the ARB unlock immediately the air is removed, so that if I want to use the fiddle brakes, I can lock up 1 wheel and not both? e. Best place to install the lever assembly in the cabm and what style of levers (90 or 45 degree)? f. one caliper or two on each wheel? What calipers to fit? h. Is this a stupid idea?

Venues? Team events or single entries? Single day or two day events? Single malt or blended?

Got to: Fit the roof lining and interior light. Check the power steering fluid Check the washers work Check my headtorch Check the batteries on the radios Buy lots of sports drink / red bull Buy Mars bars Turn up next saturday for scrutineering. I'm ready! Oh, and find my lateral thinking head for the special stages on saturday, and my courage head for the night punches, and my non sleepy head for sunday!

Well, it seems that the brakes have gone mushy and require 2 stabs of the brake pedal again on the 90. The last time this happened, I eventually traced it down to the 'O' ring that is fitted between the brake servo and master cylinder. Does anyone have either a part number for it, or the correct size and material so I can go buy several?