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I've had completely the opposite experience with Admiral. My TD5 Disco and the Wife's Seat Leon are both insured on a multi-car policy and it's by far the cheapest way to do it for us. They won't touch anything that's modified (I even had to argue the point when I got the Disco chipped), but for bog-standard stuff, they seem pretty good so far. The Leon was involved in a collision and was repaired within 3 weeks (mostly because the car was drivable, so didn't go in straight away). No problems with the customer service and even though it had to go back to sort out a few chips and paint runs on the new bumper, there were no real issues with the repairing garage either. I have recently renewed the policy and had to do a bit of arguing over the price - the renewal price was nearly twice the price of setting up 2 individual policies with the same company using a well known comparison website. A phone call and heated discussion later and I even got a discount for the anguish and inconvenience that the 'issues' had caused. Now, Adrian Flux..........there's a completely different story. Will never be using them again even if (by some stroke of magic) they are the cheapest.

It's much less hassle to fit a set of Stauns... And they work bl00dy well! Alternatively, assuming your Mach 5s are still in good condition, sell them and buy another set with beadlocks!!

Having never really looked into it before, I've been asked by a colleague how difficult it is to replace the front and rear brake discs... Are they straight forward, like most LR discs, or are they a bit more involved due to the more advanced technology and electrickery used to monitor pad wear, traction control and the like?? Also, an exploded diagram would be dead useful if one is available... TIA Adrian

Ben, If you are up in the Maidstone/Aylesford area, you can pop in and look at mine if you like... It's on a 300 truck cab 90, so might give you a bit more of a hands-on idea. Drop me a PM to arrange if you like... Cheers Adrian

Just a note to beware of the cheapest swivel balls.... I have recently replaced both on my front axle. I was quite happy to pay for decent ones, but time and availability led to me buying the first ones I could find. They are coated balls and they are rough - so much so that even with all new seals and even adding a bit of RTV around the outer seal retainer, they still leak!!! The other parts fitted were all Bearmach and have been used before without issue....

My set-up is a bit different. I have one feed (central one) for the cut-off, one feed for the air freespool and the third goes to a small alluminium distribution block from which I have the 2 lockers and a PCL connector. I decided that this was better as the distribution block also gives room for 2 further expansion ports (centre winch freespool, etc)... All mounted behind the passenger seat on the bulkhead. Not overly elegant, but definitely functional and all interconnected with 8mm pipe to keep the air volume up.

I just wrapped the threads with PTFE tape (if that's Plumbers Mate - I don't know!!) and never had any problems. The last rad we replaced just got the fittings screwed in without any additional sealant and, to my knowledge, has been fine since...

I can't say yes or no, Ben, but I guess you can. The benefit of having it on the ignition, though, is that it doesn't sit there trying to maintain pressure when you aren't using the vehicle - i.e. you forget to switch it off over night and hence flatten the battery... Sorry if that's a bit of egg sucking, but a link to the ignition seems sensible to me.

Yes, I seem to recall that section being a bit 'tippy'!!! I managed to drive in with just the front winch pulling me up, but it was right on the limit, so once the punch was achieved, we rigged the rear winch to a tree and back to the cage and it was much more comfortable on the way out!! Thoughts of a centre winch are swimming round my mind at the mo......

Just use the defender brake calipers... Saves having to disconnect and bleed the system again! Make sure you change the discs if they are vented ones, though, or you may find it a little tight to get pads in!!

It can be done without a removal bar, but the question you should be asking is whether it is safe to do so?? If you were to be involved in a side-on collision, would there be enough strength in the shell to stop it folding up?? I'm not entirely sure how sturdy the original set-up is in a side-on collision, but I should imagine that by removing material you will be creating a weaknes...

What a little gem of a site - in the dry, anyway!! We had a great day. A little disappointed that we didn't get more punches done, but still really enjoyed the ones that were set out. Some very good technical sections and some that were very deceiving!! Thanks to the setter-uppers and the organisers for another great event!! Bring on the big finale...

Try starting the car without your foot on the brake... It should make the same noise. If it does, all is OK. Your pedal travel pattern sounds the same as mine, too, so that's OK. LR had mine back twice when I first bought it. They were searching for a funny noise from the brakes. As I picked up the truck after the second visit, they asked when the noise occurred. I told them it was when I started the car and that it was the same whether I had my foot on the pedal or not, and they told me it was normal... HTH Adrian

I can't quite believe that we are still 5th in class after what turned out to be a shocking fourth round event at Slindon!! Cheers for posting that, Benny. It's cheered me right up!

I believe this is the place... West Harptree Map If it works!!

'ish' is the term I will use!! The truck is ready-ish. Currently slung up in the air without any front calipers, pads, drive flanges. You know, the insignificant stuff that really doesn't matter!!! I am ready-ish, apart from the lack of time to do anything this week and a constant noise in my ear ( ) to finish the decorating that I started 2 weeks ago!! The trailer is ready-ish. Mark only picked it up on Sunday and is giving it the once-over. I haven't heard anything untoward.... All in all, we are ready-ISH!!!!!!

I have the Stage 1 IRB tune on my Disco and it makes it a lot easier to drive. More responsive across the whole rev range which means a lot less throwing the left arm backwards and forwards! I know it'll be a bit different on a Defender, but I'd say it's definitely noticable and will make the drive easier, with the added bonus that it shifts a bit faster when you need it to! I have also seen a marked improvement in MPG since having it done. Mainly because I no longer need to rev it hard to make it go... I will also offer the 'come and have a go' but it's a bit pointless because it's a different model... HTH Adrian.

No problems with mine so far, Tony. I have both the drag link and tie-rod and have fitted greasable TREs. They have been moved around onto/off of various vehicles and are now withstanding the abuse that I am giving them on the Challenger Series...

Does it work if you put a jump lead directly from the battery to the starter? If so, it's something to do with the solenoid. It may be as simple as the small wires on the solenoid are not properly connected, or you have an absolutely appalling earth connection. I have previously run a lead from the starter mounting stud directly back to the battery negative to avoid any earth issues... My current 90 has an additional lead between the chassis and the same mounting stud, just as a failsafe.

2x ARBs and an air spool on the rear winch and my small ARB has no issues. A reservoir would be better for anything that involves prolonged use. Even blowing up an airbed gets tiresome with an ARB... We also have experience with the T-Max twin compressor and I am seriously considering buying another to hard-wire into the Discovery. Brings 35" Simex up from 8-30 PSI in no time at all... Paired with a reservoir, i think it would make a brilliant little system.

The dealers do it by moving the gearbox back about 6-8". This means takning most of the internal centre consul (around the gear lever) out in order to get the top bell-housing bolts out. I thought that the price I got from the dealer for mine (clutch and d/m flywheel) was more than fair for the amount of work I envisaged. Especially as they have had to do it twice because the replacement flywheel wasn't vey good!! Money well spent in my book!

I think it's ready, too................ ............ I have been known to be wrong before.......once.......possibly twice!! One addition I do still have in my car (rather than on the 90) is the new fuel cap...........hopefully with added sealing!! Might save me a bit of fuel for the day!!

Can I be the first to point out that not all D2s are unreliable.....?? Mine is a 2002 Serengeti spec manual (with an IRB tweak) and after 62,000 miles it still goes like a train and has not had any of the problems with heads/dowels etc that others mention. I do benefit from not having any 'spare' electrics to go wrong. I've only got electric windows and climate control. Maybe mine is 1 in a million, but.......... The only issue that I have had is a disintegrating dual mass flywheel that LR took 2 attempts to get right, but it wasn't the end of the world. I will be critical about the fuel consumption, though. I am now managing to squeeze 29MPG out of it since having it tuned. Before the tweak, I was averaging 26MPG... It will hit hard compared to a little Mazda, especialy when you are still watching the pump fly round over £80 and you realise that you are only going to go 500 miles on it...

Exmoor Trim sell a subframe mount that will allow you to bolt Recaros straight into a LR. For the price, I decided that it wasn't worth trying to fab/bodge something up to do the same job.

Martin, The 150 piece kit from Halfords is a good bet to get you a very useful set of tools, but there are several items that you will require duplicates of... I would definitely get a second set of metric spanners, say 8-19mm, maybe as ratchet spanners - you'll uderstand once you've used them! If you have trouble with trailing arm or radius arm bushes, you will require a 24mm spanner and socket for the axle ends and a large, deep socket for the chassis end - there is a useful tools thread on the Tools and Fabrication forum that would be a useful source of info - HERE IT IS... A hub-nut spanner would also be high on my list of things to put in the box, along with at least one large screwdriver that fits through the hole... Can of WD40 would also go in along with some latex gloves and a big roll of blue tissue - you know the type that go in dispensers... I'm sure there are loads more, but that's all I can think of at the moment... Cheers Adrian