18/19th June - Few MOT bits fixed

I came home for a 3 day weekend with a backlog of chores to do. Even then a few small jobs were struck off on Trig.

From the last post there were a few problems that need resolving for the MOT.....

• INDICATORS - Problem now resolved by replacing the front Lucas 594 metal lamp housings.
• SPEEDO NOT WORKING - Fault found to be the flexi drive shaft end that engages with the speedo at the rear. The bush fitted over the shaft had moved preventing it from fully engaging with the drive gear in the head.
• BRAKES - see below
• SUSPENSION - still needs loading and torquing up.

BRAKES

The run out the other week showed that they work but I felt they should be a bit more solid in their action. So I already thought one of the lefthand rear shoes was not adjusting up correctly anyway and stripping them down showed why.....the snails cams were worn past the point they actually worked!

So a new set is on order and will be ready to fit when I get back from this job towards the end of June.


BUMPER

Rob has donated his old ex-mil bumper from his S3 but the overriders need to come off and are being a 'bit' stubborn. Front bolts had to be disked off but the 8 internal ones will need a different approach. They have been soaked in WD40 for several days and I have a couple of new 9/16 ring spanners on order. This is the only means (plus drop in a touch of extreme swearing) other than a good application of a gas torch, that will get them off.

Once off I will fit the bumper 'as is' for the MOT, then remove and arrange repair (bent at one end) plus sandblast and maybe re-galv along with the correct and original overriders.

DASH/INSTRUMENTS

Well I said that that side of it was complete but prowling 'The Bay' a few weeks ago I found a supplier (Green Oval Land Rovers) that manufacturers and sell a copy of the original painted and embossed brass labels to fit over the Lucas toggle switches. So I ordered a few including a 'heated front windscreen' one ;)

...and the priority 1 task was fitting the bridge plate. Tick that one off :)

I am now away again for a few weeks but on my return I will get the bumper on; the brakes fixed and the suspension set. Then I will go for a run and see how that goes. If it goes to plan then I will schedule the MOT!

June/Week 22 - Loads done!

After the bank holiday Monday I managed to tag on a few more days vacation so a bit more Trigger stuff could be struck off.....so....

FUEL GAUGES
Now fixed!

The new voltage stabiliser fixed the zebedee like fuel gauge action :)

In the end I had to use the whole S3 dash instrument as the individual fuel gauge would not fit the S2 unit (different dims etc.).

The only issue I can see long term are the sender switches fitted to the military fuel selector selector/valve. These had to be stripped down a few months back because they had seized due to lack of use and corrosion. I now find that even though they had been lubed up and kept in storage, one had jammed. So this one was dismantled - again, more ACF50 injected down the shaft and it is now working. Time will tell how they fair but TBH a selector switch on the dash would be more reliable and cheaper to the tune of £50?

OTHER ELECTRICS
While I was fiddling with the fuel gauges and had the instrument panel open I thought I may as well do the final odds and sods to save me prying it open again for a while.

First the Smiths round heater fan was connected up with an in-line fuse through a switch under the dash fitted alongside the original fan speed rheostat. The old 'stat was FUBAR'd so this is an easy fix (heater is efficient at heating the interior of the 109 as a hot tadpole so full speed or nowt IMHO).

Heated drivers windscreen also wired in via a 15A in-line fuse. Dash switch enables that via a 30A relay when the ignition is on and I also rigged up a little reminder lamp on the dash.

Front indicators were playing up and I found two reasons for this.

A) The nearside indicator unit (Lucas 594?) no longer had a spring with any real spring'yness to push the bulb forward and make good electrical contact. The other indicator wasn't much better. So two new units ordered 'sans' internal corrosion and age. Two types of bulb housing were found at the front 488 and 594. The latter is the easiest to remove the bulb from and cheap at £7 each.

B) The original (or at least very old) mechanical flasher unit has very irregular timings. This would be an MOT fail. So I need to replace this, and so far a rummage though the bits box hasn't dug up another or even an electronic equivalent. I will keep searching.

So, for now, there aren't ,many electrickery bits to do...... ;)

THE FIRST RUN!
The farmer at the back of me let me take Trig for a couple of runs around the field to check brakes etc. and of course a few items showed up straight away.

• SPEEDO - does not work. I need to investigate why.
• BRAKES - they do work but the nearside rear needs a look, as it seems the manual adjusters on one shoe are not working.
• STEERING - I was expecting vague as you would expect from a Series steering box but this was worse. Then I realised I haven't set up the tracking! Checked the dims against the 'green bible' and found the trackrod was 10mm/0.5" too long. Adjusted it up and it was a lot better. I also need to check that all the TRE's are locked in position.

SUSPENSION
Currently all the bolts/screw/nylocks etc. have still to be tightened up so the rear is a bit 'waggy' due to the height (combat chassis at max and new parrots). So the plan is to fill up the 109 with drums of water in the front (and back) to load up the suspension (around 500kg) and then tension the whole suspension set-up. Easy to unload when it is water....and I don't know enough fat people to fill the truck anyway.

INTERIOR
OK, now the plan was to keep the truck as original as I could (ignoring the tdi!) but with doors with no sound proofing would be a farce with a rattley diesel under the hood. So I also decided to order a set of door cards from Trakkers/Exmoor Trim. The matting inside the door would get beaten up otherwise (my excuse)?

All I need now are some interior door handles. Having a bit of trouble sourcing them at the moment seeing as I am out of the country most of the time, but......... Twizzle - if you are reading this do you have any at the back of your shack?

OTHER
Front bumper 'should' be with me in the next week if Rob gets his new shiney powder coated one on his 109........ ;)

New yellow bridge plate also on the dining room table for the front wing.