Military Lightweight Forum

Hello Victor
How's your Tool Box fitting going?
Have you taken the plunge and drilled the 4 holes??
Cheers, David H

Many thanks to AR4412 for the excellent details for the under bonnet tool box locating holes. I have finally had time to startto fit it.

I marked them out on the top of the near side footwell, then lowered the toolbox in to find it wouldn't fit over the marks. The toolbox was about 40mm over to the nearside. For practical purposes, it was okay there and still allowed it to open and the bonnet to close properly, however, I would like the vehicle to be as "right" as I can get it, so had a bit of a head-scratch.

The main problem seems to be a stay-bar preventing its correct positioning. The stay bar is between the front corner of the foot well and the top of the bulkhead, at this point it goes out of sight, but seems to be anchored to the nearside fixing bolt of the passenger's D ring grip.

The two D ring bolts are about 40mm apart - Eureka, the stay rod must be connected to the wrong fixing bolt!

I haven't had the chance to investigate any further yet, but this seems to be the most plausable answer. Before I purchased the vehicle, there was a major rebuild. This seems to have been carried out by a competant welder and is solid, but I suspect they were not familiar with Series Land Rovers and the stay rod was reattached to the wrong D ring bolt.

My next task will be to see how the stay is fixed each end and if moving the upper mount to the offside D ring bold is easily done. Obviously it will be needing adjustment to make it shorter, this seems to be accomplished by adjustment of a pair of nuts on a threaded portion at its lower end (and possibly the unseen top end).

My question to more experienced owners of Lightweights is, does my reasoning seem correct and should the stay bar be anchored behind the offside D ring bolt, rather than the nearside one? Is there sufficient thread on it to allow me to move it there?

Many thanks in advance
Victor

This is a pic of the situation

Hi Victor,

The bar on your vehicle is going to the wrong bolt, and should be mounted on the inner grab handle bolt as you suspected. The bottom mounting bracket has been bent where the bar has been angled across so will need bending back to 90 degrees. There is adjustment on the rod, should you need to adjust it, as there are an inner and outer nut to allow for correct adjustment/positioning.

Regards,

Many thanks again AR4412. I thought I was fairly accurate in my idea of the problem, but am really pleased to hear your confirmation. I will reposition the stay bar and drill the mounting holes as per your measurements.

Hello Victor
That under bonnet Tool Box is a beauty!
If you don't mind me asking, where did you get that from?
Cheers, David H

Hello AR4412 [Neil]

Thanks again for the measurements on mounting the under bonnet Tool Box.
I've found the 'redundant top and bottom holes for the brake pedal box' on the inside of my bulkhead now - they were hidden by a 'full size' blanking plate fixed to the front area of the bulkhead.
Measurements match up so just need to drill 4 holes through the 'full size' blanking plate!

Don't wish to hijack Victors thread here, but do you know of a good Lightweight Mechanic (with reasonable hourly rates) in the London / South East area? My Lightweight is looking good for his 43 years, but his undercarriage needs some maintenance work - many of the rubber parts (Bushes / Dust Covers / Seals) need replacing, together with various gaskets which are leaking. I don't have the skills or workshop facilities to carry out this work and wondered if you know of anyone who might help? As a newbie, I can't yet start a new post, or send a PM, hence this minor incursion!

Any help gratefully accepted!

Cheers, David H

Hi David,

No problem in taking the measurements for people if it helps them out. You should be able to start a new topic at anytime, and now you have amassed five posts you should be able to send a PM now. (A post count was set up, along with posting approval for new members, as a way to stop the spam posts that forums get.).

I'm not in a position to recommend any dealers down that way, but a google search for independents down that way shows that there appears to be a few to choose from. Have a search for independent Land Rover specialists near you, then ring them and make enquiries on whether they will take on your Lightweight, (which is only a Series vehicle in all reality), and ask for their hourly rate or an estimate of the job you require doing, so you know what kind of price you will looking at. A good independent won't mind you asking questions, has more likely done the work you require many times, and will give you a more realistic qoute. Steer clear of main JLR dealers, their hourly rates are extortionate, and most of them don't mknow what a Series vehicle is anyway.

With apologies to Victor for my hijack of his topic.

Regards,

DavidH wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 09, 2024 5:08 pm

Hello AR4412 [Neil]



Don't wish to hijack Victors thread here, but do you know of a good Lightweight Mechanic (with reasonable hourly rates) in the London / South East area? My Lightweight is looking good for his 43 years, but his undercarriage needs some maintenance work - many of the rubber parts (Bushes / Dust Covers / Seals) need replacing, together with various gaskets which are leaking. I don't have the skills or workshop facilities to carry out this work and wondered if you know of anyone who might help? As a newbie, I can't yet start a new post, or send a PM, hence this minor incursion!

Any help gratefully accepted!

Cheers, David H

A friend of mine is an old school mechanic that works solely on land rovers,based just outside Bognor Regis,not sure if that's of any help but could drop you his number.

Thanks Neil
Busy with my Google search right now!
David H