Yup, I've heard it said that they've got to say something about 20-odd year old vehicles on the MOT sheet or people will think they're not looking very carefully. And rusty springs are a fairly innocuous thing to put down. The front coil springs on Land Rovers are apt to break a coil off near...

Yes, I've had the existing set of Superpros in for the last 130,000 miles, so nearly 100,000 miles more than they were guaranteed for. I've got another kit that will be going in one corner at a time over the next few months.

Just MOT'd the Land Rover today. The place I usually go to has all new people working there and they appear to be a bit more diligent than the last lot. I now have advisories that my springs are rusty and that there is rust on the front inner wings. The latter are a bit flaky and appear to be...

Well once it's unbolted from the primary gearbox, it's easier to bring it indoors anyway, so I can work standing up out of the rain. I'd been lying on my back too long at that point. I could grind a bit out of the flange on the back of the R380 - it shouldn't weaken it too much. But then I don't...

Unfortunately the rear of my R380 partially covers the front end so that's not possible on mine. I'm sure you can on some of the earlier ones. I'm positive I remember having the intermediate gears out of the transfer case in situ on our old Series 2 Forward Control back in the 1980s. I was lying...

I see @Anaconda's already answered it! If you can feel any movement, it can lead to quite a bit of vibration when driving around. A lot of propshafts have bits of metal spot welded on the sides, in an effort to balance them in the factory. These can come off and give you some vibration too...

I've started taking my transfer box to pieces this weekend. It's leaking oil and so far I have kept going by topping it up but it's getting to the point where new seals and gaskets are needed. Right, seats out, cubby box out, mats out, handbrake lever out: You can see how juicy it looks down...

Another thing that gives you a speed-specific vibration is the propshaft joints. My front one gives me vibration at about 50 mph when it's starting to wear, at which point you can just begin to feel a little movement in the spiders. Once you get up to 70 mph you can hardly feel it at all. I'm...

Leicester's more like Detroit than Dorset so I think the local authority struggles to keep up with its duties in that respect. Just to continue with the silvicultural theme, here's my copper beech hedge: That was at the end of May, so it's grown a bit since then. It's the longest copper beech...

Nobody's mentioned cutting down that particular tree in my earshot, but over the years I've lived here the more handsome trees in the neighbourhood have a habit of disappearing. Once it's done it's done, and no amount of stiff letters from the local authority can bring them back.

Here's a tree along the street from us looking pretty in yellow and orange: The trouble with trees in urban areas is that when they start looking bigger than the houses people cut them down. So I'm making the most of it while it lasts. I've not had much Land Rover stuff to show you lately...

Yes, I've been pleasantly surprised with US Pro as a budget brand. I have some of their 1/2" sockets as well as larger 3/4" and 1" drive ones for my digger and dumper and I haven't broken any yet. People on here seem to have good experience with the current generation of Halfords stuff. I'm...

Yes, Ashcroft just gives you a diff centre. If you want a new ring gear and pinion you've got to order these separately. Just my own experience, but the ring gears and pinions seem to last pretty well. The last time I had my diffs out they still looked as good as new - no visual signs of wear...

Yes, I generally smear the outside of seals like that with gasket sealer. It's helpful I think.

It looks a bit like the side of the upper spring seat has got knocked in slightly and that may be gripping the spring. A little judicious hammering is indicated.

I was buying some groceries just now and saw the following on Tesco's website: One of the diet drinks is unavailable and they advise you to substitute with a pack of condoms. It seemed an odd substitution , but then I wondered whether they were suggesting that instead of the diet drink one...

I've done pretty much all that not just on a driveway but at the side of the road. The only problem is having to hide all your tools from passers by every time you want to go in for a pee or to put the kettle on. Yes, it's nice to have somewhere indoors to work, but not essential. Obviously...

That's going to be interesting. You've got to bend the casing of a Salisbury diff to get the mechanism out. There's a specialist tool that spreads them but it's probably not worth buying one if it's just for occasional use. Alternatively, it's possible by squeezing the diff housing from top to...

So the engine still runs, I take it? It just won't go anywhere. I had something similar a few years ago and it was a clutch problem. The clutch friction plate was made in several pieces with a splined boss in the middle which seemed to have been staked/peened into the plate. It had come loose...

I've just seen something interesting. I took Xylia to the doctors, which is a health centre with a pharmacy on site. Whilst I was speaking to the pharmacy staff on behalf of Xylia, out of the corner of my eye I noticed two men come in - a bit grubby, so I assumed they were workmen. However, they...