Thread: Saving the defender

Ahh damn it !! chose the $8 steering ball joint kit and not the $32 one didn't I....

This is the last time I ever buy cheap parts and I really don't know why I cheapskated myself on this purchase ?

Simply put, all the parts of the cheap balljoint kit look the same, but with the cheapo kit they are all slightly larger - .05mm here and .032mm there and so on - which adds up to an extra 1mm overall - and as a result the spring cant compress down far enough to allow the circlip to lock into place.

End result - what should have been a 5 minute job has taken 4 hours of mucking around trying to make a badly made part fit...now I have the added insult of sorting out a return, a refund, plus postage - and I still need to buy the $32 part I should have got in the first place.

DOH !

On a positive note, the little kit they sell to push out the bearing cup etc works a treat.

flogged steering ball joint.jpglower cup out.jpgpushing in new cup.jpg

First, a massive shout out to Toxic Avenger - who is a legend. Without his help this project would not be where it is today.

Trying to tackle a project of this size on my own would be near impossible and TA has been right there when needed to help out. huge props to you mate !!

______

Well, what an awesome day yesterday was. I haven't felt that excited since I was a kid on the night before christmas

After almost a year of stripping parts, cleaning, painting etc and with more than a few setbacks from rust and rookie errors, the process of reassembly has finally begun.

Anyone who has done a complete rebuilt will know what I mean - after months of dirst, grease and rust, there is a huge feeling of satisfaction putting that first clean bit back on a clean chassis.

Yesterday went really well - we got the front axle, steering box and front suspension in place - changed over the driven ends to the HD ones I lashed out on, and put the front calipers and brake lines in place.

We also got the rear axles stubs on and shafts in ( but not under the vehicle yet) and we bolted the rear upper A frame to the chassis also.

I also got a few little bits on the chassis like the bump stops and the rear bolts for the fuel tank. We started at 10am and called it a day at 7pm - super productive and just an awesome feeling.

assembly begins.jpgend of day 1 assembly.jpg

It's always good fun out in the shed.
It was good to finally see the boxes of bits and parts in your 'restoration parts filing system' coming back together!

yes, when you want to restore something, you need a good system for filing things...I recommend see thru plastic bags, labelled in alphabetical order and filed according to the vehicle sections - or the floor....I just drop **** on the floor...gravity is my filing system.

couldn't help noticing one of your box of bits was labled Corona.

Why not I say?! Signs of a struggle. There might have been one or two consumed over the past few months. It's the cross we bear I guess...

The corona boxes are surprisingly sturdy. I'd recommend they be used for any serious rebuild. I moved house using beer boxes many years back. They used to be two ply cardboard stapled together with inch wide staples.

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

couldn't help noticing one of your box of bits was labled Corona.

yes. Corona are filed in the category "essential lubricants"

progress continued...

We got the rear axle and rear suspension in today. I need to get the rear brakes honed, plus I need to clean and rebuild the calipers and repack the wheel bearings- so no wheels on the rear yet.

Also got to the process of putting gearbox mounts, engine mounts and various other bits ' in place' to help the assembly process when we get to those parts.

from rear.jpgrear axle and suspension in.jpg