I've used the closed cell foam in your second link. It's quite soft, so not good for anywhere it will get knocked - but makes a very good roof lining for the back. It would be OK under a mat I guess. Time to get the winter woollies out!

Possibly just the switch stuck on - they don't get used much on many defenders. If you remove the centre seat/panel, you will be able to just see it on the transfer box - a tap from a long screwdriver may be enough to release it. Bit of a pig to get at, I'd think about removing the...

When the engine was changed, were the holes from the bellhousing into the ladder frame drilled through and bolts put in? Sometimes the additional bolts are not added during a conversion, this can lead to leaks. There's a good description of this on the Glencoyne website, the bolts are...

At anything over 65mph the air resistance of a defender means you are having to put a lot of power into moving. It's simply not designed to cruise at modern motorway speeds, and the myriad of gaps around the panels will make a racket, while the engine will let you know it's having to work...

I wonder if it's possible that an engine that has sat all night has a fraction less compression before the oil starts pumping and lubricating the piston bores? It would just be a small amount. I don't even have the glowplug timer circuit in my conversion, it just starts in less than a second...

They are definitely chromed on my 1985 90, and were on my 1990 Defender 90. My older balls (oh-err) seem to have a thicker layer of chrome, they're still very good - same goes for the axles and suspension bits - must have been better steel.

I have a 13mm metrinch socket somewhere, it did the job in removing a slightly rounded off nut years ago. Since moving to hex sockets/spanners a few years ago, I haven't had any problems with stuck nuts.

What engine? A 200tdi should start easily, even with a slow crank. I'd be looking for an air leak in the fuel spill rail - and of course checking all the major earth connections - battery to chassis and chassis to engine block.

Sounds like someone has already converted the axles to take defender propshafts. The differences are at the ends - the disco has a different interface at the axle end. If you can take a photo of the axle and gearbox ends/UJs someone on here should be able to say.

I have found the Michelins have good road manners and are very quiet. They are fine for light off roading - campsites and firm fields etc. They have been OK in any snow that I have used them on, but are likely to struggle in a bog. When they were LR standard issue they were rated by LR for...

Fitted a new ignition switch today - I hadn't planned to do this until the summer, but she decided she didn't want to wait and refused to start. Weirdly, I had bought a spare switch last week and looked at starting the job yesterday, but decided it would be too much of a faff to drill out the...

You could always hold a spirit level against it - on level ground of course.

Unless you are the first owner of these 30 something year old vehicles, it's pretty much impossible to know what has been done. Rear drums were certainly standard fitment on some defenders in 1990 - I had one.

Correct, they are not legal for on road use. They will usually also not last very long compared to the standard 55watt bulb.

There should be an earthing point at the rear offside of the tub. Give it all a good clean - and run a temporary earth from the battery to it to test if it is causing the faults. There should be an earth connection back from all the lights to it.

I had completely forgotten about buying one of these. Bit of a monster. It can destroy non impact sockets in seconds, way too much torque for general use as it's all or nothing

Sorted!

I've had wheel studs destroyed by tyre firms in the past, but I used Kwik Fit recently and noticed them using a torque wrench!

I have one of the cheapo ones - they are better than the old hammer style impact wrenches, and handy for removing car wheels. But to be honest, I use it less and less. If you're not taking wheels off on a daily basis I'd put the money into something else - either a good breaker bar or decent...

Looks pretty standard to me. My profile piccy is standard height. I found new standard springs will be at least 1" higher than old, and bigger tyres will obviously lift things too.