John_T

Yes they did have one piece hubs/drums. there was also an Allegro Van den Plas but that may have had 13 inch wheels.

If not from a Metro the wheels could be from an old 1300 Austin/Morris Van den Plas. I am pretty certain they had 12 inch wheels in the early days.

Tim, I don't know where you will be phoning but if you get no joy, I have found in the past that phoning Steve Goodsall at GKN and having a moan usually gets results. Failing that Devon 4x4 keep them. For most bits I wouldn't bother about getting a replacement but it seems speed sensors are a bit suspect so I need to carry one when I am off on my European jaunts. Travelling down the autobahns stuck in fith with no overdrive is not good for the hearing! John

Tim, Excellent.....result! No hurry over the spare sensor. john

Tim, From what I remember of reading up on all this when I fitted mine, this does nor sound like a solenoid problem. I think that once the switch has been turned on at over 30 mph the control box sends current to the solenoid and then thinks its job is done so doesn't flash any lights. However, I don't claim to be right! My money would be on a dodgy speed sensor/connector. Take out the speed sensor, clean it up and re-fit it. I have a spare brand new sensor should you want to try it.... you so you are welcome to come round and give it a try. If not the speed sensor it is possible that the gearstick switch has a loose connection.

I used to put MTF in my TD5 R380 but have now upgraded to Difflock Evolution 1. Together with Evolution 2 in the t/box and diffs it make the transmission about as smooth and quiet as is likely to be possible given that we are talking Landies here!

I am not in the UK.......I am in Somerset! Les....how is David Ike nowadays?

My tow hitch and spare wheel recently did a satisfying £3,000 worth of nonsense to the front of a Lexus a few weeks ago (driver equally satisfyingly sick as a aprrot)...but do Jap cars count?

I agree with SteveG. Technically by definition you don't "cut" or make casual/agencies staff redundant. They were only ever there for a the short term and knew that when they started. I don't know what is it like in the midlands but down here in the SW, agencies struggle to find people to fill these "casual" jobs.

Nightmare journey from Wellinton the Taunton to-day. A load of numpties getting stuck and sliding all over the place. Matt, shovel, thermos and all reovery gear duly stowed!!

Some attempts to get a Darwin award I feel!!

TD5 90:- Engine - Difflock 5W30 Gearbox - Difflock Evolution 1 T/Box - Difflock Evolution 2 Axles - Difflock Evolution 2 Swivels - LR one shot grease Overdrive- Difflock Evolution 1 The Difflock oils are magic stuff and don't cost a fortune. In the pwer steering and hydraulic winch I use Land Rover extreme temp synthetic PAS fluid (the stuff they put in ACE systems).

Yep...another vote for Rover. My wife cares not what a car looks like as long as it goes and is cheap. She has a Rover 400 diesel (as used in the early Freelanders). Goes well, does 50 mpg and has never gone wrong (3 years of ownership so far) because they are seen as old peoples cars they are not in demand and hence you get a lot of car for your money.

Point noted. EP 90 is, however, not an option for those of us with TD5 swivels on the grounds that there are no drain or level plugs. My TD5 is now 6 years old and last time I had a poke around the grease was still where it is supposed to be. I guess you did have a seal problem of some sort.

I had been led to believe that Optimas and Maxximas came out of the same factory with different labels....or is that an urban myth? Anyway my Optimas are fine! If yours died within 2 years, do not the terms of the guarantee apply?

Tricky one!! From my recent experiece I would take the financial hit and go for option3. I went down the option 2 route, got distracted by another project and ended up binning the Dutton having pulled it apart, redesigned the body and tried umpteen different engines over a period of 10 years!! The bottom line is time and focus. If you don't have them clearly set out (and be honest with yourself) go for option 3. Ah well....... thats my perspective twisted by experience!

Rovacom are the cheapest source outside the genuine LR stuff.

Mine fell of so I did without them for a while. Truck got really covered in cr*p on the back. I had to put some new ones on due to travelling in Europe where it is a legal must in some places e.g. Slovakia. Good off roading in Slovakia though!!

I managed to find an exhaust manifold in good nick for my 86 inch Series One....result! Rare as hens teeth are good ones. Got a few shackles, a bridle and ye gods, some stickers!! Talked to Dave (Southdown) about a detachable towbar/tank guard for my TD5 90 but he says I am not allowed to fit such a thing. It apears that for TD5s (anything S reg or after) the towbar has to have "type approval" to be fitted. Ah well...just have to carry on ploughing!

OK Nige....er....so why did you put one in the front???? Nick, my guess is they don't like non standard suspension. As stated above mine is fine.

I have a Detroit locker in the back axle of my TD5 90. Previously I had one in my 200Tdi Disco for yonks. They are great bits of kit and I rate them highly. When I was about to fit the locker to the 90 I was getting tales of doom about handling on tarmac and that 100 inch was the shortest you should go. I have to say that this has turned out to be false. In general driving conditions you do not know it is there. Some people report their truck twitching at the back going from power to overun and vica versa when entering a bend. I get none of this. I put it down to the fact that I run standard suspension (including anti roll bar) and the radius arm bushes are in good nick. Very occassionally it will let out a bit of a clang if it gets confused but even then you do not feel it through the steering/handling. If you drive on full lock with the window down you can here the click of the ramp cams indexing but this is re-assuring as it is an easy way of checking you have both halfshafts in tact! Off road they are just the same as any other locker in terms of getting through when an open diff will get you stuck. The only off road issue I have with it is on thin slippery mud. The locker (not surprisingly ) is locked and pushes you straight forward....even when you want to go round a corner! However, backing off the throttle usually allows you to regain control. My problem is, I think, exacerbated by running AT tyres in mud. A set of MTs and the next part of my plan (a Truetrac in the front) should help. The Detroit I had in the Disco was still going strong last I heard of it 3 years after I sold it having done 100,000k on the Locker myself.....very strong bits of kit! BTW I only use standard halfshafts and have never broken one.

Tony is of course quite right in his reply. However, we are talking thoery as opposed to actual use. My understanding is (and I am happy to be corrected) that the majority of halfshaft breakages are caused by the shock loading resulting from a spinning wheel suddenly regaining some grip. As opposed to the scenario Tony is citing of loadsa power being transmitted to one wheel. As the chance of a single wheel spinning is reduced by a locker it follows that breakages should be less and hence lockers are kinder to halfshafts. Of course, all of this depends on how the truck is driven but I am assuming average driving technique and some sympathy for the transmission!

I have a Detroit locker in my 90 on standard 12 spline shafts and it is fine. To be fair my Disco was OK on 10 spline standard shafts. I take the point that strengthened shafts in series 3 would help. I note the comments on handling in a series. Some people say the same can happen in a permanent 4wd but I have never had a problem.

John, you are quite right saying Detroits can be used in 2 wheel drive vehicles (in fact they quote their use for cars and trucks). However, there is a problem with using them in Series landies which thankfully you have not encountered (maybe because it is a 109). I have come accross several 88 inch Series 3 where the half shafts snap for a pass time. This is because when on full lock on a tarmac gradient with a load up, all the power a Series 3 can muster, plus the weight of the truck is a resting on the shoulders of on poor halfshaft and unfortunately it can become an unequal struggle given the size of a 10 spline Series shaft. A Trutrac is a far better option for a Series. It is not a problem with permanent 4wd due to at least 3 shafts sharing the load when on tarmac. I have a mate who runs a Series 2 hybrid with series transmission and 90 axles. In his case the halfshafts didn't break but he kept tearing wheel studs off. He went back to an open diff and I bought the locker!

The point Tractech were making is valid. If one tyre is bigger than the other (and we seem to be getting to the point where it is proven that an under-inflated tyre is in effect "smaller") the Detroit NoSpin will momentarily disengage on a regular basis. Its normal mode is fully locked and hence Tractech's comment on only driving one axle. This happens when you corner and the outside wheel "unlocks" to allow a differential function. This is also why you should never use a Detroit Locker on a Series Landy with selectable 4 wheel drive. I have driven with a Detroit Locker in my Landy for years and have never had any problem (they very occasionally get confused and give out a "twang" as they settle themselves down). I find that driving in a circle on full lock with the window open is a good way of checking that you have not broken a halfshaft. The diff gives out a regular clicking as it "indexes" (i.e. the cam clutch is forced out to allow the outside wheel to over-run the inner). The instructions come with typical American dire warnings that handling on the over-run in bends can be affected but I have never noticed a problem.....could be if you have different sized tyres!!!