Mark

Ooh, that looks like a rather nice bit of kit - the price doesn't seem too stupid to me for a decent quality specialist tool.

I find they blow hot and cold, and it really depends who you talk to. I bought a recon autobox for my disco and had it fitted by their approved fitters. I went down this route after discussing what I used the truck for as was assured it would be fine. The box failed in the same way as the original after 6 months or so, but they were no help whatsoever, and were not interested in the issue. We have had similar issues trying to get stuff fixed with their HD CV's and shafts for our Challenge truck. They will honour the warranty, but only just, and after some discussion. I have had very useful and productive discussions with Dave, but I feel they are now too big and spread too thin to offer the level of quality oe service for which they have become known. I do not want to cause any offence or issues, but threads like this are basically free advertising, and sometimes need some balance. They have a reputation, but in my personal experience they have not lived up to it. I shall not be using them. Thanks Mark

I have used the autoglym stuff, and when I tried it it worked really well. I think it lasted a year or so before needing another treatment. I have not tried the Wurth stuff, although I have seen the results when a friend tried it on both his alpina and his transit van, and that seemed to work really very well too - no idea how long it lasts. Most of the other products available seem to be a silicone based polish, rather than something that takes the grey layer away, and don't last more than a couple of weeks. I have to admit, I have never used a dye - although since you are trying to make the plastic a different colour (since the light has bleached the original) I expect it would work well. hth Mark

Cheers Rob

Sean, That's really very simple and neat. Thanks Mark

Sean, got any pictures of your mount? Cheers Mark

Si, That would be most excellent! I shall drop round if that's OK? Cheers Mark

I would like to run a PC in the car for basic navigation and diagnostic purposes. Ideally it would be able to be used as a laptop or as a tablet - ie the type where the screen swivels round. The toughbooks seem like the ideal way to go, but having read various things over the years, the model numbers don't seem to run in sequence, or relate to the spec of the machine... is there some method to decoding them, or can someone suggest a model which is fairly small, compact and flippable between laptop and tablet modes? I have also seen toughbooks badged as panasonic or as toshiba - is there any difference? Are there any other ruggesdised tablet based PC's which maybe don't fetch the premium that a genuine toughbook would fetch? Cheers Mark

Caliper bots are supplied from Land Rover with Threadlock already on them.

I can see all sorts of issues with transmission tunnels encroaching on your load area, and with changing the steering and pedals from normal to forward control. Have you thought a bout a 101 ambulance or a GS with a luton body on? Obviously with a diesel conversion too... that would be the route I would go down... or, as has been suggested a 4x4 transit... Mark

Ruu, I will pick them up for Nick if he isn't coming along.... Cheers Mark Edit: Or not if he doesn't need them...

Are the new ones genuine or pattern parts?

Martin, would be interested to see the DBS pictures. I had a good look at the MIB one at Newbury earlier this month as mine needs doing too. The MIB one comes with various lengths of legs, but I am planning to go for the shortest, as the chassis rails are pretty good, it's just the cross member that is rotting through.... Cheers Mark

Depends on how you define sub-standard - if they are built to the spec specified by the customer after all...

As a word of warning - GKN, Hardy spicer etc may well make the item, but there is no guarantee that it is to the same specification, tolerances or quality that the OE item was made to. These companies make components for many people, to separate specifications. Whilst I would not want to cast doubt over the item in question, I have been told that Britpart's MO involves driving the price down very hard with the supplier. Given that the part has to remain physically the same dimensions, all that can give to get the price down is the quality of the materials and/or parts that go up to make it. just a thought Mark

yep. M10 My point was that you would not be restricted in size to the towbar spacers.

Have you thought about getting 2 bits of box section and drilling some holes in them?

Indeed, my 2001 TD5 110 is yellow/yellow both sides on the front and brown/purple on both sides at the rear, with no self leveller. Sounds like a good choice of spring for the rear if your leveller is broken or missing though. I was more questioning the choice of TD5 spec for when the weight of the engine and/or additional bumpers or winches.

Sorry Ralph - after TD5 land rover abandoned driver and passenger side springs - mine is yellow/yellow on both sides. There was no other change though, so fitting handed ones shouldn't affect much at all. Rather than just fitting 'td5 spec' springs would you not be better off renewing the original springs, like for like, as they will have the correct spring rate. Having just swapped some very tired springs for the same but new, the difference is night and day! most of the genuine springs are listed here

Ben - Having fitted the different height springs to the front, has it made any difference? I know that is how they were supposed to be but I thought td5 vehicles did away with the 2 springs, and just used the same on each side? Also, which springs are you referring to by HD on the rear? Cheers Mark

Ralph - what are you running on the rear? I know your truck is reasonably heavily loaded, whilst mine is either virtually empty, or has a 90 on a trailer on the back! Planning to stick with the brown/purples on the rear (albeit new ones)... Dave - good call. They look like a good option. Will see what I can pick up - I suspect the Gen. LR ones will be cheaper than the OME, although if my experience trying to get new std rears is anything to go by, they are not that much cheaper... ta Mark

I am about to fit a heavy winch bumper (Gwyn Lewis Tubular affair) along with an 8274 onto the front of my 110. It currently has yellow/yellow front springs which are tired, and due for replacement anyway, but with the additional weight of the bumper and winch I am wondering what to replace them with. The vehicle has no suspension lift, and I do not want to have to change the rears too - I want a relatively standard ride height. So, according to the accepted standard for all things LR spring related the defender HD springs are blue/red and yellow/white, which are around 225 lb/in. The other option that has been suggested to me is Old Man Emu 751's which are around 230lb/in. They both have very similar free lengths, so I wondered if anyone had any opinions on the two - particularly on the real world amount of lift provided by the spring - or if there were another options? Cheers Mark

As suggested above - range rover red/whites are ideal for a lightweight back end. we have them on our 90, and it flexes really well.

If you are going to fit NAS lights, try and get the Perei ones rather than the wipac ones. the difference in quality is worth the hassle. Personally, I have NAS lights on the back, and std on the front. Mainly for aesthetics, but the back ones are definitely more visible! Mark

I have an early (or at least pre2002) 110 td5 doublecab, and I love it - however I wouldn't necessarily run it as an every day run about. The engine is actually really good - I bought mine on 148k and have done 7k miles in it since May 2010. Other than servicing/fluid changes the only real issue I had was the wastegate stuck open, which was an easy fix. My major issue is the amount of rust in the chassis, doors and to some extent the bulkhead - mine has had a reasonably hard life, but I still feel that a 10 year old car should not be this rusty (needs a new rear x-member). MPG on short - medium runs is pretty terrible too. My 2 litre turbo diesel car gets approx twice what the 110 gets out of a gallon.... It is noisy on long journeys - although not helped by minimal soundproofing (farmer spec) and mud tyres. If you already have a defender what is your motivation for getting another? If you want to stick with the green oval, a td4 freelander is hard to beat as an every day comfortable, reasonably economical vehicle... Mark