Troll Hunter

Duh! I'm already using your thread as my rebuild guide, all 225 pages of it in pdf format, and I was sure that it was elsewhere that I saw it, but that's the one. Thank you, again. Mike

Western, Many thanks. As usual you have the answers to Part No. queries. It's the parts in your last response, NRC4693, that I was stuck on. I haven't got as far as the MRC9388, but you've saved me asking the question. All the ones circled in orange came out without a problem, but the spire nuts fixing the floor were addressed with Mr. Grinder! Do you recommend replacing these with spire nuts or with another type of fixing. I'm planning to use all stainless fixings for non-load bearing duties, I remember reading a thread on this forum, quite some time ago, that mentioned a kit of SS bolts, nuts, spring and flat washers specifically selected for re-attaching a Defender 110 body to the chassis, but I can't find it now, despite reading many of the rebuild threads. If anybody can point me in the direction of that thread I'd be most grateful, please. Mike

I'm stripping the body off my vehicle in preparation for a chassis galv and total repaint. I've just taken out the intermediate floor panels, behind the front seats, and have removed (sheared!) the 16 M6 bolts that secure the toe panel brackets to the chassis. These have nut plates on the under side, but details do not appear to be shown in my 1987 110 Parts Manual. The photos show the brackets, there are two each side, and one of the nut plates. Please can anyone tell me the part number of these nut plates. I've already got so many jobs to do on this project that ordering new, instead of making new, will be a welcome saving of time and effort. Many thanks, in advance, for any help provided. Mike

I mounted four lights on the front of my roof rack, immediately above the windscreen, for use off road, but they were a disaster. The reflected light from the bonnet - ivory white - totally defeated their use. When I replaced the roof rack with one that only came to the rear of the sloping cab roof they were wonderful. Basically, you need to ensure that the bonnet, if a light colour, does not receive direct illumination from the above screen lights. A matte-black bonnet would probably have been OK with the original roof rack. Of course, all the legal issues mentioned above would apply. Mike

It's a case of "what holds a lot holds a little". There appears to be no downside, except for the extra 20 quid, and the HD fork ensures no future fork failure with the longer lasting clutch plate. And since it's just the same labour to replace with 130/HD components it's a no-brainer to me. Mike

Defo go for the 130 clutch plate and cover and the HD fork and bearing. Mike

ATM I'm doing a major tear down, intending to get the chassis, and perhaps some other bits, galved. I've got the doors off and they're holding up well, which they should be, since they were only done 5 years ago. The drain holes appear to have been working OK, and I don't think I'll need to give the steel work another coat of paint. Mike

This year they had real fun on the coast, with maximums of 20cm of snow on the ground at YVR airport and Abbotsford had 45cm. And this is in an area that rarely gets any snow and where winter tyres are not compulsory! Mike

Your confusion regarding General Grabber AT2 isn't surprising. It seems that they really set out to confuse their potential customers because some tyre sizes have the M&S and Mountains and Snowflake symbol, and some don't. So, some should be true winter tyres, and those without the symbol are, presumably, only summer tyres. In my area, by law, you have to use M&S tyres on cars and pick-ups in winter, and a national tyre specialist advertises that the softer winter tyre compound provides improved traction below 7 deg. C. Mike

I'm surprised that this hasn't featured on the forum yet, or have I missed it? https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/feb/13/chemical-giant-ineos-to-build-heir-to-the-land-rover-defender It'll take an awful lot to roll back the Toyota et al shares of the 4x4 market, as LR has already found. I'll be watching this development with interest. Mike

Jocklandjohn, Thanks for the update on the use of hasps and staples. A very neat installation. Are you able to share the manufacturer details of the deadbolts, please, without compromising your own security? I can't find a double pin deadbolt over here. I also very much like your proposed hinge side security. Since my 110 is being totally stripped for rebuild now is the time to fit enhanced security options, although Land Rover theft is not such a problem this side of the pond. Mike

Tacr2man, I have a full length roof rack on my 110 CSW and I find that when driving in heavy rain the water from the roof floods the gutters, due to the roof rack supports sitting in the gutters and preventing drainage to the rear, and then flows over the edge of the gutters and into the cabin above the poorly fitting doors/door seals. Does your "using a flat bar full length along the gutters to spread the load" also solve this problem since your gutters must be almost full for their entire length? Of course, you may just have a "Friday" Land Rover where nothing is correctly done, and the doors seal just well! Mike

Jocklandjohn, I like the dead locks, and I can see the hasp and padlock in photos 1 and 4, but what are they locking, please? Mike

I use a Lincoln 180 mig which is either gasless, using flux cored wire, or used with argon/CO2 mix gas. With the former the weld spatters a lot, and although effective at gluing two bits together, the result isn't very pretty! With the gas, even I can achieve a semi-reasonable looking weld. So, unless you have no pride in the finished appearance, go with the gas option. Mike

In another age, I had a fibre-glass bodied kit car and I seem to remember that it had a complete earth network, just like the supply looms, with the engine and starter, and all the normal earth leads from lights, etc, being connected to it and hence back to the battery negative post. I don't remember ever having any earthing problems with that car. Has anybody taken that approach with a Land Rover? Apart from the added complexity of the wiring, and extra cost, are there any technical disadvantages? Mike

I think the tread is a little aggressive for the blue roller skate, and are you sure the PCD is the same? Mike

Since your vehicle freight and import charges are being paid for by your employer, find out what the locals drive, including the variant, and get a LHD version in UK/Europe, and as said above, load it up with appropriate spares, either for yourself or for resale. But I must re-emphasise that you should buy something that is available over there, not just for parts availability, but also for familiarity by maintenance personell. Mike

Hey, Guys, I can't contribute on the technical side, partly because I can't understand a lot of it: " We have been asked many times about pegging theae ahoet noae inoys lkke we so kn rhe long nose casing... " Please, use a word processor, or at least read what you have typed before you upload it. Something about "Rubbish in ........." comes to mind. Mike

I agree with FF - buy what the locals drive, and preferably buy there, don't import, then you know that you can get spares locally for your variant. Mike

Hi, all, Thanks for your comments. It's not that I need frequent access to the battery box, and I already have a battery isolator and Anderson connectors. I recently borrowed my son-in-law's GMC van and he needed to refit the rear seat for me, and I was amazed how easily it clipped and locked into place - literally a five second job. I just thought that if somebody had already designed and fitted a tip-up conversion now would be a good time to consider it. It's certainly not a priority mod, so thanks again for your comments, and I'll let this one die. Mike

Qwackers, Sorry, but your responses to STUCHK not significantly add to the pool of Forum knowledge, To which section of his third question are you responding, "Yes"? We can all gain by this shared knowledge Mike

Snagger, No. I'm to blame for replacing the original seats with after-market ones.. I've got seats that do not have removeable bases. Whilst I very much enjoy the increased comfort of my aftermarket seats, still Rover, I believe, they are presenting problems. I acknowledge that most forum members are UK based, but a significant number of us are in LHS environments. I'm sure that I am not alone with this self-induced problem, so I want to explore the options for easing battery access. How have other forum members addressed this issue? Mike

You can get almost any size and number you want here. http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1311.R1.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.Xmetric+copper+washer.TRS0&_nkw=metric+copper+washers&_sacat=0 Mike

You mention that you're awaiting delivery of crystal headlamps. I bought a pair a couple of years ago and found that they didn't fit very well. Whereas I had bought replacement headlights previously and the chrome outer ring had fitted perfectly, on the crystals it did not. The sealed beam unit rattled around inside the bowl and ring, and it was impossible to align the lights. To fix them I had to use multiple short sections of draft excluder, the type used around drafty doors and windows, inside the chrome ring. Mike

In defense of Paddocks, I have on two occasions received faulty goods from them, each time in a blue box! Each time I emailed them with photos and phoned them, and one time I received a free replacement item, it was relatively low cost and not worth returning, and the other time I had a GBP55 credit and I fixed the problem locally. On your issue, alfaman, perhaps you should not even have accepted delivery, or should have taken photos at the time of delivery. Even so, the advice above is spot on: it is Paddock's responsibility to supply a fit for purpose item. You presumably paid them for delivery, you didn't arrange it yourself, so it is entirely their responsibility to complete their side of the contract. Stick to it, and don't be put off with any delaying and blame shifting tactics. Mike