Thread: What happened to your D3/D4 today?

Conversely carrying the full weight of a rim and spare can cause more failures.

It is a juggling act, having the carcass at the least means any workshop you may limp to can fit a tyre straight away.

I never carry more than 1 spare, and touch wood, have never required it. This is well over a million kilometres of offroad driving.

Originally Posted by rocket rod

I notice you have a tyre only on the roof. Have you tried to take a dud tyre off a rim before? It's very difficult if not impossible. So taking just a tyre maybe false security?

I do realise it's a lot of work with the tyre levers and it is a second spare. My thought process is, I'd rather labour over a tyre change than leave the car on the track while I get a tyre repaired or replaced.

Cheers,

Salty.

Maybe I'm becoming paranoid but after reading about so many failures with the D3/4 tailgate release I decided to install a back up cable.

I used the guidance of many posts on Aulro and managed the task reasonably easily. See procedure posted by Scott Humphries.

I reused a Patrol fuel release cable inserting the cable end thru a drilled hole on the tab next to where the OE cable end fits and ran the cable thru the wiring grommet to the area under the rear seats with a simple loop on the cable end to actuate the lock..with the outer inserted back into the Nissan mounting block.

Hold the block and pull the cable and click goes the lock release.

On the latch proper I secured the cable outer which had a grooved end into a groove cut into the latch plastic next to where the original fits and zip tied the two outers together.

I examined the factory actuator and cable and could see no wear or tear at all. The design does look a bit weak tho and it amazes me that LR has not provided an emergency release in case of a person getting stuck in the back..eg..between a cargo barrier and the hatch.

Replaced LHF wheel bearing hub with non Timken bearings not long ago to save money 18,000ks later they are shot. I have an unused spare that I might as well put in the bin and will now do what I should have done in the first place.

Originally Posted by SaltyNalty

We completed the Holland Track over the weekend. We left Perth Friday morning and returned yesterday. The Discovery handled it with ease and of course comfort. The only casualty was the float on the low coolant sensor which appears to have sunk. I've ordered a new overflow reservoir.

Cheers,

Salty

Nice pics.

How handy is the tailgate,its a shame they have been dropped in many later model vehicles.

I am the same as Tombie,have carried two spares,then dropped down to a spare and a carcase,now just take one spare,and a plug kit,and air compresser,which i took all the time as well,anyway.
And thats for remote area travel,over 20yrs,haven't had a puncture.
But i have also always run high load rated LT tyres.

Yours look like 17's,so heaps of good choices available.

Originally Posted by SaltyNalty

I do realise it's a lot of work with the tyre levers and it is a second spare. My thought process is, I'd rather labour over a tyre change than leave the car on the track while I get a tyre repaired or replaced.

Cheers,

Salty.

Rocket Rod - as you know, if you have anything remotely resembling a spare wheel and tyre or even just the carcass like Salty has on his roof rack; or even just a half empty plug kit floating around somewhere in the back, Murphy says you wont get a flat.
Now, try to leave home without one and ! hssssssssssss.
Matti

Replaced my two D34 Optimas under the bonnet the other weekend. 5 years old and both won't take a charge. I'm happy with that length of service. The permanent fridge in the car is now happy too and goes for a couple of days off grid before shutting down.
Matti

Was told the end play/float on my 3L crank was excessive while it was being inspected today during a body off. To be honest when you pull it back and forward it moves a noticeable amount and knocks - noticeable amount by hand is clearly too much.
Sigh.