UdderlyOffroad

Not a question, more posted for the benefit of others: After struggling like hell to undo the crank damper bolt, I finally figured out that the home-made damper retainer needs to be at least as long as the breaker bar used to undo it. Result engine stable, nut cracked!! May seem obvious in hindsight but really not obvious to me at the time! IMG-20120512-00513 by udderlyoffroad, on Flickr

When I was a teenager I had a socket of the el-cheapo machinemart Clarke variety (<£15) which lasted me well, as I wasn’t exactly kind to my kit when I was young-n-dumb. Over the years I expanded it and eventually put it all on a socket tray. But I now have Bergen sockets, which are IMHO very good value, and I’ve yet to bust one. They have that pro-quality ‘feel’ and I picked up a two rails of ½” sockets in 10 – 32 mm for less than £30! Sellers are usually at shows, or on the bay of E and also Amazon (important for me as I occasionally get Amazon vouchers given to me at work for ‘going the extra mile’). But I wouldn’t advocate this approach if you can, best to buy as comprehensive a set as you can afford (but still good quality) – hence why Halfrauds are winners here. As has been said, no one socket set will do everything you want it to do, even if you spend north of a grand with your local Snap-on/MAC rep. Especially working on Landies, where you will need A/F imperial, but hopefully not Whitworth! Keeping your Eurobox running will require a decent selection of Torx sockets too, and Hex head socket sets are soo much better than messing with ‘allen’ keys. I’ve also advocated elsewhere on this forum that if you are going to be doing lots of spannering on a Land Rover, a ¾” socket set (even a cheap one) is well worth it. You use the ¾” socket+breaker bar to ‘crack’ the nut, and the smaller calibre-socketry to actually undo them! To EHS tip:The act of having to think about where you place the larger tommy bar actually saves your knuckles too, as it forces you to think what your hands will smack in to when the bolt does shift!

PieEater, I've been scratching my nodel on this one too, at least theoretically, on my circuit diagram. Short answer on this one is, no, there is no hazard dash light output on a Carling switch (it's built into the switch illumination itself). The easiest way I can think to make the Hazard LED illuminate is by using a relay as an AND gate. Use the two indicator headers as inputs & the hazard symbol as an output. When I get near my computer again I'll post up a diagram to show you what I mean Matt

Jason, 175 A is the maximum continuous current rating, not the max peak current for X seconds you get when cranking/jumpstarting. I'm on my phone at Edinburgh airport at the moment so can't easily check the Anderson spec sheet, but the 175 A model is well within the range of anything you would want to jumpstart with a Landie. Matt

I guess you’ve googled for A-frame and come up with an awful lot of tosh talked on various forums about the legalities of A-frames. It is a bit of a legal grey area but here’s my take on it: I’ve never heard of the ‘licensed recovery operator’ requirement. If all four wheels are on the ground, then the towed vehicle must have a current Tax, MOT and (these days) insurance. An A-frame is for ‘recovery to a place of safety’ – it shouldn’t be used for a planned trip, towing a (non road-legal) trialer to a comp etc, but perfectly legit to recover your disabled (but otherwise road legal) truck home. A vehicle towed by an A-frame is NOT the same as a trailer, i.e. if over 750 kg you need to have brakes on it and B+E on your licence. You don’t. This doesn’t mean the towing vehicle doesn’t have to be up to scratch, it does. Do not entertain hauling 2-odd tonnes of discovery with anything less than an equivalent size 4x4 or van. That previous statement doesn’t apply to motorhomes pulling small cars behind them – those technically are trailers but again that’s much more of a legal grey area. When all is said and done, IMHO an A-frame is by far the safest means of moving a dead vehicle*. It holds the road much better even than a well loaded trailer. Braking distances obviously are increased, and the A-frame I’ve used states the max speed is 56mph, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable going beyond that. Always use a trailer board with a proper number plate, and preferably and amber flashing light on the tow vehicle (I picked a mine up on the bay of e for <£5). Make sure you can easily prove you own the towed vehicle, plod round here have (rightly in my view) been taking an interest in towed vehicles as pikeys appear to be using any old means to transport scrap cars to be weighed in. Looking like a proper operator will usually mean you get left alone. *Compared to a tow-pole, ropes. Not as safe as a large yellow flatbed truck, but they have a 5-trip limit these days ;-)

The tweaking the FIP thread in the tech archive talks about fitting the IC from a Supra - never actually spannered on a blown Supra though (the NA is underwear-staining as it is!) So no idea of the dimensions of the unit. It's a thought anyway Matt

Seconded! I bought one of these, a bit cheap'n'nasty looking, and metric only, but so far has been an fantastic at removing everything I've thrown at it. And it includes a proper tommy bar too! I always wince when people on here mention that they stuck a scaff bar on the end of the ratchet...why?

I know I'm very late to the party on this one, but I pride/delude myself that if I borrow something, I return in better condition that when I borrowed it. Trailers are a classic example: replace the odd light bulb here, correctly adjust+grease the brakes there. I'm lucky though, in that my trailer-owning mate isn't very mechanically minded, and I suspect views me borrowing stuff as part of his preventative maintenence program! This obviously isn't case with you Jason, as you have completed a ground-up build! But 'you bend it you mend it' in this case means 'you bend it, you pay for me to mend it'. Matt

More Defender_300TDI Battery-box-porn here: http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=65702&st=0 Saved in my favourites under “Do it like this”! I managed to drag that original thread completely O/T, but it provided useful inspiration nonetheless!

Whoops, just noticed you have a 90, ignore the bit about the fuel tank sender, no idea if you the sender is on the same loom on a 90. Also you probably want to make yours shorter than my 110 dimensions. Unlike LR. Spec'd by accountants, built by brummies....

I’m probably going to do the same as you, I.e. makeup a new loom with NAS light connectors already attached. The problem with 7-core is that it doesn’t help if you have a heated rear screen or a rear wash wipe, or for that matter your fuel tank sender and low-fuel light! The Autosparks loom is about £80 inc VAT IIRC, and for that money you could make your own with all the correct colours. I was going to do it ‘properly’ with convulted tube, t-pieces, and proper boots on the NAS connectors. I reckon I should still be able to do it for less the £50 – the Durite catalogue is your friend here. The only problem is likely to be the connector at the bulkhead end, but again you have 3 options: You could probably get one from Autosparks Use a better multiway connector Just use individual bullet connectors onto the existing connector I’ve actually removed and measured up the existing loom and dimensioned it up in CAD, ready for me to draw a new one with correct connectors. will try and post this up for you when I get home tonight.

This thread for instance: http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=44374&st=0&p=415422&fromsearch=1entry415422 (though it looks as if the pictures have disappeared) They do indeed fold forward, and can easily be removed completely without any tools should you desire. They are in effect 3 separate seats and can be adjusted backwards and forwards too, hence you will gain rear legroom, but at the loss of 6-odd inches in the rear load area. The mounting of them is relatively simple to fabricate, just two bits of bar are required. You will need to get slightly cleverer with the seatbelt mount for the middle seat however. I’ve yet to do this myself, and will post some dimensioned drawings as and when I complete it (so, on current progress, 6months!!). I’m guessing that’s probably a bit more for faffing around the OP wanted to do though, she was looking for an off-the-shelf solution?

I'd vote for a wooden structure - more work to look after but doesn't appear to be as damp as a steel building. Anyway, as has been said: Ramp Be generous spec'ing your electrics Cat 5 out Seperate dog house for the compressor Whole garage wired for lights, cat 5, air, water and sound (old surround sound amp + speakers) Some heat source that uses fuel that is free/cheap (wood burner using pallets, waste oil burner, etc...) Think about storage of materials/parts from the start. Clean(-er) area for doing delicate work (brake caliper rebuilds, off-job electrics) Dedicated mucky area for doing de-greasing, wielding mr angry grinder and fabricating a lathe! A large clock so you don't loose track of time and neglect your beloved and kids.... Actually, somewhere safe for kids / dog to amuse themselves where they won't be subject to arc flash, grinding sparks...etc but you can still keep an eye on them? Think about security

If you're worried about an accidental drive-off whilst still connected to the 240v, you could put in a 240V relay to inhibit the stater motor?

Looks like it'll be a fantastic project, and by the looks of things a decent test track bog on your doorstep too! I think they're known as 'penguins' locally... I'll get me coat.

Trap 1?

PieEater, I too have contemplated the wisdom of the expensive immobiliser on a 200 TDi, and consulted the sensei that is lr4x4.com. And he said "Spend wisely my son, for is it not written: it'll do ya chuff-all good 'cos a pikeys can get round it in a jiffy." Ahem. Currently, I'm looking at one of these. Not really for the immobilising function so much as I get central locking functionality, and a dibber with a foldy-key. Which is pretty cool.

That would be ace...albeit on a leafer so the engine mounts will be all cock-a-hoop. Not that I actually have a 300 turbo either, but could probably source one. That said, plan 'A' is to head back to the scrapper Sat am to negotiate acquisition of the rest of that Defender 200 Tdi, for that 'stock' lock...

Fair enough. I paid £200+VAT this time last year for an unseen Sankey - which was enough that I was prepared to risk it, but £450 for an unseen one I can see is definitely in 'twitchy backside' territory. FWIW when mine arrived it was exactly as you'd expect an ex-military vehicle. A few bumps, scapes and dings and superficial rust where the paintwork was damaged. But mechanically it seemed to have been cared for. Matt

Did you not have any luck with the anyvan.co.uk/Shiply.com/Uship.com etc companies I pointed you towards in this thread Frax? http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=75231&hl=&fromsearch=1 I ask because I work in the Oil and Gas business, and we are regularly shipping kit up to Aberdeen/Bridge of Don, and most of the time the truck is half empty. Point is, whilst Aberdeen(shire) may be a long way from, well, anywhere, there is still lots of hardware being moved up there on a regular basis. I can’t believe there aren’t other hauliers interested in taking a part-load of a Sankey up for you, for a lot less than £700. But I guess the reason you shared is that the supply of Sankeys seems to have gone a little dry, Withams don’t appear to be listing any at the moment!

That's kind of the appeal if I can get hold of all the bits for sensible money; the plumbing can be more or less factory-200tdi. Interesting about the 300tdi turbo/exhaust though...EJP reckons it points downwards, Mo reckons it points due engine mount...anyone able to adjudicate? And if it does point straight down, does it meet with a std 300tdi exhaust?

I feel like a bit of a dipstick to be honest, not thinking this through properly and just blindly ‘robbing’ (in the aircraft sense) parts off a scrapper!

Ahh, yes…clearly I did not think this through. I naiivly assumed it was just a case of swapping the manifold over and that was it. Back to scrapper to negotiate I think. Thanks gentlemen...Should be worth it to be able to use 'stock' air intake/turbo pipework though

Ok to resurrect this thread somewhat....Whilst weighing in my old faithful pug yesterday I came accross a factory fitted Defender 200 Tdi in a sorry state at the back of the scrapper. This morning I went back to remove the turbo/inlet manifold (forgot the air-intake, d'oh! back tomorrow to hopefully retrieve that). The plan is to bolt these to my disco-200Tdi before it gets dropped into the Defender. Anyway, I can now see what Mike's saying about the alternator and PAS pump clashing with the air inlet manifold. How have people got around this? Presuambly the 'ultimate' solution what be to rob the timing chest too? Any help/pointers to piccies would be much appreciated. Matt

As we’re now talking about smaller thules: Air-driven drill. Fantastic power-to-weight ratio. Will drill holes in tight spaces, and not complain about being ‘throttled back’ for slower RPMs required for drilling metal. A lot more robust than a battery drill too, and you can stall it with minimal damage. BUT, make sure your compressor is man enough for the job. And by that I don’t mean the nominal CFM quoted on the tool. When I worked as a fitter in a large workshop, my air drill was perfect. I could crawl into allsorts of tight spaces underneath trucks and drill mounting holes components. When I got a desk job, however, and I took the drill home, my little wolf compressor was just not man enough to power it without stalling. This is despite the fact the free air delivery of the compressor is nominally enough to power the drill. Oh, and hearing protection is a must!