Good news today! We're over the £4000 mark and we've got a double page spread in Land Rover Owner International Magazine!

Work continues on the 110. I checked the differential oil and found that water had been getting into the rear diff. I've drained it and replaced with fresh oil and I'll be draining it again in a few days and replacing it to ensure no water remains. Problem is that the rear axle breather is attached to the chassis and isn't really high enough. Front diff oil was a nice healthy colour.

To cure the problem I've fitted a new axle breather and routed it along the chassis then spliced it into the front axle breather with a tee junction. This breather exits high up in the engine bay so water shouldn't be a problem. I may consider extending this further and terminating it at the top of the snorkel so that we can take it in over the bonnet!

Graeme

New propshaft fitted tonight, crap not having a garage and having to work in the street!! At least I've got four wheel drive again. Half day tomorrow so a few more bits to be done on the Landy.

Graeme

Got some new tyres on the way for Big Red. Many thanks to Gregory at Tyres Direct for sorting them out. Pictures coming when it gets back from the garage!

Chris

Exciting day today!

Heading up the motorway to an RTV and found a fellow club member at the side of the motorway with a sorry series 2, it had expired big time so little diversion to tow him home then up to the RTV.

2nd section of the day and I get stuck, decide to drive out sideways over a tree stump which bounces around below the car shearing the rear propshaft and bending a bit of wing.





Towed out by Iain who then lent me tools to unbolt the prop, when unbolting i noticed the steering bar was bent so Iain removed this and straightened it then refitted it. Drove home in 2 wheel drive, never had wheelspin at a junction in a Landy before!

So needing a new rear propshaft now. Also going to look for more steering protection as the current guard only protects the front arm. Must also remember to carry the full tool kit when off-road! Got some stuff but socket set, spanners and my propshaft socket will be going with me in future!

Graeme

Tyro today with the Scottish Land Rover Owners Club at Glenmavis outside Airdrie. Sections looked relatively easy but a few tightly positioned canes and slippy sections kept things interesting. Going well with a clear round until the 7th section where I missed the last gate, tricky slippy climb and the AT's failed me! Still, finished with 1 point which left me 3rd behind joint winners Ross and Sam who both had clear rounds. Good to see a few folk wearing TeamMud buffs too!!

On way home dropped into Makro where I purchased 6 stacking boxes, these will form the basis of the storage in the rear for the Mac Challenge and also for our trip to the Pyrenees later in the year.

RTV tomorrow which will be much more difficult. Really need a set of more agressive tyres!

Graeme

Picked up my ground anchor today. Thanks to my uncle Maurice for the metalwork. If only I had a Land Rover to attach it to! Sprayed it red to match the 90.



Left Big Red in this week to have a complete overhaul before MOT. New crossmember to be fitted, and possibly new doors. It's going to look like a new vehicle when I get it back!

The Buffs are going well. We've raised over £300 in the past week. Buy one now!

Chris

Recovered enough from my cold to venture out to the Defender today, haven't looked at it since Wednesday! Firstly I finished off wiring up the accessory sockets in the rear. Fitted two of these into the cover over the rear lights. There was a space below them but I spied this small fire extinguisher which fills the gap nicely. There is another larger fire extinguisher in the passenger footwell.



Next job was to fit a voltmeter. This replaces the clock, I have a clock below the radio which also gives interior/exterior temperature so I don't need the one in the dash. Easy enough job to fit.

Finally I had some camping mat material lying around so I have glued it to the base of the seat boxes, might reduce noise levels by half a decibel or so! I've got another bit which I think I'll glue to the floor below the cubby box but thats a bigger job and its started raining! Wish I had a nice big warm workshed!

Graeme

The view out the rear window is a bit restricted now with the security screen, especially when things are strapped to it or there's 4 mountain bikes in the back! Although the standard wing mirrors are reasonably large I spied these larger versions for sale. The first photo shows how much larger they are. I also think they'll be useful in the Pyrenees driving on the wrong side of the road with the rear full of gear.



Reasonably easily fitted. First take off the top door hinge, 2 torx screws to the bulkhead and 2 into the door, the 2 in the bulkhead go into captive nuts whereas on the door there are bolts behind. I managed to squeeze a spanner between the door lining to get at it but you may have to remove the lining.



Once unbolted 2 screws are removed which hold the mirror assembly to the hinge then the new mirror is bolted on.

I took the opportunity to spray some waxoyl into the bulkhead while the hinge was off and smeared some around the back of the hinge before bolting the hinge back on.
Easy as that, much better rear visibility and despite them being a bit bigger they don't really make the 110 look like a lorry.

Graeme

The 110 had some work done last week in the garage and its now back with a new steering box and damper amongst other things.
Hopefully will get started doing some work on it this week to get it ready for the Mac and for my summer trip to the Pyrenees. Few things to be fitted, bigger mirrors, voltmeter, some extra accessory sockets, rocksliders, high level rear brake lights and rear diff guard, it will also be getting a full service.

Buffs arrived today and are now on sale here...
Really pleased with them, colours turned out really well and hopefully they will raise a lot more cash for Macmillan.

I'll try and keep you up to date with how I'm getting on prepping the car, hopefully more cheerful than the tales of woe from Chris's battery!

Graeme

Its been a quiet week for both the Team Mud Land Rovers. The 110 is getting prepped for the Mac and the 90 has decided that its batteries are going to drain all by themselves! So i've took them out. I think my earth straps have come loose, or maybe it's something else. Who knows! Hopefully have it sorted this week though.

Chris

Was back home at Christmas, the 110 swallowing Christmas pressies, couple of mountain bikes and all our gear for the week. As Chris says we were out offroading, Chris got horribly stuck but I managed to extricate him the old fashioned way with a hi-lift and waffles! (Note - I got stuck while trying to get back to help Graeme out of a horrible flat muddy section he managed to get stuck in! Chris)

Santa was good, new alloy tank guard which has already been fitted and a set of rock and tree sliders which are yet to be fitted.

Preparations continue with the 110 for the Mac and the trip to the Pyrenees in the summer. Been sorting out a few electrical gremlins and wiring in some new additional power sockets for electric coolbox, camera and phone chargers etc. Also planning on adding a hard wired inverter.

The rear of the 110 is now fully fitted out with internal window guards and a chequer plated rear door cover to replace the crap cardboard standard version, now much happier throwing mountain bikes in the back. The rear seats have been taken out as well and its surprising how much extra room this frees up. Still planning some sort of rear storage system which will still allow me to carry mountain bikes. Also considering options for the roof, possibly either a roof rack or bag, may also deck it out so that we can sit on it when we're watching the Tour de France.

Engine running well, started using Millers fuel additive and along with removing the EGR kit this seems to have made an improvement.

Few other modifications will be taking place in the coming weeks so I'll try and keep you updated.

Graeme

Back in Land Rover Monthly! Thanks to Trevor for the write up in the Webwatch section.

Chris