Thread: Wrecking lessons learned and earth points

I have spent a few weeks (part time) wrecking a 99 4.0 from the first picture into the second and third. I have learned LOTS. About P38s, about spanners, about wiring looms etc. The RAVE gave me lots of theoretical information in black and white and 2D, but in the flesh it was something else.

My take aways from this experience, in no particular order, which may (or may not) be useful to others are:

- If you cant get a nut or bolt off with a normal sized socket wrench, and it feels like it is welded on, then a wrench which is just a little longer (like a torque wrench) will normally undo it with amazing ease. Levers are powerful. A good example of these were the nuts holding the rear of the front diff radius arms to the chassis.

- The RRs have a lot of thick insulation under the carpets, and everywhere. No wonder they are quieter than Patrols.

- In addition to the main one behind the BeCM, there are two major earth points high on each side on the body next to the rear seat belt retractors. Give them a clean and tighten as good preventative maintenance.

- Everything under the dash (and everywhere else) is disconnectable and removable. I always had this perception that there were some things that were 'part of the body', but there really isn't. So if you are having trouble getting at something or to something, just keep going and pull more stuff out. I had the heater core and main HEVAC unit out in a few hours, and they are pretty much the hardest thing to get at in the car. See my next thread with some good pics of the heater core and blend motors and heater orings.

- The complete diff assemblies (with brakes and suspension and steering and control arms still attached) are remarkably easy to disconnect and roll out.

- The fuel tank drops down in a short amount of time, I would suggest that it is easier to do that than the cutting into the sub frame under the back seat.

- All the plugs, connectors are of good quality and the wiring harnesses are modular removable (with the exception of the one that goes through the firewall on the right side of the drivers right foot).

- The airline to the storage tank from the compressor gets the the longest way physically possible. It goes along atop the chassis rail on the same side as the EAS box and then across the car above the rear diff, and then back towards the front atop the other chassis rail.

- If you are having Cruise Control problems, dont just look at the visible vacuum lines in the engine bay, there is one that goes from the brake pedal vacuum switch through the firewall and then to the cruise control module, in the car I pulled apart, it was totally perished and had gaping holes everywhere.

- When a RR falls off a trolley jack, it hits hard, make a lot of noise, and annoys your family, and your garage floor.

- All the parts that make up a RR, when dissasembled, take up a LOT more space than the original vehicle.

Caveat: I started with no engine, gbox or tcase. And I had to worry less about damaging things...

Originally Posted by Hoges

try Heater Core O-Ring Replacement

Thanks Hoges,
Typically I read everything about everything before i do anything as I like to try and get every angle on a job before I start - thanks for the link