NFNicholson · Nov 12, 2016

I recently purchased a 1986 Defender and am looking forward to making it my own. I live in Lincoln, and would love some advice on any garages in the area that could help. I'm a complete novice when it comes to mechanics, probably the perfect target to be bamboozled.

Just purchased a new battery for my beast and am struggling to figure out how the heck it fastens down, not to mention that the after market radio (shall we call it) appears to have been directly wired to the car battery. Fun.

Other plans include new tyres, new paint job, sun roof installation, less-shoddy radio, bed lining, and new seats.

I have some extra parts and pieces that I need to dispose of including tyres, door seals, etc.

Thanks in advance for any advice and assistance!

waldamar · Nov 12, 2016

Welcome, good luck. Is battery under seat? if so there ought to be some bracketry etc. Most are long lost! Was there any restraint for battery when you got it? TBH unless you roll it I doubt your battery will fall over!

NFNicholson · Nov 12, 2016

waldamar said:
Welcome, good luck. Is battery under seat? if so there ought to be some bracketry etc. Most are long lost! Was there any restraint for battery when you got it? TBH unless you roll it I doubt your battery will fall over!

Hi Waldamar! Thanks! Yes, the battery is under the passenger seat. It did have some ramshackle bracketry holding down the old battery, but someone else took it out for me, now I can't figure out how the heck it worked

So long as nothing else it touching the contacts and it is stable, should be alright, right?

Disco1BFG · Nov 12, 2016

Hi, and welcome aboard! Looks a decent tratter that does

waldamar · Nov 12, 2016

NFNicholson said:
Hi Waldamar! Thanks! Yes, the battery is under the passenger seat. It did have some ramshackle bracketry holding down the old battery, but someone else took it out for me, now I can't figure out how the heck it worked So long as nothing else it touching the contacts and it is stable, should be alright, right?

Yes, all should be fine, nothing touching and nothing able to touch should it slide about a bit - a bungee might give a little more peace of mind!
Is the bracket a couple of long bits of rod, bent like a hook one end and threaded the other end? And is there a long plate with holes near the end? Let me know if so, good luck

NFNicholson · Nov 12, 2016

Disco1BFG said:
Hi, and welcome aboard! Looks a decent tratter that does

Thanks! I thought she had some decent potential

Hoping I don't ruin it.

NFNicholson · Nov 12, 2016

waldamar said:
Yes, all should be fine, nothing touching and nothing able to touch should it slide about a bit - a bungee might give a little more peace of mind!
Is the bracket a couple of long bits of rod, bent like a hook one end and threaded the other end? And is there a long plate with holes near the end? Let me know if so, good luck

There are indeed 2 long rods with a hook-like end and then a bolt on the other end, along with what looks to be a license plate frame holding something in place. Bungee might not be a bad shout either, thanks! I'll try to post pictures to help. Probably explaining it all wrong.

waldamar · Nov 12, 2016

NFNicholson said:
There are indeed 2 long rods with a hook-like end and then a bolt on the other end, along with what looks to be a license plate frame holding something in place. Bungee might not be a bad shout either, thanks! I'll try to post pictures to help. Probably explaining it all wrong.

no, all makes perfect sense, should be some small holes in the floor alongside bottom of battery, hooky bits hook in there - hold em upright and frame thingy ought to have holes that line up [when it's placed atop the battery, beware of shorting the terminals!] then put the nuts on and don't over tighten - should be job done - good luck.

Marmaduke · Nov 12, 2016

Welcome to the forum, given how crap and leaky Land Rover sunroofs can be I'd put that idea on hold. Your seats can be recovered, look at places like Exmoor Trim or do a search in the Defender section for RX8 seats. And as for tyres take your pick just consider what you'll mainly be using your tratter for and go from there....

neilly · Nov 12, 2016

Hi, Looks pretty clean.

As @waldamar says above for the battery bolt down.

If you get stuck, let me know I can always go and take a piccie of mine. Does need to be secure tho, as it is now an MOT check point.

Cheers

Marmaduke · Nov 12, 2016

neilly said:
Hi, Looks pretty clean.

As @waldamar says above for the battery bolt down.

If you get stuck, let me know I can always go and take a piccie of mine. Does need to be secure tho, as it is now an MOT check point.

Cheers

Really? Mine has never had one fitted and I've never had a fail or an advisory, sadly it's had plenty for other things though

neilly · Nov 12, 2016

Marmaduke said:
Really? Mine has never had one fitted and I've never had a fail or an advisory, sadly it's had plenty for other things though

Was what I was told by an MOT tester, as he had me unlock the battery case and show him the battery, but then it may be that was his interpretation.

Just did a little search and found this......personally i think of you are going off road at all, then having it secure is better than not.

https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.u...attery-have-to-be-before-it-should-be-failed/

or this one...
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing-repair/mot-changes-2012.html

Cheers

NFNicholson · Nov 21, 2016

Marmaduke said:
Welcome to the forum, given how crap and leaky Land Rover sunroofs can be I'd put that idea on hold. Your seats can be recovered, look at places like Exmoor Trim or do a search in the Defender section for RX8 seats. And as for tyres take your pick just consider what you'll mainly be using your tratter for and go from there....

Funny you should mention the leaky sun roof. Mine, with a solid roof, is leaking just fine on its own right about now

I thought it was a bad seal on the door but the leak is coming from some random grommets in the roof which have come loose, and are now leaking. The roof lining is soaked as well.

NFNicholson · Nov 21, 2016

neilly said:
Was what I was told by an MOT tester, as he had me unlock the battery case and show him the battery, but then it may be that was his interpretation.

Just did a little search and found this......personally i think of you are going off road at all, then having it secure is better than not.

https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.u...attery-have-to-be-before-it-should-be-failed/

or this one...
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing-repair/mot-changes-2012.html

Cheers

I managed to get the new battery in and secured without causing an explosion or a fire. Victory! That's the good news. Bad news is, it might need a new alternator, the roof is leaking, and the tires are completely cracked. Opportunity to upgrade some things....I guess! Thanks very much for the advice!

NFNicholson · Nov 21, 2016

neilly said:
Hi, Looks pretty clean.

As @waldamar says above for the battery bolt down.

If you get stuck, let me know I can always go and take a piccie of mine. Does need to be secure tho, as it is now an MOT check point.

Cheers

Thanks! Got it in and locked down. Now onto the suspect bad alternator, leaky roof, and cracked tires.

Turboman · Nov 21, 2016

NFNicholson said:
Funny you should mention the leaky sun roof. Mine, with a solid roof, is leaking just fine on its own right about now I thought it was a bad seal on the door but the leak is coming from some random grommets in the roof which have come loose, and are now leaking. The roof lining is soaked as well.

You could maybe seal them up with sikaflex. seams in the roof can leak too. I put clear greenhouse tape over mine.

And welcome to lz!

NFNicholson · Nov 21, 2016

Turboman said:
You could maybe seal them up with sikaflex. seams in the roof can leak too. I put clear greenhouse tape over mine.

And welcome to lz!

Sikaflex you say? Might have to try that or tape. At least to help keep the whole thing from filling up with water for a while. Not that it rains here in the UK.

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