I've got an old magnetic key box I got off billy. If you want it, I can bring it along next weekend.

Well finally back on 4 wheels and moving! The police turned up at my folks' place on Monday as someo e had complained about the truck on axle stands blocking the footpath. They were happy enough that if it was moved by this weekend then it should be ok.

I'm not going to do the rebuild on th driver's side yet as I simply don't have the time and need the car on the road again.

I'll come back down next weekend to bleed the brakes, refit the arb, fit the new front shock on the O/S and tidy it up a little so it is ready for the test this week.

The truck has felt even slower than normal and really struggled with some of the hills on my commute. I've noticed it eating more fuel than normal, being smokey as hell and sometimes troublesome to start. I've ordered an egr blanking kit (no cooler on my truck anyway but wondering if the valve could be sticky), a new fuel filter and some forte diesel treatment to hopefully sort the problem...

After these are done I think the first thing for the holiday to do list is new stack pipes....

Truck looks might good Rob! Bigger and better 😁

Cheers it's just needing a little tlc at the moment as it is getting on a bit!

What's up with her?

Rear prop is pretty tired and it's making more clunks and rattles than it used to. Seems to be using more fuel than before too. Just put a new fuel filter on and ran some diesel treatment through it. Seems less smokey than before and maybe got a little bit of power back but still down around 100 miles a tank on what I usually get...

Been a pretty productive week on the truck

First of was to sort out the rear prop after the rear uj let go.
I picked up the prop from stormy's truck from Allan. All the ujs were in very good order but the centre bear was showing signs of failing so I swapped it for the one off my broken prop as it still has life in it. I also ordered a new one so that I have brand new ujs and bearing just in case!

Now that it is fitted the truck is much more pleasant to drive. The middle uj in the old prop was fine but I think the holes in he shaft were slightly ovalled meaning there was a little play and I got a lot of judder on pulling away. All gone now, happy days

Next off, went to lamancha and did this....



Awesome fun and I love how the truck looks muddy but it was a complete mess. Went and gave it a very quick clean


The next thing I did was for the universal k&n Apollo that I bought. I picked it up for £40 which is reasonable I think but the rep is allegedly over £120 which is a joke for what you get! It looks solid enough but the cone is plastic rather than alloy. Other than that it seems ok and was a lot better than paying the near £100 that second hand l200 ones to for.

I offered it up to the intake hose and it was bloody tight! I ended up opening out the end of the hose a touch with the drill and Stanley blade.

I'll need to get a jubilee clip for it some point.

Next up I needed a bracket to secure it so myself and biscuits broke out his arc welder (he wanted practice) and did this.

It does the job and I have since painted it to look a little prettier.

Next came the winch.
I gave it a quick test in he garage to make sure it was running which it was
Managed to get it fitted into the bumper without too many dramas.

Next I had to puzzle as to where the control bad would go.... I didn't want it in the bumper where it had been before and had freed up space where the air filter used to be with the Apollo but I decided to put it up near he battery as there was space and I could make use of some redundant brackets in that corner.

I bent the bracket that goes around the fuel filter (diesel preheater - not used on uk trucks) and bolted the control box to it using an existing hole. I then made a bracket for the isolator and placed it next to the fuse box using one of its bolt holes. I wanted the isolator in the engine bay as it means that I'll have to raise the bonnet before winching so that if anything lets go it'll hit the bonnet rather than going through the screen!

I ended up with this...


I then had to extend the wires...
I had a roll of 20mm^2 earth cable that was used for high power audio systems. It looks the same sort of thickness as what was attached to the winch already. I fitted the 8mm ring terminals that I bought (had to drill out two to 10mm for the isolator)
I also had to extend the earth wire for the control box (easy enough).

Once connected I tried to run the winch to pull the rope onto the drum and all I got was clicking from the control box....
Did a little bit of wiggling connections and it sprung into life! The ring terminal on the blue (armature) lead hadn't crimped very well. This meant that the motor was getting a shaky connection and it got very hot! Once fixed it was fine.

Another thing that I will have to do is get new battery terminals as mine are very worn. This can also cause connection problems and make things get way too hot as well!

Tested it by winching biscuits' Clio 182 turbo around and it seems to do the job nicely

Good bit of work done Rob.

looking good mate you have been busy.

Nice one Rob,lookin good....

Good work, Rob Well done!

Nice work Rob. Playing it a bit fast and loose with the word clean there buddy! 😉

Lol it's clean(er)!

Did a little bit more today after I got home from Al's replaced the smashed rear reflector and foglight and removed the sidesteps in preparation for putting on the rocksliders.

Quick update...

I've done a good few miles since fitting the k&n. The truck does seem a lot more eager and seems to have lost some of the flat spots that it had. I went up a long hill on the 'slug' road back from work today and there was definitely more oomph!

Also thought I'd better start a to do list for the summer hols and before clog next weekend:

Paint and fit bash plates
Cut/reweld/paint and fit rocksliders (if I have time)
Sort sticking front diff actuator (flashing 4wd light)
Fix cigarette lighter socket
Replace rocker cover gasket and do tappets
Treat chassis with KBS frame coater
Fix canopy side window seals
Sort dent and worst of the scratches in the tub
Replace fuel tank and stack pipes
Oil + filter change
Fit new dipstick tube to replace cracked one
Replace inspection plate gasket
Recondition callipers and buy discs for bigger brake upgrade
Renew vac pipes
Extend diff breathers
Sort spare wheel storage
Blank egr
Rebuild O/S front suspension/driveshaft and wheel bearings
Change gear/transfer and diff oils
Make protection plate to go on winch bumper brackets
Replace fuel filter primer
Modify gear levers and refit centre console
Patch rear in drivers seat
Sort locking wheel nuts
Get locking axle and difflock set up
Get spot lights for front bumper


Just a little bit to do then....

Got the sliders fitted today...

This pic shows the bracket at the wrong angle.

Cut re welded it. I realised that if I flipped the sliders upside down it would take care of the 2 inch lift. As willbob said, the paint finish is pretty bad. I'm gonna go back over the weld then Paint em black


After I fitted them I noticed the truck had started dropping quite a bit if diesel. Great! Looks like I'll be doing all of those horrible stack pipes too

looks good mate

Some list Rob,a quick rub down on the sliders and Hamerite matt black spray paint and you'll have the orange paint sorted

Tidy Rob,likeing them there sliders....

Finally sorted the fuel system...

Parts replaced:
Stack pipes
Tank
Feed and return lines replaced with flexi
Filter housing with lift pump.

The truck feels a lot more keen now. I felt it was down on power for a while and it struggled with hills more than usual. I'm thinking this has been a fuel pressure issue as the lines were failing.

In other news, I decided that one rusty old car just isn't enough soooo........





Collecting it at the end of the month. Definitely a fixer upper! Heard it running and seems ok. Has a bit of the standard mk3 gti rot behind the arch and sill trims but it gives me something I can practice my welding on. Also if I decide it's too far gone I can break it and sell the engine and wheels and I'll have made my money back

Productive day today
Fixed the cigarette lighter
Tightened front wheel bearings
Did oil and filter change
Replaced dipstick tube for non cracked one
Did rocker cover gasket with metal half moon seal.

The truck feels a lot nicer to drive seems to be straining a lot less

wow well done mate u have been busy

Good going, she'll be well healthy feeling now

Truck made it up north no bother

Starter motor has packed in

FFS!!!!!

Never rains but it pours