What have you done with your Series 2 today ?

[Wittsend]

Anything interesting ... tell us about it.


 

[Peter Holden]

Looking for a slight amount of extra play I inspected the tres, found that the 2 on the bar that links the front wheels together seem to have excessive play.  New ones ordered so that I can replace them next week

Peter

[Alan Drover]

Cured an intermittent side light fault with a spray of electrical switch cleaner.

[Exile]

Looking for a slight amount of extra play I inspected the tres, found that the 2 on the bar that links the front wheels together seem to have excessive play. 

Peter

That's the track-rod Peter.
 


Avoid TRE's that are supplied with a large Nyloc nut.
Utterly stupid as the nut is so stiff it rotates the shaft, rather than screw down onto it - (ask me how I know. ). Should have castle-nut and split pin.

[diffwhine]

There should be a torx socket in the end of the ball joint thread so you can hold it in place while doing it up. I agree though - the nycloc is a total PITA as you can re-use a castle nut in service, so all you need to do is find a new split pin. If you have the nyloc, the threads are not always the same as the original part number. Means you quite often end up having to unncessarily replace the whole ball joint and then have to do the tracking or straighten the wheel.

[Space-Kook]

Replaced some hose clips.
Didn't know the bonnet could do that.

[Wittsend]

I threw away the bonnet stay years ago, too close to the battery terminals for my liking.

I use a stick to prop up the bonnet for normal access ....





For complete open access you can open the bonnet fully.
My stick has a powerful magnet screwed to one end. It doubles as a wading depth gauge and is a magic wand 


But, be aware - the bonnet falling could kill you.
After a near miss on a not so windy day I now have a piece of rope with a loop which I use to tie back and hold the bonnet up whilst in this mode.

[Alan Drover]

Land Rover on dog walking duties today.
I use Land Rover Special Tool number 2, an old floor mop handle with the old sponge plastic head in place without the sponge, for when I need the bonnet open wider. The old mop head spreads the load on the bonnet and the end of the handle fits neatly into the bonnet catch recess, otherwise it's the fitted stay held in place on its pin by an 'R ' clip for normal access.

[Old Hywel]

Didn't know the bonnet could do that.

Only problem being the squashed wiper arms when it's up there.

[Alan Drover]

Mine doesn't go back that far with special tool number 2 but the vents must be closed.

[Peter Holden]

The track rod ends from Emberton must be the standard thread because Charles says for pre 74 vehicles you can reuse the castle nut that you take off with a new split pin.  Unfortunately my knackered ones had nylon nuts on them so I will be looking for 2 Castle nuts as the Emberton ones come with nylons by default

I am away from home at the moment. Does anyone know what size the nuts are.

I agree with Mark the tres should have a tory or Allen socket on the end.  Our eurobox has them on all the tapered joint fittings

Peter

[Wittsend]

One trick is to put a dab of super glue on the taper. You can then tighten up nyloc nuts with no problem.

You will have no trouble breaking the taper join next time you needn't to replace the ball joint.


 

[Peter Holden]

I don't have a problem tightening or releasing the nylons but was considering being a bit more authentic in fitting castle nuts.

When breaking the tapers this time I had to put a lot of pressure on my ball joint splitter, I cant remember them ever being so tight

Peter

[TimV]

I was able to look at it in the workshop while changing the battery in my Eurobox.

What a pain, the instruction book made it sound easy, but didn't mention the slotted base the battery fitted in, nor the extra cables that I needed to pull off. I even managed to use my barely used metric set of spanners!

Now to dig out the LR.

[Alan Drover]

Under bonnet fluid level check today. All ok, even the oil