Brake Saga 2 (revenge of the Landy)

Okay, so you asked to be updated. Here it is!


It failed! AGAIN!


It failed on three things...

1. Brakes still pulling to left...a little. Otherwise 65% efficiency for the service brake. Which is “great”, he said.
2. Smoke from exhaust
3. The seats and seat backs not suitably secured! (Said, “I can't believe nobody has noticed this in the past!”

So...

1. It only ever smoked at start up. Until they started moaning about the SERVO. Upon looking at the servo I found there was no suction coming form the pipe which derives from the manifold. The pipes looked old nad crumbly so I fitted new ones and a new T piece. But still no suction/vacuum. So I had the reservoir and serve vac tested. Both holding a vac and no leaks. So then I checked the male valve that is on the underside of the large diameter pipe which comes off the manifold. If I put my hand over it I almost got sucked into the engine, but the small valve/union that provides the vacuum for the servo and reservoir was showing none. So I stripped it out and cleaned it. While doing this I noticed that the arm which controls the flap inside the large pipe was loose at the bulkhead where it fastens onto the bar which then operates the manual throttle and the actual throttle. The effect was that when you throttle up and release the arm isn't pushed to open the flap. So I play about until it does and then secure the two 10mm bolts. Except now she smoke noticeably more than before! So I've put it back. And the smoke has gone. But the vacuum is now poor again.
2. According to my Landy friend the seat failure is nonsense. They have always been secured this way and should be acceptable. But I am so tired of all this I've made “L” brackets and screwed the damned things down.
3. BRAKES: I've adjusted up, bled repeatedly, taken apart and checked EVERTHING, but couldn't get them to stop the slight drift to the left no matter what I did. Until last night..
   I stripped the front offside down completely. Checked the two new wheel cylinders and one appeared to be less powerful than the other. Stripped it, cleaned it in brake fluid, reassembled it, checked the flexy, the brakes pipes, and put the lot back together. Reversed the Landy. Shot foward. Applied brakes. She stopped in a straight line! Or did she? I was VERY tired. Could have imagined it. So I reverse again. BANG!!!!! I knew what it was straight away. Socket and bar out. Undid the bolts. Withdrew it. Yep. Half shaft sheared off at the diff!!!!!!!!! Bas(*^(*&^(&d!

So I rush over to Landy man and get a half shaft. Rush back and try to remove the sheared off end with rod and magnet. No chance. And now it's dark and I'm doing all this with a head torch. So off with the diff – no back plate – and pop it out? No! It's solid. I stripped the whole diff down to get at it. And even then it was a trial. One ball pein hammer snapped, two knock out bars bent. One got jammed. And in the end it came out. Put it all back togther and drive it to test. All okay. Leave to settle over night. (Knackered!)


So I tried it half an hour ago. The half shaft is fine, the diff is fine (though low on oil now as I had none to replace, but will later), and she stops in a straight line! Only thing is...she not pulling up as sharply as before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


So...keeping in mind that she can go back in today...the question is this...do I re-adjust or let it live? She stops as well as a Landy stops. She stops in a straight line. She doesn't smoke. The seats are secure. Which if the guy who will take the re-test is to be believed is a pass. Bloody Landrovers.

O the joys of landy ownership.

I would find a more sympathetic MOT man, one who understands old cars.

But for now I would leave it alone and take it back now that she stops in a straight line.

As to your previous failures
You should warm here up for a least 10 miles before taking her in for the test, this should clear the smoking.
Loose seats never heard such crap.

Mine passed with loose seats, I think they're being a bit pedantic at this place. It may well be worth swallowing the loss of the mot cost at the first garage and going somewhere else.
The bloke who did mine accepted that it was old fashioned and even cut me a bit of slack in a couple of areas because it was an old 4wd.
It's a shame there isn't a bit more common sense floating around

T.

Like wise with mine. Just spent 3 years tarting up an ex-trial SWB. Cleaned most bits, changed what needed it.

MOT time. Pedal travel long way, but breaks all locked up. Were in balance so passed. Never even looked at seats.

Find an MOT'er that knows old cars.

Before I read the others replies I was thinking the same thing, find an MOT tester who is sympathetic and understands older vehicles - especially landrovers! A landrover can fail on bits if compared to a modern vehicle when that was the way it was designed.

well cobweb did she pass, my mot chap collects from the door, and rings me if there are any issues before even moting it, as fer all the % braking tests mine has never seen a rolling road, they only ever road test the brakes, and test the hand brake on a hill, the seats are supposed to be removable thats how they are desighned...go to a staion with a mature tester, keep us posted...good luck..

Yeah, I reckon you've got one harsh bastard of a tester.

Brakes pulling I can understand, but the other two? Seats, FFS, that's how they were designed, but you should now have shut him up with the mod you've made. The smoking? My III smoked when cold, but warmed up on tickover (which is all they have to test) it was fine. Guy in B/stoke I go to started her up left it running for 10 minutes or so then checked it. Didn't ask him to, he's just fair.

Reckon Teter's got a point, go elsewhere. Be a reet ****er if the new place failed it on sumat else mind!

& Carty, WTF ae you doing about @ this time on a Saturday? I've a small, nappy wearing excuse, what's yours?

Well...I've given up for now. The Landy will sit on the field until I have the time and energy to start again from scratch. Maybe I'll wait for the new snail adjusters to come in and then start with those and new drums as well. In the meantime I went and bought a van yesterday. I've spent far too much time and energy trying to get the brakes right when I should have been opening my gallery and workshop...and it opens officially tomorrow!!!!!!!!EEK!

So thanks for all your advice and help. I'll keep looking in so I don't forget to finish the Landy. Like I would! Bigdaftgreenbrakelessmonster that she is...

cheers all

Andy