what is the real story on rover 'fixings'?

[kwd509]

Pulled from a prior thread, the question of 'fixings' sizes and tools seems recurrent.
I'm a newbie and had mentioned that in my pending recovery (this weekend) I have the contingency of removing the driveshaft held by 4 -9/16" bolts.

I was corrected.....Quote: Originally Posted by Terrys
"They are 3/8"BSF.


.....I have yet to have a good grasp on what tools I'll need. I recently studied a rover belonging to a friend, who has used his 2a to plow a very tough driveway and for other farm chores, He has kept it going for years and when I asked him the drive shaft size bolts, he indicated he had very few specialized tools and managed fine......noting that he had used a 9/16" wrench. I climbed under the truck and confirmed it seemed to fit well (there was a little play but I might not have noticed if I hadn't been attending to that issue).

How specialized are the sizes and tools? And without them will I genuinely run into trouble with the function of the 'fixings' or is use of the original tools more a factor of owners being true to the original construction?

thanks.

[SafeAirOne]

You'll be fine with standard (SAE) and metric tools for 99% of everything you'll come across on the Rover.

[crankin]

You will be amazed at how much you can remove with one or two socket sizes (not saying that you can break the whole truck down with one tool...but you can get really close!).

Remember these trucks were made for farm work, expeditions, and war zones. I am confident that these trucks were made with the thought in mind that they would be in third world countries where “specialized” tools are hard to come by.

I can remove the whole front end (hood, fenders, radiator) by removing around 30 some odd bolts with a 1/2 & 7/16 socket and wrench in about 30 minutes. So, there you have it....five items: two sockets, two wrenches, and a ratchet can remove almost ever body panel.

[LR Max]

I used either standard or metric to remove my rear driveshaft. After that they were replaced with new hardware that was most definitely standard fittings.

I will say though, what I did was have my standard depth 3/8" drive socket, then a 4~6" extension (can't remember which one) and then a converter to 1/2" drive and used my 1/2" ratchet. This combination seemed to really work well.

[LaneRover]

Long handled wrenches to give you some more leverage or some pipe that will fit over the end.

It can be quite hard to use a socket on the driveshaft without extensions.

and remember, you only have to remove one end of the driveshaft - preferably the end at the diff.

[galen216]

kwd I think you are using your terms wrong. The bolt is not a 9/16" bolt, but rather the head of the bolt is 9/16". The threaded body is 3/8". 9/16" = .5625" and that is a pretty fat bolt.

Standard SAE tools will do almost everything. Every one's advice is good so far.

[kwd509]

kwd I think you are using your terms wrong. The bolt is not a 9/16" bolt, but rather the head of the bolt is 9/16". The threaded body is 3/8". 9/16" = .5625" and that is a pretty fat bolt.

Standard SAE tools will do almost everything. Every one's advice is good so far.

Really helpful advice and info from all - thanks.

Galen216- with respect to your clarification I understand re bolt vs bolt head..... that is a helpful clarification but it raises another question......bear with me for a perhaps-lame query:
if at some future date I need to replace some bolt, will referencing the bolt head size assure that the rest of the fixing is the appropriate dimension, or do I in each case need to refer to a rover parts catalogue?

[crankin]

My two cents....
When you do remove bolts...take the old bolt to fastenal and get the same thread pitch and diameter. Everything but a few specialty bolts can be purchased at fastenal, ace, etc...

On bolts that can pass through and you can tighten down with a nut... Set a standard and go with that bolt, washer, and nut throughout the whole truck.

[Les Parker]

RN offers (new off the press) RNT141 9/16" Socket extension for $36.50.
Sorry no pix yet, though when I changed the rear diff seal on the DI, it made a huge difference than just using 2 9/16" wrenches.

[Tsmith]

If you source fasteners from other than our hosts, be sure to check the grade in addition to the dimension. Simplistically speaking, a Grade 8 bolt is twice as strong as the Grade 2 bolt in the drawer in the hardware store. There are markings on the bolt head that indicate the grade.