Maverik

ok dokey, well thats persuaded me that the Genuine rack is certainly not the way i want to be going... certainly not for 300+ squid anyway, fortunatly I am a stickler for practicality and that wins 10 fold over prettyness. The Alu ones ain't cheap though are they. The wagons we have in the Mountain rescue team have got Brownchurch HD roof racks and rather then being boarded out they have a fancy stainless steel chicken wire type stuff that is attched to the rack base, works rather well in my opinion, stops you from falling fown the big holes when you're up loading/unlading stretchers etc. probably costs a fortune mind.

Exactly what Roger says, some super good advice.

Hmm. boarding out isn't a problem as would do the same with a brownchurch. it does look a little curvyer than a brownchurch, - galvanised true. but i don't see that as a huge problem too. I am trying to pursuade myself into it, but if it is actually pants then thats usually enough to kill the idea for me.

Unless you think its unsafe or would not work. That kind of selective "lack of responsability" can just get you into more trouble. you either say "I can get you out - my way" and accept responsibility, or say "sorry chap - you want a lift?" - In my humble opinion that is

I actually extracted an x-type jag last winter from a ditch, with supervision from the police... (hmm they mainly just watched) they where very nice about it all, thanked me for saveing them a rather lot of time, the owner was rather pleased to on all accounts too, but i was in that case happy to accept responsibility for my actions, and like to think I thought through the situation before I got on it.

Hey J, Well unless you are perfectly happy with towing people out of such situations then I wouldn't try. I have a tow ball with recovery eye/pin set up on the back and 2 recovery loops on the bumper, i have correctly rated towing gear in good condition and generally happy to give someone a tow if everything looks ok to me. Its tough, but there is always the chance that if you do anything wrong you could hurt someone at least damage the towed vehicle more... or you're own truck, at the end of the day you dont want to make a situation worse. Its not difficult to bolt a simple recovery loop plate to your rear crossmember to give you a proper recovery point I wouldn't try a recovery on any other part of the vehicle unless it is an emergancy. Mav

Been looking for a roof rack for a while, and had settled on getting a Brownchurch Heavy duty one, but one of these: has come up for sale for 300 odd squid (relativly new condition), and I was wondering about how good they are. I want a rack I can bung general stuff on and possible hold my spare if I want to put it up there for any reason. Anyone use one of these at all? rate them?, is it worth me considering it, a new brownchurch is going to cost me about 600, so it would be a fair saving. Cheers Mav

Yeah like VB says, the idea of 2 batteries is to allow you to maintain one battery as the primary starter batter and thats what it stays, powering more demanding equipment of the 2nd battery allowing you to always have enough juice to start the engine. I've as yet not calculated what the approximate current draw off the 2nd battery will be.

I don't know why I hadn't clicked before, but putting the 2nd pattery in parallel with the starter battery and putting an isolator in would do just what I want, not quite as flexible, but thats fine. With regard to a 2nd alternator, its a solution, but the problem i have is a location for the alternator as I now have the air box mounted on the redundant AC pump mounts (disco 200tdi) and it took me a while to find that as a suitable position so don't really want to move it. Also I don't really expect my power needs really to exceed the output of one alternator, but I may be wrong. Thanks chaps for your input, went out today and bought another key isolater for battery no2, and a isolater with a toggle type switch for the starter back-up change over part of the circuit... now the easy bit to fit it all up... not...

Ok, I have one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360395213654?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 but its pretty big, and I can't think of a sensible place to put it due to its size. Its does everything I want. it does work as an isolator, but I also have independant red key type isolators in place also. As you can see the selector allows you to choose which battery I want to use to start the engine from. I have a heavy duty split charge relay which will be installed and be happy by itself. So really i'm looking for the above type switch but smaller/more compact, I'm getting the feeling they don't exist.

hmm I do have a split charge relay setup... but now you've got me thinking I think a wee diagram is in order.

Hello people, I'm putting in some more Aux electrics and getting around to wireing up my 2nd battery. I want to be able to choose between batt 1 or batt 2 for starting so I purchased a "marine" isolator/switch which is just what i was looking for except its the size of a small house... quite a suprise! Has anyone got a battery switch that is of usuable proportion in a vehicle? Cheers Mav

I've got a pair of Halfords own axle stands, non of this fancy ratchet type stuff, they're simple tubes with a cross pin to lock in position, rated at 3t each, they're nice and sturdy. Personally would't get anything less than 3t SWL per leg. these are good as you can take the top tube out and use it as a wee extension bar for a shifter or such like.

By the way MODS this is a technical thread on ways and means of how to deal with land rover maintenance related stress...

A random part thrown into the garden works just as well.... - mind that only works as its a field and I can go find it again after I've counted to 10.

oh the tears are streaming down my face, no wonder the Land rover community is so close, considering this has happend to so many of us... but we always go back to it, we always get a stupid grin on our faces when on the 8th time of re-fitting the 3rd starter motor it finally turns over... even though to get that one job fixed you've made 5 new jobs to do and found 10 other jobs that need looking at... I have come to the conclusion its a psychological problem that is only slightly better than a crack coccain habbit or the overwhelming urge to start drinking vodka whisky mixers at 8 in the morning...

Totally agree, and I'm trying but the 4x4 shop i got them from hasn't answered my initial emails so going to give em a few days then I'm going to start bending some ears seriously... I'm getting far to good at changeing calipers out...

When replacing CV joints I pack them full of lithium CV grease while installing, then fire the 1 shot in after assembled. - its mainly for my piece of mind, but I'm sure the one shot gets to where it should.

Wise words, a test lamp of any sort is needed, I've fell into this trap before.

Interesting, I'm just working with a V16 high speed marine diesel and something quite similar happend to it, one set of crank bearings shells rotated and blocked off one of the oil galleries causing oil starvation and the engine to seize up, rather messy, but I've got a hell of an engine to play with now - mind it is sat in a million bits in the workshop.

Thanks for the reminder, I wondered why I hadn't heard from them, turns out my policy has expired and they wont re-new. Got a new policy now with Adrian Flux, its a bit more pricey but from what i gather (not got the fine print yet) but its a bit more flexible then the one I had previously, so I'm not too put out. This is the 2nd year in a row this has happend to me, Footman James did the same the year before...!

Don't get Britpart calipers as they are just pants. They are so touch and go, I put 2 new rear calipers on 2 weeks ago and both are showing sign's of oil passing the piston seals. I went "budget" as didn't have the available cashflow so was expecting them not to last so long, I was hopeing at least to get me through the winter. Got a Delphi reconditioned caliper awaiting my pick-up. Its cost the same as the BP pair plus some. The other will get changed out too come pay day. That company continually grind my gears, they're making products that with 10 minutes more TLC would make a component that rivels a genuine part. rant over.

The internals are different, the newer inner door plate bigger, it is wider with more pressed moulded attatchemnt brackets. hence to get it to fit you need to make up some new extender brackets as per my pictures. The actual winder mechanism and window holder is also different for the later doors. i don't know for example if a later winding mechanism will fit an older inner door panel. but if you've got a set of push button doors already then just swap everything over and make a few brackets, failing that you;re in new teritory for me and might have to end up buying new inner door panles winding mechanisms and some other brackets... good luck finding an affordable inner door panel, i converted as above as i objected to paying dealer price and i couldn't find anything anywhere else. Mav

Hey Jason, the burner just works indipendatly from everything else in the engine bay, its just need a 12v supply for a small water pump, fan and fuel pump and a constant diesel supply. I've got mine wired to a telestart system, so I turn it on and off from a key fob, there is also an option to put in a thermostate type control timer too in parallel with the telestart. Like you may follow i was under the impression that the engine could suck fuel out the burner fuel circuit, but that appears to be false. After running it last night I might have to put a silancer on the exhaust, might give a few people a shock if I start starting that up in car parks etc... it is quite loud.

Nice pictures digger. I've just completed the 2 day standing still test and burner and vehicle started just fine so lag, suggesting fuel leak back. I'll keep an eye on it but I think it may be ready for full operational use! hurrah! Mav