need4speed

I'm quite liking this idea. Just add some rollers where the "forks" are and that would be spot on. Maybe even make the handles "telescopic" and the forks/rollers foldable and the whole thing could be quite compact and easily storable inside vehicle.. Not really aiming to sell but if people like what I make, then who knows? No

A bad back injury that I sustained years ago working on the railway means that I have to be careful how I lift things or I'm left suffering for months. This got me wondering how I'm going to cope buggering about with the big 35s I've bought for the defender. I started looking around expecting to find some attachment for a trolley jack etc that would not only lift the wheel up high enough, but hopefully allow the wheel to rotate as well. To my surprise I can't find anything. Is there a niche in the market for something? Surely it wouldn't be difficult to knock something up that not only locates onto trolley jack, but also has rollers allowing the wheel to be rotated?

Nw john. TBH I will probably just stick with the Hotwire plenum as I have all the bits and pieces already. Nige has offered to tig up my throttle linkage for me if I can make it short enough so as not to get in way of intake hose etc

And yet for all of that they couldn't build them quick enough to keep pace with demand...

Thanks paintman

Not sure john but I was just looking at niges site and it seemed like there was quite a few Thor-specific parts needed? It's looking more and more like I will be doing exactly this bud.

Yeah you could, but no-one with any sense would. And that's my point. It's horses for courses. The only way JLR could claim the defender replacement is exactly that, is if they made it truly modular, utilitarian and cheap to repair. And unfortunately, given what JLR have said so far it's not going to be.

John I don't have a problem with it at all.... I'm not arguing. However I think your misunderstanding me a little. With an old defender if you put any big dings in it, you could roughly bash the worst out, fill it and paint it with can of Matt black paint (or whatever) that costs about a fiver and achieve a suitable repair. Doors you can get for about £200 a pair if not being mega picky. Wings the same. How much will the new replacement panels be I wonder? I would bet my house it will be £eeek! People that are willing to put new freelanders/discos/RR's etc into situations that can cause the same kind of damage have more money than sense because you can guarantee they won't be repairing them the same way they would with an old defner...

TBH Jon I think I would fabricate some kind of bracket before going THOR as that would be costly due to me having to buy a lot of additional megasquirt parts..

Nige take a look at the pics I have posted in this thread and you will see my problem lol. Its looking like I will need to make a bracket now that I cut my Linkage so that it wouldn't get smack in the way of my afm/intake hose.

Because I was sure I read somewhere that JLR said the replacement wouldn't be modular. And even if is modular to a point, I wonder how much it will cost to replace/paint a quarter panel, or (dare I say it) roof!

TBH I don't hate the looks. It's the fact that it won't be modular rules me out. Dinging a side panel or door will be ££££ rather than just dredging eBay etc for a cheap replacement.

That's a fair point Geoff. However I've touched base with Nige via his website so I will hopefully get sorted soon..

Ahh that's interesting Bowie. I will take a look at making a bracket. That's a great reply thanks. If I can find a flapper linkage I will give that a try. Mind you the chances of someone splitting the linkage from a plenum are probably remote. I may have to try and make a bracket as Bowie suggests. I will give Nige a shout - if anyone has throttle linkage it's probably him.

Do you mean the stepper valve? Sorry I'm real tired lol That would need to be quite a bracket as it's on wrong side for throttle cable?

No worries. What do you mean ISV? Do you reckon the flapper bracket would fit Hotwire plenum?

Any chance of a pic Bowie?

Aha! That would explain it. So next question is will a flapper linkage fit my plenum do you think??

It took me a bloody age to find a genuine v8 air bin. Bet your ass I'm gonna use it lol. Im just curious as to whether there are off-the-shelf parts I could use. For example here is niges set up. If you look you can see that the throttle linkage doesn't protrude past the plenum body. That would be exactly what I need.

Not sure about forward. I could go down and then back up towards air bin, but then I'm getting very close to the exhaust manifold..

Not sure if that's doable. I will have a look. It might not shorten it enough for what I need. Here is a pic of my problem.

This bit right. Yes I know, I know.....

Yep. Kudos to that man......

Brownie points to whoever tells me how I've now screwed the whole thing......

So had a look at the bracket that holds the linkage/cruise gubbins and reckoned I could make it shorter so it wouldn't foul the intake hose/afm housing. So whipped out the trusty dremel to produce