JT’s fleet: Range Rover Classic

[horriblemercedes]

On 28/06/2025 at 19:42, J-T said:

 

Upper tailgate is a bastard to shut. I know the ali ones are a pain but this is beyond.

 

They are terrible for it. Some adjustment may help. You'll find that those tailgates are pretty much a consumable part (they really rust) and some replacements fit better than others. You'll probably also notice a gentle click from each side as it unlatches as you drive over bumps.

 

If it is getting rusty, replace it before the glass falls out as this will eventually happen......

[N Dentressangle]

4 minutes ago, horriblemercedes said:

They are terrible for it. Some adjustment may help. You'll find that those tailgates are pretty much a consumable part (they really rust) and some replacements fit better than others. You'll probably also notice a gentle click from each side as it unlatches as you drive over bumps.

 

If it is getting rusty, replace it before the glass falls out as this will eventually happen......

Started on the last page, and read only this post.

Knew straight away what car the OP had bought 🤣

[J-T]

7 hours ago, horriblemercedes said:

They are terrible for it. Some adjustment may help. You'll find that those tailgates are pretty much a consumable part (they really rust) and some replacements fit better than others. You'll probably also notice a gentle click from each side as it unlatches as you drive over bumps.

 

If it is getting rusty, replace it before the glass falls out as this will eventually happen......

It’s already had an aluminium one fitted, I’ll have to try and adjust it as the glass will end up in the boot in 1000 pieces , you have to slam it that hard (and that’s with a hand on either corner).

To be honest, I had a good poke around it and another drive of it yesterday and I don’t know how long I’ll be keeping this. It looks good but really it wants more TLC than I’m prepared to give it, talk about buyer’s remorse. It’s been got at by a gorilla, I went to adjust the upper tailgate and you can’t adjust the striker because the screws have been chewed. I’ve ordered an impact driver but otherwise I’ll have to drill it. I went to adjust the bottom tailgate - cue many missing trim fixings and a cross threaded hinge bolt, looks like they’ve just fired a metric bolt in there. I thought the blowers weren’t working and it appeared the headlights and half the indicators weren’t working… they do work, just not on ignition only, it has to be running (but one side works ignition only). I can tell this will just be the ongoing pattern. One of the swivels seems to have shat all its grease on the way home. 

It drives fairly well but it sort of feels like a collection of parts hanging together as it makes it’s away along, but I get the impression that’s how they are, 1960s design and all that. And Land Rover seem to have forgotten people have elbows - I have to open the door to get the ignition key in.

We’ll see, I’ve ordered a few bits and I’ll see how I get on but I would be lying to say I’m thrilled with it. One day I’ll fucking realise to listen when your gut is telling you something; nearing the age of 40 I thought I’d learnt that, but no “oooh shiny, ohhhh V8 noise, here take all my money”.

[N Dentressangle]

All the tailgates I've ever seen have been butchered that way - they're a shit design and people have been trying for years to make it work properly.

RRC electrics look complicated at first but aren't really that bad. There are a dozen or more relays which control stuff - some in the footwells, some under the dash, some under the seat and some under the bonnet. You're right that it's basically a 60's design which has been added to in a half-arsed piecemeal way over the years, hence why the 'supplement' in the Haynes is nearly as big as the original section... Just think yourself lucky it's not CANBUS, or a P38, or anything modern with many computers and sensors. All you need is a test meter, the wiring diagram and a bit of patience.

Put this stuff in the swivels: https://ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/product/one-shot-grease/ and forget about them. They'll nearly always leak out EP90 if you use that, unless everything's in perfect condition.

[horriblemercedes]

I've never seen one where slamming is the best technique - because the frame is so light and flimsy, the latch just bounces. 

 

Have you tried pushing it to and then giving a short, sharp push in each corner simultaneously? I've usually found they respond best that way 

[J-T]

1 hour ago, N Dentressangle said:

All the tailgates I've ever seen have been butchered that way - they're a shit design and people have been trying for years to make it work properly.

RRC electrics look complicated at first but aren't really that bad. There are a dozen or more relays which control stuff - some in the footwells, some under the dash, some under the seat and some under the bonnet. You're right that it's basically a 60's design which has been added to in a half-arsed piecemeal way over the years, hence why the 'supplement' in the Haynes is nearly as big as the original section... Just think yourself lucky it's not CANBUS, or a P38, or anything modern with many computers and sensors. All you need is a test meter, the wiring diagram and a bit of patience.

Put this stuff in the swivels: https://ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/product/one-shot-grease/ and forget about them. They'll nearly always leak out EP90 if you use that, unless everything's in perfect condition.

That’s part of the issue - the technology is a bit too before my time for me to understand what’s going on, so everything I look at, I’m starting at step 1. Is there a particular manual you’d recommend - I know there’s Haynes, but “Step 1: Remove engine” gets a bit wearing. I reckon I’ll have to do the swivel seal, it looks like runny CV grease, it’s plastered everywhere.

48 minutes ago, horriblemercedes said:

I've never seen one where slamming is the best technique - because the frame is so light and flimsy, the latch just bounces. 

 

Have you tried pushing it to and then giving a short, sharp push in each corner simultaneously? I've usually found they respond best that way 

Yeah, one side is a bit better than the other but one side really needs the striker adjusting, I just wasn’t ready to start warring with ruined fixings. 

[N Dentressangle]

Ah, I see. The Haynes is fine tbh. You'll get used to flipping back and forth from the main section to the supplement 😉

Rebuilding the swivels is actually pretty easy. You'll need a hub spanner like this one https://www.jgs4x4.co.uk/wheel-bearing-hub-nut-box-spanner-defender-discovery-range-rover/ and a fishing / luggage scale to set the pre-load. Have a look at:

You only need to replace the balls (the expensive bit) if they're really bad. Use one-shot grease and it won't leak out unless the balls are totally knackered. You can order the swivel seal kit and bearings separately for about £40 a side.

[J-T]

Well that was a bloody war, but after messing with them for about 3hrs this afternoon, the lower and upper tailgates now shut to an acceptable level.

I started with the lower; re-tapped the ruined hinge thread after ordering new bolts to replace the assortment that were on it. Took all the bolts out, put it in the closed position and managed to get the whole thing shifted down about 3mm. Then undid both side catches and adjusted them, adding some washers until it would shut with a normal amount of force and until the inner handle opened both at the same time without repeatedly braying the handle whilst  pulling the tailgate down as before.

Once this was right I tried shutting the upper tailgate which was now fouling the top of the lower tailgate. I didn’t want to start adjusting that again, so I disconnected the gas struts and loosened the hinge screws. Pushing the whole thing up with the screws loose got me about another 3mm, so tightened it back up and it would shut again but the corner catches were still a twat to get closed. Cue lots of fiddling with the strikers, pushing them out and adjusting the handle rods so it would actually unlatch off the button on one press. You still have to give it a very hard shove with your hand on either end but it’s a lot better than it was.

I do find it quite funny that in the mid nineties, these were still being churned out with panel gaps you could walk through and everything shimmed to ‘fit’.

[EyesWeldedShut]

On 30/06/2025 at 21:09, N Dentressangle said:

Rebuilding the swivels is actually pretty easy. You'll need a hub spanner like this one https://www.jgs4x4.co.uk/wheel-bearing-hub-nut-box-spanner-defender-discovery-range-rover/ and a fishing / luggage scale to set the pre-load. Have a look at

I happen to have one of those that's been doing buggerawl here since about 1996 - it's not pristine but is available for postage only if it's any good to anyone - drop me a PM

[J-T]

Had 10 mins before, so stuck my head under this for a closer look at this swivel.

photo has flipped, but yeah definitely leaking! When I cleaned it off it looks like the seal has somehow deformed at the bottom (again photo has flipped). Swivel ball isnt pitted though.

I was reading some have had success by just removing the plate holding the seal in and cutting the new seal at the top to get it round the swivel, then glue it at the top rather than stripping everything down so I might just have a go at that first.

On another note, does anyone know if you can drop the transmission pan on these without removing the crossmember/brace or the exhaust that runs underneath it? The Haynes doesn’t mention removing these but when I had a look before it looked like it might struggle for clearance and I’d like to do an ATF & filter change.

[kevins]

cutting the seals and putting them on usually resolves most of the leakage.

never done the gearbox sump, just the whole gearbox!