The Defender thread

101sean

I meant the pollution aspect of using old oil as the excess drips off everywhere.

You are quite right however, the whole life impact of many 4x4s is less than many cars, not only hybrids.

The average life of cars seems to be getting shorter given the cost of replacing electronics and other unrepairable parts. 4x4s are going the same way to some extent but still tend to have a longer life by probably 5 years or more. They last even longer in parts of the world where simpler engines are still allowed.

The greenest vehicles have to be those that can be economically kept going the longest.

Caoimhín

UseparagraphsSeanlongsentancesarehardtoread.

Mycroft H

I'm well pleased this week.


I managed to get 38mpg out of the defender

A new mpg record for my defender :pac:

101sean

Hope it's a bit more readable now. Do tend to ramble when something gets me going, at least it wasn't txtspk :

101sean

38mpg :eek:

Did you spend half the time on a tow truck?

I average 24-25mpg locally, did about 1500miles in the UK recently and if I kept to cruising at 60ish it improved to 27mpg (speedo is correct to GPS)

I do have a heavy right foot, carry a heap of crap and run big tyres though :rolleyes:

O.A.P

landyman wrote: »

I'm well pleased this week.


I managed to get 38mpg out of the defender

A new mpg record for my defender :pac:

How?
I drive a td5 110 hardtop and its 27 mph give or take a mile more or less no matter city, rural, motorway, empty or pulling a trailer. I wish it got more but at least its constant I soppose if thats a good thing ?
What engine and wheel base has your landy got?

Mycroft H

O.A.P wrote: »

How?
I drive a td5 110 hardtop and its 27 mph give or take a mile more or less no matter city, rural, motorway, empty or pulling a trailer. I wish it got more but at least its constant I soppose if thats a good thing ?
What engine and wheel base has your landy got?

90inch 200tdi

Empty boot and road tyres. Driving to and from maynooth 5 days a week on national roads.

Gentle acceleration, avoiding accelerating and slowing down unnecessarily and keeping it at a constant 50mph where possible. Was purposely in economy mode this week just too see how many mpgs I could get. I was amazed tbh

Edit:

THE SUMS

182 miles covered during the week for 30 euro of diesel at 138.9c per liter. Tank was empty when i filled it (I had accidentally let it run emptier then ever before I had filled it). Sums work out at 37.8mpg, which rounded up to 38mpg

Slidey

50 mph will always give you better returns than 60.

If you avoid using the brakes and try to use the 'box for all your slowing down you will also notice an increase

O.A.P

Thats very good from a defender though, I suffer from a heavy right foot meself, when the trailer is off I think Im driving a mini .
I am going to try your method Landyman, diesel is too expensive now. I dont think it will manage any more 30 MPG but Ill give it a go.

101sean

It's difficult to drive economically round here plus I soon get bored with it!

Just checked your calculation and it's actually just over 38mg (4.55l per gallon). The only way to accurately check it is to brim fill your tank and set the odometer (assuming it's accurate) which is what I do every week. I bet it drops a bit if you do that.

Mycroft H

101sean wrote: »

It's difficult to drive economically round here plus I soon get bored with it!

Just checked your calculation and it's actually just over 38mg (4.55l per gallon). The only way to accurately check it is to brim fill your tank and set the odometer (assuming it's accurate) which is what I do every week. I bet it drops a bit if you do that.

Theres probably a few rounding off errors that happened when converting litres to gallons between my calculations :pac:

However brimming it is the only true way of calculating mpg, but thats rather expensive :pac:

101sean

I use an oil wholesaler about 7 miles away who is usually 5c cheaper than anyone for miles around. I fill up when I'm down to just below 1/4 tank or I'm passing that way. It's still around €80 a time to fill though :eek:

Mycroft H

101sean wrote: »

I use an oil wholesaler about 7 miles away who is usually 5c cheaper than anyone for miles around. I fill up when I'm down to just below 1/4 tank or I'm passing that way. It's still around €80 a time to fill though :eek:

Yea I'm lucky to have a wholesaler 1/2 mile down the road who is reasonable enough, but its still bloody expensive to fill up

roman0red

Hey Sean

Just failed my DOE today :-(

They tell me I need a front left track rod end. How big of a job is that - Can this be replaced by a DIYer ?

cheers

Slidey

If it is only a track rod end it is a handy job

101sean

As the man says, easy enough. Buy a genuine or OEM one, not one in a blue box. A decent local motor factor will have one, make sure you specify which end as one is LH threaded.

Loosen the track rod clamp, remove the split pin if fitted, undo nut and release the ball joint from the arm. If you've not done it before a ball joint splitter may be needed, most of us use two hammers to crack the taper, there's a bit of a knack to it.

Measure accurately the distance between the TREs so you can screw the new one in the right amount. If you're lucky the TRE will now unscrew but it will probably be seized. Use mole grips, stilsons or other weapons to shift it

In the worse case you'll have take both ends off and give the stuck end a talking to with a big hammer, hitting the rod over the threaded section on an anvil should crack the rust.

Screw the new one in, stick some grease or copperslip on the threads. Engage the taper back in the steering arm and do up the nut, you may have to put a bit of pressure on from above to stop the taper spinning in the arm. If a castellated nut is supplied, you'll need to line a slot to get a new split pin in. Tighten up the clamp over the split section of the rod.

It took longer to type this than it does to do the job!

roman0red

101sean wrote: »

As the man says, easy enough. Buy a genuine or OEM one, not one in a blue box. A decent local motor factor will have one, make sure you specify which end as one is LH threaded.

Loosen the track rod clamp, remove the split pin if fitted, undo nut and release the ball joint from the arm. If you've not done it before a ball joint splitter may be needed, most of us use two hammers to crack the taper, there's a bit of a knack to it.

Measure accurately the distance between the TREs so you can screw the new one in the right amount. If you're lucky the TRE will now unscrew but it will probably be seized. Use mole grips, stilsons or other weapons to shift it

In the worse case you'll have take both ends off and give the stuck end a talking to with a big hammer, hitting the rod over the threaded section on an anvil should crack the rust.

Screw the new one in, stick some grease or copperslip on the threads. Engage the taper back in the steering arm and do up the nut, you may have to put a bit of pressure on from above to stop the taper spinning in the arm. If a castellated nut is supplied, you'll need to line a slot to get a new split pin in. Tighten up the clamp over the split section of the rod.

It took longer to type this than it does to do the job!

Blloody hell ... sounds difficult but I'll jack it up and have a gander....failed it on back pads as well - thats the easy bit - I'll procure all over Tinternet. I'll let you know how I get on.....wish me luck !

O.A.P

Its not as hard as Sean made it sound as he said it was more work typing all that than getting it done. It was part of what failed my NCT last year but I had it fixed in a half hour or less.
Get stuck in and good luck.

101sean

Does make it sound hard but it really isn't as Slidey and OAP say.

It's so simple that the really good tech archive on LR4x4 doesn't cover it

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=4731

roman0red

101sean wrote: »

Does make it sound hard but it really isn't as Slidey and OAP say.

It's so simple that the really good tech archive on LR4x4 doesn't cover it

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=4731

Great forum for the DIYer - Thanks Sean - as you say it bizare its doesnt cover thre track rod replacement . Anyway its on order and I'll have a go at the weekend

roman0red

Hey Sean- me again

I started to replace the rear brake pads this evening thinking this was going to be easy ..first time i've done it mind you!
I have removed the old pads without taking off the caliper - in order to insert the new ones I have tried to prise the piston open without success - I dont want to push too hard and damage the piston or disc - Do I need to take the caliper off? Would the piston normally be this tight?

Its a 2003 defender

Cheers

101sean

They can take a bit of pushing back, try opening the bleed nipple rather than trying to push the fluid all the way back to the reservoir. No need to remove the calliper, use a large screwdriver or pry bar to push them back, you won't do any damage. You'll have to push them back in flush to get the pads in.

Caoimhín

Right lads, good news.

Im developing a 40 acre forest plantation near Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. The digger has been on it all week and i got him to make gaps through the hedges and level out a bit of a pass through it.

What I have now is a 1500 - 2000 m loop track through open fields and forest. It is quite muddy i places and has nice hills and dips as well as a small stream. It is basically perfect for off-roading, loads of clearance and no nasty branches or briars to scrape paintwork.

I need to get final clearance from the owner and the site will only take 2 - 3 jeeps at a time but otherwise it is ideal.

I have no bother having a few days out with others once I have it fully planted and fenced. I will let you all know when i clear it with the owner so that we can have a day out.

Kevin

O.A.P

That pic is not coming up for me Seanieke

101sean

Me neither, either image is too big or there's problem with the img code.

I've also deleted the duplicate post

Actually Seanieke, I had to delete both, sent IE haywire. Check the photo's or use photobucket to host them, any probs PM me.

roman0red

Caoimhín wrote: »

Right lads, good news.

Im developing a 40 acre forest plantation near Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. The digger has been on it all week and i got him to make gaps through the hedges and level out a bit of a pass through it.

What I have now is a 1500 - 2000 m loop track through open fields and forest. It is quite muddy i places and has nice hills and dips as well as a small stream. It is basically perfect for off-roading, loads of clearance and no nasty branches or briars to scrape paintwork.

I need to get final clearance from the owner and the site will only take 2 - 3 jeeps at a time but otherwise it is ideal.

I have no bother having a few days out with others once I have it fully planted and fenced. I will let you all know when i clear it with the owner so that we can have a day out.

Kevin

Count me in!

Caoimhín

roman0red wrote: »

Count me in!

No worries, ill post when the owner gives the go-ahead. If anyone is interested, PM me and we can organise something.

Oh, mud tyres are probably essential

roman0red

101sean wrote: »

They can take a bit of pushing back, try opening the bleed nipple rather than trying to push the fluid all the way back to the reservoir. No need to remove the calliper, use a large screwdriver or pry bar to push them back, you won't do any damage. You'll have to push them back in flush to get the pads in.

Tell you somethign that wasn't easy - spent ages trying to get the new pads to fit - prying back those pistons was v difficult - a few skint knuckles!:mad: I presume if I had the tool it would be much easier - doing it witha large screw driver was not easy.

Had a quick look at the front left TRE - There appears to be two? One on eithe rside of the wheel Hub - is that right?

Slidey

The one at the front is a drag link, or steering arm link.

The track rod end goes from one wheel to the other while the drag link end goes from the pitman arm on the steering box to one wheel only.

Was the joint that was failed not marked?

101sean

Thought I replied to this last night, must have forgotten to press the submit reply button :rolleyes:

Slidey has said which rod does what. The TRE on the draglink is RTC5869 and is RH thread. The one on the LH end of the trackrod is RTC5870 and is LH thread.

If there's no mark, get someone to waggle the steering wheel while you look at and feel the joint, should be obvious which one has gone.