Mat's BX Blog

[mat_fenwick]

Yeah, might have been a touch miffed if the BX had been damaged! I took that for a quick drive at the weekend, to make sure nothing seizes up. It's developed a water leak above the passenger door, which will need sorting ASAP.

The end is in sight for the Discovery welding - I spent Sunday cutting out repair sections and welding them in. Some (poor) photos below...


Around the body to chassis mount I wanted to avoid the multiple layers of metal creating a water trap, so I had to think carefully about how to weld in the pieces. First was a butt welded patch to fill in the wheel arch tub.


Then a larger piece which gave strength and formed the end of the outer sill. This was seam welded all round the edges.


I ended up replacing the top, bottom and outer face of the sill. Outer section still to be welded in at this point.

[Vanny]

Are you going to fill it with that expanding wax oil stuff?

[mat_fenwick]

Expanding? No, I've tried the Bilt Hamber cavity wax - time will tell whether it's any good! I've used galvanised sheet, painted on the outside with galvanising paint, then sealed with PU seam sealer, then body schultz so hopefully the repair will last...

[electrokid]

Glad you're both ok that's the main thing.

There's absolutely no point getting all ... t's worth!

A few years ago I was on a local road in what was my daily drive at the time - Granada Ghia X estate - approaching a roundabout with the car in front signalling left - which then pulled up a bit sharpish to take a small service road just before the roundabout. I was already braking but I now had to brake harder. The car in front had to stop halfway into the service road to let a pedestrian pass and I had to stop too. The driver of the car behind me was on her phone and didn't see me in time so I watched the accident in my rear view mirror - it was quite a thump.

I got out to have a look and so did the other driver's father who was her passenger - I got to the back of my car first but by the time the father joined me I was laughing

I was laughing because I couldn't see any damage at all - didn't expect it on the Granny - tough as old boots and sporting a towbar. Eventually we spotted that her front bumper had been pushed up and broken a headlamp glass slightly - but that was all - lucky for both of us but strangely amusing.

[mat_fenwick]

Nobody hurt, and all forgotten about now. My rule of thumb as to whether something is worth getting worked up about is "Will I still be thinking about it in a year's time?" Of course it's often not easy to think that rationally in the heat of the moment...

Stripped down the trolley jack ram today - you might be able to make out in this crap picture where the problem may be.



The O ring on the bottom of the piston seems to have popped out of its groove. I could have just popped it back in but seeing as I'd just spend almost £2 on a set of seals for it I put a new one in. Reassembly is almost complete, except I have one small fat O ring left over (maybe it's to do with the overload valve, which I’m leaving well alone?) and a conical gauze filter that must have dropped out from I don't know where. Anyone every stripped one down before? Logic says it would probably go between the hydraulic reservoir and the small cylinder, but I can't see where The oil was very dirty too - surprisingly for a closed system.

[mds141]

Put some Hydraflush in Mat!

[Wooscary]

Yeah, and check the tick time.

[mat_fenwick]

All fixed now, and holding pressure



I tested it this weekend by jacking up the Discovery, in order to change the gearbox oil filter. I didn't actually go underneath it whilst supported by a jack, but just used it to lift the front end up so I could slide some ramps underneath (meant I could lift up the end closest to the garage doors and still be able to close them if needs be).

Haynes helpfully gives this job 5 spanners, followed by a thorough description of how to do it in detail:

This is an involved operation, and is best entrusted to a Land Rover dealer.

How hard can it be? Actually, not that tricky at all, but did take about 8 hours. First had to remove the exhaust system, which I managed without snapping any manifold studs (although at first glance I thought I wouldn't have a hope - they were incredibly stuck). Then had to drop down a crossmember underneath the 'box, which appears to be an interference fit between the chassis legs. I put a bottle jack between the legs to prise them apart a touch, and then dropped the sump.



Then just put everything back together! I greased the propshafts whilst I was under there - a very satisfying job but one which appears not be often missed. Talking to people about drivetrain slack in older Land Rovers they all say it's a common problem, but when you ask them how regularly they grease the sliding joints and UJs I'm often greeted with a blank look! I checked for more rust, and was pleasantly surprised not to see any, although the boot floor will need replacing I think in the next 2-3 years - the seams are swelling a little.

[mds141]

Nice job Mat. I did a auto fluid change in the XM this summer. One of those jobs that seems difficult, but once done is actually very easy. Dexron 2 is cheap, so I'll be doing the auto fluid at every oil and filter change. Just don't forget the magnets!!

[mat_fenwick]

The only difficult bit was actually getting at the gearbox! Everything copper greased now, so should be easier next time.

No snow this morning, apart from a very light dusting on the mountain tops - it's views like this on my way to work that make me realise that (despite all my moaning at the rain) we are really very lucky to be able to live here.

[Dollywobbler]

Same here. Sadly I was working (fortunately on the buses) so didn't get any photos of stunning scenery and white-capped hills. I did get to enjoy the views though, even if low level sun proves that you can have too much of a good thing...

[mat_fenwick]

Finally got round to working on my angle grinder - I'd assumed that the problem was the usual brush replacement, and TBH had ordered spares (~£4 delivered) even before I'd stripped it down. But when I took it apart fully I could see that there was a short one one of the armature windings. To make matters worse, the part number in my parts list didn't seem to be available online; every site suggested to email for a price. Fortunately, it turns out that it's been superseded by an improved design, so even after 10+ years they're still supporting it.

Not cheap at £36, but less than it would cost to buy a new equivalent grinder. Everything else felt in as new condition (surprising given the use it's had!), and as it also includes bearings I decided to go for it. There is the argument that I could go out and buy a cheap replacement for £15, which would probably last a few years. Who knows, the total cost of ownership might be similar in the long run? But there is a certain pleasure from repairing something, that you just don't get (I don't at least) from throwing something away and buying new.

[citsncycles]

When I was doing a lot of welding for other people I used to have 2 grinders set up, one with a cutting disc and the 2nd with either a grinding or sanding disk. My current grinder is a Black and Decker professional that I've owned 16 years, and has taken all the abuse I could hurl at it in that time. A cheap grinder would last me 6 months max if I didn't try cutting anything with it - if I tried cutting steel with it I'd get about 10 minutes out of it before it burned out!

[Vanny]

ive got a 10quid aldi grinder that ive had for 10years ish, its had some serious abuse, 1 set of brushes, still going strong.

[mat_fenwick]

And there's the thing - I'm not sure cost to buy always directly translates to lifetime before failure. Buying a quality branded item does mean that you'll be able to get parts for it after 10 years, which I doubt that you would from an Aldi special. But at £10 for a new one, who cares?! Apart from that nice warm feeling from repairing something...