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Somerley Estate, Ringwood Their web site says the postcode is BH24 3PL Which puts them at Google map http://www.somerley.com/images/estatelrg.jpg has a map with the 4x4 site marked.

Not Standard LR parts but needs no welding to fit. My 90 had this second tank on it before I put a rear winch in. Used a standard 90 filler behind the read wheel arch. Bolts on to the towbar mounts and to the towbar as well (note it hangs down a bit below chassis / rear x member level). The alloy tanks sits on slightly rusty but solid metal tray with straps to hold it on. The tank size is about 560mm wide, 280mm tall and deep and has a side angle to allow the exhaust to pass over the chassis. This puts it about 35 - 40 litres. I know it's a bit off topic for this thread but I might be willing to sell this one for the right price.

Form sent off for all rounds, just some questions about camping and access for the sites for a BIG bus Somerley Estate, Ringwood - Is there camping available the night before and access and hard standing for a 12m long coach with trailer? Yarwell - Not taken the coach to this one but I think we could get the coach in, but is there camping the night before on site? Thanks

On a 3.9 V8 I'm using the aircon temp switch in it's original hole (I don't have aircon) to trigger the relay for twin kenlowes. This is not in the top hose but in the metal pipe the top hose connects to (so a bit closer to the engine). It is a single temp switch at 100C (50190) and this seems to be a good balance between the fans permanently running with the standard X-eng switch and engine getting too hot.

Also Done

Engine heaters with pump (electric or diesel), how do these heat the engine block? Most poor diagram of the install I've seen seem to suggest that the heater would have to pump water past the stationary water pump. Is this possible? Anybody got a better diagram of how they circulate water in the block without the water pump running. Thanks

Thanks

Can anybody tell me what type of belt system would be on the front of a 1996 3.9 V8 Disco Mk1?, I know V8's have had different types on them. Is it a Serpentine system with one belt to cover everything? or a multiple belts (my defender with a transplanted v8 has multiple v belts with a multi grove alternator belt) Note the disco does have aircon Thanks

I agree and I have http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.asp?gotonode=ViewProduct&method=mViewProduct&productid=9004&PromotionID=61565

I'm up for this one, just need to complete my yet to be started build of a non van side 90 vehicle to match my potential team mate.

Thanks challenger for running a great series this year, but if next year has the same rules then I don't think I will be competing. The reason for this is that I think the handicap system is broken. The main regular attendees were mostly expert and intermediates + a few novices/intermediates that were wining / scoring well (probably due to incorrect classification). The handicap system made it very difficult for an expert to do well (for example from the last round a full punch card and good special stage for an expert ended up in 5th place). Also the handicap system did not take in to account the experience of one vital part of the team (the co-driver), you cannot compete in these events without a co-driver, so why ignore their experience level? So what handicapping system would I like to see to make the event better? I would like to see something like the Touring car system of how handicap is calculated, this is very similar to golf another sport that has a handicap system. These 2 systems are based on results, you do well in a event/round then your handicap benefit is reduced, you do not so well your handicap benefit is increased. New competitors that don't have results from previous years events (clubman or other events including non winch challenge off road events) should be given a handicap based on the experience of driver and co-driver. The exact system can be worked out if it is decided that the handicap system will change.

Not yet, I need to split the gearbox off to retrieve the nose cone as I think it is jamming the clutch. When I do I'll will be able to inspect the problem better. So at the moment its off the road.

You hit the nail on the head. Note to self, must spend more time proof reading posts :-)

You are right, my two sentences are opposite to each other in meaning, that's because I missed a word out on the second sentence. I meant to say:- But the additional earth does not mean the winch is isolated from the chassis. This now aligns up with my early post that prompted the question about the additional not separate earth.

Yes to supply an additional better earth, so as not burn out the weedy standard battery to chassis one. But the additional earth does mean the winch is isolated from the chassis.

No, is the answer. Any attempt to make them totally isolated will fail when using it for winches, as the winch motor earth is their metal bodies which are usually bolted to the metal of the car via the winch body (which is the other earth)

There are two method of using 2 alternators 1. Each alternator charging independent battery banks. What you use each battery bank for depend on what you are trying to power. The only example I've seen is one bank to run the car and one bank to run all the winches. But I'm sure that you could use this instead of a split charge system to run things like fridge and other leisure type high demand electric items. Pro's Cheaper, as you could use just a standard alternator, though some people use a alternator with a separate earth. Con's You need 2 batteries (but people wanting more power usually already have multiple batteries) You need to carefully plan the loads on each bank to get any real benefit out of it. e.g. If one banks is running the car, all it has to support are intermittent high loads , like lights, windscreen wipers, electric fans? heater blower? and constant low loads fuel pump? Stop solenoid?, etc The other bank is running the winches. If you draw a lot of current using the winches then the only benefit is the winch alternator does not have to support the other load, which could be as little as running the stop solenoid or fuel pump + coil. The other load is usually no way near the maximum alternator output, usually the car alternator is designed to supply more than the maximum electric load (excluding the starter motor). Thus there is a lot of wasted current generating capacity. 2. Two Alternators charging the same battery bank. Pro's Maximum current generating capacity always available to all loads It actually only requires 1 battery. Redundancy, if one alternator stops working the other will continue to supply current to all loads (the only problem is that a common alternator failure is the bearing seizing, so that depends on you drive belt setup, do they have independent drive belts? My V8 does, so the alternator bearing seizing meant that I could carry on the event on battery power alone, the water pump and power steering continued to work). Con's You need a special separate alternator controller otherwise the alternator voltage sensing circuits will fight each other on which alternator is supplying the power. These cost a couple of hundred quid. You could flatten the one battery bank enough with a very high load like a winch, which would mean you have a problem restarting if you stall. If I needed more power generating capacity I would go for option 2.

I don't think the tray/non tray class system is indicating an advantages, just a way of dividing in to some sub groups. From reading the thread it seems there will be 3 classes. Tray Back (class 1) Non Tray back (class 1) Non Tray back (class 2) Will there be Tray back class 2? (just to complete the set) Would the Non Tray back class 2 take the prises of Non Tray back class1 and Tray back class 1 if they beat them overall? (so 3 prises up for grabs for the non tray back class 2) Also is the team scoring done on the total of both individual scores or does both the vehicles have to punch the their cards for it to count (if only one vehicle makes it then it does not count)? If it's the second scoring method then you could have some fun tag team special stages. I also think that for a two vehicle event to work each team can only tackle one punch at a time, otherwise the most efficient method (for class 1 vehicles at least) is for each team member to go their own way to get punches. And even with the both vehicles having to get a punch to count method, all they need to do is coordinate which punches they do, so not much of a "team event".

Update about Ropes. One double braided rope that looked suitable is not recommended by the manufacturer for use with a car winch but they did not say why. It is also twice the price of their recommended single braided rope

I would say synthetic is much more forgiving, it's less likely to hurt when things are done wrong. Not so easy to damage with a kink or by badly wrapping on the drum.

Dito Having done the safari with cage by moving it forward and cutting a new hole (I used the standard plastic grill in the wing not a metal plate). This just cleared the wheel arch. The problem I found is that the Safari sticks out to much and was always getting caught on trees. I've fitted the Southdown one to come straight out of the top of the wing (not using the plastic bottom bit), so it's tucked out of the way of trees.

Mine did this a long time ago and seem to remember sorting it by applying pressure while trying to release it by hand. i.e. a use a crowbar and brute force It popped open with no damage to the bonnet or body work.

Upgrading until you are only left with one warn gear in the whole winch

Dito I swapped my 6 bolt for a 4 bolt with no problems.

The rock climbing was just an example of high wear conditions, double braided ropes are available for sailing (winching up/in of sails) and tug assist ropes (same category as AmSteel Blue that somebody already mentioned on this thread). Also elongation rates and breaking strains are just a matter of selecting the right rope. e.g. AmSteel Blue has an elongation rate of 0.96% @ 30% Load with 12mm and has an average breaking strain of 34,000 lbs PROGEN II has an elongation rate of 1% @ 30% Load with 12mm and has an average breaking strain of 30,000 lbs So a double braid has 0.04% more elongation and a slightly lower the breaking strength for the same size (the breaking strength is still more than a 11mm Plasma and only 95.8% of a 12mm Plasma though)