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Who is doing what maintenance today?

I did something similar years ago with an old trolley from work when I was rebuilding a Ford V6 to go in the Sierra. When the job was done I scrapped the trolley but wish I'd kept it.
 
Cheap chinese snorkel fitted. A pain in the arse but it works.
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Just finished comprehensive front and rear axle overhaul. Cleaned every thread and non-replaceable part, replaced everything bar the axles/CVs, hubs and knuckles - every stud, bolt, nut, washer, gasket, bearing etc.... Took two people 16 hours, 12 to do the front, 4 for the back. It was the cleaning and the thread tapping that took the bulk of the time. Immensely glad I won’t have to do that again in a hurry!
 
Replaced rear tailgate rams today, simple job and only £13 for the pair. I now don't walk into my boot anymore.

Fab'd up a fold flat Ali windshield for my stove too.
Working out where to mount a small air receiver.

Also postman turned up with;
Full iron Man foam cell pro set up.
New steering rack
Rack bushes
Rear axle wheel bearings + inner and outer seals


Going to be a good few weeks of fun.
 
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It was Grabber at2's. Plenty of tread left but now 6 years old and getting a bit hard. A bit skittish on wet roads. Ko2's feel better straight away. Still got the old tyres and they're up for sale if anyone wants them.
 
Got around to replacing the lower ball joints on the front of the 90 this morning. I count myself very lucky to still have a functioning cruiser, and all my whatsits intact, after the nearside ball failed, luckily at zero mph and in my own yard. Could have been catastrophic out in the road. My own fault for not changing them out sooner.

The only downside was having to do the work outside where it sat, in the cold and showers, as it was immobile with a broken joint... All while the warm dry workshop looked on 10 yards away... Anyway both sides done and without any drama. This should definitely be a sticky of some sort in the 90 series section.
 
Changed mine a few months ago just to be on the safe side. In the past someone had changed one of them!!
 
Nothing on the 80 but cleaned the wheels for the beemer, it's on the winters so gives chance.

Full decontamination, polished, sealed with a ceramic sealant then ceramic wheel wax.

makes them really easy to keep clean
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got the rebuilt ARB air locked rear diff back in, cost me a portion of a finger getting it out nearly 6 weeks ago, bloody good feeling driving it again :)
 
Last year I installed a large Colchester Lathe in the workshop - which meant removing the wood burner to make room. Its bloomin' freezing out there.

Despite this I am slowly getting on with replacing the sills on the '100' (without much enthusiasm). I cut out the O/S Sill, Rocker Panel and Outer skin and got the new Sill panel welded in - badly. In fact, the worst set of welds of my life, it didn't help that I was running out of 'Argoshield'.

The lower half of the Rocker panel and the outer skin had gone so new panels are being fabricated out of 1.4mm sheet. I also have to re-build the rear wheel arch liner. Yup - these things can rust.

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The Rocker Panel is now in and painted . . Thankfully it won't be seen (but it is strong!).

I have fabricated the lower edge of the outer skin and I think it will fit well. The challenge is to weld it together neatly as that WILL be seen by the MOT Tester.

I need to get more gas, I'm using Argon at the moment and that doesn't work well with a MIG Welder, I need some mixed gas. I may TIG the outer skin, I'll see how things go.

Once this side is done I have to do the same to the other side, then clean and paint the underside of the floor pan, de-rust and paint the chassis and do all the usual maintenance work such as front swivel joints, brake lines, caliper re-builds and on . . and on . . and on . .

I don't expect this to be back on the road before April at this rate.

Bob.
 
There were more recent pictures on the camera !

Rocker Panel lower seam ground flat - ready for the next layer to be welded on - and given a coat of 'Smoothrite' for luck (I'll clean off where I'll be welding).

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New lower portion of the outer skin being trial-fitted, it needs a bit of 'fettling' to get it to sit right.

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What's left of the outer skin being offered-up for fit. Still a lot more to do with this.

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I've now trimmed the rough lower edge of the outer skin and trimmed and 'jiggled' the edge of the repair panel to give as smooth a junction as I can. None of this is perfect and there are tensions in there. The next problem is how to attach the two pieces to the car body - which sequence would be best ?

Ideally I'd like to weld the old and new panels together on the bench then weld the lower edge before tackling the join just below the doors . . . But I think that would end in tears unless I clamp and tack everything before I commit to the welded seam. More pondering required.

I'll get there eventually.

Bob.
 
It's been cold here lately, -20 F this morning(not sure what that is in degrees sCience) so my brother took pity and let me park in his heated shop for the night. Gave her a once over checking fluids, tires, etc. Drained the water separator. Now I'm letting it thaw out and make a mess all over the floor!

So far I haven't had any trouble with starting in the cold or with fuel gelling. I've been using Schaeffer's Diesel Treat 2000 curious what others are using and if they have trouble in very cold conditions.

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Forced maintenance for me today - got in ready to go to work at 6:30 AM this morning, turned the key to start, and it barely did one compression before pooping out and all the relays clicking off! Tried again with the fan off but still futile. It had been slow to crank a few times but always started and so I didn't pay much attention to that at the time.

So went off in the wife's car in search of a new battery at 6:30 AM - tried 2 servos and no luck then remembered the local Bunnings (DIY store) has them and opens at 6. So I drove over there, grabbed one and then went home to fit it. Started fine and then got to work about 45mins late but better than nothing.

The old battery is from 2017 so maybe it was just on the way out - I didn't have time to check voltages etc but I'll do that tonight just to make sure the alternator isn't on the way out too. Battery light is on at KOEO and off at KOER, so I am hoping it was just the battery.
 
Oooooops :doh:.

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Wifie reported a 'grinding noise when braking' in the 2013 Ford Grand C-MAX . . . . Its due a service next month but it beat me to it .

Rear offside caliper is very tight and the outer pad (and disk) are toast. The other pads are fine.

Ho Hum - new disks, pads and a combination tool for winding-back the handbrake calipers and all will be well. I really should spend more time checking the 'ordinary' cars instead of just worrying about the big Toyota rust-buckets.

Bob.
 
Quick minor service on the 120 . oil change with new genuine filter, new fuel filter ( done 15k) checked air filter , like new. Recently had cambelt, tensioner, and auxiliary belt changed along with the injectors. I like to change the oil every 5K cos a clean engine is a happy engine.
While it was on the ramp gave it another 2 cans of M/C chain lube to the underneath, my way of rust prevention.
Oiled all the hinges and locks inc the fuel flap and bonnet catch.

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