Snagger

Do the main parts of the rods have number stamped in too? I can't remember if it's on both parts or just the cap, but mixing the caps from one rod to another, even if fitted the right way round, will cause these problems.

The problem with the shoes and adjusters is not just having a misplaced shoe not engage on the adjuster and retract too far, giving spongy brakes, but that another shoe must also be misplaced with an over engaged adjuster which won't back off enough. That could explain a wheel locking up. Unless the handbrake came on hard, it wouldn't cause a wheel lock. Having recent new hub seals suggestes that something may have got into a bearing. That could easily cause tansmissio oises and a lock up.

Mine bites at roughly mid travel. I'd suggest having it bite near the top of the pedal movement is better as it must require less play in the mechanical parts and efficient hydraulic parts to release the clutch so soon on the way down. Then again, it could also infer a worn clutch plate, needing less movement of the release mechanism to take the spring pressure off the plates... To be honest, with the question marks raised by your other thread, including the transmission noise and the comment that it had been standing empty for a long time, I think a full gear box strip and rebuild may be a smart move.

Countersunk bolts look better, but they will be steel and will result in corrosion of the plate and the body panel underneath it. Aluminium alloy rivets will avoid this. It also avoids the possibility of someone undoing the bolts to steal the plates (assuming they had been used in conjunction with rivnuts, which would be the neat and easy method for bolts).

Need4speed - the point is that assuming insurance is comparable in operation to the UK, and I'd imagine it is, then most insurers will refuse a quote for a modified vehicle while all others that will quote will bump up the premium. As the vehicle is to be driven by a new, young driver, then the premium will also rocket to cover that, and even more so for the combination of new driver and modified status. That's before he even considers getting his own policy, which he would have to in the UK and would be well advised to double check in Ireland. If you are an experienced driver and have a modified vehicle, non of this should be news to you, so why is your advice so contrary? I would hope that if you have altered the suspension or wheel/tyre dimensions in any way on your own vehicle, that you have notified your insurers as required in law (and paid the resultant increased premium)?

Lovely. I look forward to mine being done - I have just got the engine core back from Turner Engineering, but haven't started the transmission or body shell repairs yet. I have coils on mine (also a soft dash, but only a Vogue, so factory coils, manual transmission and less toys), and it's ride is very good. It has standard front springs and police spec rear springs with DeCarbon dampers, ans all bushes are genuine (pattern bushes and polyurethane types will affect the ride and handling).

I got a set of mid grey decals for my green RR via LR Gen Parts, but I couldn't get hold of the matching Tdi badge as they are "no longer available". It's a matter of finding old stock. If you can't get any through a LR dealer, try Rimmer Bros and Kingsley cars. Failing that, you'll have to remove yours with a hot hair drier, compress them flat while they cool to prevent curling, and spray them with new paint before resetting them (I'd use double sided carpet tape).

Nice that you can put you car on someone else's insurance - that's illegal here, and would see you done for fraud; our laws dictate that the main driver has to have the policy in their name, so there's no way youngsters in the UK can afford anything decent. I'd suggest finding as nice a standard Defender you can find for the 5k and using the old man's money towards insuring and running it. Forget the bling - those whels will make it perform and handle (and to most peoples' minds, look) like carp..

It's not the lateral distance from steering arm to rim but steering arm end to swivel pin axis that affects the Ackerman angle. Since the front arm for the drag link is in a similar lateral position to the rear arms for the track rod, I don't think there's a way of using those (swapping and reversing the existing swivels or using LHD and RHD off side units) without reversing the Ackerman angle. But given your reports of driving like that Bill, it might not matter (still makes no sense to me, but I have never tried it in the flesh).

You might be right.

You won't have any problems with narrowing the axle, but moving the diff to clear the spring won't help - you won't get the track rod over the springs with standard height saddles.

Like a Triumph Spitfire?

Aaron, that's a very kind offer I'd like to take you up on - I'm very keen to see how others have achieved such things as it will save me lots of pondering and trial and error, and could save me from making big mistakes. When would suit (We are well stocked on tea, but I'll need to make sure the chocky Hobnobs and cake are not stolen by the kids!)? I'll PM you a phone number. Bill, I think the swivel steering arm on the coiler is considerably short than on the leafer axle - for a start, it doesn't have a track rod tucked in behind it. That effectively raises the "gearing" of the steering with the axle swap, making the swivels turn further for a given driver input, but for more resistance. It's that, combined with the smaller steering wheel and all that extra vehicle weight which is giving me a hard time! A longer arm on top of the relay would make life easier, but then you have to spin the wheel like a top to make any steering input. As much as I like SIII quirkiness and character, and as much as I fancy an easy life of not getting the tool box out and pulling things apart again, PAS is the sensible thing for me to do. I had a long test drive of the 109s adjusted tracking this weekend, from Bedford to Bath and back, in addition to the week's daily commute to Luton. The toe out setting has not reduced the camber following tendency, but has increased the vehicle's wandering. I'll be setting it to parallel next to see what that does, but of 2mm toe in or toe out, toe in gives me better results regardless of axle type. So, that's not the cause of the increased camber following. It could be the shorter swivel arms, as mentioned above - eve if the axle lateral movement is unchanged, the angular displacement from any slide is going to be greater because of those shorter arms. And more logic: the ride height of the vehicle is only a fraction higher since the axle and spring work - the springs' greater camber was used to mitigate the taller saddles on the axle, so the axle is still in a comparable position to the spring ends, and so any lateral force will have the same leverage as with flatter springs and lower saddles (where the axle was in the same position relative to the spring ends). Though my logic may be flawed on that one...

Bill's comments are right. My money is on a loose main shaft nut inside the transfer box (the back end of the gear box's main shaft). However, a bad set of main shaft bearings or a bad 1st gear bush (worn to a taper) could have these symptoms. A mal-positioned fork on the selector shaft could be at fault - the Suffix D unit has a very specific measurement on the position of the fork pads from the rear end of the shaft, and if mis-set such problems will occur. I don't think the detents will have anything to do with it, though I have been known to be wrong... Best start with the main shaft nut and fork position and see how things go. You don't want to get inside the box unless you have to...

I spoke to the owner's brother in law this morning (I don't now the owner himself), and the vehicle is still "in stasis", the owner waiting for a decision by the insurers for the interior damage. I suspect they'll write it off, being a 19 year old RR needing new front seats,, dash, console and ICE. Apparently, the owner is in contact with a company near Brize, which I'd assume to be Kingsley Cars, to discus work on the vehicle. I don't know whether he's planning minimal repairs or a full rebuild (he's in for a shock if it's the latter). However, he has been made aware of the vehicle's rarity, so I believe he's not going to let it be broken up or scrapped. My contact is going to speak to him again in the next few weeks to see if it might get sold, given the owner is now seemingly keener on fixing it up and keeping it. He is aware there is some interest, but my contact doesn't want his garage's number released for enquiries at this point, so I'll keep on the case to keep you updated - one way or another this car needs to be in the hands of someone who'll restore it properly, be it the current owner or a new buyer.

Well done - not a cause I would have guessed at. For what it's worth, Britpart CV joints are actually pretty good, according the Ashcroft Transmissions destructive testing. I've had good service from them, and they're one of the few BP parts I'd recommend. They cost me about £35 for the ABS equipped 300Tdi RRC.

There's more con than re in recon. I don't think an open sunroof should let water affect anything other than the switches on the centre console, ie. the window switches (and heated seats, if fitted) - I can't imagine the airbag system being affected either as the ECUs would be shielded by the console and drips onto the ECUS are unlikely.

Love it! I fancied making a circular table using compressor or turbine disc from an old jet engine, but my wife put her foot down. I think it'd look very smart after walnut blasting with a clear glass top...

I have to agree with that. LRW was not my cup of tea - I'm not interested in highly modified trials vehicles, but that what the magazine catered for and so it had its niche. A shame for those who enjoy that facet of the marque. It doesn't excuse the woeful spelling and grammar of the articles and the low-brow manner in which the magazine was presented, though. LRe was a little dry, but was very accurate and thorough, and the editor (James Taylor) is a complete gentleman, so I was saddened to see that magazine go down. I can't say I'm keen on the LRO staff - they seem a bit of a mafia and come across as "don't you know who I am" type bullies to me, but impressions can be wrong. A lot of their information is incorrect and their perpetual endorsement of sponsor Britpart undermines any credibility of their tech articles. I prefer LRM, but even that has articles with dire grammar (Frank, I'm looking at you! ), which is unreasonable for professional writers.

Welcome, Aaron. I'm much more into the classic stuff generally, not just LRs, so I have a penchant for the RR Classic, all the leaf sprung stuff and the Defenders before the TD5. Which is may favourite between a really tidy 80", a Camel Trophy 110 and a soft dash RRC, is a tough one, but given that I have the latter, I suppose I'll settle for that. As for LR's future, they seem to be turning their back on the rugged or adaptable commercial vehicles, seemingly embarrassed by them, and going over to the side of drug dealer and footballer piles of bling (the L322 was a smart looking car, but what were they thinking of with the new L405 and RRS? ). There's more money in it, but no credibility. You didn't say what your favourite is!

If the dash is clicking, then the relay is being triggered, but its contacts could be burnt out, so it's worth trying a new relay. As mentioned above, check the earth strap between the chassis and engine, as they corrode easily and then stop earthing the engine, especially the starter. In that case, what tends to happen is that it tries to earth through the hand brake cable, melting its teflon/PTFE coating and seizing it in its outer sheath. I'd recommend adding a second earth cable from the engine directly to the battery as a precaution. Failing the above, and assuming the alternator has been charging the new battery correctly, I'd suggest that the new starter's solenoid is not functioning correctly - it's not unheard of for new components to be faulty, and some suppliers have a woeful reputation for it.

I suggest spray paining the core to make sure the fins are well coated to try to slow down corrosion - the salt air of Malta won't help its longevity. It works well for me on the winter salted UK roads - new rads would deteriorate in the same sort of time you suffered, but those I sprayed last at least twice as long. Just don't spray on too much that it reduces the rad's heat transfer capacity, and make sure you spray at side angles yo get the sides of the fins covered, a light coat at a time.

The pedal can't be adjusted on the servo system, but the servo's push rod can. The manuals all say don't do it, but I needed to on mine as there was too much free play between the acorn nut and the MC receiver. If you take the MC off, you'll see the acorn nut with a locknut behind it. Just be caue ful not to overdo it or the MC will be stuck on slightly, preventing brake release. Are you sure the shoes are fitting the drums correctly? One well known provider had a reputation for selling shoes with a smaller diameter than the drums, so there was a certain springiness as the shoes distorted under pressure to fill out the drum circumference. If you're confident that the problem is air in the system, then the only way to fully clear it is to remove the front hubs and brake back plates and then bleed the front brakes with the outboard side of the brake assemblies facing down and the pipe side up so the air can get out of the ports. I keep saying it - messing about with the pipe set up to reverse the sequence of fluid flow does nothing, but most of you won't believe me. It's not the flow in the pipes that is the problem but the flow in the cylinders, and messing around with pipe routings doesn't alter the fact. Go back to the standard routing, which is shorter, and bleed the way I outlined above, and you will get a 100% air-free system. Remember to sit the brake assemblies in their drums or in straps when you do it, obviously.

You're making me jealous!

If I'm not mistaken, that window is actually bonded, not held in by the seal. Glass and steel have different thermal expansion rates, so every change in temperature away from that at which the window was bonded in place will set up stresses in the glass, and eventually the cycles become too much and it'll shatter. It looks like a design flaw - the older type didn't do this because the window was clamped in place by sealant and aluminium strips which allowed enough movement to avert the stresses. I suspect the reason it doesn't happen to bonded windscreens is due to their thickness and the fact that the windscreens are curved.