Tom_Brizzle Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Hello I am new to the Forum, but not to Land Rovers. However... I picked up a 90 TD5 earlier this year, in a bit of a state (insurance Cat D write off), and paid someone to get it on the road & fit a safari snorkel. Since then, I have started changing it into the sort of vehicle which I need. 1st step was to add window grilles over side windows, ended up doing the back too. Sourced them from Simmonites. 2nd was to ditch the Tornado alloys & (4 different brands) 5 tyres which had seen better days, replaced them with 16x7 modulars & Cooper Discoverer AT3 235/85 I am about to embark on the next phase & am wondering several things, which I hope you will be able to assist with: Firstly - Hole drilling: I have to drill holes in the body capping (Flatdog Ladder & Mantec swingaway carrier) - so I know I have to start with a pilot hole, but how small? Then make the hole bigger in stages. The Mantec suggests that I need to drill these out to 11mm - so I'm wondering what size I can get away with starting with & what sizes of drill I can go up in? Also on hole drilling - I have some 3mm chequerplate from Paddock, and intend to use their allen bolt things, as they're countersunk. Reckon I'll be ok with a 7mm hole - I am thinging that I'll do a 3mm pilot on the alu & then straight to 7mm - will this cause problems? The only other thing is under the chequerplate - grease between the plate & the wingtop, or silicone sealant about half a cm from all the edges? Lastly, here's my previous history: 110 hardtop diesel (E reg) - sold 109 Safari petrol S2a - 1966 - sold 109 Hardtop petrol S2a - 1966 - Sold ES Discovery 300 Tdi (R reg) - Sold 90 TD5 CSW in Epsom green - T reg - daily drive VW Golf GT Tdi - about to be sold. I'll post pics soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulnb57 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 I think you could start with a 6mm hole and enlarge in 2/3mm steps up to the required final size, make sure you have a decent centre punch to create a spot to start the drill in. I'd go with Silicone rather than grese although nothing is strictly necessary, have you considered self adhesive neoprene tape? its available in different widths and thickneses..... Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Hole drilling If you read "our project" http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=75880 You will see hom many holes were drilled. Both in steel and aluminium alloy. I used a 3mm drill for all starter holes, then to 5mm for the pop rivit holes. Or as required. I don't have anything under the checker plate on any of the added on checker plate to bodywork. before you drill the checker plate for the Allen bolts. Check the drill size needed on some scrap I suggest you buy more than one 3mm drill. I broke some at the least expected time. Candle wax on the drill end when drilling aluminium alloy helps to keep the drill that bit sharper longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Welcome to the forum Sealant (either silicone or PU) rather than grease, but it's not strictly required. The Neoprene recommended above sounds like a good solution When drilling I first centre punch, then drill with a 4mm. Then open the hole up to required size. I use a 4mm rather than a 3mm or 1/8th because I find I break the smaller drills too easily, especially when drilling stainless with a cordless. Breakage is less of an issue in the drill press You only need a pilot hole to be larger than the flat at the tip of the next drill, so you can go from a 4mm to an 11mm without any others in between, as long as the tip of the 11mm drill bit is 4mm or less. Make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash.Witty Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Lewis is bang on, 2 drill bits to do the job the pilot and final size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Don't use silicone I you ever want to paint any where near it silicone in my opinion only has two uses round your bath and in an emergency as a gasket (even then I'll use cardboard first). PU sealant all the way. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 If you want to use any sort of adhesive, I'd go for U-Pol "Tiger Seal". http://www.u-pol.co.uk/product-cat/162/tiger-seal%E2%84%A2-pu-adhesive-and-sealant.htm With Tiger-Seal there's truly no need for screws/bolts/rivets to be involved. It holds-in bonded windscreens [which are a structural component of most post-1990 cars] just fine. Squirt, bond, and relax! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 I find it much easier (unless drilling in the Mill or pillar drill) to not jump up the sizes too far when drilling thin sheet. Drop of WD or cutting fluid keeps the aluminium from sticking to the drill bits and making them appear blunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_Brizzle Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Cool. Thanks. Been enjoying being back (where I belong) in a Landy. I like the neoprene idea. I don't want to glue it down, just keep the moisture out. Drilling - I've got DeWalt extreme2 HSS bits, having discovered that my old HSS bits are no longer of much use. "Our Project" - looks good, wil have a read through. Thanks all. very helpful. Centre punch before drilling - yes, I remember that from metalwork at school in the 80s. How about mask tape for marking stuff? or just use a sharpie pen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 I use masking tape and a biro as the fine line allows for decent accuracy. A sharpie would also be adequate Before anyone mentions engineering blue and a vernier height gauge that's hardly the tolerance required for this kind of task Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_Brizzle Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Thanks again. Will share photos soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_Brizzle Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 I haven't got that many shots of the TD5 online, this shot was taken in Devon. I went off to photograph a force 11 storm, and when I returned, its twin had arrived, both CSW T reg TD5s This was when it still had its alloys, and not the nice steel wheels: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tmv_media/12576149833/in/set-72157626696311941 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studmuffin Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Welcome to the best techy forum out there Tom. Lots of good advice from everybody. Cheers Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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