simonm

I just did a search for "Ferret brake servo stuck" and got here. I've got sticking brakes, so thought I would add to this rather than create a new thread. here's the symptoms. Apart from the hubs getting hot and the vehicle getting very sluggish. When standing, engine off, all jacked up and supported, the wheels turn fairly easily by hand. Get in, put the brakes on, really hard! The wheels (brakes) lock up and remain locked long enough for me to get out and try the wheels, they are rock hard, brakes on, get back in and while the brake pedal on first try allowed depression as I would expect for a reasonably well setup car, ie a definite amount of travel, no softness. Now the pedal has remained hard, no travel, all brakes remaining on even when no pressure applied. If it was one brake or maybe two I would look at the slave cylinders or somewhere on the brakes being the problem, however all brakes have developed the same problem together. My guess is the master cylinder jamming or perhaps something on the servo? Basically retaining pressure on the whole system. What else indicates the problem is not at the wheel(s), if I slacken off one brake, it frees up all the wheels, ie I'm slackening off the pressure. Next step of course is to read the Manual, any thoughts?

Back to the ticking noise. Have you checked the big black voltage control box. Mine ticks and clicks at various levels of tick and click depending on revs. As to avoiding wind up, the biggest problem is roundabouts, just go over them:-D. The added benefit is that having a grass middle your wheels / tyres will be able to shed any stress. (Yes I am joking, but not about the ticking)

I had taken the bottom plate off and all parts looked dry and in good condition. I couldn't see up into teh space between the fuid reservoir and the pump so what must be the longer pipe to the pump is obscured, ie in the depths of the engine so next step is to get an inspection mirror / torch to get a better look at these areas. Also, keeping an eye on the fluid level. At the moment this is mostly a weekend and dodging rain job so could take a while. I suppose on the plus side, any work like this is both inspection and renovating:-\, can't be bad! Simon

No luck so far, but, I think I might be wrong about being on the unpressurized part, it could just be a big! leak. There seemed to be an awful lot lost for 5 minutes running the engine. I've topped up to a level and I'll see if it goes down, I've got the manual so have some indication of what and where to look. I suppose this is where an armoured car has its drawbacks, an ordinary car you can tell where the leak is by where the puddle is!

There's a snatch for sale through Withams' http://www.mod-sales.com/auction/vehicle/related/34170/LANDROVER_110_V8_SNATCH_-_TUM_(HT)_WVPK_PATROL_(DESERTISED).htm# I had a look through the comments, sorry if I'm repeating somebody else's post

Hi Richard Good start and will do that, it would make sense for it to be there. Thanks for the reminder about bleeding the pump. She was in the Faversham Carnival last year and behaved like a true lady, after a I had found where the Army or Air Training cadet had disconnected the battery and delayed the start of my bit of the carnival! 4 miles of in and out of 1st gear so the flywheel wouldn't cook! Got back and all fine, it was only when we had the very bad weather in December that I noticed she started to leak, it might even be expansion / contraction leading to a loose connection, which I guess will be in the same place. regards Simon

Hi All My Saracen has just sprung a leak, seamingly while standing, now I have noticed the leak - my two little red lights didn't go out, a top up to fix it last weekend has mostly drained out. Its not the fluid flywheel. I think its leaking from the unpressuraised part of the system, ie seems to be leaking when standing even when not running. Before I start taking things apart, any thoughts on where to look first? Perhaps some short cuts gained through experience. And yes, it is OM13 in the system. As to plans for stripping down, I'll remove the reservoir 1st then check connections to the pump. Note to self, attach string to all tools before starting!

How did the journey go? Have you done it yet?

Yes, Land Rover in ICIA, but did anybody spot - difficult this one and only for the real experts among us the German tanks in "The Battle of the Bulge", now what were they, hmm.. M47s perhaps? As to "Pearl Harbour"! But then Aegis Cruisers aren't Historic Military Vehicles so perhaps they don't count?

Can I add a comment that I am sure you have thought of. Its just that to keep in the back of your mind when you come off the motorway having got used to the speed - okay its only up to 45 / 50mph "I am not in a car, I must really slow down a lot otherwise I will go straight over this roundabout" I must admit to having had a scare at just 20mph in my 12 ton Saracen, not a particularly sharp corner, but she really seriously wanted to go straight on. Fortunately just a grass verge and I stopped without any great problem, but a lesson in Newton's 1st law. "I. Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. " And with 12 tons you need a lot of force! As to wind up, every so often after a drive I jack up one side to relieve any wind up, I have never seen the wheels 'jerk' and invariably the hub filler bolts always look correctly aligned. I must admit to coming round to the often quoted comment that wind up, while not being a myth, isn't something to get paranoid over. Otherwise, good luck and have a great journey, I envy you, driving mine is fantastic, exhilarating, the thought of doing a mjor journey like yours, Wow!

Hi I've got a Monterey (Isuzu Trooper), here's a few things to watch out for. The inlet / return fuel pipes on top of the fuel tank rots, tank okay but you either suck air or at least have intermitten tickover / starting. Easy repair if youre used to MVs and fixing things, 10mm and 8mm copper pipe and some araldite. Or a new fuel tank. There is a coolant pipe immediately behind and running tight against the engine, it rots, leaks and leads to a blown head. Otherwise okay, its strong, loads of power with the 3.1 and not too much electronics. Witham sold a whole load of 3.0s recently at some good prices, maybe more coming. If you are going to maintain yourself, think about Land Rover as loads of spares available so if it goe wrong, its easy to source the parts. Best 4x4 in the world? A 5.7 litre petrol k5 Chevy Blazer! But at 15mpg you need to live in the gulf states...

The best scam baiting site is www.419eater.com then look at letters archive worth a visit and a laugh! As to reverse scamming, one of the funniest reverses is (as mentioned above) having the scammer join a cult or paying a deposit ahead of the scammed amount. Even getting a real Tattoo! It reads "Baited by Shiver" read the full story here: http://www.419eater.com/html/okorie.htm Now I wonder if there is an opportunity to reverse scam one of these 'purchasers'. Maybe its a case that all Military enthusiasts in the UK have a secret tattoo, we only sell to others with that same tattoo / missing end joint of little finger / left testicle removed or similar . Send proof and the sale can go ahead.

Any thoughts on using Glycol as an additive. I've got 50 litres for topping up my solar water heating. With regard to the 'wrong' anti freeze. I've topped up with one marked "for all engines" I'll look now to see if it has ethylene glycol marked on the container.

A trip down to Lenham in the snow. Oh Boy, was it cold!

Top of the North Downs, still snowing steadily, about 3 inches now. BBC Radio Kent says snow about to stop, MET office has a weather warning just refreshed to include Wednesday with lots more snow overnight.

As you mentioned SORN (sorry safariswing ) this, along with so much legislation is based on the assumption we all live in London. The further we go into the rural areas the less the legislation has any relevance. Hence (getting back to red diesel) the legislation about fuels for use both on and off road. Somebody using a high sulpher fuel in Brixton will have an effect on all the locals whether on road or not. The same person in the darkest depths of rural England, well, whose to know or care - least of all the local police / ministry who have better things to do. A bit like shooting rabbits, try that in Brixton (I think they shoot back?).

Any thoughts on 'heavy' vehicles in this weather? Any experience of hills and compacted snow and ferrets, of course very slowly but does the weight work for us or against us? The last thing I want is to be doing 5mph and then find that she has decided to accelerate in a side slide down the hill towards the very small and thinly armoured mini / yaris/ micra.

Ferret not Humber. The offside front is behind the brake master cylinder with about 10 bolts to remove, not so bad but getting them aligned to re-install, that's the problem. Nearside rear, the oil cooler is in the way, to get to the connection hoses you need to remove the cross brace that holds the engine compartment together, remove the generator connector - fortunately a plug socket arrangement then reach down with the oil tube, 1st quarter pint all over the floor... Then re-assembly, not too bad but that cross brace! A pry bar, G clamps, all for the sake of a bolt which in any sensible world would be chamferred, anybody who has done this will know exactly what I mean. Now a nother complaint about poor design and lack of forethought. Prior to MVs I had a couple of Chevy Blazers, with every single nut and bolt combination the nuts and bolts required a different spanner, ie one set of spanners! Nuff said. (Yes I do have multiple sets of spanners, this is just a whinge)

My approach is that any vehicle I get is treated as if it has had no maintenance. With regard to MV's look at the V5, 6 owners in as many years, each time its bought by somebody with a bright idea, used to maintain a mini, bought something as a challenge and realised it was a bit too much. I omit members of this forum as it is invariably the 1st step to getting things right. I must admit to still going through the process of 1st stage maintenance, I'm sure I've loacted all the few hundred grease nipples and greased, wheel hubs and tracta joints all topped up - with an awful lot of oil! What a game the nearside rear and offside front tracta joints, bet they weren't topped up frequently! (next year I'll progressivelly drain and re-fill) I've mentioned the flywheel elsewhere. By the way, the Hex key that is needed for the Wheel hubs on the ferret is the same as is used to remove the pipe fitting from radiators, any plumbing shop should have them! Mine was left over from an early 1960s socket set.

When I did it, I didn't provide any additional suuport for the engine - and got away with it. Note that I had to do a gearbox out, twice, as the main leak turned out to be on teh join between the two halves of the fluid flywheel. Make sure you pressure test - but NO MORE than 25psi, actually I would restrict it to 20psi. If you do re-seal the two plates, take great care with pressure testing, if you have used gasket goo, it can simply blow it away (happened to me) I then re-applied and ran a length of plumbers (not gas, its too thick in my opinion) ptfe tape round a few times plus gasket goo, make sure its okay with hydraulic fluid.

I've just come across this set of images from the Korean War from the Boston Globe. Amazing pictures! http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/06/remembering_the_korean_war_60.html

I have a special device that identifies what is too heavy to lift. Its called a wife. "You're out of your mind if you think your going to lift that on your own!"

Reinstalled - for second time - fluid flywheel having resealed the plates together. The gasket was in a very poor condition, there was little effort required to 'break' the plates apart. All teh internals appeared good, the bearings were firm. I re-assembled and pressure tested, all fine but I let i go just over 25psi and got a leak on the plate seal, perhaps soft gasket goo (not the rubber seal on the drive shaft) took it apart again, re-assembled and kept the pressure test lower, fine this time. Lined up all the wheels, front nearside sticking so freed that one, just tight brakes. Re-assembled the lot and have since driven 20 miles at up to 35mph, driving well and no sign of a leak! Now its back to sanding and painting - when the rain stops!

Well, I started this thread on the 12th, replied to the DVLA on the 13th with all the information they could ask for and its now 1st October and my tax disc has expired ! But, (having checked on the 30th and the 29th .. ) talk about keeping you on edge. I checked online again, tried to register for a new disk and yes, it worked! I'm legal So, well done DVLA, its just a I could have done without the stress.

Transmission out and another pressure test, yes its bubbling round the edge of the flywheel and in particular where the screw holes are (the ones which I guess are for seperating the plates) Also removed one of the the Universal Joints. One of the cups totally loose. No, its not worn but the wrong one! (ie of the maltese cross, cups and roller bearings, all greased, no real sign of wear on the cross but one of the four cups is totally loose on the shaft. It looks like the right part but not internally, so at some time some idiot bodged it!) It looks like it was fitted during whenever there was a major service or from new! As all is painted the same as other transmission parts silver not blue. Replacement daimler ferret UJ (universal joint) . The one that fits and has all the same characteristics is for an old style Ford Transit, Qh QL528 there are cheaper available apparently to the right specs but the body is fatter and won't "fit" when being installed. I doubt that anybody will ever see one of these UJs fail as they are inside the cab.