Thread: What happened to your D3/D4 today?

Massive credit for buying one of these with over 500k on it! I don’t doubt buyers were spooked - I know more about these cars now than when I bought, but I’d still be nervous!

After more than 5 years, I am still a little nervous! Before I bought it though I took it to an Indy for a thorough going over and he gave me the tentative OK. It came fitted with a long range fuel tank, rear wheel carrier, rear ladder, bullbar, reece hitch and additional oil cooler. If it blew up in the first year then the money I would have got selling the accessories I just listed would have meant I came out roughly even. So I took a leap of faith and went ahead with the purchase. Mind you when I rang my Indy I said to him "remember when I said I would never buy an early diesel D3 with single canbus, air suspension and high Km's because I didn't like complexity? Well guess what is coming in for a pre-purchase inspection tomorrow morning...."

After Dr Google found a post on fabricating your own on the Disco 3 Forum, this is the result utilizing materials in my scrap heap.

Still have not purchased lights so some holed drilling and bracket trimming to do, bracket rigidity with the additional bracing is extremely good although only 16# stainless sheet from a fire door was used.


Can I get a steer as to why images invert?

Tried to fit a pair of Big Red driving lights. This is another case of cheap bolts/nuts being supplied with (an admittedly non-premium) product. The lights bolt to the 'bar with one M10 bolt and 2 M8 bolts. The supplied nuts are nylon lock nuts and they also supply spring washers and large flat washers.

The first M10 would not fully tighten - it got within the last mm then seized solid. I tried to back it out, but it would only move a quarter turn each way. Ultimately I broke the bolt using a breaker bar. OK maybe it was one bad thread that I didn't notice. On to the second M10 on the other light... despair set it when the exact same thing happened! Again I broke the bolt to get it out.

IMG_3697.jpg IMG_3699.jpg

You may say I cross-threaded the nuts... I can assure you I hand threaded the nut onto the bolt with care, and used hand tools thereafter. Everything felt fine (stiff as expected for a nylon lock nut but smooth) until the last few mm but before fully tight. The bolts are all thread.

Either bolts, or more likely nuts, are junk and/or the combination of nylon lock nut and spring washer somehow caused the nut to cross thread?

Anyway, I discarded ALL the supplied hardware and will not use the spring washers on a future attempt. I hurt my back in the attempts to get the bolts out... so need a few days to recover before attempt #2.

PS I have submitted a suitable product review to the Big Red website. There is no telephone number.

Originally Posted by ScottLS

Tried to fit a pair of Big Red driving lights. This is another case of cheap bolts/nuts being supplied with (an admittedly non-premium) product. The lights bolt to the 'bar with one M10 bolt and 2 M8 bolts. The supplied nuts are nylon lock nuts and they also supply spring washers and large flat washers.

The first M10 would not fully tighten - it got within the last mm then seized solid. I tried to back it out, but it would only move a quarter turn each way. Ultimately I broke the bolt using a breaker bar. OK maybe it was one bad thread that I didn't notice. On to the second M10 on the other light... despair set it when the exact same thing happened! Again I broke the bolt to get it out.

IMG_3697.jpg IMG_3699.jpg

You may say I cross-threaded the nuts... I can assure you I hand threaded the nut onto the bolt with care, and used hand tools thereafter. Everything felt fine (stiff as expected for a nylon lock nut but smooth) until the last few mm but before fully tight. The bolts are all thread.

Either bolts, or more likely nuts, are junk and/or the combination of nylon lock nut and spring washer somehow caused the nut to cross thread?

Anyway, I discarded ALL the supplied hardware and will not use the spring washers on a future attempt. I hurt my back in the attempts to get the bolts out... so need a few days to recover before attempt #2.

PS I have submitted a suitable product review to the Big Red website. There is no telephone number.

You did put anti-seize paste on them to stop the stainless galling right?

Originally Posted by Tombie

You did put anti-seize paste on them to stop the stainless galling right?

Nope. I didn't expect that to occur immediately on install especially with slow hand tools. What should I use? I have copper grease but a quick search has some results say it will cause galvanic corrosion.

Originally Posted by ScottLS

Nope. I didn't expect that to occur immediately on install especially with slow hand tools. What should I use? I have copper grease but a quick search has some results say it will cause galvanic corrosion.

I use Nickel generally, however I’ve been putting unlubricated stainless together on boats for over 30 years and never had a galling issue, especially when done carefully by hand.

Looks more like cheap fasteners.

hi all.

Recently took out the bonnet lining to clean and wipe over before replacing back in the vehicle was looking a bit tired.

Anyway beneath the lining is the two connectors for the wiper sprouts and two other electrical connectors not sure what they do? pic 1-3 as shown. thanks

just curious