Team Idris

Looks very familiar. I see the same problem in the snatch recovery point. Mine works fine off to one side though. The one on the rear is on the same chassis rail so I didn't worry about being the bent piggy in the middle double-truck pulls ALRC is slipping away. I can still put the rear outriggers on as there are sockets in place, but I would need a new fake rear cross member. The only real subtle change I can think is that it is a lot slippier in places. Once the winches could take it daft places, the front, rear and underneath started digging in. Hence the front skid plate and under-ski.

No Diode pack mentioned though? I've been very pleased with mine The starter battery is in the engine circuit, the aux-bat is in the winch circuit, and as as far as they see it, each batterie has its own seperate charge from the diode pack. But in reality they both get the amps from the same alternator. Whichever is flattest sucks the most power. Neither can flow back into the other and no contactors to burn out. I have anderson plug jumpers for emergencies. And theory and measurement say I need a higher voltage regulator to overcome the diodes, but it tests fine with the standard regulator. So far it has been one of the better bits I bought

Sounds like what I have right now on the RV8. If I won the crate of beer I would pass it onto the person who fixed mine I'm having to learn the basics again, because I forgot them as I got older; The classic test for a leaking inlet manifold is easy-start sprayed around the manifold gasket. Also around the carb incase it is a worn spindle. If it revs, you're a winner. Ignition as Bowie says. Use a syringe on the vaccy advance (Worked a treat today that one) S1 and bigger S2 ones both have throttle pumps. At least, I think S2 does? S1 is external and is shimable with washers. I think all that range of carbs have a throttle pumps? Only an SU doesn't? Hell, I can't remember. If it has one, check it If its the later carb there is a lot going on in the lid. I saw the same throttle up problem at the series one rally the other year on a 2 1/4. I chickened on stripping the blokes lid parts. But they did it the next day on Towyn station, and that was indeed the problem. I wouldn't worry too much about the carb re-conditioners. My landy's have always improved. At worst you have a nice carb Or is my S1 a solex? Anyway, there's a lot of places for bits of rubber to hide in all these fixed venturi carbs. They should all have had a fine entry strainer from new

P.S. Put a lot of strength in the rear outriggers. They are the first thing to get anialated

MOC, viking and LRS are about handicap for off road aids, not the base vehicle. So 'one winch' is the lowest class. If you're really fit you can make it clip on either end so you stay in a low class but have advantage of 2 winches Or a rear winch run through to the front like Ibex thingy? Funny thing is, at 87" we've less rolls than in trialling. I guess it is so steep that you go for a rope rather than boot it, and the rope keeps you up. It is very usefull as a gravity aid ! I'll vote for 9.5 goldfish, because I always do. But my first front winch was the typeR milemarker hydraulic, and it still is If you are cash tight, the strap is a good 'non steel' option. Come and have some fun. There's always room for another thrill seeker

I stuck with a 3.5 which had about £120 for each head rebuild and skim, maybe £90 for the crank grind and I forget the shell bearing cost. Then gaskets. Rebore is £20 a hole. Saved on pistons by fitting new rings to old +20 pistons. Then about £300 on ARP stud kits to hold it all together. The Piper cam and duplex chain vernier kit was maybe £350? Then I dry sumped it So a thousand sounds right for a basic rebuild. It's the VAT that bumps it up I think. I recomend the ARP studs to hold the mains and heads on, even if you tighten them to the OE torque, they are are what it should have had from new ! Duplex chain? Seemed mean to fit a decent cam with a rover plastc cog. Dry sump is a bit mad, but hey, no problem priming the daft rover oil pump, and that icky relief valve goes I hear a 3.9 cross bolted is the daddy on reliability? Depends if you want power or reliability?

Ah, now I see where you are going. But there should be an overun valve, or you blow the seals out when you close the flail lever. Otherwise it would stop dead. It could be in the motor (likely) or spool valve. Cavitation is also an issue. Cross line relief is like a self re-setting fuse for hydralics. You may never use it, but when you do get a pressure build up it's not a problem

The other side is also very important if the shaft is going to change speed quickly. A cross line relief valve as close to the motor ports is a must, but even that takes time to react. So an accumulator could be a safe bet for a long product life. It'll take out any high speed pressure spikes from the incompressable oil.

It's one of those British cultural things I think? As far as I can tell in France they would wonder why you were so upset about a bit of mammal urine? Now rat urine, thats somthing you don't want to come in contact with! So I'm partly playing devils advocate, but also wondering where all the 24-7 public bogs went? I'd love to see some world-wide members post on this though ?

It's not really bad stuff? Just different stuff You trade one thing against another to get what you want. I have a winch on the front, but now the truck is front heavy, and so on

It's part of kinetics. The vehicle mass takes time to accelerate. When you nearly roll over at speed the whole vehicle sprung mass is put into a rotation with an energy. The axel plays little part until the high side wheel leaves the ground. At this point the shock has to pull the axel into a rotation, which takes energy away from the body. You hang on two wheels, then settle back on the ground This is very diiferent to actually rolling. And very different to slowly getting more angle until you fall over. Another way to look at it is that the axels lower the centre of gravity. The longer the shocks, the further into a roll you are before the axels help lower the body's centre of gravity. I just fitted new standard length Old Man emu front shocks. I'm not bothered about articulation as I have diff locks both ends, but I will attempt steeper side slopes than other winch challenge trucks because I roll later.

Its upside down init (It took a while) Never seen it, but have made one. It makes the hand brake sharper on a series I guess? On my race truck it stopped everything moving round before I went with captive mounts. And I have a feeling that the Series three six potter had one with a threaded end and two rubber donuts through a bracket. But can't remember how it went to the chassis?

Yep, easy to check. Remove oil pipes, blank one cooler port and connect the other to the compressor at say 60psi. Fit rad cap and wait. If rad cap goes shhh when you remove it, you have a bust oil cooler. Or join the oil pipes together and see if the problem is fixed after driving round for a bit. No reason to assume its an abuse fault either. Somtimes its a weak brazed joint at the tube-threaded boss connection. Its an 'any cooler' fault Why? (nearly forgot) The oil and water are often at different temperatures, so thermal expansion is different, but the two circuits are joined mechanically, so they constantly pull & lean on each other. Car stuff is pretty reliable though as neither part has a lot of strength. But big versions can really tug at each other.

Above sounds bob-on from what I see. Especially about standard needing a slight crank. But it depends where in the standard axel movement you run. My 'coiler' runs quite high, so my bushes are stretched all the time. I run standard soft rubber bushes to get flex. Which also reduce shock loadings. Cranked will help the axel drop fully at one end, as long as the other side isnt bound-up by the chassis bush, which has to flex more on full compression. Do you even reach the bumpstop now when cross axeled? Still a good product if you are going to stand the truck on them over a log, or drive like a crazy person

You say that, but nobodys took it to the scrappy and swapped it for cash yet Which I think shows somthing, but I'm not sure what?

Good write up Got a tech question; Is it just the towers or does the diff carrier play a part in the teeth jumping? I was told Kam and ARB lockers were less prone to crown wheel damage because thay were more rigid than standard 2 pin carrier? Actually, I was told I wouldn't need 'pegging' on a carbed 3.5 because the Kam locker would add enough strength for my needs. It seemed fair at the time. And all I've ever killed on standard is the cross pin

Given the option I just go Bigger I had a tractor air filter on the V8 and now have two Citron ones on there. They are about twice the old oval can V8 ones. Driving along off road is very different to agri use. I've seen a lotus cortina with no air filter and many boats with none. So if your not eating dust you need a lot less filtration. Equally, OE air filters do the job nicely, so my van keeps its original throw-away style

It's very strong forward, but don't give it a real good throttle stamp while snatch towing in reverse! It isn't as indestructable in reverse (especially if a bit worn) If it is a real early unit, it may have the funny centre diff, which really saves your diffs and shafts. It wasn't fitted for long before a normal diff went in to save cost. Maybe 73' ? The carbs top black caps are the damper pots and have thin oil. I think I chucked ATF in mine last time. If it's SU, they are very good at processing dirt. Don't know much of Strombergs as I changed mine out early on. The ZF 4speed HP22 auto bolts into the same mounts as the LT95, if a change is required later on. Exhaust maybe close to the pan though, I had to re-weld mine with a bit of straight pipe. I like the auto, but that big old box served us very well for many years until it started jumping reverse

If you put 2 12volt stop solenoids in series it splits the 24 volt. Or with a resistor, as used a lot on lightweight radio trucks. But that would need some tuning to get constant 12 volt supply. I vote for the series solenoids (as long as they are nearly the same)

"If I walk Donnington, I'll need new knees, so best to check first it is okay I'm thinking " Looks a lot like lesson learnt does that statement. I did ask, but obviously the wrong bloke. My error. Steve Knight

It is entirely possible I'll have no winch man. If I bring the challenge truck, can I use it to marshal? After dragging the beast all the way to Bridgenorth the other week I couldn't use it. This costs a bit, but more importantly, I wasn't in good shape the next day If I walk Donnington, I'll need new knees, so best to check first it is okay I'm thinking

That sounds like the overflow/breather on the carb is piped to the dizzy diaphram? And that isn't right at all Distributer only needs a vacuum line to the inlet manifold (vacuum advance) and a breather line?

"Parabolics do not fix axle wrap or tramp or bump steer" I thought it was possible to run a panard rod with leaf springs for bump steer? I'm pretty sure I didn't make that up? Axel wrap bars I have definately seen. If it wasn't UK insurance rules, I'd go rangy radious arms and coilvers on the 109 chassis, where the existing shockers are. Or maybe even new top shock mounts for more travel. Because those big old rangy springs are starting to look very oldy-worldy compaired to fox gas struts In the UK guys weld the rangy mounts onto the outside of anything (yota/zuke). Only real hard bit is castor angle. Somtimes the radious-arm anchor-points go under the chassis if width is an issue.

Any spaces for round 3 Donnington (East Midlands Airport area)

I've put shells in without a re-grind on a petrol. Not sure I'd try it with a diesel though ! My V8 was £90 + VAT last year. If you put shells in, all you loose if it doesn't work is the shell bearings? (most probably)