94softdash

Thanks all for your help and advice. Finally managed to get it on after a few cups of tea and some frustrated swearing about car designers. To answer a couple of questions the car is standard not lifted and I did try to fit the back end first but, 'cause of the angle it needed to be at to go on the nose-piece, I didn't have enough clearance between the axle and the trans brake. Eventually I ended up with the chassis on stands, the axle dropped as far as it would go and then had to take the trans brake drum off. This gave just enough clearance to get the rear end on the axle and, with the bolts loosly done up, I could use the prop as a lever to pull down on so I had enough room to refit the trans brake drum. After that the front flange slotted on the bolts without any trouble, although the flange nuts were a real pain to do up as I couldn't get a socket on them and I don't have any imperial stubby spanners (guess I'll have to force myself to buy some more tools ). Cheers again for the replies, hope this can be of help to anyone who has a similar problem in the future. Alex.

HI, I've had to fit a new rear propshaft to my 94 RRC and, while the old one came off easy enough, I'm having a problem fitting the new one. My car has the later prop with the 3-eared flange and rubber doughnut and there is a nose piece that sticks out from the rear diff and goes into a bearing in the end of the prop. It seams like the rear axle has rotated slightly so the nose-piece is pointing down just enough to stop it slotting into the prop, I've tried putting the trolley jack under the nose of the axle to push it back up but it just lifted the whole rear end. Has anybody else had this problem or have any ideas on what to do about it? Relatedly, as I need to use the car tonight to get to work if I couldn't fix this and just left the rear prop off would it run as front wheel drive and, if so would that damage the centre viscous, or would it just spin the rear attachment and go nowhere? Thanks, Alex.

Hi, I'm looking to replace the rear springs on my Softdash Rangie Classic as it seems to have the heavy duty type fitted (red & white stripe), and the back end is very stiff and bouncy. According to the parts manual the Softdash's have different rear springs fitted to any other Classic but they are twice the price and I was wondering what the ditterence is and if I could just fit the normal rears from any other Classic. Cheers for the advice.

Cheers for that guys, I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend.

Hi all, I've got an annoying problem with the central locking on my Softdash RRC I am hoping you guys/girls can help with. When I unlock the Rangie (either with the blipper or the key) it immediately re-locks itself again, I've had to disconnect the wiring for the c/l acctuators and the lock microswitches so I can get into the car. The engine starts and I can drive it ok so disconnecting these things seems to have bypassed the alarm/immobiliser but as soon as I start the car the rear door locks activate themselves. Has anyone had a similar problem, I know odd wiring problems can be a mare to diagnose so I thought I'd ask for advise before I start ripping the interior apart. Cheers, Alex.

So, I left the car for couple of days with the pump out and just a cloth over the hole so stop muck getting in then went back and just put the pump back in without doing anything else, the result, no leak. Left it for half an hour and nothing so I can only think that there must have been a build up of pressure somewhere that was so severe that even with the pump out leaving a gaping hole it wasn't able to vent properly unless left for a very long time. Maybe the vent pipes are blocked, would that cause such a serious reaction and how do I go about clearing them? Anyway, I've now taken the fuel cap off and will drive around like that till I'm sure I've found out what it was. On a related problem, even though I could hear the pump running it turns out it wasn't actually pumping anything so I fitted a new pump but all the messing around with the fittings has caused the return pipe to start leaking. Does anyone know what thread the fittings on the pump are so I can make up a new pipe?

Got a strange problem with my Rangie's fuel pump/tank. Had no fuel pressure at the engine so decided to change the filter as I could hear the pump whirring, when the ignition was turned on. Before reconnecting the new filter I put the feed pipe to the filter in a container and turned on ignition, pump whirred, fuel dribbled, bugger. Now thinking pump is blocked so empty boot, pull up carpets and padding. Disconnect electrics, disconnect feed pipe when I disconnected the return pipe petrol started flowing out of the pump elbow. Didn't expect that, quickly put pipe back on. Left return pipe just pushed on to pump and undid retaining ring, pulled return pipe off again putting finger over nozzle to stop fuel going everywhere and pulled pump slowly up and out, got a hissing noise as it came up and a 'flump' noise as it left the tank as if there had been some sort of vacuum inside the tank. I know the tank does pressurise a bit in use so had already taken the filler cap off but got no hissing like I often get when I put fuel in so put had put cap back on. Drained pump and looked for any carp it had sucked up but found nothing so put the pump back in (no retaining ring and NO pipes or electrics connected). Went to connect new filter up properly, after a few minutes smelt petrol and saw dripping, whent back to the boot to see petrol once again flowing from the return elbow, removed pump to a repeat of the hissing and flump sound. Left the pump out of the tank for a good 10-15 mins, while I finished reconnecting the new filter, to make sure there could be no residual vacuum/pressure inside the tank. Put the pump back in again (still NOT connected to anything) and timed it to see how long it took if it happened again. Sure enough at 5m17s I can hear a slight whistling sound and a few seconds later petrol flows out again. I have now removed the pump and left it out as I daren't put it back in. I assume it's coming out of the return because it's a straight through pipe where as the feed is blocked by the pump but I do not have any idea where the pressure's coming from. Has anyone heard of a problem like this before?

Another update on this problem (i know it's been a while, sorry). Tracked the pipe back to the valve block (outlet no 22 on the block) and undid the pipe there, didn't get any leakage when I removed the pipe so I prodded inside the block side of the pipe fitting until fluid started weeping out then reconnected the pipe to the block but left it disconnected at the caliper end. After a few pumps of the pedal I now have definite fluid at the caliper end of the pipe but the caliper still won't bleed. I decided to take her in for the MOT anyway, as they can't test individual wheels on a 4x4, and she passed so at least I can drive her around while i keep trying to sort this out. The pedal feels quite firm and the car brakes straight and true so it should be safe enough for the time being. I will update this again when I get this properly resolved and thanks all for the help and advice.

Hi, yes i have had the bleed screw out and I can blow through it so i assume it's ok. For the three bleed screws on the modulator/booster I turned on the ignition, cracked a screw and lightly touched the pedal until fluid came out, then shut the screw before turning the ignition off.

Quick update, got a 5l tub of fluid and a mate lent me one of those vacuum hand pump bleeder thingies (my usual pedal pumping assistant was unavailable) so had another crack at it today. Still getting nothing from the O/S rear so decided to skip over that one and move on to the front. Every other bleed screw produced fluid after a few seconds of pumping, yay. Had to pack in to get ready for work but will try to have another go at the rear tomorrow and update again. I'm wondering if maybe I've connected something up wrong or a pipe's gone in crooked and the system is physically blocked (pump's vacuum gauge reach 500hg (whatever that means) before i released it), I'll work back from the caliper undoing joints until I get a result. Cheers,

Thanks everyone for all the advice, as soon as I get hold of more brake fluid I'll give it another go (sure I used to have a Gunsons Easybleed at the back of a cupboard somewhere). The hoses are Terrafirma S/S braided, I thought I'd add a little future-proofing as I was going to so much trouble, I also fitted the calipers with stainless pistons to give them a nice long life.

Hi all, I have just changed all four brake calipers/discs/flexible hoses and some pipes on my 94 RRC and consequently the system is now completely empty of fluid, I was wondering if the procedure for bleeding/refilling the system in this state is different as I'm not getting very far. I have been following the method set out in LRM last month when they did the fluid change on a near identical car but can't get past the N/S rear caliper (which bled no problem), I moved on to the O/S rear but can't seem to get any kind of pedal pressure and, after a few pumps, fluid starts pumping out of the reservoir (I've tried with the cap on and off) with no sign of anything coming from the caliper. I've gone through 2 litres of fluid so far (an annoying amount of which is on the floor) but I've no idea how much it should take. Any ideas will be more than welcome.

Well success, I managed to push down on the halfshaft whilst pushing the clip in with a screwdriver as suggested and it slotted right in, tap tap with the rubber mallet and it was fully home. Many thanks to all for your help with this.

Cheers for that Ash, I'll try it this afternoon. I prefilled the new CV with grease and did try fitting it without the clip and it tapped on no problem so it must just be the clip in the way.

Hi, I'm replacing the CV joints on my 94 RRC and have hit a problem. Everything came apart ok, the old joint knocked off the halfshaft with a couple of taps from a rubber mallet and I thought the new one would just tap on in the same way but it won't go over the circlip. I've tried holding the clip tight in it's groove with a cable tie while I tap the CV on but no joy. One clip has already bent and when I tried with the old one it snapped in half. Any ideas to get round this welcome as I'm stuck with the car in bits. (Why is it always the stupid small problems that hold you up for so long!) Cheers

Cheers for the advise, I'll go out and check the steering box as soon as I get chance. Hopefully I can sort this without removing the steering wheel as I didn't really want to be messing with the ageing airbag.

Hi, thanks for the replies. the whwwls were straight ahead before I disconnected everything but I didn't do anything with the steering box. How do you go about centering it?

Hi, I've got a 94 (MA) RRC and have just replaced the drag link and track rod with new heavy duty ones with greasable track rod ends (the old ends were knackered and looked like they'd be very reluctant to come out of the original bars). My problem is that, although I had the steering in the straight ahead position and have set both bars to the lengths specified in the manual (drag link 924mm pin centre to pin centre, track rod 1230mm pin centre to pin centre), the steering wheel is now distinctly turned to the left (although the car doesn't seeem to pull to the left). Is there something else I should have adjusted or have I just done something wrong? Many thanks in advance for any help/advise.

The wind finally died down long enough for me to have another crack at this and RRB you were CORRECT it is, indeed, a RH thread. Had it off in less than 10 mins, give that man a gold star.

Cheers for the replies, the pulley does run off the flat side of the belt. I'll turn the engine over tomorrow to check which way it spins the fan, then probably give myself a good whack when it turns out I spent all that time tightening the nut instead of undoing it!

Hi all, This is probably a stupid question but could someone please confirm for me that the nut holding the fan and viscous coupling to the water pump on a V8 has a left handed thread (it's the intermediate serpentine front end if that makes a difference). I've been trying to undo this damn thing for about three hours today but it just won't budge. Why is it always something simple that stops a job in it's tracks??? Cheers,

Hi, I've just replaced the radio in my Softdash RRC and the OE unit had 3 plugs in the back instead of the usual 2. The third connector is the same type but is pink and only uses 2 of the pin connections. Just wondered if anyone knew what it was for. Cheers,

Hi, I think the part no. you're after is YLE10100 think you can pick a new one up for about £100.

Thanks for the replies guys, I Googled the part number you gave me Pete and, as is usually the case, knew exactly where they were as soon as I saw them (side by side on the underside of the switch). They should have been a doddle to swap but, as this is a Rangie, not so (I got the bulbs from lrspareparts.com cost £1.22 each + VAT). . I'm attaching pics of the prossess in case anyone else is interested, hope they come out as I've not done this before. Pic 1. Switch as it comes out of the dash Pic 2. Close-up of bulbs showing why they wouldn't just pop out as they should (the switch casing covers the front of the bulb holder even though they specificaly left a hole for the bulbs to come out!! Typical). Pic 3. I cut away a small section of the switch cover with the ever useful multi-tool. Pic 4. Old bulb removed showing contact plates. Pic 5. Old & new, the new one comes in a green holder but they are the same (very small the holder is only 8mm across). Pic 6. New bulb in place. Pic 7. All 5 switches done.

Hi all, I have a 94 RRC Softdash and non of the six auxillary switches(heated screens, fog lights etc) illuminate when the sidelights are on, athough two of them used to. I've had them out and can't see a bulb behind them, like on the old style dash, so I'm guessing that there's a bulb inside each switch.The problem is they don't look like they can be prised apart without breaking, is this the only way to do this or do I have to replace the switches to get them to light up? Cheers for any help,