nugget's 110 Defender Build

nuggetstuff · Feb 25, 2014

Thought members might be interested in an Aussie build up. This has been posted on the AULRO forum but I have taken the commentary/others posts out so hopefully it still makes sense.

I have actually moved onto a new 130 recently but many of the things I did on the 110 eventually became products I have made for other Defender owners and will be used/improved on in the 130 build which I will start posting when I get into it a bit more.

The 110 got a lot of favourable comments on AULRO so hope everyone here enjoys it as much as I did building it up.

When choosing a new truck my criteria were..diesel, not ISF, manual and it had to be a ute. When you plug those parameters into the thought box in Aussie you are really on left with 2 choices. A Toyota ute or a Defender. I looked at the Toyota but it was 25K dearer and I just knew that after the H3 which was such great value for money, that every time I started the Toyota I would feel that I had been ripped off so badly that I may as well have dropped the strides and spread the cheeks.

And so a 2010 model 110 Defender Crew Cab 2.4L turbo diesel, 6 speed manual landed in the drive way.

The sea anchor said no more major engine mods..yeah I know…boring!!!!...and it had to stay street legal….luckily she isn’t too conversant with Department of Road Transport Queensland regulations.

It started out like this;

The goal is to evolve a 2 person touring truck that still has rear seats and which is even more capable off-road than it is now. Not after a hard core rock hopper and importantly, want to keep it street legal in Queensland as much as possible.

This is the blank canvas I am starting with so the possibilities are endless and will be explored!

The mods list is long but I will slowly work through it and no doubt it will be added to and changed but it goes something like this

bullbar, winch, spotties
dual battery, mulgo seat extensions and console lift
scan gauge 11, front and rear ARB diff locks
rock sliders, recovery points, under body bash plates
long range tank
snorkel with Syclone pre filter, inverter
suspension upgrade as and if required
roof rack
lift out camping system for the rear incorporating a roof top camper
roof console with uhf
navigation system, tyre monitoring, hot water shower, awning

but started today with a new set of rubber and rims.... 285 75 R16 MTZ's

Fitted a scan gauge 2 last night. Find them really handy on long trips as you can monitor various engine parameters more accurately as well as keep an eye on fuel consumption and the remaining range of your fuel that is how many kms before you run out.

Also will tell you which engine code it is if you have an engine light come on..heaven forbid!

This will not be its final location as it will become permanently fitted when I do some other work which is in the think tank.

One of the face colour options is also really close to the radio and instrument panel as well.

Crossed a couple of jobs off the list on the weekend. First is pretty standard...Mulgo seat rail extensions. Had fitted the drivers but finally did the passenger's so Mrs nugget doesn't have to have her feet on the dash.

Next was a bit more challenging and know plenty on the forum have thrashed dual battery options about at 20 paces.

At the end of the day it is what suits what you do. I have found with the touring that I do I don't generally sit around for days on end without driving so a 40 amp/hr battery has kept the Engel cold and the lights on for 3 years. I didn't want to buy a new battery just for the hell of it but also want to leave my options open for the future should things change.

In a nutshell I wanted to use as much of what I have but not modify too much incase I decide to change things later.

Also I have some long term plans of how I want things but also have a trip with friends next weekend so need some semi temporary hook ups that won't become a burden undoing later on.

First up was to fit the Sidewinder isolator. Had these on my last 3 trucks and never had a problem. Simple to fit and at $79, great value.

To hold the battery down, I decided to use the existing stud and also a stainless Rivnut that I installed. I turned up a couple of posts that I could bolt down to with a coupe of long stainless bolts I had left from some other project. A bit of aluminium flat joins it all together. The post that screws onto the existing stud double up as the earth as well.

A little flat and tapped thread makes sure the earth wires get a good grounding.

Battery in, everything hooked up, even the jack still fits.

Best part is if I decide to change the only mod is the addition of 1 Rivnut which I could blind off with a grub screw and sealant.

Now I just have to run some cables for my fridges and lights.

Fitted my new rear recovery point tonight after making it on the weekend and getting it back from powder coating today.

Based on a South African design I saw on the net and was able to make from odds and sods steel I had in the rack.

Fitted the Terrafirma flares. Few problems with the quality which is covered in a separate thread in the Defender section but at least I am almost legal as far as the tyres not extending past the guards A really pedantic copper might pick a section just above the mudflap where the flare tapers back into the body and the mudflap is "Notched" and you can see a small section of tread but he would have missed out the night before.

GINGE · Feb 26, 2014

Nice to see a build from across the big divide.

Good stuff, keep the pictures coming, we likes piccies on ere we does.

nuggetstuff · Feb 26, 2014

Having just bought a small turret mill, I decided to raise the diff breathers and to machine a manifold from billet. Slight overkillmaybe but it was a good learner project and it felt good!

You might also notice how straight the "wing" on top of the mud guard was fitted by the dealership....This was how I came to meet the Service Manager and he has looked after me every since.

Very happy with it in sand. Could actually have got by in 2WD with the tyres down but did the right thing in the softer sections especially at the beach and Leisha Track entry/exits.

Not at all set up as yet which is a bit hard after having the H3 so set up. I jury rigged a set up for the Engel for the weekend off the dual battery so the important stuff was looked after...cold beer. Weather was pretty ordinary with close to torrential rain when we arrived but luckily it picked up for the next couple of days.

The tailgate comes in handy as a work bench/cooking etc. Can see that getting plenty of use down the track so I hope it is the right height for Wendy!!!

Quick

trip around to Rainbow..how good is Rainbow!!??!!

Really needs to be low tide to be able to get too far around the bay

Not a heap of room at the rainbow entry/exit but in a Defender, you don't need it!

Damn that rig looks good on the beach even if I do say so myself!

Well the weather in Brissie might be perfect if you are a duck, but it did have an upside for me ....... a day in the shed knocking over a pretty stock Defender project but one I have been wanting to get to for some time, installing my Mulgo E Box. The idea of raising the electrics appealed, having given a few trucks internal baths over the years and a higher centre console would be a better height for an arm rest on long trips.

For anyone not familiar with Defenders, this is how it all looks out of the show room.

The

electrics are currently under the drivers seat and the idea is to free up this room for another yet to be determined use.

Under the centre console is a plate which also has to come off and which then gives you complete access...even to the ground below!

Now it is time to start getting into the nitty gritty...removing the electrics. I numbered each joiner so I would know where it had to go back.

Next you pull the harness out of the side hole

One set of wires have to be stripped out and fed back into the original compartment. As they would now be exposed under the car, I protected them and also applied heat shrink.

Daniel had also told me that heat could be a problem with the E Box so I protected the under side with Heat shield to minimise the effect.

The wiring harness is then fed through the bottom of the E Box and the box bolted in place. The ABS box and Fuse box bolt straight in. The relay strip are drilled off and then relocated in the box.

Centre console bolted onto the lid so the E Box

Job done..

Well job almost done....I have a bit of wiring to tidy up and check under the truck and also holes to block off in the original cavity under the drivers seat...

Plugged up the holes under the drivers seat this morning. Decided to just rivet an ally strip with lots of silicone where the spot weld were drilled out. The holes were too big to rivet so I drilled new holes so I could use a smaller, more confined space and small handed operator friendly.

The large hole I turn up a disc out of some polyurethane tube I had and bolted it through the middle to an ally strap across the back, plus the compulsory silicone.

GINGE · Feb 26, 2014

Brilliant write up, keep the updates coming.

nuggetstuff · Feb 26, 2014

Thanks Ginge. Hope there are enuf pics

THEengineer · Feb 26, 2014

cracking write up and pics matey keep them coming

Landyfox · Feb 26, 2014

Really enjoying reading through this, what a great thread! Keep em coming

nuggetstuff · Feb 27, 2014

Things have been a bit slow to get started on my rig but are starting to hot up now. Half way through building an aluminium roof rack.

Got some more done on the roof rack basket

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Decided to make my own gutter mount system as well.

And plates to weld into the basket which is how it will bolt to the brackets.

The brackets I designed and then had laser cut and bent. Finally all the pieces are ready.

Welded the gusset pieces into the brackets for extra strength

Quick linish got rid of the bent marks

Welded the threaded mounting blocks on

Once everything was back from powder coating it was assembly time. I made up a small mould to mould some 5mm thick polyurethane as a flex point which then fitted between the basket plate and the bracket. I thought this would allow for flex and had nothing to do with extra tolerance required due to the level of fabrication skill!!

Also used some rubber on the mounting feet to protect the paint workreally important on a Defender of course!

Ran all of the wires for the 4 HIDs which will sit across the front

And bingo, quicker than a Pommie innings in a recent Test series.sorry guysjust couldnt help it!!!!......one roof rack

I appreciate that some may not like the height but it is deliberate to match with slide on camper unit with a roof top tent that is on the drawing board.

I was really happy with the way the brackets came up

Started to hook up the lights. Decided to have connectors roof side so the rack can be removed if required. Also used opposing connectors to ensure the wires can not be crossed over.

The finished job

Landyfox · Feb 27, 2014

Wow!!!! You could make a killing manufacturing and selling those! Very impressive.

Jonnygearbox · Feb 27, 2014

nicest roof rack around tbh!!

nuggetstuff · Feb 27, 2014

Landyfox said:
Wow!!!! You could make a killing manufacturing and selling those! Very impressive.

I don't make the bigger gear for others as it is a hobby for me. I enjoy the design and building stuff that suits my needs at the time and that I know is going to stand upto the conditions where I tour.

I have posted a couple of my trips in the off roading section if anyone is interested.

Some of the smaller items I do supply to other discerning Defender owners here in Oz through the AULRO forum and my web page. My Sealed Air Intake System, the origins of which will show up in this build shortly, finally addresses the problem of the shocking factory ducting that goes from the snorkel to the air filter box....seriously you could drive a rangie through the gaps and sadly people think that when they fit a snorkel, they have a water tight system. LR call it a raised air intake because they know it is not a sealed system!

nuggetstuff · Feb 28, 2014

Finally got the roof rack done and dusted so it was time to move onto a bullbar. Had a look at what was available commercially and nothing was what I wanted so I decided to build my own.

My concept was for a steel bar with a centre loop which would follow the radiator/grille lines, take a winch, provision for a ladder rack and a couple of other things I still have up my sleeve.

To make the job a bit easier, I managed to get my digits on a raw channel with brackets not welded in.

Unfortunately it had indicator slots which I didn't want, and the winch slot was not where I needed it so the first job was to fill in the holes.

The brackets sit on the inside of the chassis rails so positioning was important.

I also added a bit of extra strengthening. A plate to sit against the end of the chassis rail and also a plate to bolt a recovery point through. This plate was also braced back to the bracket later for even more strength.

Unfortunately the winch, whilst fitting between the brackets, would not centre properly so I modified the bracket.

A spacer and new plate section was added later to maintain the strength of the bracket.

I decided to machine my own Hawes fairlead which would have a front plate and rear plate so there is a fairlead on both sides and the 2 halves would be bolted together, sandwiching the bar between them...pic later of that one...and would also incorporate the number plate. First up it was time to cut the new slot.

A bracket to hold the winch control box and the access hole for the engage lever

Time to slip it on and check everything was going to work. Position of the centre tube and also the ladder rack hole finalised.

Centre tube welded in with a bit of extra bracing for the really big roos!

Starting to all come together

Jonnygearbox · Feb 28, 2014

Beastly !!

flat · Feb 28, 2014

That's a hench as hell bumper!

Westwood8055 · Feb 28, 2014

flat said:
That's a hench as hell bumper!

And workshop!! He's fabricated some quality items, there better then some on sale over her by manufacturers!

Landyfox · Feb 28, 2014

I feel seriously under-talented after reading through this thread!!!

nuggetstuff · Feb 28, 2014

Thanks guys. I found the off the shelf bars were a bit too "fancy" for how I wanted my Defender. I prefer simple, functional design that has the strength to hack it in teh Aussie bush where any weakness is exposed in quick time.

Turboman · Feb 28, 2014

Very high standard of workmanship on display there mate, and fantastic workshop facility by the looks of it.
Nice pics too!

I wuz almost beginning to like yu until the cricket joke

nuggetstuff · Feb 28, 2014

hahahaha...sorry about that...I tried to resist...honest

nuggetstuff · Feb 28, 2014

The tedious but important part...preparing for powder coating and trying to make my welds look half decent.

You can also see the thickness of the steel where the recovery hook bolts on. 4mm channel with a 10mm plate behind sound enable a decent recovery.

Time to start machining the fairlead parts

Whilst I was in protection mode, decided to make my own bash plate as well.

And of course bash plates need brackets....

While everything was off being powder coated, I fitted the headlight guards which finish of the frontal protection.

Will update once everything is back from powder coating and being fitted.

Everything is back from powder coating so time to bring it all together...

First up is to fit the fairlead

I made the fairlead to go either side of the bars front channel so that there would be a lead in for the rope on both sides, would add strength as the channel is sandwiched giving a larger foot print and the winch bolts through the whole lot, again adding strength.

Fit the sleeve for the single post ladder rack....removable so I will only put it in when needed but will come in really handy when picking up lengths of steel etc

Some front recovery eyelets. You can see in later photos that there is a lot of strengthening behind these points as well as bracing back to the brackets.

fitting the winch and control box. I will be having dash mounted controls as well as the remote, which I have re-positioned into the top of the bar for ease of use.

Here you can see some of the extra steel and bracing for the recovery eyelet

Bugger it....might as well throw it on..

And with the bash plate and diff guard

nugget's 110 Defender Build

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