Snagger

You only need massively uprated brakes for racing, where you are repeatedly heavy braking. On the road or on natural surfaces, the brakes shouldnt be getting that much of a heard time to need alteration. Vented disks and good contidion original parts should e all you need - the big engine will help acceerate and keep speed up steep hills, but you should still have the same kintic energy as a standard vehicle because you still have the same speed limit to observe...

The earlier axle is stronger - the half shafts are thicker, the drive flange tougher, the splines on the flange and shaft are longer (more contact spread) and wet. The wheel bearings are the same, but spaced wider, giving more strength on side loads (slopes and cornering), and are also wet rather than merely greased. I'm content with having modified an early 110 axle as opposed to finding a 300 type, but I'm sure the later axles work fine (I would remove the stub axle seal to allow the oil into the drive flange splines and wheel bearings, though, and seal the plastic cap with RTV.

I was under the impression that all the seating changes on the TDCI introduction, which were costly and vastly reduced capacity and flexibility, were due to legislation. As I understand it, all seat belts on vehicles that age need to be three-point, even in the back. That would be the issue, not the seat itself. Best checking with VOSA directly, as it would invalidate your insurance for sure and coulp potentlially lead to prosecution if someone was injured in that seat.

It wil probably be the new seals. Did you remove all of the rivets holding in the old seals and grind back the flange on the seal mounting? If not, the 180degree bend in the hard part of the seal will be pressed hard against the front edge of the door, trying to push it open, and around the rest of the door creating friction.

I will not buy parts made in China. While they are perfectly capable of manufacturing to the same standard as anyone else, that is very intensive for quality monitoring and I don't believe any business monitors closely enough for my satisfaction. Buy cheap, buy twice. With the appalling lack of interest the Chinese have in safety, I wouldn't touch anything from there - their toys are lethal, and if they can't get something as simple as a plastic duck or teddybear right, then what chance for high power lighting, seat belts, air bags, suspension components or anything else where the tolerances and materials compositions are critical? Frankly, I don't believe they should be allowed to export ANYTHING to the EU (the rest of the world can decide for themselves).

There is a cheat you could use. Replacing the 1st/2nd detent spring under the left L plate with a reverse gear spring will increase the detent pressure. It would certainly be worth making sure the fork is set on the selector shaft in a position that allows the detent ball all the way into the shaft's groove; if the fork is a little too far aft on the shaft, the gear will engage and travel stop before the detent ball engages fully in its slot.

Go for the front tanks over cans for the following reasons: More secure; Lower centre of gravity; Between axles, so CoG is near centre of wheelbase; Safer; Complies with national regs (many countries don't permit cans carried in certain locations, like bumper, roof racks or internally); Can select another tank without stopping the vehicle. The only down side is a lack of flexibility - if you need to transfer fuel to or from another vehicle, you'll have to syphon or drain the tanks. So, it's worth having one or two cans too, which is where the lockers come in - legal in every country, still good on CoG counts, secure and safe. Best of both worlds. I use my lockers for carrying lubricants and water cans. There is space for me to make dedicated oil carrying panniers between the bulkhead outriggers and front tank outriggers, which would be done for a major expedition. I could also fit a water tank under the front half of the tub floor to free up the lockers, but I prefer using water cans to fixed tanks as they're easier to replenish and can be easily carried to washing and cooking areas.

I can't see why bump steer would be increased. The only issue with having the drop arm rotate on a vertical plane rather than horizontal is making sure it and the drag link don't foul anything.

Given its location, I'd agree with the old oil view. That bolt doesn't go intot he block but an external bracket, so there is no way for sump oil to leak out through that bolt hole.

I have a 109 with three fuel tanks and the MoD110 jerry can lockers in the sides. The standard rear tank is 18 IGal, each front tank (MoD/optional extra tank under-seat fill type) are 12 IGal each. The front tanks are mounted at their rear end on the middle outrigger. You will need to fit new outriggers t support he front of the tanks, and these will be available through Marsland, Richards Chassis, Dunsfold Land Rover or Craddocks. The front tanks won't fit a staion wagon as they are - their rear upper corners occupy the secnd row foot well space and the lateral beam of the SW body between the B-pillars, but you could modifiy the tanks to fit the space. I think 109 ambulance bodies cause the same problem and have shorter tanks of 10 IGal to compensate. You will need fuel selector taps to connect the tanks and either a fuel guage selector mechainsm or separate gauges. Have a look in the fuel system section of my blog to see how I did it with standard MoD parts (click my signature below). The 110 side lockers fit, but they need careful positioning and a little modification as the 109 wheel arch is further forward than a 110's. You will need to trim the steel frame and the front of the floor panel to sit it on the outrugger. The door and rear box panel (mudshield) fit without alteration.

The bracket that acts as the pivot for the transfer box lever can be fitted the wrong way around with these symptoms. I learned that the hard way.

Without having a 101 to study, it's just a guess, but could you mount a P38 box (stronger than the Adwest types and more reliable) so that the input is vertical and the output shaft pointing aft? You'd have to mount it further outboard on a short outrigger so that the drop arm could move to the left, but as they're offset to the right for the drive-straight position, the length of the outrigger may be small enough that the input shaft aligns with the steering column easily. I think the swivel end TRE of the drag link will cope with the vertical pivot of the link as the drop arm moves through its range. The biggest issue would be bleeding the system with that orientation, but it may be possible to get good results with a vacuum bleeder or by bleeding the box before fixing to the chassis, drag link and column.

Use a scotch-brite or other plastic pad, but not metal, and if you use a scraper, use something like a DIY decorating scraper with the corners filed round to avoid scratching the block's deck. Don't use sharp tools, metal scourers or abrasive papers, other than fine papers fixed to a sanding block. Remember to plug the various holes first!

Glad you're still with us! Rest up, follow doctors orders and I'm sure you'll be fit again in no time. It's surprising the range of serious acute illnesses that can be dealt with with minimal life changing influences.

The outer seal is just a dust seal, but it still sits the same way around as if was holding oil in, so the lip points back into the timing case. It has to be that way around, otherwise the crank pulley wouldn't fit through the seal after refitting the timing cover.

Not only would you have to move the spring saddles, you'd need to weld on damper brackets, get a custom longer prop shaft and swap the brakes over too. That would leave you with with a very weak vehicle at more expense and difficulty.

SIII box is stronger than SII anyway (the SII lay shaft can shear more easily). You would need to swap the clutch too.

Yep, there's something wrong with the tensioner - not only is it where the rubber deposits are heaviest but you can see where one of the pulleys has been rubbing the front cover. It could be loose, the back plate bent or they fitted the slotted washer at the back instead of the front of the pulley wheel, putting everything out of line. A whole new timing belt and tensioner kit will fix it. Check the guide plates on the crank pulley are secure (spot welds can break) and not damaged. When you remove the pulley to replace the crank seal, use a puller into the threaded holes. DO NOT pry the pulley off as it will distort; it's very soft. You will need an annular drift to spread the load when tapping it back in - a plain drift will apply uneven force and distort the pulley.

SII and IIA boxes don't have synchromesh on 1st or 2nd - you need to double-declutch.

Good quality parabolics are every bit as good as coils. My 109 is on 3leaf front and 4 leaf rear Heystee springs with ES9000 (HD) dampers. It's heavier than standard because of the accessories and rebuild spec, but even empty it rides far more softly and smoothly than my wife's 2009 90XS Station Wagon. With some weight in it, the difference is even greater. I think it's very comfortable. I have 32psi on the front and 46psi on the rear 235/85 tyres, too. But I do estimate the empty weight of my 109 to be about 3-400kg more than standard.

Did you get sorted in the end, Mutley? Vass in Ampthill have mountains of used and unused old stock MoD Wolf rims with XZLs and G90s. I wouldn't chose eihter of those tyres, but the rims will be cheap. I like 235/85 BFG ATKOs - been using them for years; high mileage, plenty of grip on roads including in snow and ice, lots of grip on gravel and shale. They clog more easily in mud than MTs, but they're not too noisy or bad on fuel. I won't buy anything else now, having tried a few others.

That's why I said to check! It could be that you have them connected up reversed, all the same. I find it unlikely that the front brakes are operating normally though if you are locking rear drums. I suspect your calliper pistons are seized. Take the front wheels off and pry the pads back with a screw driver and have someoen pump the pedal to check each piston moves freely and isn't caked in rust and filth.

They have been standard on 90 Station Wagons for a long time, but fit 109 and 110 tubs (I have one in my 109). Google "Protection and Performance".

PDWA valve should not affect bias ever - it is a "pressure differential warning actuator" valve which brings on a warning if there is a difference in hydraulic pressure between the circuits, so it's there to detect, not cause an imbalance. However, if the valve has shifted due to activation, it could be partially blocking one circuit (some owners are under the misconception that it seals off a leaking circuit - unfortunately this is not true). I'm not familiar with the brake system on the 110, but the master cylinder more closely resembles the 109's than the late Defenders'. In that case, the rear brakes should connect to the end of the master cylinder furthest from the driver. Check this is still the case - on my 109, the brake lines crossed over to achieve this under the PDWA valve, not on exiting the master. Someone may have replaced the lines or "tidied them up" and removed the cross-over.

The huck bolts securing the floor to the lateral steel braces? You'd have to grind their heads off as their threads are just parallel ridges, not helixes.