Stuff you learn(t) the hard way by being your own mechanic

[The Ouzo]

18 minutes ago, DJR said:

You called?

My Defender now has a couple of mods to make those impossible things easier. 1. A hole cut in the load bin to allow access to the diesel pump without removing the whole tank. It makes a day job into an hour job.  2. A trap door in the gearbox tunnel to make removing and replacing easier. It keeps mechanics from needing psychiatric help. 3.  A special extention bolt on transfer box to allow easier access and save grazed knuckles. 

its for these very reasons that the mechanics at land rover told me its easier to separate the body from the chassis for most jobs on these vehicles.

[lechatnoir]

My dad an I rebuilt a Renault 5 from scratch. Just about every job needed a 'special tool'. To do the starter motor basically needed the dexterity of someone wallpapering a room through the keyhole... with the key in the lock! one of the engine oil seals needed a gearbox removal. but only after removing the driveshafts, but only after undoing the front suspension. but the good news was the wheels only had 3 wheelnuts on each.

never. ever. again.

[ChrisF]

6 hours ago, droo said:

Sometimes (most times really) the long way is actually the quick way...

And yes, Bosch lockrings are left hand thread.

 

JIP !

 

The bike went onto the stand as part of a strip down and rebuild major service.

 

The 38 ring was picked up when I bought some other parts ... by which time the bike was already in pieces.

 

 

Hindsight .... would have been a LOT easier to just swop out the ring at the end of the service.

 

 

@droo do you use a chainwhip to keep the ring and spider still while undoing the lockring ? 

(the e-bike has a ratchet on the "BB" side as well, EDIT - which may make REMOVING the lockring a bit more fun, for tightening holding the pedal on the other side will work)

 

 

Maar so leer ons mos .... and with any luck somebody learns from my school fees ....

Edited August 23, 2022 by ChrisF

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, lechatnoir said:

My dad an I rebuilt a Renault 5 from scratch. Just about every job needed a 'special tool'. To do the starter motor basically needed the dexterity of someone wallpapering a room through the keyhole... with the key in the lock! one of the engine oil seals needed a gearbox removal. but only after removing the driveshafts, but only after undoing the front suspension. but the good news was the wheels only had 3 wheelnuts on each.

never. ever. again.

 

1275E Mini ..... enough said .... 

 

 

DAM .... I mis that car !!!

[droo]

12 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

JIP !

 

The bike went onto the stand as part of a strip down and rebuild major service.

 

The 38 ring was picked up when I bought some other parts ... by which time the bike was already in pieces.

 

 

Hindsight .... would have been a LOT easier to just swop out the ring at the end of the service.

 

 

@droo do you use a chainwhip to keep the ring and spider still while undoing the lockring ?  (the e-bike has a ratchet on the "BB" side as well, which may make re-fitting the lockring a bit more fun)

 

 

Maar so leer ons mos .... and with any luck somebody learns from my school fees ....

Chain whip or just hold the crank in place with either your hand or your foot on the pedal. Just make sure you've either bolted the lockring tool to the spindle or someone's helping you so it doesn't slip on the spline.

[ChrisF]

32 minutes ago, droo said:

Chain whip or just hold the crank in place with either your hand or your foot on the pedal. Just make sure you've either bolted the lockring tool to the spindle or someone's helping you so it doesn't slip on the spline.

 

Aaahhh, nice tip !!

[MrJacques]

2 hours ago, lechatnoir said:

My dad an I rebuilt a Renault 5 from scratch. Just about every job needed a 'special tool'. To do the starter motor basically needed the dexterity of someone wallpapering a room through the keyhole... with the key in the lock! one of the engine oil seals needed a gearbox removal. but only after removing the driveshafts, but only after undoing the front suspension. but the good news was the wheels only had 3 wheelnuts on each.

never. ever. again.

Had one of those. The trick is to get a mechanic specializing in them. Had a problem once where my usual mechanic couldn't diagnose it. Took it to the specialist and he immediately knew what was wrong and fixed it. Definitely agree that it's not user friendly to work on them.

[Rolf Hansen]

4 hours ago, lechatnoir said:

My dad an I rebuilt a Renault 5 from scratch. Just about every job needed a 'special tool'. To do the starter motor basically needed the dexterity of someone wallpapering a room through the keyhole... with the key in the lock! one of the engine oil seals needed a gearbox removal. but only after removing the driveshafts, but only after undoing the front suspension. but the good news was the wheels only had 3 wheelnuts on each.

never. ever. again.

I had a Renault 5 GTL.

Remember the spare wheel in the engine bay and the ignition on the left of the steering wheel? Seriously oddball cars.

[MORNE]

7 hours ago, DJR said:

You called?

My Defender now has a couple of mods to make those impossible things easier. 1. A hole cut in the load bin to allow access to the diesel pump without removing the whole tank. It makes a day job into an hour job.  2. A trap door in the gearbox tunnel to make removing and replacing easier. It keeps mechanics from needing psychiatric help. 3.  A special extention bolt on transfer box to allow easier access and save grazed knuckles. 

And a DIY drip tray with an retrofit/extra oil pump and plumbing to get the leaking oil back into the Engine😅
 

#sumpception

 

Edited August 23, 2022 by MORNE

[Hairy]

19 hours ago, DJR said:

You called?

My Defender now has a couple of mods to make those impossible things easier. 1. A hole cut in the load bin to allow access to the diesel pump without removing the whole tank. It makes a day job into an hour job.  2. A trap door in the gearbox tunnel to make removing and replacing easier. It keeps mechanics from needing psychiatric help. 3.  A special extention bolt on transfer box to allow easier access and save grazed knuckles. 

Have you considered the ultimate add-on / upgrade .... a Toyota, you can still keep the Landy and tow it with the Toyota for that nostalgic experience and feeling.

[Eddy Gordo]

1 hour ago, Hairy said:

Have you considered the ultimate add-on / upgrade .... a Toyota, you can still keep the Landy and tow it with the Toyota for that nostalgic experience and feeling.

and succumb to having parts or even the entire vehicle stolen!!!! I wont lie, I owned a fortuner once, and out of all my cars, this was the only and most broken into. The spare wheel and mirror have been stolen twice. I got rid of it after 4 years.

[Hairy]

13 hours ago, MORNE said:

And a DIY drip tray with an retrofit/extra oil pump and plumbing to get the leaking oil back into the Engine😅
 

#sumpception

 

I sent this to a friend who owns a Landy, and he came back with the most awesome reply "But Jan is happy"

[Jewbacca]

I am so happy after selling my Defender 90..... I had it for a long long time. We were bonded.

Blinkered.

It's gone, I have a super generic family car that does 5 to 5.5L per 100km, fits everything in it, goes 140kph at 2200rpm and I can hear the radio.

I don't leave a pool of oil in every parking bay, I can visit Witsands, my wife will go places with me in the car, I have air bags and safety AND my tires don't cost 15k to replace. 

It also managed to get out of Afri ski and Lesotho fully loaded in a snow storm this year, so it's an ok piece of kit. 

I miss my Defender, but I miss her like I miss my crazy ex from 20 years ago. I remember the fun times, but I'm glad she is gone

[dave303e]

That is why you should own a Pajero 3,2 DID SWB.

It'll do everything the landy does just with airbags, aircon, cruise control, heated leather seats and no oil leaks.  Not great(but not landy) fuel economy. But you still have that urge to look back and admire it every time you walk away from it. Something sensible cars never provide...

[The Ouzo]

4 minutes ago, dave303e said:

That is why you should own a Pajero 3,2 DID SWB.

It'll do everything the landy does just with airbags, aircon, cruise control, heated leather seats and no oil leaks.  Not great(but not landy) fuel economy. But you still have that urge to look back and admire it every time you walk away from it. Something sensible cars never provide...

And because they stopped production of these vehicles and they are such iconic cars they are actually starting to appreciate in value.

[Hairy]

29 minutes ago, dave303e said:

That is why you should own a Pajero 3,2 DID SWB.

It'll do everything the landy does just with airbags, aircon, cruise control, heated leather seats and no oil leaks.  Not great(but not landy) fuel economy. But you still have that urge to look back and admire it every time you walk away from it. Something sensible cars never provide...

 

24 minutes ago, ouzo said:

And because they stopped production of these vehicles and they are such iconic cars they are actually starting to appreciate in value.

A friend has one of those, amazing cars.

He did how ever go and test drive the new Pajero Sport, and subsequently bought a new one. He had a brief moment where he thought he would trade in his old SWB, but decided that this would be stupid and ended up giving it to his son.

Now both the new and old cars have seen off-road work, the old SWB extensively so .... at least he did not buy it to park outside on the pavement at the local Vida.