Most Miserable Repair on a Series Land Rover?

[Jeff Aronson]

After spending a LOT of time removing corroded bolts, stuck brake lines and greasy bits underneath the steering column, I'm voting for a II-A master cylinder replacement as the most miserable repair on a Series II-A.

About the only good news was that at least I ordered the correct master cylinder.

All this and I haven't even bench-bled the thing and tried to muscle it back into it's tiny hole in the bulkhead.

So what's your vote for the miserable repair on a Series Rover?

Jeff

[G.G. Sprock]

Well, I am not a font of information, but so far a complete restoration is a bit of a pain...

[greenmeanie]

As of today I can safely say it is replacing the headliner on a 109 after pack rats have got in there and built a nest. The truck came from a ranch in Colorado and the smell inside told me I had something to look forward to.

First of all a new headliner is needed because the old will stink no matter what I throw at it and secondly the deluge of poo and other stuff meant I had to go shower afterwards. Now the whole truck and garage will need hosed out too.

Oil and grease I can deal with, skinned knuckles are normal and balancing on my head whilst performing keyhole surgery is just part of the fun. This on the other hand....I really could have done without.

[Cosmic88]

After careful consideration....

I have to put in my vote for PO botched work / maintenance as the worst thing to have to deal with on a Series Land Rover. There are the stupid modifications, rats-nest-style rewirings and worst of all poorly installed parts (generally with zinc or other highly corrosion prone fasteners). Not only are these obstacles counterproductive to a smooth running and reliable Rover but the frustration with incompetance is, seemingly, always around the corner when delving into a rebuild of a newly aquired truck. I've lost track of the number of times I have said, "what was that moron thinking!?"

[jac04]

(generally with zinc or other highly corrosion prone fasteners).

You mean zinc plated fasteners? What else are you going to use for applications requiring high strength? Yes, you can purchase high-strength stainless fasteners from specialty hardware suppliers, but it's crazy expensive.

Anyhow, back to Jeff's question. Like G.G. Sprock, I'm in the middle of a restoration and I'm not having as much fun now as I was when I started. However, I'm in the middle of refurbing the font axle assembly (new: diff input seal, diff gasket, axle case seals, swivel ball seals, wheel bearings & seals, brake wheel cylinders & lines & brake shoes & steady posts & springs & drums - plus it's my first time working on 11" brakes). At the moment, I'm finding this to be a very miserable job.

[badvibes]

[quote=greenmeanie]As of today I can safely say it is replacing the headliner on a 109 quote]

greenmeanie-

I didn't do the replacement as I am but a poor Rover owner, but my headliner was trashed. So living out here in the warm southwest I thought I'd pull the trashed headliner out and run with just bare metal over my head. OMG that excelsior-like material that is molecularly bonded to the top with what must be the Devil's own coal tar adhesive was less than enjoyable to remove. Hours with a wire wheel over my head, I relate to the needing a shower afterwards thing. That black debris raining down from above as it came grudgingly off coated everything inside and out. Anybody know what they actually used as adhesive for the insulation? Not a technically difficult "repair" but certainly miserable.

Jeff

[Terrys]

A total restoration is nothing more than an accumulation of miserable tasks, pleasant tasks, time consuming detail , and mindless diversion.
Yesterday's task, complete with a mix of total exhaustion and satisfaction, was the removal and replacement of all pressed in spring bushings on my '64 88. The springs (11 leaf originals) were castoffs from a previous restoration that went parabolic, so the "job" didn't include removing a set from a truck, and then re-installing them. I just want to have this set ready when the tail end gets it's new rear Xmember.
Jeff, BTDT on the master cylinder, but clutch MCs on a LHD are worse yet.
I've tried all approaches at one point, on various trucks. They include (A)the simple (and perhaps hardest) removing and replacing just the MC; (B)removing the left wing and then doing (A), and, (C) removing the pedal box, setting up the MC travel and reinstalling. My life will be more complete when my next clutch MC job is (B+C).

[Jeff Aronson]

Yes, I may face the clutch MC next because the lines from that cylinder to the common reservoir seem to be so corroded in place that their fittings won't turn.

I'll second a misery factor for the spring bushings - another miserable job.

As for the headliner adhesive, Pete Janney at Badger Engineering claims it will "burn off." Oops.....

Jeff

[SeriesShorty]

Pedal Covers!

What perfect timing for this thread...I swear after last evenings task I had thought of posting a similar topic.

It may seem silly, but of all the work I've done on my Disco, an engine rebuild on a P38 and just the few minor things I've done to the Series, I'm gonna have to say the most miserable job has been installing new pedal covers. Geeez Louise, bending those thick steel tabs on the Allmakes brand pad kit is just ridiculous! I even prebent them using pliers but still found it frustrating to try to complete the bends to secure to the pedals. My hands are so sore from squeezing for what seemed like an hour.

[LaneRover]

What ever repair has to be done at night, along the road, in the wet snow AND that requires crawling underneath.

[Jeff Aronson]

That would be the time that the lights stopped working one night just outside of Sanford, ME. I had to hotwire around the dimmer switch.

Or it could have been the time that the overdrive hypoid plug fell out somewhere between Caribou and Kennebunk, ME, although I did replace the final drive in a snowbank in daylight.

There's too many more....

Jeff

[thixon]

Seriesshorty
Next time clamp the pads to the pedals and then you can
Beat the tabs down with a hammer.

[carl k]

I vote for replacing shackle bushings or trying to remove a rusty steering relay.

Replacing the three screws that hold the speedo cable to the transmission is no walk in the park either.

Carl K.

[jac04]

^^Ooooh, I forgot about the steering relay! Yes, very miserable. I gave up and split the frame open.

[junkyddog11]

I do most of these things on a daily basis and enjoy every minute of it. Having a lift and some really large banging tools helps allot....I'm not sure if I could do it at all if I was crawling around on the floor, with no room to swing tools, unablke to get my head far enough away from the thing to focus myself.

Writing bills....keeping track of invoices....running the damn business side....that is the worst part of working on Series rigs for me.