2 steps forward and one step back.....

[davidjmiller]

I'm such a numpty - I've posted this for your enjoyment. If I embarass myself on here maybe I'll think a LITTLE MORE NEXT TIME.

So, yesterday I finally managed to get the steering guard on my D1. To say I'm not a mechanic, made worse by a poor set of tools, is an understatement. It was the third attempt and I had to take it to the village garage cos I could not get the nuts loose.

So, I'd done the guard on my defender no probs but these Disco's - there's not much room is there?? The valence was the problem so at one point I thought I'd take the big bolt out, you know, the one that holds the steering bit to the driver side chassis. It's stuck, but it'll be ok to tempt it out hitting it flat on with a flat faced hammer, right!!!

Anyway, it would not budge and so an hour or so later with help of two sons and "trimming" of the front valance the guard is on. I'm exstatic!!! I go to put the nuts on the bolts but I can't one on (no pizes for guessing which one). I'm fed up by this point so leave it til today. Sure enough I've damaged the thread so it will be dropped off at the garage on my way to work tomorrow.

Presumably they'll either replace the bolt or use a tappet and dye set to re-thread??? (Like I said, no mechanic!!!).

Next job, EGR blanking arrived yesterday!!!!!

Hope you lol'ed!!

David

[mobi]

i didn't take the bolt out just take the nut off and slide the guard over, and then put the bolt in the other side.

[lee celtic]

If you don't try you won't learn .. ;)

My uncle told me that when I got my none running ts185 suzuki (I was eight ) I rebuilt the top end four times before getting it to run but he was right, theres not much on a car I won't have a go at now . (don't know about electronics ......Yet)

So well done for trying :clap: :clap:

[thermidorthelobster]

Keep with it.  I've learned as I've gone along, as has just about everybody else.  I'm certainly not what I'd call a competent mechanic, but I managed to nurse the 101 round Africa and dealt with 13 separate breakdowns without any major trauma.  Once you get to know the vehicle you can get quite reasonable - by the time I drove the 101 back through the Sahara I knew it so well that I was mentally diagnosing and fixing the problem before I'd finished pulling over at the side of the track!  The flip side is that there are large chunks of the vehicle which I've never needed to fix (yet) and which I have no idea about!

[davidjmiller]

Thanks guys. I did not need to take the bolt out to get the guard on either lol.

Today, I went t the main dealers (on my bike!!) and it took them over 20 mins to work out what I wanted - thankfully, there was an old-ish Disco in the car park and we had to make various visits to it.

The village garage had some trouble but evidently have got the old one out with some trouble - I think he was softening me up for the bill!!!

looking forward to doing the EGR plate at the w/e.

David

[Disco Matt]

Get a can of Plusgas before trying the EGR - drown the bolt threads in it and leave to stand, they should come out a lot more easily then.

I removed the lower valance when fitting the steering guard, as I'd read that it tends to get mangled. You'd need to cut the end caps down but that was a simple job with a handsaw following the contour of the part. Here's where mine ended up cut down to:

[davidjmiller]

I've ordered some "rost off" already. A guy on Land Rover Addict was raving about it (am I allowed to say that on here?).

So, the garage had "real trouble" getting the totally correded bolt out. Had to keep heating it up. To make themselves feel better they relieved me of £59.

One born every day, uh??

David

 :'( :'( :'(

[davidjmiller]

Get a can of Plusgas before trying the EGR - drown the bolt threads in it and leave to stand, they should come out a lot more easily then.

I removed the lower valance when fitting the steering guard, as I'd read that it tends to get mangled. You'd need to cut the end caps down but that was a simple job with a handsaw following the contour of the part. Here's where mine ended up cut down to:

Thats a neat job. Do you have a full on frontal picture??

Cheers,

David

[mobi]

you can take the plastic bit off the centre too.

[LittlePaul]

We've just done that as well.  That bolt just wouldnt budge.  Hit it, jacked it, had a torch on it and everything.  In the end we took the steering arm off and (Tom's dad!) drilled the bolt out; a remarkable job!  Just need to source a bolt the same now to replace it.

We have a rebel guard which needed some modifications because of the HD bumper, so some grinding down where the two cross paths underneath.

[Disco Matt]

Yep - here you go:



I've now removed the centre plastic bit too, as it was an unholy nuisance when trying to attach a shackle to the jate rings under the bumper.

[davidjmiller]

Well, today, unusually, it was 2 steps forward - full stop.

Did EGR and after applying the Wurth's Rost Off and waiting 10 mins it was a doddle. Everything seems fine.

Took it for a spin to the next village and though hey this isnippy, then remembered there was n wife and kids in it!!!!

David
 

[mobi]

Took it for a spin to the next village and though hey this isnippy, then remembered there was n wife and kids in it!!!!

David
 

you mean there was no whine for the passanger seat :lol:

[davidjmiller]

Took it for a spin to the next village and though hey this isnippy, then remembered there was n wife and kids in it!!!!

David
 

you mean there was no whine for the passanger seat :lol:

LOL


...it's more of a constant groan really. With intermittent hands coming out onto ther dashboard when I brake ever so slightly too hard!!

Also, there is the sound from somewhere behind me of TWO baselines coming form the iPods.

Joy :^o :^o :^o

David