Did you rebuild on to a Richards Chassis? Sorry, James, I can't remember.
No, mine was a Marslands, but I think it is a case that the tdci chassis doesn't have the brackets in the same place.

I used two standard brackets and one of those horrible adjustable cradle things
 
No, mine was a Marslands, but I think it is a case that the tdci chassis doesn't have the brackets in the same place.

I used two standard brackets and one of those horrible adjustable cradle things
Cheers, James.
That's interesting, because mine definitely needs four hangers, One on the end of the down pipe, one on either side of the box and one on the tail pipe. I've sent an enquiry to Richards Chassis. I'm not sure how good they are at customer service, time will tell.

Had a paddocks order arrive on Thursday and so have been able to get a few little jobs done.
Replace the side repeaters for two shiny new ones.
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Bought two new door window seals. Used bitumastic based sealent in the corners then fitted the new seals. They are just Britpart ones, but I have say the rubber feels good and they are a nice tight fit against the glass. I don't think too much water will get passed them and in to the door. Fingers crossed :)
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Bought a standard, galvanised front bumper. It's very sturdty and heavy. Very pleased with it for the money. The heavy duty ones must be really 'heavy' !
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I made my own plates to go on the bottom of the brackets and used stainless bolts.
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It was a right pain trying to fit the nuts by balancing them on the end of my finger and trying to guide my finger down the inside of the chassis. Had a great idea, glued the nuts on to my finger end. :D
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Worked a treat!
Bought a new surround for the switches. The old one was cracked in a few places and was almost in half. Every little helps.
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Bought a new number plate light. Splashed out a few extra quid and bough the LED version. Bought a new plinth, too. Not sure they all have a plinth, but my old one did.
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Bought another 5 litres of diesel on the way home. Put it in and the gauge has moved, so the gauge is working.
Hadn't started it since last Saturday, so gave it another go. Fired up straight away :) Battery seems not too bad after it's two year break. The winter might be telling.
 
I think the newer ones have a plinth but it isn't required for an MOT. I removed mine as it was scabby looking and it looks a lot tidier without it
 
Cheers, TorsionBhudda. Yeah, I like the look of it too. Thought I'd put it on and if I didn't like it I'd paint it black. It goes well with the light surrounds and grille, i think. Matches the rear cross member too I suppose. I'll see what happens as it dulls, I may end up painting it in a year or two.
 
Heater fan control didn't work very well. Very tight and stiff to slide up and down to the point that the little metal lever would begin to bend. I'd had to buy a new plastic end to go because it had cracked and snapped off a few years ago. It's taken me hours to sort it out, Aaron could have stripped and rebuilt his engine in the same time. :oops:
Spent a few hours yesterday taking the dash apart a bit and moving the clocks out to get at it. Unscrewed it from the side of the binnacle surround, but left the cable through the bulkhead and power connected. Tried straightening the lever and lubricating it insitu, but no good. This morning thought stuff it, I'll take it off.
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I think my camera lens must have oil on it. :)
Drilled out the pivot rivot as I had some stainless bolts and nyloc nuts the right size. Cleaned it all up and got the lever straight. Straightened the copper plate that holds the brass contact in. Fitted the SS bolt with some new larger washers and some grease, barely nipped the nyloc nut up. I pulled the wire out of the flap cable and lubricated it with this silicone liquid/gel stuff the Mrs had for curtain rails and drawers!
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Moved loads better, but still stuck at times when in the full off position. There's a small ball bearing which drops in to metal slots and gives the click, click as the lever moves from one position to the other. This kept sicking in the top slot, so I filled a radius on to the edge of the slot. Now it moves from top to bottom no bother. For the eleven years we've had the vehicle it was an effort to force the lever up enough to get it off speed one. This is barely half way up the possible movement of the lever. Now it goes all the way to the top. :) Then the dash and clocks had to go back in. Just getting that short flexi tube from the bottom air duct to the windscreen tube took 20 mins :( As I said, Aaron could have rebuilt his engine and too the dogs for a 5 mile walk.

Eventually got the horn working. Got the reversing light working and the new number plate light.
Didn't get the fog light working.
This is the old wiring set up.
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In amongst that lot is the towing connector cables and the fog light cables. Each cable from the tow hitch cable still has it's numbered labels. They've all come off the main harness end. That's masking tape for you. I'm hoping I'll be able to get most of them sorted by the picture and the others then by a process of elimination. :rolleyes: Not today though because rain has stopped play.
 
It was a right pain trying to fit the nuts by balancing them on the end of my finger and trying to guide my finger down the inside of the chassis. Had a great idea, glued the nuts on to my finger end. :D
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QUOTE]
Great stuff. I always enjoy reading up on your thread.

I would recommend these instead of stuck fingers mate!
http://www.paddockspares.com/defender-bumper-fixing-plates-pair.html
Once corrosion sets in it will be difficult to undo nuts from the bottom. These plates fit into the chassis so just need bolts lining up. (Better than LRs captive nut plates).

None of the heater controls on any defender I have tried ever worked! Most of them are so stiff you end up with the controls in your hand!

Why didn't you try and make the switch surround out of metal? The plastic is to flexy IMO.

Look forward to the next instalment!
 
Great stuff. I always enjoy reading up on your thread.

I would recommend these instead of stuck fingers mate!
http://www.paddockspares.com/defender-bumper-fixing-plates-pair.html
Once corrosion sets in it will be difficult to undo nuts from the bottom. These plates fit into the chassis so just need bolts lining up. (Better than LRs captive nut plates).

None of the heater controls on any defender I have tried ever worked! Most of them are so stiff you end up with the controls in your hand!

Why didn't you try and make the switch surround out of metal? The plastic is to flexy IMO.

Look forward to the next instalment!

Cheers, rathomas.
Yes, I came across those plates after I'd sent off my paddocks order. It explains why there were no nuts in the stainless bumper bolt set I bought :) Luckily I had stainless nyloc nuts to fit and so just improvised by making my own plate. Hopefully, a galv bumper won't need to be replaced for a very long time, but if it does the stainless fixings should come apart a bit easier that standard ones.
You're right about the heater controls. Mine is still a bit stiff to move, but at least it actually moves now! :)
Never thought of making a metal surround! Good idea, I've got ali plate I could have used too!
 
Very little done this week except order some parts. Unfortunately, I've got a lot of work on at the moment, but it's been raining here in the evenings anyway.
Ordered bits arrived, so more stuff to look forward to fitting.
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Some galv mudflap brackets (plus 6mm rivnuts and 6mm stainless nuts, bolts and washers to fit them together)
New front wiper arms and blades
Micro switches to make new front door switches.
A new rear door switch
A 19mm cutter to cut hole for rear wiper
And after reading Saint.V8's thread about the central locking system he installed, I couldn't resist a new toy. :)
The forecast here for Saturday is dry and the temperature might even break in to double figures. I've got my shorts out ready. ;)
 
Ha! I bet you'll need waterproofs and one of those plastic things that walkers put their maps in for the Haynes manual!

Hope the central locking installation goes well. Having solved the mystery of the non working starter it should be a cinch.
 
Ha! I bet you'll need waterproofs and one of those plastic things that walkers put their maps in for the Haynes manual!

Hope the central locking installation goes well. Having solved the mystery of the non working starter it should be a cinch.

Come on, lets have some faith in the BBC weather forecast :rolleyes: I'll be cursing if it rains on Saturday:mad:

I wish I had done something to solve the starter problem! Damn thing just started meshing with the flywheel again. I think it just fancied mucking me about for a few days.

The central locking does seem easy to fit. Saint.V8's write up was great and looking at the instructions it comes with it looks even easier than that. I'm hoping my green 10AS unit has connections to feed the central locking to. Then I'll be able to just use the Landy fob, instead of having two. Won't know until I get behind the dash clocks again.
 
Looks great - I hadn't spotted the write up for central locking - I may well have a go - i've just test fitted my doors, so is probably a good time.

the 6mm rivnuts - are those the right size for the rear mudflap holes do you know? I have a few slightly rivnuts around which are slightly too big to fit in the holes - would be good to know which size fits :)

On your richards chassis - do you have any holes for front mudflaps? mine doesn't seem to have any for some reason. Not 100% sure if I want to drill holes or not...
 
Looks great - I hadn't spotted the write up for central locking - I may well have a go - i've just test fitted my doors, so is probably a good time.

the 6mm rivnuts - are those the right size for the rear mudflap holes do you know? I have a few slightly rivnuts around which are slightly too big to fit in the holes - would be good to know which size fits :)

On your richards chassis - do you have any holes for front mudflaps? mine doesn't seem to have any for some reason. Not 100% sure if I want to drill holes or not...

This is the link to Saint.V8's post about the central locking LINKY

Yeah, 6mm (thread) rivnuts fit. However, the holes in the rear cross member are hexagonal, not round. I'm going to try and fit mine in the morning using one of the DIY methods cos I don't have a rivnut gun.

No, my Richards Chassis does not have holes in the front outriggers for mud flaps. I had a look the other night, just before I bought the rivnuts in case I needed some for there. I'm contemplating a half size mudflap on the front, fixed by screwing them to the inner plastic wheel arch. I'll not be drilling holes in the outriggers. They get a lot of mud, salt and stones up against them.
 
Well, faffed on for about an hour with the rivnuts first thing this morning. Nightmare! Couldn't get one to clamp down and mushroom out.
Filed flats to get a spanner on
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Was super confident this time, but the rivnut just collapsed around the collar.
Then thought stuff it, I'll use bolts!
Used a copper wire strand pulled out of some multi-core
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Wrapped the wire around a few turns with enough of the bolt sticking past the wire to allow it to drop through the hole. If I was lucky!
Pushed it in to the end of the rear cross member and guided it along. Plonk, went straight in the hole. Took about 15 seconds per bolt. Dead easy.
Had the brackets and mud flaps on in ten minutes after that :)
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So they're fixed on with stainless 6mm bolts/washers/nyloc nuts.
Drilled a 19mm hole in back door for the rear wiper motor. Which hasn't been on for about 8years!
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Drilled another for the rubber cover for the short bit of harness to the rear door.
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Dinitrolled the hole, put the wires through and connected up the motor.
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Tried the rear wiper switch and didn't think it was working. Walked around to the back and it was operating so smoothly it was silent :) Couldn't believe it!
I'd had a reply back from Richards Chassis, earlier in the week. They apologised and said the two dimples on the centre cross-member needed to be drilled out 5mm and tapped M6. Took longer that I expected and it's not easy when you're lying on your back. Your arms ache a bit.
Anyway, got it done and just need a bracket now.
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Fitted an aerial to the front wing and pulled it through the dash.
Fitted the radio and put the dash all back together. Contemplated trying to fit the central locking, but decided to leave that until after the MOT.
Took some pictures of the 10AS unit, just in case someone can tell me if it has the capacity to signal the central locking unit, so I can just use the one Landy fob.
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There are two spare connection on this socket. Don't know if they connect to the right place though. I could contact Hawk! :rolleyes:
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That was it for today. Sadly, I'm busy from now until next weekend, so that's it for at least a week :(
 
Come on, lets have some faith in the BBC weather forecast :rolleyes: I'll be cursing if it rains on Saturday:mad:

I wish I had done something to solve the starter problem! Damn thing just started meshing with the flywheel again. I think it just fancied mucking me about for a few days.

The central locking does seem easy to fit. Saint.V8's write up was great and looking at the instructions it comes with it looks even easier than that. I'm hoping my green 10AS unit has connections to feed the central locking to. Then I'll be able to just use the Landy fob, instead of having two. Won't know until I get behind the dash clocks again.
Do you know how I can find SaintV8's install as its something I would really like to do with mine.
 
I put I LINKY a post or two above this one. Are you not reading my thread thoroughly. ;)
It looks very straightforward to do and at less than £20 it's worth a bash.
 
Been away in Rome this week. Awesome place. Full of military Defenders! ;)
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They were all of the place, as were soldiers all carrying assault rifles. First time I tried to take a picture one of the soldiers wagged a finger at me with a very stern face. I decided not to take the shot :eek: I waited until the two soldiers had walked behind the Landy before I took this shot.
For this shot we were sat at a restaurant across the street and I had the camera on the table next to my plate.
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Soldiers were everywhere. In the streets they were in pairs standing beside a Defender or Iveco armoured 4x4 trucks, in the metro stations and train stations they were in pairs by the entry turnstiles. Lots of police around too, most of which were armed.
Anyway, got a few small jobs done today.
Folded a rectangular cuboid out of thin aluminium to house the micro relays I bought for the front door light switches. Cut a rectangular slot for the relay to push in to and then half filled with araldite inside to bond the relay in. The cuboid is 20mm x 12mm x 9mm
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Etch primed, painted and lacquered.
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Looks great, but doesn't fit! :rolleyes: It'll be fine if I take the roller off though.

I couldn't get the fog light to work. Traced the right wire from the colour code I looked up on the 300Tdi wiring schematic Kwakerman sent me (Cheers, mate, Very useful) Took the switch apart, wondering why it didn't rock right over in to the 'on' position. Found out it just caused a relay to latch on after a quick pulse of electricity. Took the fuse out, tested it, ok. Put everything back together and it worked! No idea why it decided to though!
Bolted the rear door wiring harness bracket to the door and pop riveted the rear door switch push plate in place.
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That remind me, first thing I did this morning was open the rear door and the alarm when off! So, the internal sensor must be working :) For some reason, that wasn't connected when I took the Landy apart. Good news for future security.
Took the door side of the front hinges off and fitted the wing mirrors.
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Put the stainless bolts in the drill and ground the diameters down while I was on. At some stage I'll have to repaint the hinges because the heads of the bolts cut the paint and they are rusting through.
Mrs went in to town and so I got her to get me two new number plates. The originals look old and are scratched and have the screw holes in. These ones I'm going to stick on.
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I still need one more hanger bracket for the exhaust, but I'm going to phone the garage on Monday and see when I can book it in for an MOT :eek:
 
I saw a load of disco 4's parked at the busiest areas in Florence about 6/7 weeks ago while on holiday, heavily armoured and like you say, surrounded by machine-toting guards. No chance of a picture, my mrs was a bit paranoid about me photographing them!
 
I saw a load of disco 4's parked at the busiest areas in Florence about 6/7 weeks ago while on holiday, heavily armoured and like you say, surrounded by machine-toting guards. No chance of a picture, my mrs was a bit paranoid about me photographing them!
Yeah, my Mrs was too.
I'd forgotten about the Disco's! Though the ones I saw were police ones in the police blue and white livery. Saw a few new ones, but some Disco 2's too. They all had a big square platform, about 4" deep on the bonnet. Couldn't tell what it was for.
 
The local police station where we were staying had a small fleet (and it was in the car park day and night - idle buggers) consisting of two mint alfa's and an ancient Nissan patrol, all matching blue and white. A few of the police cars we saw further afield were knocking on a bit too, old puntos mainly. The drivers of those must have been really jealous of the ones with the disco 4/helipad on the bonnet!
 

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