Land Rover Series 3 minor refurb

[gdhaydock]

Hello all, after lurking here for some time, i've decided its time to post something of my own, whilst this might not be out and out autoshite I know there's a few land rover fans on here so am posting it anyway.

 

My series 3 has been laid up for about 4 years and is overdue a minor refurb and putting back on the road.

 

To set the scene ……..

 

It had a crude ground up restoration about 10 years ago, which involved fitting a replacement chassis, 2.5td (19J) engine and a defender front panel / bonnet (note - this was fitted to allow more space in the engine bay - it is NOT a defender 90 which has plate raped a series 3 which seems to be a current trend in the LR community) .

 

A few pics (sorry not many as I was on a ‘film’ camera at the time) of this work can be seen below.

 

Chassis after welding and partial painting

 

Springs and Axles fitted

 

Bulkhead, backtub, engine & gearbox fitted

 

Doors & a wing on

 

Finally in use (October 2004)

 

It gained its first MOT in December 2003, I ran it for a about 18 months and then killed the engine (found hairline cracks in 3 pistons). The engine was then rebuilt with new pistons, but by this time I’d bought a discovery (Ebay & beer don’t mix!!!) and kind of never really used the Series 3 much afterwards.

It made it out to a few trials and laning days however, but the nail in the coffin was a trip to Tong in winter 2008 about 3 days before the MOT expired. It was then abandoned at the back of the workshop without even having the mud washed off it. This then fast forwards to last weekend where it was exhumed from its resting place and the initial findings will be in the next instalment.

[gdhaydock]

Next instalment – findings from the exhumation 3rd & 4th June

The land rover was taken outside and thoroughly jetwashed (inside and out) in an attempt to try and remember what colour it was. Once this was complete, the doorway of the workshop resembled a scene from the Oke Fanokie swamp with the quanity of mud and weeds washed off.

 

 

After a coffee and a few minutes to allow the accumulated water to drain from the inside via one of many inbuilt drain holes it was driven up and down the lane a couple of times. It appeared that the brakes were a) crap and appeared to be binding on the NSF.

 

 

During this week, new brake cylinders and shoes were purchased (drum brakes all round)

 

 

Saturday 9th June saw me fitting the new brake components and managed to destroy a brake pipe in the process, however JohnF showed up at the point as I was just about to start throwing tools around and kindly made me up a new brake pipe (I have never had any luck with brake pipe flaring) - Not pretty - but perfectly functional.

 

 

New brake pipe fitted, system bled down, it appeared the NSF still had a major binding issue, however it was approaching beer o’clock and we had a party to go to, so that was it for Saturday.

Sunday morning was a write off due to the effects of Saturday night. Sunday afternoon saw further assessment of the NSF wheel, it appeared that the wheel was still stiff to turn even with the brake drum removed. Removal of the drive flange showed a very rusty bearing.

 

 

After much swearing, crowbarring, hammering and coffee drinking, the hub assembly couldn’t be removed from the stub axle due to the wheel bearings having rusted it to it during its 4 year lay up. The entire axle end was removed and put in the press, but 12 tons of pressure, whilst levering and hammering, wouldn’t even shift it, heating the bearing carefully with oxypropane and then trying the above failed, heating the bearing not so carefully and trying the above didn’t work. At this point it was decided the stub axle was probably fubarred anyway, so we oxy cut the side of the bearing race to allow the rollers to fall out which allowed removal of the hub.

 

 

 

More next weekend when i've assessed if the stub axle can be reused and bought new bearings etc

[rml2345]

Welcome! Loving the "Triggers broom" Series 3, looks like all proper Land Rovers should.

[John F]

Hehe, I wondered when you'd get round to starting a thread... is that Crabby's old 101FC in the background in the last pic of the first set?

[Micrashed]

I keep thinking I want a Land Rover, so far the pros seem to be outweighing the cons.

Though "minor refurb"???? Body off, chasis fettled? Bloody hell fire - I'd hate to see what a "minor service" consists of

[dollywobbler]

This thread isn't helping. As good as the Maverick is, I really fancy a nicely battered Series Landy.

[Micrashed]

I thought that V8 County had slaked your Landy thirst young man?

[dollywobbler]

I thought that V8 County had slaked your Landy thirst young man?

 

No, it merely slaked my thirst for 15mpg V8s! I did replace it with a Range Rover after all.

[scruff]

Nice work!! I've not seen a bearing that bad before. I have just been to eastern Germany and CZ in mine. Only troubles were a loose fan belt and Jubilee clip.

[gdhaydock]

I keep thinking I want a Land Rover, so far the pros seem to be outweighing the cons.

Though "minor refurb"???? Body off, chasis fettled? Bloody hell fire - I'd hate to see what a "minor service" consists of

 

LOL - I maybe should have made it a bit clearer that there was about an 8 year gap between the 1st set of pics and the 2nd set. The intention of the 1st set was to demonstrate what had happened in the past and it wasn't just something pulled out of a swamp which is what the 2nd set of pics suggest.

 

The chassis work and full rebuild was done between June 2002 and December 2003. I then used and abused it for a few years before buying a discovery in a drunken ebay binge, since then the S3 was forgotton about. The purpose of this thread is to document the minor work (although rapidly becoming major) to bring it back to the state it was in after I'd done the first rebuild - if this makes sense.

[gdhaydock]

Hehe, I wondered when you'd get round to starting a thread... is that Crabby's old 101FC in the background in the last pic of the first set?

 

Yep finally got around to doing a thread, yes it was Crabbbies 101 in the background, on a lane near Pately Bridge somewhere IIRC.

 

Minor update in that i've ordered the bits for the front axle today, it seems the king pins are shot on both sides, both swivel housings, and 2 sets of wheel bearings required (+another set of brake cyclinders as the new ones I had just fitted didn't take kindly to the oxypropane, should really have removed them first).

 

Kissed goodbye to £210 on that little lot, ouch, but it needs the bits and its not acheiving anything sat in the corner of the workshop

[gdhaydock]

Nice work!! I've not seen a bearing that bad before. I have just been to eastern Germany and CZ in mine. Only troubles were a loose fan belt and Jubilee clip.

 

This one will be going to Germany in the indeterminate (but hopefully not so distant future) as following a drunken evening in a pub me and few other series land rover owners (all of which have been off the road for a similar amount of time) decided it would be a good idea to take them to Germany for a lap of the Nurburgring!!! Unfortunately after sobering up, no-one had forgotton or wished to deny that the conversation had ever taken place.

 

This is whats suddenly spurred this project into life.

 

I'm also no stranger to taking rusty shite originally built in solihull to Eastern Europe. In 2004, (another drunken discussion) saw me offereing to drive a 1981 Range Rover classic to Poland on behalf of an aquaintance who was moving there and needed assistance taking his 'fleet' I only saw the vehicle for the 1st time a week before we set off, it had just enough MOT to get it out of the UK and broke down 3 times when I took it back to my house to load it up for the trip. At this point to say I was 'bricking it' about the trip was understatment and had a frantic week doing a service and replacing all of the ignition components to try and make it run on more than 2 cylinders.

 

Anyhow, it made it to Poland without a hitch, averaged 22mpg whilst crossing Holland and Germany over a 2 day period on the back roads as part of a 5 vehicle convoy. We had a great 2 weeks holiday whilst out there and then got a plane home.

[scruff]

Good man, my friends did a lap on the way back in two S1s, first gear on some of the hills

 

Best of luck with it

[knacklers yard]

This thread isn't helping. As good as the Maverick is, I really fancy a nicely battered Series Landy.

 

 

thread invasion from the opposition.......

 

[gdhaydock]

Box of bits arrived this morning - guess theres an axle rebuild happening over the weekend ......

[John F]

Box of bits arrived this morning - guess theres an axle rebuild happening over the weekend ......

 

Full house down at the unit then... I'm planning to do a bit of work on Mick's old trailer, since there's naff-all chance of getting anywhere near the Mas until the 109 Station Wagon is off the ramps

[gdhaydock]

Full house down at the unit then... I'm planning to do a bit of work on Mick's old trailer, since there's naff-all chance of getting anywhere near the Mas until the 109 Station Wagon is off the ramps

 

Didn't think the 109 was blocking the Maserati? Just the collection of trolley jacks, engine crane and cast off 109 floor panels in the way

[John F]

Full house down at the unit then... I'm planning to do a bit of work on Mick's old trailer, since there's naff-all chance of getting anywhere near the Mas until the 109 Station Wagon is off the ramps

 

Didn't think the 109 was blocking the Maserati? Just the collection of trolley jacks, engine crane and cast off 109 floor panels in the way

 

Yep, plus any other assorted shit that might have accumulated over the last couple of days.

[gdhaydock]

Had a minor session this evening spending about 2 hours removing the chrome swivel ball from one end of the axle, ..... it was tight, then the dog trashed the inspection light, grrrr.......

 

Discovred another bearing in the end of axle case which is trashed (and didn't come with the swivel case), arse that means I need to frind one of those in the morning. More later

[John F]

Guessing I'll be down the unit early afternoon - since my Disco's got OMG HGF I'll have to borrow Andy's Disco or BMW to get the trailer down there.

[gdhaydock]

Guessing I'll be down the unit early afternoon - since my Disco's got OMG HGF I'll have to borrow Andy's Disco or BMW to get the trailer down there.

 

K-Seal ?

[John F]

I was actually thinking of hammering a Freelander head gasket over it.

[gdhaydock]

A funny old day today, quite productive, but with a good chunk of outside assistance.

 

Friday night saw the removal of the swivel housings from the end of the axle, they proved to be in right old state, I also discovered that another set of bearings in the axle end was required on top of those already aquired.

 

Saturday morning saw a quick trip to the shop to obtain these and the relevant oil seals.

 

All relevant components cleaned in the parts washer, new brake pipes made up as required, new bearings pressed into the chrome swivels which required fabrication of a special 'pusher' (made out of an old piston turned down to the appropriate diameter in the lathe)

 

Swivel hosuing and new king pins reassembled on the axle, big thanks to NRG for services rendered to today.

 

Knackered swivel ball

 

Bits after cleaning

 

Rialko bush being pressed into bearing

 

New brake pipe made up and attached to back plate

 

Special tool for pushing half shaft bearings in

 

After reassembley (As far as we got today)

 

Bonus shot of some of the other workshop residents after they'd borrowed my discovery to collect this "trailer" (Faces obscured to protect the 'guilty')

[knacklers yard]

so what ever happened to the end of this minor epic?

 

[gdhaydock]

Some twunt parked an Iveco bus in the way and its now a bit buried

[knacklers yard]

Some twunt parked an Iveco bus in the way and its now a bit buried

[gdhaydock]

Anyway, I'd quietly forgotton about this minor epic until someone exhumed the thread. Needless to say tt's now sitting in the front of my mind along with the Calibra that needs an MOT, anti roll bar links and the cause of overfuelling investigating and the disco which needs it's belt tensioners replacing.

[knacklers yard]

holy thread resurrection batman!

just thought ah'd remind yer 

[gdhaydock]

holy thread resurrection batman!

just thought ah'd remind yer 

No major panic just yet as theres no sign of the 2 109's gracing Tarmac legally this month (or next).. Let alone a trip to Germany

[drivewaymyway]

Fancy trying to resurrect this puppy ? I recon the Farmer has dumped it in front of this gate to stop unwashed getting in..