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Richard decided to start on the rear of the car first as this was where we had the most amount of work to do. The rear axle was removed and the axle and hubs have been reconditioned. The brake calipers and pipes have been replaced and the brake discs changed to vented discs. We will be using EBC Green Stuff kevlar brake pads which Richard hopes will improve the braking system as we had problems with the brakes overheating on our last trip and on our forthcoming expedition will have the additional weight of the trailer. The fuel tank has been replaced - Richard had noticed a fuel leak and, when he removed the base plate from the old tank, found a large rust hole - not good for fuel consumption! The new tank and plate have been painted with POR15 and a layer of underseal put between the two to prevent, we hope, moisture collecting and rusting the tank. Although most of the fuel pipes are in fairly good condition, Richard has taken the opportunity to replace the whole system. The underside of the vehicle has been cleaned (I get all the best jobs!) and painted with Dinitrol rust prevention fluid and underseal. The lower tailgate and rear bumper have been removed - the tailgate is in good condition with just a few rust spots that need treating.The rear bumper will be replaced with a bumper that we will design and manufacture ourselves. The rear springs and shocks are still in good condition and will not be changed. A new rear prop shaft has been fitted and the exhaust system completely removed and refitted as we have a problem with the manifolds leaking. The front half of the vehicle thankfully took less time to deal with. We have replaced the front prop shaft and axle and have fitted a new 3.9 radiator and an additional oil cooler. The power steering box had a leak and has been replaced, along with the power steering reservoir. We have fitted new Optima starter and deep cycle batteries and will carry an additional deep cycle battery in the trailer. The speedo had to be replaced as it had developed an irritating habit of getting stuck at around 40 mph. |
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