Landrover Defender 90 200Tdi - Brakes/calipers , Radio electrics and security

Hello Everyone,

I’ve had my 90 standing in my garage for the past 23 years and I’m slowly getting the work done to get her back on the road again after all this time.

After looking at the rusty mess that are the brake callipers, disks and pads all round. I was initially looking to just clean them up and with a bit of refurbishment to get them operational again, but I think it’s going to be easier to just buy new ones all round, for ease and primarily safety.

I looked online for the parts and I couldn’t believe the cost for genuine parts , over £500 for just one Genuine Landrover Part Front Caliper ! Daylight robbery I thought anyway ! The OEM candidates were a bit better at £150 and then there’s the ‘after market’ bargain basement bin at £57… so obviously I’m going to go for the ‘middle ground’ and try to get OEM, though I’m not convinced that the advertising is exactly ‘accurate’, being misleading at best when two different websites give OEM from two different manufacturers. Are Lockheed or Mintex worth investing in ?
This being the case , can I ask for any recommendations of manufacturers to aim for, after all brakes are a very important safety aspect on the vehicle. I’m going to replace everything - callipers, disks, pads, mud guard, maybe those kits are worth looking at too ? All recommendations gratefully received thank you.

As I’m in that area work wise (and hope to put on genuine Wolf wheels all round too), there comes the question of upgrading to longer wheel studs with new stub axles to accommodate the Wolf wheels - is that an easy job to do ? Also are there any other components I should look at replacing (bearings etc) to save having to do it later. She’s only done 95k miles so still plenty of life in the old girl yet , but I’m guessing that some parts maybe coming up for renewal that I’m not yet aware of, stitch in time and all that… all suggestions very welcome.

My usage will be 95% on road, though I’m planning a big trip for next year that will change that ratio considerably, hence the Wolf wheels and upcoming roof tent and awning etc.

One other issue is that of the radio, it’s dead as a dodo , it’s one of the old box type cassette deck types (remember those ) and I just can’t find a wiring diagram for a 1994 200Tdi radio circuit. Wires in all directions but no idea what’s doing what as it was installed in Belgium from my youth when I was living over there , Again any suggestions very welcome.. electronics certainly isn’t my strong point, but I do have a multimeter and a circuit tester which helped with my horn issue recently. Just don’t want to be pulling all the dash off when it could be a relay ( though I don’t know which one, as they’re doesn’t seem to be many around, Just three in the fuse box and a few hidden behind the metal plate - are there more hidden anywhere else in the vehicle ?

Ah yes, in 1993 Landrover didn’t have central locking or immobiliser technology included in Defenders. So I’m thinking of putting up some window guards for the side and rear windows for security, I’ve just purchased a dog guard over the bulkhead to separate the front and rear compartments). The rear quarter glass is only held in by a rubber band almost. Don’t want my baby to go missing after all this effort. Any quality security window guard manufacturers out there ? Just trying to put as many obstacles in the ‘tea leaves’ way to keep her safe. Any recommendations on security or other theft prevention devices that actually work would be extremely helpful and very welcome.Thank you.

Many thanks for your time reading all this waffle - it’s a never ending story being a Landrover owner eh - and any recommendations would be truly welcome thank you

Captainflint1967 said:

Hello Everyone,

I’ve had my 90 standing in my garage for the past 23 years and I’m slowly getting the work done to get her back on the road again after all this time.

After looking at the rusty mess that are the brake callipers, disks and pads all round. I was initially looking to just clean them up and with a bit of refurbishment to get them operational again, but I think it’s going to be easier to just buy new ones all round, for ease and primarily safety.

I looked online for the parts and I couldn’t believe the cost for genuine parts , over £500 for just one Genuine Landrover Part Front Caliper ! Daylight robbery I thought anyway ! The OEM candidates were a bit better at £150 and then there’s the ‘after market’ bargain basement bin at £57… so obviously I’m going to go for the ‘middle ground’ and try to get OEM, though I’m not convinced that the advertising is exactly ‘accurate’, being misleading at best when two different websites give OEM from two different manufacturers. Are Lockheed or Mintex worth investing in ?
This being the case , can I ask for any recommendations of manufacturers to aim for, after all brakes are a very important safety aspect on the vehicle. I’m going to replace everything - callipers, disks, pads, mud guard, maybe those kits are worth looking at too ? All recommendations gratefully received thank you.

As I’m in that area work wise (and hope to put on genuine Wolf wheels all round too), there comes the question of upgrading to longer wheel studs with new stub axles to accommodate the Wolf wheels - is that an easy job to do ? Also are there any other components I should look at replacing (bearings etc) to save having to do it later. She’s only done 95k miles so still plenty of life in the old girl yet , but I’m guessing that some parts maybe coming up for renewal that I’m not yet aware of, stitch in time and all that… all suggestions very welcome.

My usage will be 95% on road, though I’m planning a big trip for next year that will change that ratio considerably, hence the Wolf wheels and upcoming roof tent and awning etc.

One other issue is that of the radio, it’s dead as a dodo , it’s one of the old box type cassette deck types (remember those ) and I just can’t find a wiring diagram for a 1994 200Tdi radio circuit. Wires in all directions but no idea what’s doing what as it was installed in Belgium from my youth when I was living over there , Again any suggestions very welcome.. electronics certainly isn’t my strong point, but I do have a multimeter and a circuit tester which helped with my horn issue recently. Just don’t want to be pulling all the dash off when it could be a relay ( though I don’t know which one, as they’re doesn’t seem to be many around, Just three in the fuse box and a few hidden behind the metal plate - are there more hidden anywhere else in the vehicle ?

Ah yes, in 1993 Landrover didn’t have central locking or immobiliser technology included in Defenders. So I’m thinking of putting up some window guards for the side and rear windows for security, I’ve just purchased a dog guard over the bulkhead to separate the front and rear compartments). The rear quarter glass is only held in by a rubber band almost. Don’t want my baby to go missing after all this effort. Any quality security window guard manufacturers out there ? Just trying to put as many obstacles in the ‘tea leaves’ way to keep her safe. Any recommendations on security or other theft prevention devices that actually work would be extremely helpful and very welcome.Thank you.

Many thanks for your time reading all this waffle - it’s a never ending story being a Landrover owner eh - and any recommendations would be truly welcome thank you

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23 yrs is a long time to be standing - I'd look to replace ALL rubber parts in the engine bay and have a low threshold for replacing bushes with any sign of play underneath.

Regarding the brakes - mintex are decent i think. You'd be surprised how well your original ones will clean up. All that matters is what the bores are like inside. Everything else is just surface rust and you can electrolyse that off.

For security - those window guards will do **** all. My friend recently locked herself out of her 110, with the keys and dogs inside. It took me less than 5 mins to get in and i didn't break anything or even scratch the paintwork. For security you want a pedal lock as a minimum, lots of other options around - a GPS tracker is one of the more effective methods in my opinion but they can be blocked. Layers of security is key i think. All you can do is make it less attractive than the one down the road. Also get a cut off switch for the battery - not for security but to stop your 23yr old electrics burning it burning down

These are websites to look at:

https://www.lrdirect.com/

The elcheapo britpart calipers are actually very good, 23 quid each for the rears (edit now 30 quid plus the vat!) have the same make on my d3 as well, been on there for 7 years with no issues.

Check colour of the clutch fluid, if its black you will need master/slave, and flex hose again both cheap enough.

https://www.island-4x4.co.uk/brake-caliper-rear-from-1993-britpart-stc1264-smc500110-p-6971.html

My Britpart calipers seem OK.

I did fit Delphi pads mind.

I put aftermarket calipers on my 90 when I rebuilt it (over 10 years ago mind), bought them from paddocks and had no issues with them. Just bought some cheap calipers off ebay for my disco 2 I'm building, come with a 2 year warrenty all 4 for £120 ish. I originally cleaned up the old ones (electrolysis) but a couple of them seized on after I bled them.

Security wise like others have said peddle locks, steering wheel locks etc are the best bet. A hidden switch for the stop solenoid is another one. Not sure if there is a door lock upgrade, but like payydg said, very easy to get into. I could unlock my 90 with my coat zip.

As for the radio did you have it fitted by someone or is it original?

Oh yeh forgot to mention the radio - don’t bother. Just get a large Bluetooth speaker and use that. You’ll find it far more useful, the sound quality will be better and you’ll save yourself a job

Thanks for the replies folks, very much appreciated.
I’ve changed all rubber in the engine bay for silicone - coolant turbo etc. As with the starter motor, water pump , timing belt and all other ancillary belts. The under vehicle bushes are a mystery to me, need to do a bit of research before I look at those, doesn’t seem to be any ‘play’ but I’m no expert tbh.

I was going to refurbish all the brake parts (calipers, disks etc) but time isn’t on my side, so I’ll take them all off and replace, then do the refurbishments later ( seized parts etc), maybe the Britpart option is the best short term option. Some have multiple brake fluid pipe inserts, the ones on the vehicle only has one, which would mean extra tubing required ?
Was wondering about replacing the bearings / modern 52mm nuts / new stub axle etc in the hub area etc whilst I’m working in the location, wouldn’t hurt to do it all in one go at each corner. Especially the stub axle for the longer wheel studs for the wolf wheels, though again I’ve never put on new studs, I’m guessing that I’d need ‘specialist’ tools to do that part ?

The radio was put in by a garage in Belgium, not standard issue Landrover kit tho (except the dash mount). Hence the confusion with the colours of the cables coming out of the radio, the idea of Bluetooth speakers could be a good option though, I was planning to hang some off the dog guard mounted on the rear bullhead in the 90.

For security etc I’ll definitely look into the suggestions,(pedal and steering wheel locks) but for the battery cut off switch, where’s the best location to install that ? Are they best ‘hidden’ somewhere ? Also what is the ‘stop solenoid’.. not heard of this, where is it located / attached to? Starter motor ? When I changed the starter motor it was a ‘b@@@‘ of a job to change, on a 200Tdi anyway..

The clutch fluid change (I’ve done all other fluids - engine/gearbox/differentials/brakes/coolant etc) is on the list too, not done a clutch master / slave cylinder before but I guess it’s not rocket science.

@steve24v - that’s interesting you’re doing a Discovery 2, After I’m done with the 90 , my 2000 D2 is my next project - unfortunately she’s been sitting on the drive for 5 years - I had a spinal accident and couldn’t drive for a number of years, hence I’m playing catch up now.. great vehicle though. It’ll be great to have my Landrovers back in action

Thanks to everyone for their input, greatfully received - any other suggestions I should look into please let me know… I’m a non mechanic but becoming more experienced by the day !

Captainflint1967 said:

for the battery cut off switch, where’s the best location to install that ? Are they best ‘hidden’ somewhere ? Also what is the ‘stop solenoid’.. not heard of this, where is it located

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For the battery isolator switch I had it mounted behind the drivers seat on the bulkhead (only as I relocated the batteries behind the seats) but some people put it on the seat box where the battery is located.
I hid a switch in the cab for the stop solenoid, can be put anywhere you want such as either footwell or under bonnet, choice is yours as long as it doesn't stand out or noticed by theiving hands.
Stop solenoid is located on the injector pump and has one wire going to it (I think white colour, not 100%). The wire is a switched live, all I did was cut the wire and put a switch in.

Captainflint1967 said:

not done a clutch master / slave cylinder before but I guess it’s not rocket science.

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Pretty much same as bleeding brake calipers, bleed nipple is on the slave cylinder.

As for changing wheel studs, I've only done them on a car once, I cut the stud off flush to the hub then hammered the splined piece out with a punch, pressed the new ones in with a vice. Not saying this would work on a land rover though as they like to put up a fight. Could heat the hub with a blowtorch to make it easier.

If you decide to replace your radio, there should only be a switched live, permanent live, earth and then the speaker wires. Plus the ariel wire. Colours could be anything if someone retro fitted it

As has been said above, won't the wolf wheels need longer wheel studs, not a stub axle?

Also, if you are doing a refurb where the truck is off the road for a number of days, consider electrolysis for cleaning rusty gear. A great method of cleaning small parts!

Beat old studs out, beat new ones in, listen for hammer note to change then you know the stud is home, check wheel nuts daily for a week or so to make sure they do not settle more.

+1 this, it is a clean and cheap way of removing rust. Here's a before and after on some spring cups I did

Dr Strangeglove said:

As has been said above, won't the wolf wheels need longer wheel studs, not a stub axle?

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it will be longer studs not a stub axle that is needed but you do not even need longer studs. you can use the standard studs and just use a higher torque setting when doing them up. I have done this on my series, I will try and dig out the military spec sheet giving this information.

Edit: see below

Yes indeed I confused my terminology regarding the wheel studs, what is the part called that the wheel studs are placed in ? If that is cheap enough I was going to buy new for the longer studs ( for the Wolf wheels - I had heard that it was possible to use the current studs for the Wolf wheels and torqued up to 170Nm but the MOT man wasn’t always happy, hence starting again). Thanks to dag019 for the information regarding the studs, very comprehensive, thank you.
I’ve just had a small procedure done on my spine, so I’ve not been attending to the work for a few days, but I’m back at it now.
I like the idea of the switch to the fuel pump solenoid, that seems easy to do, as long as I can fix it somewhere sensible.
@steve24v thats quite impressive rust cleaning, what fluid did you use to get it that rust free - you mentioned electrolysis but I wouldn’t know where to start. On the brake calipers it seems that a couple of the pistons have seized, hence going to replace them, all of the brake parts, disks, calipers, mudguards etc are thick with rust, I’ve cleaned one up as much as I could but I don’t think the MOT man would be impressed, and they’re not safe anyway. I can do a full restore at my leisure after putting on ‘el cheapo’ brakes on, I’ve looked at the YouTube videos for changing everything and it could open up a load of troubles - worn bearings / stub axles / half shaft spline wear etc etc….. could be getting expensive…
I’ve also looked under the vehicle at the rubber mounts and ball joints, looks like I’ve got work to do there too… the list just keeps getting longer ! Is it better to go for polybushes or just buy original rubbers ? Everything on the vehicle under there is as from the factory 1993…. Time to replace… also I noticed an amount of wheel play when turning the steering wheel… could be down to the bushes I guess, but the PAS pump is good and I’ve changed the oil in there … no leaks ( I jet washed everything to look for corrosion on the chassis ( luckily all good as she was wax oiled many times in the past - no rust anywhere and the chassis is probably the best part, no rust on the doors or bulkhead either as I’d done the wax oiling there too, at least that’s one issue I done have to worry about… rust)..
Just got to choose whether to go OEM (Lockheed) or blue box for the brakes , considerably different prices and then once I’ve opened up the axles I could be looking at replacing all components at each corner… time to get a spreadsheet set up with all the eventualities and costs… I do need to do the waxoiling again too… not enough time in the day ! thanks to everyone for their input !

Captainflint1967 said:

what fluid did you use to get it that rust free - you mentioned electrolysis but I wouldn’t know where to start.

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Best to look on YouTube for how to do electrolysis rust removal, it's very easy to do. Basically get a big plastic builders bucket (has to be plastic) and fill it with enough water to cover the metal part. Add some washing soda to the water. You need a sacrificial piece of metal (I used a bit of 30x30 box section about 200mm long) which is hangs in the water away from the part. I used a car battery to connect the negative side to the part and the positive side to the electrode (sacrificial piece of metal). You can use a battery charger instead of a battery but I only had a trickle charger which wouldn't work so I connected the charger to the battery. Once this is done you should start seeing little bubbles coming out of the part. Leave it overnight in a well ventilated area. When finished Disconnect the battery or charger, the part will probably be black, dry it off then use a wire wheel/brush to clean it up. If the part is still a bit rusty then it needs to be left in longer

Ive also got Wolf wheels on my early 90 - studs still the same and never had an issue.
Rich

Captainflint1967 said:

Just got to choose whether to go OEM (Lockheed) or blue box for the brakes

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If you are going to rebuild your original calipers then I would get some cheaper ones for now. look on ebay, I just bought some for my disco with a 2 year warrenty. Make sure the bores havnt rusted up in your calipers before you get the rebuild kit, might be a waste of money/time if they can't be used.
Persaonal choice with bushes, genuine is best but not cheap. I had polybushes in my 90 when I bought it back in 2008 and most of them were still on there when I sold it beginning if this year. They are easier to fit than standard ones but don't get the cheap ones, they don't last long.

Plus one on above, check your caliper's before getting parts. Fitted my Ninety with Bearmach blue poly bush's in the 2,000's, Most are still doing well. The one place I recommend you stay original is the panhard rod, polys just don't last here I have found. The wheel studs are in the wheel hubs.

tottot said:

The one place I recommend you stay original is the panhard rod, polys just don't last here I have found.

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Funnily enough that's the ones I had to change. Fitted standard ones in the end

If you go for poly bushes, there are different grades (hard to soft). I think the colour had something to do with it (red being hard and black being soft, but don't take that literally, just an example). My 90 had red poly bushes, seemed ok but not sure what make they were

I found this quite a good video to see the plus and minus about bush types.