Jon W

Well i picked up a nice oil temp gauge on ebay for 99p, so chuffed with that , just have to find out which bits it comes with when i get it. Then may need some help with which bits i need. Im keeping my eye on ebay for an oil pressure gauge at a bargin price. Cheers Jon

Yer Nokia 3310 was a good phone mine stood up to a lot of abuse and i kept dropping it when getting out the land rover when holding to many things, it smashed into all its components, pick it up and put it back together it was fine . It got damp/wet most weekends and still worked. but then it finally died whilst sending a text in a downpour in wales, it was time for a new one anyway. My latest sony ericsson lasted a week and a half before it went wrong and that was with no abuse so sent it back and got a new one and so far so good, but i haven't dropped it yet. he says tempting fate. Jon

See the international forum, les has done a good write up on this http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=2394 The defender tdi is an easier fit than the discovery but is more expensive to buy originally. But disco tdi are cheaper but exhaust and other bits need modifying I think steve parker is doing conversion kits now. Read the thread and it should explain most things. Also on the international forum there is a thread on putting an izuzu engine in as it is cheap Jon

But did the V8 keep going through the water though?? That might keep the TDi boys quiet . But if your stuck due to the engine cutting out, you'll never here the end of it Jon

Well the 27th is my birthday , but might be around on the 29th But its the 200miles drive there which makes it a bit of a long way to go for a days laning.Don't really like the fuel bills for the 400 mile round trip. if only petrol grew on trees. Will catch up with you at either wales or some other event soon Cheers Jon

Chris I thought this was a good price for a freelander. www.pnkautos.co.uk Its down at my local garage, in good nick on the outside, havent really looked at the inside as i don't clean that bit. Click on cars and then its about half way down. I thought it was a good price considering it a dealer. It will come with MOT 6months tax and some sort of warentee. Just something else for you to look at. Jon

As it says really what range of pressure is needed on an oil pressure guage for a 2.5 Petrol engine? Also what is the difference between an electric and a capillary gauge, The capillary gauges seem cheaper, any reason for this? Also which is easiest to fit? Cheers Jon

Ok, ill give it a try when it stops raining. I'm not sure about the wales trip, not thought that far ahead yet, or found out what is going on around that time of the year. Will definately be at the East Anglia meet though. Im sure either me or Richard will be on the wales trip depending on who's piggy bank has any pennies in it. Jon

Right i bent this a few weeks back at severn sisters but still havent got round to changing it as it wasn't that serious. I have a new track rod complete and ready to fit. What is the best way of doing this job. I will probably get someone else to set the tracking as i cant set the track rod to the correct length as i have nothing to compare it to as the old one is bent. So to get the old track rod off do i need a ball joint seperator or doesn it un bolt. The haynes manual says i need a ball joint separator to free the track rod from the swivel pin housing. Is this true or can i get away without using one. I may go and buy one anyway as im bound to need one at somepoint. Any other tips much appreciated. Cheers Jon

Can i join my 32" rub the rear tub too but they didnt on standard suspension as the coils used to bind up before hand, however with HD RR springs they are more flexible and rub nicely, just need to get the extended bump stops sorted properly at some point. Jon

I would have been interested, shame im not going as could have trained my dad as a winch monkey. But im not going to Slindon today unfortuneately , maybe next time. Jon

Sorry to hear that but it was bound to happen wasn't it, i mean famous last words, you did say a while ago how many miles it had done without having to lift the head. Hope all is not too bad and repairs are straight forward. Its always the way with mine i say its running well and then something goes wrong. Jon

Tim, my name is Jon not Tom, but im sure you called me Jon over the weekend so im not offended. And my useless winch bitch doesnt want to come off roading again for at least another year, i just can't see why she doesnt enjoy it really, i only sprayed her with mud a few times Jon

Right well still not decided, do i just replace it with standard as the last one managed 4 years or more of off. So while im replacing it do i get strengthend bars, if so which ones? Or standard bar and a track rod protector. So what does everyone think standard, uprated, or protection such as track rod protector or steering guard. Undecided so any opinions welcomed. Also prices etc would be good. Thanks Jon

Yer as Richard said i really enjoyed it so thanks to all involved in organisation side of things. Cheers to everyone in our group, as with most events the group of people we were with worked well together and had a good time. Will definately be back again sometime soon as want to see more parts of the site i have not yet discovered. Only bent the track rod so no big deal just a lack of concentration and a rock in the way, manage the 200 mile trip home no problem, now just the decisions of whether to replace it with standard or uprated while im replacing it. Gary hope you sorted your CV or whatever the problem was with your front axle. Cheers Jon

James, thats what i am trying to decide, as it has never been a problem so far, just a lapse of concentration and it all goes a bit pear shaped. Was good to see you yesterday and a shame we didnt see more of the site, but maybe next time. I survived and didn't get too much of a grilling from Emma, although she was pretty bored by the end, at least it wasnt raining! Cheers Jon

Having bent my track rod at severn sisters yesterday and am only staying a few minutes from a bearmach outlet in cardiff, i was wondering if these are as good as Sumo bars or dan bars. They come with greaseable joints etc, but am not sure on price yet. Any experiences much appreciated as need to know by tonight when i travel home. If not ill winch mine back a bit straighter and drive home. Jon

Very nice but can't quite tell what colour it is though. So then how long before the first modifications, and whats first on the list then? B) Jon

Just an idea, may not necessarily work, but i think it was the bath tub that had a rear wheel carrier that was able to rotate/flip, so the wheel could pivot to allow rear access to the tow hitch, if it was able to pivot then when departure angle is needed to such a degree it could pivot with the top of the tyre moving into the load bay, however this will not help for reversing into banks or trees etc, so may not work so well. So there for it is easier to just keep it in the load bay. Or how about: Not getting punctures to begin with or mounting it on the bonnet This is probably of no use to anyone but i was board so sorry for the waffling Jon

Probbaly snapped a half shaft as one of the rear wheels snup and then gotto the flat spot. Jon

Not sure what inch they are but they wouldnt be very good off road even if it did keep it out the ruts Jon

Ouch! wow im glad we stuck with the PTO after all then, even breaking that wasn't that expensive, compared to your bill, just being poor students we moan a lot more than other people do. Hope the winches won't require any work now for a very long time, im sure you'll put them to good use next weekend. See you at Severn Sisters Jon

I would like to do a trip like that, but i can't finance the the fuel bill being a student and probably can't get the time off college at those times of the year. But one day i would like to do a trip like that, maybe in a more fuel efficient land rover than mine is as don't think mine could manage 60 mph pulling 3.5 ton either Sounds like it was a worthwhile trip Jon

The PTO is supposed to hang straight down as this is how the holes line up and the shafts have quite an easy way to the front of the vehicle. However rotating it by one hole means that the holes in the PTO need to be modifed and then a new ehxaust made up so that it misses the PTO and then more brackets and maybe different length shafts. Les has a nice example of this, but in standard form this is how they were made which is stupid yes but was probably made this way so that it can go on a vehicle without having to modify it. Good to see Dicky is spending my money well Jon

Mine has always been like this, sometimes it starts straight away other times it doesnt, if it doesnt start straight away, turn ignition off and then try starting again it catches quick and will start easier and not drain battery or wear out the starter motor. Mine always starts in the end. Jon