"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
12/17/2018 at 15:03 • Filed to: Disco Inferno
8
14|
"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
12/17/2018 at 15:03 • Filed to: Disco Inferno | 8
| 14 |
We’re leaving for our Big Bend trip in like... five days and the Disco is still in pieces. Oh dear...
Luckily, despite my alarmist headline, it is pretty close to ready. The driveshaft is back in, the interior is mostly reassembled, and technically I could drive it without the passenger door card.
So what has been done?
1) Parking Brake
Well... not as much as I’d hope. I finally fixed the parking brake and that seems to be working now.
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1b) Flex coupling
As I had to remove the rear propshaft to get at the parking brake, I went ahead and replaced the rear flexible coupling. It was pretty rough....
But hadn’t actually started to fail, just spider a bit. Easy and cheap job.
2) Diff Locks (again)
I also tore down the interior so I could fix my home-made diff-lock linkage. As it turns out if you button everything up but forget to actually tighten stuff down and then just “send it,” eventually that shit will wiggle loose and stop working.
That done, the Landy’s transfer case is once again full featured. There is an additional, optional, mod that I’m looking at doing. Basically it tricks the transmission ECU into thinking the CDL is always disengaged and that is... good.
Long story, but yeah I might do it if I have time.
3) Passenger window frame (again)
Ever since I went through the gyrations of replacing the passenger side door lock, I didn’t get the window frame properly aligned and therefore had some wind noise. Before driving 2200 miles, I figured I should fix that.
Unfortunately this meant once again disturbing the frankly excellent factory vapor barrier. Sadly, the second disturbance proved too much, which the coming off with the duct tape I added during my first incursion.
The adjustment was pretty straightforward: loosen bolts, raise frame, tighten bolts.
Unfortunately, with it being December, I wasn’t trusting the new duct tape to stick well for re-assembly, so I needed to break out the garage heater to get everything sufficiently toasty before application.
That done, the interior went back together with minimal fuss and we got to move on to...
4) Fixing the 12V accessories
So I did a pretty newb boo boo on our last offroading trip: I tired to run two tire infiltrators off the same 12V splitter. That was... pretty dumb. I want to say that I looked up the amperage of the pumps and decided it would be OK... but that doesn’t seem likely. Anyway, I blew the fuse in my 12V splitter and have yet to source a replacement.
I went to Harbor Freight, but sadly they were out of their 12V fuse assortment. Ahh well, a trip to my local auto supply store sorted that out without too much fuss.
5) ABS Sensor
To fix or not to fix, that was the question. The ABS/ TC system in a Disco is the... well maybe not the heart, but certainly a component is making the Disco good offroad. My driver’s side front wheel speed sensor has been acting up for the better part of a year. While the sensor itself is likely just gooped up with mud, it is a completely pain to get to as it requires removing the brakes.
That said, it has been behaving itself for several months, so it is possible it cleared itself?
I think I am going to go the sleeping dogs route here and just... leave it. Now that I have a working center lock I don’t have to rely on the TC to keep me moving anyway.
6) STICKERS
No trip would be complete without STICKERS. This trip qualifies for our small round logo because it is longer than a long weekend, has all three of us present, but we didn’t buy cars specifically for this trip.
I still can’t get the interior of the 0 and the 8 to stay put in this design. I don’t really use the vinyl cutter enough to be very good at it. From what I’ve ready it appears to be a catch 22 between cutting too deep, which causes the little bits to fall out, or not cutting deep enough and I can’t weed properly.
Will it make it?
Well yeah....
I could drive it off the jack stands right now (not recommended) and send it as is. The remaining work is cosmetic.
Unless something new comes up...
... oh dear now I’ve jinxed it.
HammerheadFistpunch
> Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
12/17/2018 at 15:17 |
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You should just add a second 12v port. Super easy and way more amp carrying capacity than you will ever get out of the factory one. Better yet, buy a compressor with alligator clamps and inflate your tires at a reasonable pace.
I’ve used this one for 5 years, its faster than the ARB one and only let me down once...then I rebuilt it (known problem with the reed valve being wimpy, replaced with valve feeler) and its been going strong since.
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Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
> HammerheadFistpunch
12/17/2018 at 15:22 |
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Oh that is awesome! I’ll add it to the list! After using my friend’s ARB compressor, I am certainly sold on the idea. Before I thought “how much better can a $250 compressor be?” So much better, is the answer.
And yes, I should add one or twelve. Eventually....
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
12/17/2018 at 15:28 |
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I’ m not sold on onboard air, I think it’ s a lot of trouble for a little convenience . B ut a good compressor is invaluable and frankly you shouldn’t be offroad without at least one good compressor. This one is pretty dumb but stout. cheap, reliable, fast.
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Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
> HammerheadFistpunch
12/17/2018 at 15:32 |
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Yeah I agree. Unless you have air lockers I don’t see much point in a permanent install. ARB makes clamp on kits too. If one of those doesn’t show up under the Christmas tree, I’ll be buying myself one of these.
Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> HammerheadFistpunch
12/17/2018 at 15:57 |
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Do you run high-output alternators?
M.T. Blake
> Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
12/17/2018 at 16:00 |
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I really like Land Rovers but due to the potential for shear marathon jobs required to use them... I pass. I’ll be a faithful passenger and turn some bolts but I won’t sign a title to own one.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
12/17/2018 at 16:00 |
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There aren’t any for the cruiser. Some people have had success putting in a Tundra alternator but its a pain. 80 amp isn’t a lot but it seems to be enough for me.
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> HammerheadFistpunch
12/17/2018 at 16:06 |
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You’ve searched? That just doesn’t strike me as something that would be hard to find or have custom made.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
12/17/2018 at 16:11 |
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Oh I’ve searched. There was one company that said they could do a 200 amp version but the reviews were bad and the company is gone.
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Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
> M.T. Blake
12/17/2018 at 16:12 |
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Haha don’t write them off because of my writings alone. This job was made difficult mostly due to inexperience , missing parts, and lack of a lift. I bet it wouldn’t have been much more difficult than servicing a standard parking brake if I’d had a lift and the right parts the first time.
I will say the Land Rover factory service manual (RAVE manual) is one of the best I’ve ever used. Very clear and concise with good descriptions and all the required torques listed in the spec. Good stuff.
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> HammerheadFistpunch
12/17/2018 at 16:23 |
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Surprising. Have you tried just a reputable rebuilder and asking them if they could bump up the output by a bit? Say, an extra 40 amps or so? 50% increase would be significant. It’s the sort of thing that interests me. I have a 35-amp battery charger that requires the certain kind of sine wave inverter and the inverter that I found is rated beyond what the alternator will carry, but my theory is that if I monitor the load, I should be okay. There are 200-amp alternators for my Safari van, but as infrequently as I’d use it, I cant really justify the $300 cost.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
12/17/2018 at 16:26 |
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I’ve thought about it, its due for a rebuild and I have the brushes ready to go but its low on my list. Like I said, its fine for now. What I really need is a way to trick it to boosting the voltage up a few notches so it properly charges AGM batteries. You can buy a special fuse in Australia for this but they flat out REFUSE to sell one out of the country. I need to ask Rufant if he’ll send me one.
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> HammerheadFistpunch
12/17/2018 at 17:09 |
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I bet there are plenty of Australian Oppos who would be more than happy to mail you one of those.
Why the need for that particular type of battery? Why is it different to charge? Couldn’t you just use those gel-type batteries?
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M.T. Blake
> Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
12/17/2018 at 17:40 |
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My buddy has three 95 Rover, 06 Rover, and 12 Rover. He loves them but it was fun to hear him gush about the 06 even when it knocked into gear, he complained it needed a torque converter. If you’ve got the bug it’s epic, apparently. I’ll stick with my Yota, pine after some overpriced Jeeps, and be an excellent supporter of my Land Rover enthusiast friends, I just won’t buy the Landy when they’re over it. :)