Thread: Help me choose a Rangie

I think I've decided to stick with my trusty white 87 unless I can get someone to test the abs and it's an easy fix then the 93 would be the go. As for hydro it looks good but yeah price kills it

Originally Posted by Vern

For $2300, why would you bother!
Am sure you can get it cheaper if you shop around

Have you checked how much it is to rebuild the ABS system?

Why bother? No ABS, No ABS computer,No ABS wiring, Racecar quality brakes(if combined with upgraded rotors), if you can find it elsewhere at a cheaper price adapted for Rangies great :thumbup: however i dont know of any other companies that have a kit for Landies or have installed it on multiple cars. When you look at the price of fixing a broken ABS system or even long term maintenence of the system Hydroboost is a viavle option IMO, Im running it on my 93.

Originally Posted by disco dan

I think I've decided to stick with my trusty white 87 unless I can get someone to test the abs and it's an easy fix then the 93 would be the go. As for hydro it looks good but yeah price kills it

If you want to keep the 87, if the rust is fixable, I would get it soon or find nice rust free panels/doors and fix up interior. But all that might be costly.

But if it was me i would be looking at a cheap low ks stock doner car to move all the goods over to. Have you considered the option of combining 2 of your existing cars?

87 with 91 get your exterior, you end up with interior and engine fixed and end up with low ks with all the fruit, newer model.

Or 87 with 93 you end up with your exterior, interior fixed, newer model, just abs and stalling issue to sort. Low ks, All the fruit and lots of leftover fruit to sell.

Originally Posted by blackrangie

If you want to keep the 87, if the rust is fixable, I would get it soon or find nice rust free panels/doors and fix up interior. But all that might be costly.

But if it was me i would be looking at a cheap low ks stock doner car to move all the goods over to. Have you considered the option of combining 2 of your existing cars?

87 with 91 get your exterior, you end up with interior and engine fixed and end up with low ks with all the fruit, newer model.

Or 87 with 93 you end up with your exterior, interior fixed, newer model, just abs and stalling issue to sort. Low ks, All the fruit and lots of leftover fruit to sell.

Yeah see I just can't decide haha. My only real issue with the 93 is the abs. Also my 87 drives nicer but that's due to my suspension setup and upgraded arms. The 91 is a nice car and nice to drive a great body and runs on fuel no abs and starts and runs fine. I think it comes down to being a bit sentimentalwith my white one. But could keep it for parts

>My only real issue with the 93 is the abs

Disco, I don't think this is right.

From your posts in another thread, I reckon your problem is with hubs and bearings. If they all need replacing (and the swivel pin housings need overhauling) it will cost heaps, particularly if you use genuine parts (as I did recently as the aftermarket stuff was mostly problematic).

There's no question that your ABS needs some attention and the correct seating of the sensor units, but apart from any costs associated with new disks and pads you can get away with overhauling the entire system (the booster can only be superficially cleaned) with time and heaps of brake fluid! You can get second hand parts if needed (through this forum) with the going price for the complete system forward of the firewall being $200. Plus you'll almost certainly need a new accumulator ($250 imported).

The Hydroboost system looks a more appropriate replacement for earlier vacuum assisted Rangies. The LSE WABCO ABS with ETC is a far superior system with the electric pump pressurisng the system to 2700psi and the accumulator providing up to seven brake applications in the event of an engine failure at speed.

Mind you, I am trying to diagnose your car from a thousand miles away, so I may be completely wrong! And I may even not have the right car as you seem to have a backyard full of 'em.

Haha you got me but as you said it does seem like the bearings and hubs I got pricing for the barring at $80 a wheel using Timkin but haven't looked at rebuilding swivel as yet as looks to be in the $300 each

Definitely go for the Timken bearings, but remember you'll almost certainly need new stub axles.

Don't buy anything until you've stripped the axles down and inspected all the components including the axles, CV joints etc. You may be able to salvage some bits from your other cars, but I doubt it as they will all have worn the same.

You might find that the overhaul does not make financial sense. Sometimes you can buy complete axles assemblies in good condition.

Don't buy swivel pin housing overhaul kits. I only used the gaskets, large seals and retaining plates from the two I bought. The other seals were rubbish, the lower bearings were rubbish, the thrust bearings were doubtful and the Railco bush was doubtful (but so was the genuine which had me perplexed). And I didn't use the one-shot grease as I prefer using diff oil.

You need to be reasonably mechanically minded to do this job and have access to the manual (note that there are differences between years and ABS and non-ABS vehicles) and be able to follow the instructions, particularly as it relates to bearing adjustment and swivel pin preload (requiring shims and it's handy to have a micrometer). I'd recommend both chassis and axles stands if you don't have a hoist. You'll also need a hub bearing adjuster nut tool which will cost about $20 (and should be carried in every series Landrover/Defender/Discovery 1 and classic Rangie toolkit).

Finally, don't think that the job will end there. You'll probably need new tie rod ends, steering damper and panhard rod bushes and perhaps radius arm bushes and goodness knows what else. The upside is that the chassis will be good for another 23 years. Probably.

Yeah see this is why I'm steering away from the 93 as its a car I don't know. If I fixed all this who knows what else is wrong. Also I haven't bought it as its my brother in laws wants a few $$$$. Where as my white one I know what's wrong and the interior is a little shabby but nothing I really care about until I get in a leather vogue haha. As for the 91 it's unknown also but runs fine and is neat. I own the 91 and 87 so financial sense would be to mix them.