Jocklandjohn

Aye I was really pleased that worked! It was a solution to the lifting 'shell' interfering with the back door opening, and once I gave it some consideration I thought 'well might as well see if I can get it to work in the roof-up position'. Getting the angles right so the back door doesn't hit it was interesting. I'm now trying to get seals figured out so the bottom of the door seals when its lifted but also seals when lowered. Weight of the total thing is about the same as a roof rack and roof tent. A typical large tent is 80kg and the 110 roof rack around 50 or 60kg. so around 140kg. The sides and rear I've just built are 60kg and the roof 70kg so 130kg total.

Update on progress: Finally got the sides attached. What a bloody nightmare 6 months of messing about with them. Put them on, drill a hole, measure. Take them off. Think about stuff. Figure out where a doohickey will go, put them back on, measure, take them off. Repeat literally dozens of times. But each time inching forwards a fraction. Major nightmare was doiscovering that the van is not square - it apparently leans to the driver side! However my construction methods had deliberately built-in error correction strategies so I was able to accommodate the difference - a keen eye will notice the slight lean to one side, but tbh on a 30 year old LR I'm not really fussed about it. My partner was away for the whole of February so I took the sides and back section indoors into the hallway and spare room and so was able to comfortably (in the warm and dry) install the windows and seal them, fit the back door, stainless hinges, gas struts and rod latch and get them all working. SO basically I had all the components complete(ish). Working out where the gas struts would go was a bit of a challenge so to save me drilling holes everywhere as I 'guessed' it I decided to make a wooden jig and experimented, and it worked second try, so I was able to transfer the dimensions to the alloy and it worked beautifully. Then neoprene seals fitted and the latch adjusted to pull tight. Anyway, finally got it to the point where I thought it would all work, and the linear actuators appeared to be able to lift the combined weight (I was a bit worred about that), so went for a dry run, bolted it all together and made many holes, and it all looked pretty good. So, pulled it apart again and started assembling in earnest. I'd decided that instead of copious mastic I would seal the sections together at the rear corners and the long seal on the side of the roof with 2mm self-adhesive neoprene strip, then it would be easy to dismantle should I have to. Then simply put a thin smear of sealant down the joint onto the neoprene. And thats what I did, lots of bolts, and cursing, as the usual gremlins made their presence felt, but it all went together. Once that was done it was attach lower seals so thast whe the roof is lowered there's something to stop water blowing in and making the sides damp - water cant actually get into the vehicle because the original gasket sealing the roof is still in place, so its really only to keep the inner surface of the lifting sides dry. So now, hopefully, it is fully sealed. I took it out yesterday for a maiden voyage and got up to 60mph with no creaks, grumbles or rattles and nothing fell off. I could feel the wee bit extra weight but its not drastic, a few extra pounds pressure in the rear airbags will fix that. I'm now inside fitting the seals along the sides and back which is a bit of a faff and I'm not entirely certain how I'll do that but I have a few ideas, but good thing is I can do it inside the van in the dry so hopefully not too terrible a job - not like the winter work standing outisde with the arctic blasts rattling my underpants. Meant to add - the way to access the back is to swing away the wheel, lift the whuffling gas strutted exterior door, then open the original LR back door. And the added bonus is that when the roof is lifted the top hung exterior door allows the whole end of the lifting roof to open for fresh air and views.

I'm with the 'fit an EGT' sentiment. I did, and its been quite instructive watching the gauge and glancing at the wing mirror to see the smoke/lack of smoke depending on where the throttle is in whichever gear. Tetsu0san is right - in normal circumstances where you might make minor tweaks you might not need one, but if you really start messing around with fueling its pretty easy to get in a right mess, and quickly, and an EGT gauge can be a real benefit. I say this as someone who had a fuel pump overhaul go wrong* and the EGT gauge was critical in saving my engine from getting trashed as I could see (apart from the obvious clouds of black some coming out the back) that the EG temps were bonkers so I was able to 'drive safe' until it was diagnosed and sorted. (*problem was a stuck fueling pin - the one that come out horizontally and mates with, and moves relative to, the vertical 'boost pin' thus adjusting fuel delivery relative to boost. Mine was stuck out and firing loads of fuel in irrespective of boost with all the expected consequences you can imagine. It was so stuck apparently it required a welding rod stuck in the back of the pump and tacked to it and a big guy pulling very hard to get it out).

I came back from Glasgow with 3 sheets of 9' x 4' of 1.2mm alloy on the roof of the 110, on top of a carefully contructed pallet firmly fastened to the roof bars, and then the sheets screwed down with 2"x1" across them. I got to Dumbarton and sped up to 40 and heard a bang and looked in the mirror to see the sheets flapping behind me. They'd not come right off but were...er...badly bent. Trying to get the buggers back over and fastened down again was a bit of a handful. I managed. Then had to go back to the alloy suppliers and red-faced ask for more. They were actually very kind - said they'd been impressed with my pallet and shared some horror stories of what they've had ot deal with - like the guy with the Nissan micra who collected an 8' x 4' of 2mm checker and put it on his roof on a towel, opened the windows and put two bungees over it and fastened the ends inside. He was intent on going from the middle of Glasgow to Perth! They refused to let him. Made him pay for delivery instead. Wise not to shift them until the gale subsides!

And me - looks really useful.

Thanks! Its been a voyage of discovery seeing how it would all work. Its almost there - have been sorting the back section and lifting door using the spare bedorom this week to escape from the snow! Gas struts fitted, rod latch and handle, neoprene seals and it whuffles up gently with minimal fuss!

Yes, they were very helpful with suggestions but after looking at pictures and my explanation they were wary of the combination. It was referred through several departments and various folks had some input and this was the response: "I have had a couple of conversations regarding your project internally. The general consensus was that we would not recommend your application to have both struts and actuators. Reason being that actuators are controlled and synchronised to stop and start as required, a strut however is in a constant push force. This means that it could compromised the integrity of the actuator, especially when pulling the application closed. Alternatively, if you do decide to trial a strut/actuator hybrid solution, we would recommend the bottom fixing being placed closer to the hinge than the top fixing." They were happy to suggest suitable kit and installation points to have a go so it wasn't an outright no!

Thats an interesting observation. When the roof is lowered I have two locating metal brackets I made (male and female V 's to accurately locate the roof in the down position, mounted on the inside, one each side) as well as two heavy duty metal tie-down clips on the outside - both are directly in line with the actuators, so the top will be firmly anchored down & aligned. I suppose if the gas struts combined push/pull is say for example 50% of the actuator combined rating there's no chance of the struts overwhelming them? My thinking for installation was to get the roof up, attach the gas struts, disconnect and lower the actuators, then carefully release pressure on the struts until the roof comes down with a reasonable pull from me and can go back up again without me having to seriously strain myself. I'm imagining if I can find some sweet spot in there then I assume the actuators will be able to cope and not be over stressed?

Yes its the weight added to the structure. I've got the existing lifting roof, which has had added to it the hard sides and the rear section with lifting door (on gas struts). The actuators will only fit in the one spot because of internal fittings, but the bogey is that because the end of lifting section goes through an arc, the back end needs a 'lean' rearwards to end up vertical when the roof is raised. See image here: This is pushing the rear of the lifting section about 12 inches behind the actuator, and added to this is the additional metal required for the door frame, rod latch, gas struts, handles etc which all adds up PLUS the two side windows I've fitted which also add to the weight. (Although as you can see the windows are just slightly in 'front' of the actuators but still a long way back from the hinge.) Yes I've got the gas struts for the back door from them (on and working a treat) - very helpful folks - send them a diagram and dimensions and they work out exactly where the brackets and struts should fit for best results. I may be worrying unduly here - but I'm trying to plan for a worst-case scenario and at the moment I can easily add a couple of brackets to the structure before I permanently add the sides/rear (currently still prepping them but am nearly there) so that if I DID need to put on two struts the fittings are there ready. (One other advantage of having added gas struts is if there's a problem with the linear actuators I can disconnect them and the struts will allow me to safely lower the roof without wrecking either it or me.) As for the strut suppliers fear that it may not work - I imagine its more that they like to be certain the advice they offer is 'legally' safe because if they advise on a novel application and it goes belly up they dont want to be liable, which is fair enough. Bottom line is I need to mount all the bits and try it out! Actuator supplier was confident it would be ok, he reckoned they were under-specced and could safely lift 200lbs each (rated for 180lbs each). Ideally I'd have gone for a higher N rating but these are the strongest he can obtain that are 800mm long (I'm lifting the roof exactly 740mm. )

I am currently wrestling with a conundrum (for which any advice is welcome from suitable experienced engineers!). If the actuators prove to be struggling with the overall weight, I was considering adding a pair of gas struts either side 1/3 way in to ease the load. I spoke with the strut suppliers/engineers and they are wary of the idea of combining both actuators and struts on the one application. Their concern was the actuator having to 'fight' against the strut to lower the roof (actuators are 800N push AND pull). My idea was to use adjustable force struts and drop the pressure until the push/pull on the struts was just enough to give the desired assistance lifting, and minimal resistance lowering. I can't see this not working, but maybe I'm missing someting in my inexperience?

Hi Badger - sorry I missed this post. Got them fitted and they work perfectly. Had to fabricate a couple of brackets to support them, but they lift surprisingly quickly. I still have to see if they will handle the total of the additional weight from hard sides and rear. I *may* need some additional lift if I end up too close to their max weight handling (800N each).

Any closed cell foam is ideal. If you can't locate any get some cheap camping mat and cut and fit. Works just fine.

Thats brilliant!

Anything here that might suit? https://www.autosparks.co.uk/electrical-components/plugs-connectors/tab-spade-plugs.html

No problems! The diagnostic unit is a sensible purchase!

Looked just now and found it! Yay! It's an On/Off and 24 Hour Programmable controller. Yours if you want it.

I have one, its excellent. I fitted it in behind the bulkhead (in an existing storage box I've built) with holes drilled through bulkhead into the area behind the seat for the internal air supply. The exhaust and combustion air pipes are just below the floor and behind the outrigger for protection. A co2 monitor and smoke detector inside help allay any fears of suffocating, but even on still nights I've not detected any problems with fumes coming in. I make a point of not sleeping with it on though. Re controllers - I *might* have one that will work for you. I've got an engine heater (D4W) which I've upgraded the controller on and I might have the other one still around - its old - probably 20 years but was working fine when it came off. You can set it 24 hours ahead so it will switch on in the morning for you. I upgraded to one with diagnostic readout - which has proved HUGELY valuable for determining problems. The problems were not integral to the device but a consequence of a careless 'professional' vehicle renovation I had done which corrupted the wiring and I was able to figure out what was going on with the diagnostic controller which was cheaper to buy than trip to the Eberspacher dealer, but also since then useful for the diagnosing of key parts wearing out which does happen of course. One tip - put the wee fuel dosing pump in something underneath. I built a wee alloy box and put the pump inside on the inner face of the chassis. It can be clicky-noisy and this reduces that noise signficantly and really protects it from road mank. Run the fuel line inside some clear hose pipe too - thats more protection and also helps keep the diesel from waxing in sub-zero temps (which really should not be too much of a problem anyway). If you want I'll have a poke about for the controller?

Is this any help - from 1987 110 Parts Manual:

When I did mine last year I took the old mudflaps off, cut them up to fit when I was finished as Western shows, and then put on new mudflaps. I think a physical barrier like this (in addition to all the surface prep and finish) is crucial to keep snot off and let air in and allow cleaning from time to time.

I'm trying to picture what you mean but I suspect (if its what I imagine) I'd be making an alloy subframe into which the glass fits and is sealed. This frame is then sealed (maybe with neoprene rubber seals on the back) against the bodywork and some kind of round pin with a hole in the end shoved through into the inside of the body work. On the inside those pins/holes will show and a little split pin shoved through the hole keeping it tight on the inside thus sealing the outside tight against the neoprene. If the inside split pins are wired together on each side and top and bottom it might be easy enough to simply pull the wires and remove the pins allowing the frame to be pushed out?

🙂 Aha! Well spotted. But hopefully no! If you look closely you''ll see a cut out on each corner - and the mitres are 'open' on the 'roof' surface by about 3/4" and there's a square hole to allow grot out. Snow will accumulate, but it does that all over. What I'm contemplating is a little cover to go over that rear area. I've got several lengths of alloy keder strip - the P-shaped stuff that can accept a slide-in flexible nylon 'rail'. I can sew a piece of fabric Keder onto a cover and slide that into the alloy rail across the end of the roof and bungee it down. If it fills with snow just release the bungee and 'flip' the fabric and snow will fly off. And when the really big tarp is on there that extends out over the rear tent the cover will keep road snot and mank off it. I use this to attach my rear tent/awning to the 110 - works a treat - really simple and keeps the water out.

Next stop spare wheel re-siting - the new roof in its lowered position would hit the spare wheel, so needs to go behind the spare wheel carrier. My guess was a chunk of 4" steel box on the bottom and another bit with the top cut to make a U shape at top would suffice to allow it move back far enough so that was added. I made the 1/4" steel brackets previously fitted inside (for the actuators to mount on) slightly oversize so I could bolt the top box section steel through and securely fasten to them. The roof will lower and the back edge of it will sit in the U formed by the box section. My mate Steve folded a piece of alloy using a template I made and I used that to form the rear upper roof end and it was 'fettled' to fit: I then cut up and drilled some L section alloy to make an edge for this upper roof section. This will form a 'basket' area in which I can store the awning tarp and can have bungee cords to hold it down. Its also well out of the way and the addition of these L sections make the rear look a bit more aligned with, and 'part of' , the rest of the roof. And after a mad session of open air spray painting etch primer from Halfords tins on the sides and back (waste of time - more of it ended up on me) and some rollering in a neighbours garage (better but hard to see what you're doing!) I gave up on this approach, bought a can of liquid etch primer, watched the forecast for a few dry days and rollered everything outside and shooing the bugs away before they got embedded in the paint. The etch rollered wonderfully and dried very fast. The 1K enamel top coat was a bit more testing - dries too fast and needs a lot of care, but I managed, and I have to say the finish is quite remarkably good. So good in fact I reckon rollering the whole van would produce a lovely job. Then the weather turned a tad damp so I had to improvise and ended up under the porch of my woodshed. Here's my woodshed paint booth: And thats got me to here. The above pic is showing the pieces on the vehicle temporarily - I need to fit the windows, various hidden guides and seals and a load of other stuff before I can permanently fasten them. Still got a way to go but its taking shape. My problem is EVERY aspect of this has to be done so I can use the vehicle daily, which has necessitated some careful planning how stuff will fit/remove whiilt fabricating. I'm hoping to get the sides/back on before winter sets in in earnest, but we'll see! I'm currently preparing the alloy angle pieces that will support flat plates against which the edges of the lifting roof will seal when its in the lowered position. Thats them on the van in the pic above painted yellow (etch primer) along the door edge and top (not fittted along the side/bottom edge where the tub cappings were, yet). This was a 'technical' problem I had to overcome. Basically I need a flat 'lip' against which the lowered roof can seal. If I use a single piece of angle'd alloy I'd need to cut the outer edge of it to size - a really hard thing to do outside with a jigsaw and keep the cut straight. Solution? Use a piece of angle alloy thats smaller than I need, and then put a wider piece onto it thats cut to fit the desired width, but crucially the cut (to make it fit) will be done on the inner edge of the flat piece so its against the van side and will have a bead of mastic along it to seal but also hide the cut. That leaves (hopefully) a nice clean machined edge facing outwards. This approach also has one other crucial benefit - it enables adjustment of the seal in two planes, in/outwards and up/downwards, which will be really useful to adjust the seal as the whole thing settles. The seals are neoprene in various widths/thicknesses so there might be some adjustment needed to ensure it fits all around.

I found the earth in at the back of the wiring loom and its looking a bit grotty so I think I'll give that a clean up tomorrow. Ah yes the 9ft arms....useful for that, rubbish for combing your hair!

Thanks Ralph, I've renewed various rear connectors that were corroded, but the loom looks ok coming out of the floor. Tank was replaced last year (by me with care) and I'm pretty sure nothing got damaged in the process. What I HAVE been doing is fitting the pair of linear actuators in the rear quarters and have had to shift the wiring about a good bit which revealed a dodgy tail light connection which I fixed, and I'm just wondering whether I've disturbed something else. Going to go round it all with the voltmeter (I have some help arrived to press things and look at what happens!). Some jobs on your own are just so hard if you need to be in two places at once - as it is I have a wheelybin and a mirror on top so I can see what the rear lights are doing!

Great stuff Ralph, thank you very much indeed.