88" Refurb

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gdhaydock

Active Member
Posts
339
Location
Hebden bridge, west yorks
After lurking around here for a while reading other peoples posts, I think it’s time to put a thread of my own up.


My series 3 has been laid up for about 4 years and is overdue a minor refurb and putting back on the road.


To set the scene ……..


It had a crude ground up restoration about 10 years ago, which involved fitting a replacement chassis, 2.5td (19J) engine and a defender front panel / bonnet. A few pics (sorry not many as I was on a ‘film’ camera at the time) of this work can be seen below.

Chassis after welding and partial painting
Chassisonside.jpg

Springs and Axles fitted
RollingChassis-complete.jpg


Bulkhead, backtub, engine & gearbox fitted

Frontend.jpg



Doors & a wing on
Sideshot3.jpg


Finally in use (October 2004)
Afterinitialrebuild-numberplatedeleted2.jpg


It gained its first MOT in December 2003, I ran it for a about 18 months and then killed the engine (found hairline cracks in 3 pistons). The engine was rebuilt with new pistons, but by this time I’d bought a discovery (Ebay & beer don’t mix!!!) and kind of never really used the Series 3 much afterwards.

It made it out to a few trials and laning days however, but the nail in the coffin was a trip to Tong in winter 2008 about 3 days before the MOT expired. It was then abandoned at the back of the workshop without even having the mud washed off it.

This then fast forwards to last weekend where it was exhumed from its resting place and the initial findings will be in the next instalment.
 
Next instalment – findings from the exhumation 3rd & 4th June
The land rover was taken outside and thoroughly jetwashed (inside and out) in an attempt to try and remember what colour it was. Once this was complete, the doorway of the workshop resembled a scene from the Oke Fanokie swamp with the quanity of mud and weeds washed off.
Afterwashing.jpg

After a coffee and a few minutes to allow the accumulated water to drain from the inside via one of many inbuilt drain holes it was driven up and down the lane a couple of times. It appeared that the brakes were a) crap and b) appeared to be binding on the NSF.
During this week, new brake cylinders and shoes were purchased (drum brakes all round)
Saturday 9th June saw me fitting the new brake components and managed to destroy a brake pipe in the process, however Grubby John showed up at the point as I was just about to start throwing tools around in anger and kindly made me up a new brake pipe (I have never had any luck with brake pipe flaring)
Topofhubshowingnewbrakepipe.jpg


New brake pipe fitted, system bled down, it appeared the NSF still had a major binding issue, however it was approaching beer o’clock and we had a party to go to, so that was it for Saturday.


Sunday morning was a write off due to the effects of Saturday night. Sunday afternoon saw further assessment of the NSF wheel, it appeared that the wheel was still stiff to turn even with the brake drum removed. Removal of the drive flange showed a very rusty bearing.
RustyWheelbearing2Stillinsitu.jpg

After much swearing, crowbarring, hammering and coffee drinking, by me, I found that the hub assembly couldn’t be removed from the stub axle due to the wheel bearings having rusted it to it during its 4 year lay up.

Time now for the skills of someone else – he knows who he is …. You’ve probably seen it already on his own thread ……

The entire axle end was removed and put in the press, but 12 tons of pressure, whilst levering and hammering, wouldn’t even shift it, heating the bearing carefully with oxypropane and then trying the above failed, heating the bearing not so carefully and trying the above didn’t work. At this point it was decided the stub axle was probably fubarred anyway, so we oxy cut the side of the bearing race to allow the rollers to fall out which allowed removal of the hub.
Photo0269.jpg


Photo0271.jpg



Finally the workshop supervisor inspecting the axle end - he wasn't impressed

Doggivingaxleendaonceover.jpg
 
:pop2:


you twot, your pinchin me trademark last shot dog pic.....
also not gonna be impressed if you get more replies in a shorter thread time:mad:



:beer2: :fencing:
 
Had a minor session this evening spending about 2 hours grunting and swearing removing the chrome swivel ball from one end of the axle, ..... it was tight, then the dog trashed the inspection light, grrrr....... (Cheers to NRG for doing the other side)

Discovred another bearing in the end of axle case which is trashed (and didn't come with the swivel kit), arse that means I need to find one of those in the morning. More later and some pics to follow
 
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