They would withstand it a lot better yes. The standard ones are tubular. HD ones are solid metal. And weigh over twice as much.
 
Slowly but surely, Khryztal! Main headache at the moment is trying to get the tyres and handling sorted - it's not quite right, so working my way round the car trying to sort.

Enjoying it though, and it's running well at the moment!
 
shouldnt have said that mike :p

I know :( Funnily enough, I went dow the jetwash last night to give it a good hose down after it got pretty mud the other week...and sure enough, it didn't want to start! Think I got the starter motor wet, that's all, as it started fine a few minutes later. Nerve wrwacking few minutes though, haha!
 
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Well, got a couple more bits done today! Went down and met with Khryztal and between the two of us tried (and failed!) to fit a heavy duty track rod (who'd have thought soft-dash models would be about 6" longer than earlier models?). However, we did manage to fit the new steering damper and the heavy duty drag link, so two out of three isn't bad for working on a Range Rover!

Does leave me in a dilemma as to how to protect/reinforce the vulnerable steering bars at the front. I am thinking a steering guard as that will protect everything apart from the drag link, which is reinforced anyway. Other option is DAN bars, which are tubes that go over the original. We'll see.

In terms of driving, the new damper has made no difference so I am thinking of going for some less aggresive tyres and then set the shims properly on the swivel joints.

I also managed to get the headunit sorted, I sent it off to the Clarion Service Centre in Wiltshire who, for £50, serviced it, replaced the LED's, fixed the volume knob and, best of all, fitted a 1m long lead to connect an iPod to, which I have wired through to the glovebox - so now the standard headunit and sound system can play my iPod, woohoo!
 
probably more producative than me- Juicyv8 came down and we tryed getting the engine and box outta my 79 2 door.

mostly with hammers, chisles and air saws :D

Got most of it done but dark and rain defeated us just 5 bolts short :doh:

Bloody knackered now!
 
re steering..go for guard

standard links have an advantage over hd..inthat..if ****ed can be straighted with hammer by local..also hd may cause the track rod end to give instead...something has to give if ****ed..me i would rather bent bar that can be sorted at road side rather than snapped rod end!

so keep sandard ,fit guard.
 
Well I've had to take it to a garage to get a few jobs done, sadly! I wanted to do as much as I can to the car, which I have, but I needed an expert opinion on a couple of points.

Have taken it to Graham Goodyer 4x4 in Coleshill, a farily well known and respected LR specialist who happens to be about 10 minutes drive away! First job on the list was the notorious "death wobble," which they have diagnosed as the swivel pin preloads, something several people on here suggested - so thanks guys! To be fair, they were very loose, definitely not enough preload/shims. The panhard rod bushes were fine, which is good.

After a road test, they also diagnosed a second problem - the rumbling and vibration at 55mph+, which I had put down to the new tyres - and was thinking of selling the tyres because of it! Glad I didn't as Graham has identified the rear coupling had failed quite dramatically, so is replacing that and also adjusting the tracking, which I knew needed doing.

Anyway, pleased I took it up there as hopefully everything I am not able/willing to do myself will now be done and I can carry on working through the bits and pieces I can do, knowing the base vehicle is good!

Incidentally, they did say it was one of the best Classics they had seen in recent years - I'm taking that as a compliment!!
 
I was just gonna say havnt you given up on this one yet mike :p

good you got some progress mate :D
 
Did you see mine up there, Mike? Same colour, year as yours etc. Passed the MOT, just bump stops and ball joint needed sorting to get it through.
 
I was just gonna say havnt you given up on this one yet mike :p

good you got some progress mate :D

Never!! Well, maybe one day - but not yet! Cheers fett :)

Did you see mine up there, Mike? Same colour, year as yours etc. Passed the MOT, just bump stops and ball joint needed sorting to get it through.

I must admit, I saw several Classics up there but didn't see yours! But I did drop it off Sunday evening. Is yours still up there? I'm picking mine up tonight so will have a look then if it is!

Are you local then?
 
Yes, I just got the call to say it was ready but I cannot make it up there tonight so will be heading up there tomorrow instead. Been a few weeks without it, so looking forward to having a good blast in it tomorrow. My reg ends in 'GPV' if you do see it about. He also had a blue LSE up there when I dropped mine off that seems to have been there a while - might make some enquiries....

I live in London these days but grew up near Amersham and still have a lot of mates around there and knew of Goodyers from years back, so they are convenient enough for me. I have not come across any decent/recommended Landy specialists in London yet.

Hope yours is all sorted and running well.
 
Yes, I just got the call to say it was ready but I cannot make it up there tonight so will be heading up there tomorrow instead. Been a few weeks without it, so looking forward to having a good blast in it tomorrow. My reg ends in 'GPV' if you do see it about. He also had a blue LSE up there when I dropped mine off that seems to have been there a while - might make some enquiries....

Cool i'll look out for it tonight!! That blue LSE is Graham's, as are most of the other Classic's littering the yard I think!! It has an LPG tank in the boot, it's a hard dash model but looks a bit tired and I reckon needs a bit of TLC and money spending on it.

Hopefully mine will be tip-tip and driving much better this evening!!
 
Wow, what a difference! Steering feels much better, it's more stable at speed - and the new rear coupling has cured the rumbling and vibrations so I'm keeping the tyres too!

When you hit a bump in hard you still feel the wheels wobble, but then it's a 17 year old car and the tyres are pretty heavy, so it's not the end of the world.

All in all I'm very pleased to have my car back and driving so much better - thumbs up to Graham Goodyer!

Now back to tackling that heated seat element...
 

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