How easy or hard is it to work on these things

P38 in particular, mechanically I'm pretty much ok but strength and health wise debatable. Worked on many cars over the years nothing major apart from a 6sp gearbox a few months ago on a punto and vowed I wouldn't doo it again.
So how easy or hard is it work on these ie brakes, wishbone/ control arms, ball joints (compared to cars), drop links ect.
Obviously parts are bigger and heavier but I'm wary very wary.

Pretty simple/easy really. Some stuff is heavy or awkward, like getting the transmission out if you are on the ground, but really ….. it is a pretty basic truck. Something like front ball joints can be a pain, but if you have the right tools, pretty easy.

Sound mechanical knowledge of 1970s to 1990s technology, and a reasonable grounding (pardon the pun) in electrics and there isn’t much else to think about. There is plenty of help in places like theirs and a couple of other forums.

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Easy to work on, it'll certainly be easier to lift your wallet. the last big job I did nearly beat me (front diff) but I did it. Don't think I'll be doing the clutch again without buying a motorcycle lift.bloody getting old isn't for wimps.

tomcat59alan said:

Easy to work on, it'll certainly be easier to lift your wallet.

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Local garage refused to do my front radius arm bushes

Electrical diagnostics is the most frustrating bit about them, everything else is pretty reasonable to do if you have the tools required be prepared to end up covered in oil no matter what job you do as it is a Land rover after all

One of the easiest cars I've ever worked on. Mainly because there's usually quite a lot of room to get at stuff.

Tenebreaux said:

One of the easiest cars I've ever worked on. Mainly because there's usually quite a lot of room to get at stuff.

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Have you had to do your heater matrix yet??

Stu63 said:

P38 in particular, mechanically I'm pretty much ok but strength and health wise debatable. Worked on many cars over the years nothing major apart from a 6sp gearbox a few months ago on a punto and vowed I wouldn't doo it again.
So how easy or hard is it work on these ie brakes, wishbone/ control arms, ball joints (compared to cars), drop links ect.
Obviously parts are bigger and heavier but I'm wary very wary.

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As someone who can no longer spanner, I find the L322 as follows:
I have assisted my old, friendly, general indy, on brakes, calipers and other smaller 'grunt' work on mine , back in the early days. These things are still done by my local, truck, mechanic.
The bigger 'grunt' work I left to him and his lad. Still a general indy.Again now being done by local, truck, mechanic.
Certain 'grunt' work such as propshaft, was done by specialised indy.
Electrickery, in the main, I have left, wisely, to specialised indy. Mainly because of diagnostics needed.
In summary, if you have the space, tools, knowhow, willing helper, and heal quickly ,most can be done.
Not sure if this was what you were after.

Bern768 said:

Have you had to do your heater matrix yet??

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LOL. No, thank f*ck. I've read the horror stories.

Tenebreaux said:

LOL. No, thank f*ck. I've read the horror stories.

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It's quite an interesting job I bought my p38 with a leaky diesel pump for 700 quid and done that myself for 35 quid on a genuine seal kit then about a week later my carpet was drenched long story short I would rather dismantle the pump and reassemble it again several times over than do my heater matrix again lol

kermit_rr said:

Local garage refused to do my front radius arm bushes

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They've obviously tried to replace them before,a right bastid without the proper tool. I've done it once using jubilee clips to squeeze the bush but last time I used poly bushes and never noticed any ride difference,used only to replace the hockey stick bushes I must add.

tomcat59alan said:

They've obviously tried to replace them before,a right bastid without the proper tool. I've done it once using jubilee clips to squeeze the bush but last time I used poly bushes and never noticed any ride difference,used only to replace the hockey stick bushes I must add.

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Polybushes are the way forward IMHO especially with the likes of the availability of comfort ones etc too takes a lot off effort away from a job and are just as good of not better than rubber bushes

tomcat59alan said:

They've obviously tried to replace them before,a right bastid without the proper tool. I've done it once using jubilee clips to squeeze the bush but last time I used poly bushes and never noticed any ride difference,used only to replace the hockey stick bushes I must add.

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I'm tempted to go poly, despite the issues I've read about. Which ones did you use?

Bern768 said:

It's quite an interesting job I bought my p38 with a leaky diesel pump for 700 quid and done that myself for 35 quid on a genuine seal kit then about a week later my carpet was drenched long story short I would rather dismantle the pump and reassemble it again several times over than do my heater matrix again lol

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I hope you put the Audi LHD matrix in while you had the dash out so you never have to do the o rings again.

kermit_rr said:

I'm tempted to go poly, despite the issues I've read about. Which ones did you use?

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Don't remember mate,it was three or four MOT's ago. All the others are OEM. I have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast

tomcat59alan said:

I hope you put the Audi LHD matrix in while you had the dash out so you never have to do the o rings again.

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I didn't, I didn't realise it was conversion that was done till after I done the job unfortunately, but I ended up making part of my dash frame removable to get at it by cutting it and making overlapping sections and now bolts together

tomcat59alan said:

Don't remember mate,it was three or four MOT's ago. All the others are OEM. I have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast

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So long as you had breakfast

kermit_rr said:

I'm tempted to go poly, despite the issues I've read about. Which ones did you use?

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Britpart, superpro any of them are pretty good and shouldn't give you any issues

kermit_rr said:

So long as you had breakfast

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She's just brought it to me.

Bern768 said:

Britpart, superpro any of them are pretty good and shouldn't give you any issues

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Thanks, do you know what the different colours are? The description of the black and the yellow britpart ones are the same is it just colour preference?
I can see the polybush brand ones have different colours for different characteristics