2006 Toyota Land Cruiser - Still Here, Somehow.

[Dobloseven]

Japanese, M8, run forever, that will! 

[St.Jude]

Maybe I’m cursed.

Several things happened here.

I thought I had wedged the wood properly so it wouldn’t move. It didn’t, side ways at least.

Went a different way home that involved a country lane.

Met some cunt who thought nothing of coming down a blind hill at speed. My brakes work very well, stops on a dime. Stops too well.

Dashcam doesn’t work.

Its running well besides!

[RoverFolkUs]

Clearly the car gods decided that an MOT pass was simply too much luck for your own good, so gave you another dose of misfortune 🤣

[St.Jude]

4 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Clearly the car gods decided that an MOT pass was simply too much luck for your own good, so gave you another dose of misfortune 🤣

Indeed. It was going too well for too long!

[bezzabsa]

at least the wood survived!!!

[St.Jude]

So it’s been over two years since I was at the side of the road with no wipers after buying the car. 

Today I put 500kgs of sand, cement etc in the back of it, with nearly 2,000 miles put on it since the suspension was sorted.

It’s behaving itself so far, but it looked a bit on the wonk before the bags went in. Can’t work out if it’s the car park it was on or not.

I will say though that the harsh ride does tend to come back a bit, but putting it to H and then back sorts it. I don’t think the 3rd party height sensors are doing their job properly.

[AnnoyingPentium]

55 minutes ago, St.Jude said:

putting it to H

[Dave_Q]

He wishes she'd go 300 hectares on a single tank of kerosene 

[St.Jude]

17 minutes ago, Dave_Q said:

He wishes she'd go 300 hectares on a single tank of kerosene 

You're not wrong! But I am getting a steady 28mpg from it.

[St.Jude]

Well, well, well. Guess what’s broken?

The drivers side air bag has gone pop again! Same way as before, I see the bracket has bent down. Pulling out from a friends driveway, 90 degree turn pulling to 40mph. I heard something go “TUNG”, it felt weird, I thought it was from the front but the springs look fine.

So that’s it. Garage who did the work before have been emailed about it, but that’s the last I’m spending on it. Once it’s fixed it’s going to AutoTrader.

[St.Jude]

An update - I've had no update. @worldofceri dropped it off Friday morning and I've had complete radio silence. So I've sent them an email this afternoon asking for an update so we'll see what happens.

Annoyingly though someone is interested in buying it but wants a video of it. Well I can't take a video of a fucking car I don't have!!!

[St.Jude]

Well just like that I've a reply.

Good news! It's a free repair. Why? Well here's the bad news - their mechanic who did the job didn't know the air suspension bag should be attached to the chassis with a clip. So yeah, that is apparently what the problem was. Great to know when an hour before it went I was on the motorway with my family in it.

Finding out when I can collect it. Sooner it's here sooner it can fuck off on AutoTrader.

[mercedade]

So it didn't break, it was broken by the mechanic?

Still not a mojo restorer?

[DeanH]

Is this not a better the devil you know scenario? Not sure I'd be selling.

EDIT: Was rushing before but my thoughts were if you intended to pay for a repair that is now free then why not give it a chance? If it breaks again, pay for it and sell.

[puddlethumper]

I agree with @DeanH. You've sorted it and with the bag done it sounds like a pretty good Shotgun now. I think you should take a minute before considering selling. You know, if you like it and handy for stuff and things it's worth a calm consideration. 

[Dave_Q]

I think if we were keeping score, this minor result on the repair makes it 27-1 to the car on aggregate so I can see why it's getting punted while it's working 

[St.Jude]

2 hours ago, mercedade said:

So it didn't break, it was broken by the mechanic?

Still not a mojo restorer?

Nope. I’ve about as much mojo for the Rover as I do this.

Like @Dave_Q has said it’s been an ungrateful prick of a thing and I’ve given it plenty of chances. I’ve put my hard earned in to it and it just goes “fuck you, I want more”. Plus I stand a better chance of getting a good price for it with it working and 11 months MOT before OMFGSNOKAOS.

Of course, the next whip I get will probably try and fuck me but that’ll be different. It will be bought at bangernomics money and scrapped if anything costs more than £300 to sort.

[St.Jude]

Currently at the tyre place getting the tracking done, as it pulls to the left. Has done since I got it, but you know if you’re gonna test drive it it wants to be good.

Tyre man has had a Land Cruiser for 14 years. Loves it. Comments on how good it is underneath.

We spot a hole where the hanger goes on to the middle box 😂😂

There are three other hangers on this box, so if/when it drops it won’t strand the new owner.

 

***
 

whatever happened the above post didn’t save. So I’m now home after getting the tracking done. The rear is out but there’s nothing to adjust unfortunately. The fronts are Bob on.

It’s pulling to the left still. Probably more pronounced really as to keep it straight you have the wheel in a way where the indicator stalk is hidden. I’m inclined to think now that the steering wheel would be best served by being removed and placed at the appropriate 12 o’clock position. Not even joking.

Anyway, proper* underneath shots.

It isn’t too bad underneath.

[Dobloseven]

Tyres can make a car pull to one side Mismatched, worn at different rates, different ages. Stick four new Cross Climates on and it'll be good as gold. Apparently other tyres are available but wouldn't know for sure! 

[camryv6]

Or try swapping the front tyres from left to right, it is cheaper

 

[bezzabsa]

wanna buy a bini??????

free delivery too LOL

[St.Jude]

I'll try tyre pressures tomorrow, then maybe swap tyres left/right.

I've driven it today, it's not been cleaned yet, because I wanted to shift stuff from my unit to my garage today. Which it did. The K-Series engine is still there though so I may go back and get it tomorrow. I've got to bring a big bag of shite to the tip tomorrow morning in it.

I won't lie, I've not got my mojo back for this but at the same time I feel like I am playing pontoon/blackjack and I've got 19 in front of me and wondering whether to stick or twist for the best. I'm still leaning to getting rid of it, especially as now it's got some funky shit going on where the parking sensor beeps 3 times when I'm pulling away from a stop. Never done it before it broke last time, now it's doing it. The rear sensors have stopped working (that happened a few weeks ago) but I wonder if these beeps are occurring from the rear. That's an easy enough fix, there's a switch in the back to turn them off when you're towing.

Oh and the one who was interested in the car - I had a quick look at his Facebook profile. There's enough on there to make me not continue talking to him. But I guess it's the clientele I'll be encountering when selling this thing privately.

[lesapandre]

On 8/7/2023 at 5:32 PM, St.Jude said:

Maybe I’m cursed.

Several things happened here.

I thought I had wedged the wood properly so it wouldn’t move. It didn’t, side ways at least.

Went a different way home that involved a country lane.

Met some cunt who thought nothing of coming down a blind hill at speed. My brakes work very well, stops on a dime. Stops too well.

Dashcam doesn’t work.

Its running well besides!

That's also happened to me. A kitchen work surface went through the windscreen of a Defender V8. Sorry to hear.

[lesapandre]

1 hour ago, St.Jude said:

I'll try tyre pressures tomorrow, then maybe swap tyres left/right.

I've driven it today, it's not been cleaned yet, because I wanted to shift stuff from my unit to my garage today. Which it did. The K-Series engine is still there though so I may go back and get it tomorrow. I've got to bring a big bag of shite to the tip tomorrow morning in it.

I won't lie, I've not got my mojo back for this but at the same time I feel like I am playing pontoon/blackjack and I've got 19 in front of me and wondering whether to stick or twist for the best. I'm still leaning to getting rid of it, especially as now it's got some funky shit going on where the parking sensor beeps 3 times when I'm pulling away from a stop. Never done it before it broke last time, now it's doing it. The rear sensors have stopped working (that happened a few weeks ago) but I wonder if these beeps are occurring from the rear. That's an easy enough fix, there's a switch in the back to turn them off when you're towing.

Oh and the one who was interested in the car - I had a quick look at his Facebook profile. There's enough on there to make me not continue talking to him. But I guess it's the clientele I'll be encountering when selling this thing privately.

I'd just switch them off. 

Like your ac - my LC had a rear heater - I've just by-passed and cut the whole lot out. All this gubbins can be disregarded IMHO. I'd hang on to it. They are incredible vehicles...and winter is coming...

[lesapandre]

On 9/15/2023 at 5:00 PM, St.Jude said:

Currently at the tyre place getting the tracking done, as it pulls to the left. Has done since I got it, but you know if you’re gonna test drive it it wants to be good.

Tyre man has had a Land Cruiser for 14 years. Loves it. Comments on how good it is underneath.

We spot a hole where the hanger goes on to the middle box 😂😂

There are three other hangers on this box, so if/when it drops it won’t strand the new owner.

 

***
 

whatever happened the above post didn’t save. So I’m now home after getting the tracking done. The rear is out but there’s nothing to adjust unfortunately. The fronts are Bob on.

It’s pulling to the left still. Probably more pronounced really as to keep it straight you have the wheel in a way where the indicator stalk is hidden. I’m inclined to think now that the steering wheel would be best served by being removed and placed at the appropriate 12 o’clock position. Not even joking.

Anyway, proper* underneath shots.

It isn’t too bad underneath.

If you get time I'd Vatcan, or equivalent, on the underside before anything nasty gets hold...winter is coming...👍

[RoverFolkUs]

On 9/15/2023 at 5:00 PM, St.Jude said:

It’s pulling to the left still. Probably more pronounced really as to keep it straight you have the wheel in a way where the indicator stalk is hidden. I’m inclined to think now that the steering wheel would be best served by being removed and placed at the appropriate 12 o’clock position. Not even joking.

This can be corrected during the tracking, they are supposed to set the steering wheel dead ahead and then the front wheels are checked for trueness against the real wheels to centre the steering.

I suspect they may have only paid attention to toe? But this should have been picked up if they've been thorough enough to check the rear. 

To tell if it's tracking or something else, if it's tracking it should wander off left or right with the steering wheel straight ahead, and then go straight if you maintain the wheel slightly off centre. This would be generally the same at crawling speeds and higher speeds.

If you have to fight the steering to go in a straight line then it's not likely to be tracking, e.g if you need to hold it or fight it slightly left or right to stay in a straight line then it could be tyre, something bent, something worn, etc etc.  Again, if it's the latter then something should still have flagged up during the alignment. But it wouldn't be rectifiable by adjusting toe

Definitely swap the front wheels from left to right. 

TLDR: is the car centering itself ok and driving in a straight line but with the steering wheel off-centre, or are you actively fighting it to drive in a straight line?

[St.Jude]

8 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

This can be corrected during the tracking, they are supposed to set the steering wheel dead ahead and then the front wheels are checked for trueness against the real wheels to centre the steering.

I suspect they may have only paid attention to toe? But this should have been picked up if they've been thorough enough to check the rear. 

To tell if it's tracking or something else, if it's tracking it should wander off left or right with the steering wheel straight ahead, and then go straight if you maintain the wheel slightly off centre. This would be generally the same at crawling speeds and higher speeds.

If you have to fight the steering to go in a straight line then it's not likely to be tracking, e.g if you need to hold it or fight it slightly left or right to stay in a straight line then it could be tyre, something bent, something worn, etc etc.  Again, if it's the latter then something should still have flagged up during the alignment. But it wouldn't be rectifiable by adjusting toe

Definitely swap the front wheels from left to right. 

TLDR: is the car centering itself ok and driving in a straight line but with the steering wheel off-centre, or are you actively fighting it to drive in a straight line?

They could only do the front because the rear was indeed out but there doesn’t seem to be any sort of adjustment possible on the back. My Peugeot 107 has always been a bit out on the back but again it has no adjustment in it.

The car isn’t cantering. I have to actively steer right to keep it going straight ahead.

[St.Jude]

All credit to this thing. It decided to help me identify tyre pressures this morning.

FML. I noticed it yesterday at the petrol station but thought that’s how it looks on 29psi!

[loserone]

More accurate than most dashboard display faults

[St.Jude]

All credit to the people who may have screwed up on the suspension though. I think I checked the pressure once on that tyre and that was a week before we went to France last year. But, more importantly, they fixed the latch for the spare wheel cover. The lock was seized, and I had it soaked in every product I had, and I couldn't get it free. So it was attached by cable ties. Imagine my delight when I put the key in thinking I'll have to battle it, and it just opened straight away.

Not impressed with the bottle jack, or my own capabilities as I hadn't quite got it square on to the diff. Moment I put the new tyre on the jack slipped. But for the grace of God or whoever I need to thank, the top lug of the hub had slipped in to the alloy, so it didn't full on fall to the floor. I wasn't under it thankfully, but it's these things that remind you to take your time and don't fuck about.

Also thanks to the deity who saved me earlier for not allowing the wheel to bounce against the wife's Merc that she parked too fucking close to my Land Cruiser this morning!