Ibex94

Sound advice to drill a small hole at each end of crack but you need to be right at the end otherwise you leave the stress raiser you're trying to mitigate with the hole. I would expect it to be weldable, check out google or yellow pages under welding or fabrication and look for aluminium welding/repairs someone will sort you for sure. Rob

Hi, Why do you want to fit 24 spline shafts? By the time you've stripped the axle to fit a replacement diff, shafts, cv's and drive forms isn't it more economic to buy a salvage 24spline axle? If it's a rear axle then you'd also get a disc brake setup as well, and if a front then probably vented. If you're determined its worth checking out Crown Diffs web site its pretty informative. Rob

Hi Guys, I'm looking for a little help from someone with a 2007 on Defender with the factory forward facing rear seats fitted. I've a set of these for the Ibex and just beginning to figure out how to mount them. The dimensions I would like are from the rear tub floor to the first horizontal ledge of the inner arch onto which the seat brkt. mounts. I would also like the dimension for the centre of the mounting bolt, securing through the horizontal ledge to the vertical edge of the tub. This info should allow me to correctly locate the folding seat section in relation to the lower support brkt.. Many thanks Rob

Hi John, Thanks for post however, the Ibex has a good deal more space accross the front not being limited by the wings inner face. Also with the rad sitting only just infront of the steering box you have to fit it with the rad outlet to the offside of it. It means everything around the steering box is bloody tight but it works - the big upside is that there is a load more space to the nearside so I've extended the rad frame to take a larger intercooler. I've got a bit more than 50% wider and about 25% deeper so I should be around twice the cooling performance:rolleyes: . Allards made it up for me and made quite a nice job of the cooler. Reason for this route is there is no space infront of the rad for a cooler there and you can't mount the rad further back 'cause of steering box and engine. Seems to work let you know what its like when running.

Sorry, got that mixed up - so no issue using Bearmach parts?

thanks for the help guys - now off to fleebay

Yes thanks John, Surely someones tried them. I also saw the Rads on mailorder 4x4 and rang about them - when he said they were Bearmach I turned straight off as there seems to be history with their parts on here. Theres a rad recon company in Avonmouth and I think they keep recon units on the shelf for the ~£100 touch so very similar. But as John said knowing how the later vehicles go to aly cores I wondered whether they last or block up from driving through the normal carp Landy do. Rob

Hi all, I need a steering wheel for my truck - only problem is I can't remember age of vehicle replacement column came from and I seem to remember that they changed splines or something else between turbos and the TDi's. Is this memory correct? if so what should I look for to discriminate? Ta Rob

I have a rear loom out my 1988 90 going spare with the rubber plugs engine end and bullets rear. Although out my 90 I believe it is the 110 itemwhich had been carefully stashed in the chasis leg. Certainly worked before removal - let me know if of interest. Rob

Hi Guys, Long time no speak - time to continue build. I'm just about ready to put the radiator module in but on inspection the cooling fins look a bit tired where they still remain. So in order to stop the inevitable failure or overheat during first serious use thought it prudent to replace. My radiator is an original metal component which I could get recored however I now see on the Fleebay that their are patern radiators available with Aluminium cores and plastic header quoting better heat transfer rates. I assume this is achieved by closer packing of the tubes thereby narrowing the airways. So does anyone have any experience of these patern radiators, are they any good (reliable) are they more prone to getting blocked with mud and silt when driving through "puddles" Many thanks Rob

Hi Lads, Thanks for the constructive advice, have now got myself sorted. Found an unmolested L322 HSE at an indecent price and having seen the condition of it and compared it to others of similar age there was only one answer So hopefully in a week it'll be sat on my driveway. Thanks again Rob PS Now, how do I buy shares in BP?

Hi Guys, Am an experienced Land Rover owner and am currently building an Ibex, however my Shogun which was an interim measure 3+ years ago has reached the end of its natural and I'm thinking of replacing it with a Rangy, probably late model P38. Sooooo, I'm interested in what to look for when buying and what too expect, plus advice on which engine to go for. Finally is the 02 model a significant step forward worth the extra money on reliability etc. Thanks in advance for any advice. Rob

Hi, Durite manufacture these connectors, a brand for Gordon Equipments Ltd. They only supply to the trade so you'll have to find a stockist - I didn't find it too difficult. Their catalogue is massive and it would appear they manufacture alot of the L/R electrical gear. Connector is from Econoseal range. Part refs as follows: 2 pin male - 0-012-42 2 pin female - 0-012-52 3 pin male - 0-012-43 3 pin female - 0-012-53 Only a couple of quid each. Rob

Hi Crisp, Done this myself. Cappings were a sod to remove on my 1988 vehicle. They are bonded on with some seriously stickly **** which is more easily cut than forced apart. Rear corner cappings on originals were seperate components which then allowed access with a long strip of metal shapened as a chisel at forward edge. Rob

Hi, Changed mine years ago and would recomend it. Was comfortable to cruise at 70 - 75 indicated with 235 85 R16s on. Normal mixed running would give late 20s mpg and up to 30 on a long run. Rob

Hi Foggy, Would still recommend visiting the scrappy for the rear loom you'll soon spend £40+ buying all the different coloured cores loom tape and the split conduit and spend a weekend making up the loom and crimping on connectors! The rear looms are invariably still in the vehicle and they didn't charge me a fraction of what it would cost to prepare. WRT the engine loom this incorporates what you term the g/box loom - reverse, diff lock and handbrake. I got mine on the forum from forkrent fitter always seems to have a few bits sculling around - problem is they are always bundled up with the engine for conversions so can't be aquired from scrappers. Conversations with LR always seem to be unrewarding when discussing wiring loom components. Rob

Hi Foggy, Having had a little experience doing this sort of stuff to get looms to fit in a number of vehicles I've built, most recently the Ibex, I would strongly recommend starting with a donor loom. In the case of Land Rovers there are stacks of Landys in scrappers with rear looms and all the connectors - If you're lucky the engine and box is out and its relatively easy to remove the most difficult bit being feeding the connectors out the chassis having pulled the loom through. It shouldn't take more than an hour to do and is significantly easier than pulling up the wiring diagrams working out what you need sourcing connectors for the bulkhead connection - which I failed to find and knitting it all together. From memory I paid £25 quid for a 110 loom. I doubt you'll get close by the time you've bought everything and made it up. My humble opinion for what its worth. Rob

Did this myself recently, you do need a spring balance however its not an exact science as to get joint moving you will have to overcome "stiction/inertia" of the bearings and components so expect to see an initially higher reading drop off as the joint moves. You are also only trying to apply enough force to get the joint moving so it takes a little practice to keep tension on the balance through full travel you will also likely see fluctuations due to tolerances in components. So take readings a few times and aim for the range identified in the manual. My set up was all new so I ended up setting mine up without the shims using feeler guages where the shim would be initially (purely to ensure gap was even as I adjusted the pre-load) - saved lots of frustration juggling shims. When preload is right play match the shim torque the joint up and re check preload. Have fun Rob

Hi All Have got my front prop on the bench to clean prior to fitting and realised that the UJ aren't properly aligned. The unit is off a 1988 90 and has a plastic /rubber collar fitted to keep the smeg out. Trouble is my manual and the haynes book of jokes don't show this type of shaft. If I lever off the collar does it come to bits? Any advice much appreciated. Rob

Directly Proportionate to the urge of the surge! B)

Hi Hairy, The load path is through the lower bearing the upper acting to stabilise the joint. As such the lower bearing sits on the inner face of the swivel housing, the lower pin only providing lateral location for the lower bearing. The lower pin is sealed to the housing with a paper gasket - no shims. The upper bearing is seated on the upper pin and not the housing, the upper pin being adjustable by a shim pack between it and the housing. Before rushing to remove shims consider what the original preload function is for: It loads the bearings on assembly to ensure that under the normal accelerations the assembly experiences under load, cornering and absorbing bumps that the bearing elements and faces are kept in contact with each other. It accomodates the bedding in process which will occur through use to ensure the bearing faces and elements are kept in contact with each other. The original preload isn't huge and taper roller bearings do bed in and move freely. If there is insufficient preload then I would expect to see excessive lubricant loss from the swivel seal as the wheel loads move the seal away from the swivel. If you still intend to play with shims you will have to remove the upper pin at which point you should be able to withdraw the bearing - suggest you degrease and inspect condition. Without stripping the hub down completely all you can do is guess at pre-load, for which you don't have a reference. Too much preload will lead to early bearing failure and don't need to remove much shimming to have a significant affect on preoload. IMHO I would see what affect replacing the bushes has on your handling first before disturbing swivels. One mod at a time allows you to assess which modification had what effect. Hope this helps Rob

Looks really tidy! must put some of my build photos on. Rob

Hi Badg, I bastardised the loom on my truck and have left the power windows in the loom for future use. The windows have a bespoke plug I've not seen elsewhere and I was surprised at the size of the electric window supplies from memory I suspect they're C 2mm (20amp ish) but the wiring section of the manual should tell you. If you need it shout I've got 300Tdi and TD5 wiring diagrams. Rob

Hi Hairy, I wouldn't bother trying to check pre load you won't obtain a meaningful result, instead just check for free travel over range with no play when load placed on wheel. I rebuilt my front axle recently and set it up as per manual, its quite difficult even on the bench to get a steady reading accross full range of travel and inertia of the components means you get a higher reading as you start to move just the swivel housing. Add the resistance of the lip seal hardy-spicer and brake pipe and the additional inertia of the hub, disc and calliper etc and i really don't think you'll get anything meaningful out the exercise other than worries that your preload is too high. B) regards Rob

Hi, If you don't have / want to fit the wider front radius arms you can space the original radius arms with heavy duty washers. My local nut and bolt factor stocks them at 3mm thick, a pair of them prety much sort the problem. Rob