Elblado
30th July 2011, 06:51 AM
I've had my 200tdi defender for about a month and have been working on it each weekend to get it ready for registration. Here's a few things I've learnt so far that may assist others:
1. The headlight switch may not be broken- the fastening nut may just be loose. Check this before purchasing another.
2. A missing diff filler plug after a trip to the mechanic does not necessarilly mean he forgot to put it back in. Removing the cover to check if it has gone into the diff is a good idea. Luckily I'd only driven it a short distance home before noticing (I just happened to get under the car to begin the ball joint removal)
3. The A-frame ball joint renewal is a relatively simple job. However the actual removal of the joint and the pressing of a new one is best left to someone with a press. Local engineering shop did it for nix.
4. Exhaust manifold gasket change over is also fairly simple. Just needed to follow some simple instructions I found on the net. see link below
5. Bustersbus from the landyzone site is a god send. This is what the internet was designed for. Deatiled instructions with photos of several common repairs. busters-photo-tour-landrover-repairs - Land Rover Zone (http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f41/)
6. Give the underbody a really good degrease and general clean up especially around the drain/filler plugs, engine, shockies. Safety inspectors in QLD are likely to fail you just because they are filthy and have a bit of residual fluid around them. Also unless you already know a good (read that however you like) inspector it's better to get a mobile guy to come to your house than take it somewhere where they put it on the hoist....and have a reason to extract a few more notes out of you for repairs because they know they have you by the balls.
7. The old defender decals come off fairly easily if you use a hair dryer. A light cut and polish afterwards will blend in the paint. In fact the whole car came up a treat after a cut and polish.
8. The standard 5.5 rims look great after a paint. Powdercoating is ideal but expensive. Instead sand back the wheels removing all evidence of rust, touch up with rust converter where needed, tape, prep-wash, prime, light sand, prep-wash, paint (3 coats will do). I used motospray gloss white then finished it with K&M clear urethane wheel paint. The urethane actually turned the white paint an off-white which is pretty spot on to the original colour. Pure luck that one. I figure its not as good as powdercoating but cheap and can be redone when necessary.
1. The headlight switch may not be broken- the fastening nut may just be loose. Check this before purchasing another.
2. A missing diff filler plug after a trip to the mechanic does not necessarilly mean he forgot to put it back in. Removing the cover to check if it has gone into the diff is a good idea. Luckily I'd only driven it a short distance home before noticing (I just happened to get under the car to begin the ball joint removal)
3. The A-frame ball joint renewal is a relatively simple job. However the actual removal of the joint and the pressing of a new one is best left to someone with a press. Local engineering shop did it for nix.
4. Exhaust manifold gasket change over is also fairly simple. Just needed to follow some simple instructions I found on the net. see link below
5. Bustersbus from the landyzone site is a god send. This is what the internet was designed for. Deatiled instructions with photos of several common repairs. busters-photo-tour-landrover-repairs - Land Rover Zone (http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f41/)
6. Give the underbody a really good degrease and general clean up especially around the drain/filler plugs, engine, shockies. Safety inspectors in QLD are likely to fail you just because they are filthy and have a bit of residual fluid around them. Also unless you already know a good (read that however you like) inspector it's better to get a mobile guy to come to your house than take it somewhere where they put it on the hoist....and have a reason to extract a few more notes out of you for repairs because they know they have you by the balls.
7. The old defender decals come off fairly easily if you use a hair dryer. A light cut and polish afterwards will blend in the paint. In fact the whole car came up a treat after a cut and polish.
8. The standard 5.5 rims look great after a paint. Powdercoating is ideal but expensive. Instead sand back the wheels removing all evidence of rust, touch up with rust converter where needed, tape, prep-wash, prime, light sand, prep-wash, paint (3 coats will do). I used motospray gloss white then finished it with K&M clear urethane wheel paint. The urethane actually turned the white paint an off-white which is pretty spot on to the original colour. Pure luck that one. I figure its not as good as powdercoating but cheap and can be redone when necessary.