Steve in Antrim
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Few left over bits now!
Freelander 1 New commercial van project
- Thread starter MacGyver
- Start date
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Steve in Antrim
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Well that is her back on the road.
VCU seems a bit stiff from the wheel up test, but doesn't seem to be excessive drag reversing on full lock and was a Bell Engineering recon job that Colin only fitted 15k miles ago so it should be OK? Possible it is just stiff from lack of use for the last few months perhaps. Will see how it goes.
Running much smoother with the proper dual mass flywheel fitted and the replacement gearbox and IRD seem good. New clutch and hydraulics working nicely. Pretty pleased with it. Just got to get tracking checked now.
VCU seems a bit stiff from the wheel up test, but doesn't seem to be excessive drag reversing on full lock and was a Bell Engineering recon job that Colin only fitted 15k miles ago so it should be OK? Possible it is just stiff from lack of use for the last few months perhaps. Will see how it goes.
Running much smoother with the proper dual mass flywheel fitted and the replacement gearbox and IRD seem good. New clutch and hydraulics working nicely. Pretty pleased with it. Just got to get tracking checked now.
Jayridium
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Nice project Steve, is that the 18" wheels thats on it? Seeing as you've taken the wheel spacers off, would you be interested in selling them?
Those are 16" Freedom wheels, which was the standard alloy wheel size. Option sizes were 17 or 18, depending on the year. Only the Sport got 18" rims as standard, but they were optional on lesser models of the time.
Jayridium
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Its the same shape of wheel as I have on mine, but somehow in those pictures it looks like the wheels are larger and the tyres sidewalls are lower. Maybe running 225/75/16's for ten years has skewed my perspective.
I did this identification thread a couple years ago.https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/wheel-identification-library.309915/ It's got all the wheels and some tyre sizes on it too.
Steve in Antrim
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Yup, Nodge is spot on. Standard 16 inch wheels with standard size Yokohama Geolanders on (215/65 16). The van is pretty much back to standard spec now - daft thing is Adrian Flux insurance said they could have done me a better deal if it was still modified!
Alibro
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I never found Adrian Flux any good for me in NI. I always went with either comparison sites, Admiral for multicar or Direct Line.
Steve in Antrim
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Ended up with Admiral - 230 quid fully comp, which is not bad because they would not let me use my full no claims because I still have my Subaru insured separately.
Steve in Antrim
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Bit more progress and some more issues. Took it to get the tracking done, which was predictably miles out after having been set up for the now removed lift kit and big wheels. Front done OK, but tyre place was unable to loosen the adjustable link rods on the rear suspension so will have to free those off (or just replace them) and go back. Apparently rear tracking is miles out at the rear.
The VCU still seems a bit stiff, despite being a Bell Engineering recon unit with only 15k miles put on it by Colin - although knackered IRD and diff suggests it may have had problems. Phoned Bell Engineering who have kindly offered to test it if I post it back to them so have removed prop again and currently having a bit of a battle trying to remove the front part of the propshaft from the VCU.
Other little issues to sort have been replacing some bulbs in the dash so I can see the speedo at night. Found about £2 is loose change behind the instrument housing when removed! No interior lights because I think the dimmer function has gone in the BCU so have just pulled the fuse for them for now. LED lights had been fitted which seems to have caused the problem. Replaced them with normal bulbs and the interior lights did work again very briefly, but now refuse to switch off again.
The VCU still seems a bit stiff, despite being a Bell Engineering recon unit with only 15k miles put on it by Colin - although knackered IRD and diff suggests it may have had problems. Phoned Bell Engineering who have kindly offered to test it if I post it back to them so have removed prop again and currently having a bit of a battle trying to remove the front part of the propshaft from the VCU.
Other little issues to sort have been replacing some bulbs in the dash so I can see the speedo at night. Found about £2 is loose change behind the instrument housing when removed! No interior lights because I think the dimmer function has gone in the BCU so have just pulled the fuse for them for now. LED lights had been fitted which seems to have caused the problem. Replaced them with normal bulbs and the interior lights did work again very briefly, but now refuse to switch off again.
Steve in Antrim
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No intention to use the van for any serious off roading and didn't like the extra stress the lift kit was placing on the drive shafts so rather keep it standard. The mud tyres were pointless for the use I give the van (and were worn out anyway). It has enough ground clearance for my use as it is. Also selling the lift kit and wheel spacers will hopefully part fund the other work I have had to do.
Fuses fine. The only issue is with the interior lights, which are supposed to switch off after a delay under the control of the BCU or CCU or whatever you call the canbus controller that operates such stuff. Seems the previous replacement of the interior light bulbs with with LEDs has damaged the controller. Pulling out fuse 14 sorts it for now, but means the clock on the dash doesn't work.
Fuses fine. The only issue is with the interior lights, which are supposed to switch off after a delay under the control of the BCU or CCU or whatever you call the canbus controller that operates such stuff. Seems the previous replacement of the interior light bulbs with with LEDs has damaged the controller. Pulling out fuse 14 sorts it for now, but means the clock on the dash doesn't work.
LUKBENPHI
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Can't Fault Bell for their service or their product from my perspective, supplied and fitted the one I had put on my Kalahari in his shed ( with a hydraulic ramp) and it worked first time so your in good hands , regret selling the car tbh as it did 90% of what i wanted it to do just he small boot puts another out of the question now
CCU.
I've come across this before, where LEDs have been used. It seems they can burn out the mosfet, causing it to pass current constantly or not at all.
I think that is very sensible and pragmatic - even with standard ride height, the FL1 is very capable. You just need to drive around particularly deep ruts when laning or off-roading.
Steve in Antrim
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Well had my VCU checked out by Austen at Bell Engineering and apparently it was one of the worst ones he had tested, very tight and deffo not one of their recon units. Recon VCU with new support bearings on its way to me and more money spent!
Steve in Antrim
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Wow, that is certainly quick service. Only spoke to Austen at Bell Engineering yesterday about my knackered VCU and asked him to send me a reconditioned replacement with new carrier bearings fitted and the posty delivered it to Northern Ireland this afternoon!
Steve in Antrim
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Well I am not surprised the old diff was whining a bit. Virtually no oil in it!
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