Nice looking brisket!

 

Not really lied, but more like I post-dated my report of having all the suspension stuff removed. I don't have one of the rear upper control arms out yet because it is rust-welded to the bushing sleeve. I'm using 24 tpi blades with my sawzall, but mine is battery powered, so I need about three complete charges to get through the metal sleeve and bolt. The 20v batteries take three hours to charge, and I have two of them.

It's funny how something so conceptually simple and quick to do when everything is in good condition turns into a multi-day task because of rust. Mine's not even that bag, but it's still taking exponentially longer to remove the suspension as a result.

I do have a question that I haven't been able to easily find through searching. The plastic nut/retainer/sleeve thing on the opening attached to the rear knuckle for the parking brake cable comes off, right? You can see that I've chewed mine up a bit trying to get it off. I need to remove it so I can clean and rust convert the thin metal backing cover for the brakes.




​​​​​I have some more pics of some components below. I am debating whether to replace the dampeners with the level of rust I'm seeing. I doubt they've ever been changed. I think I can hold off for now. The suspension hasn't been aired up since March, and the air bags still had air in them when I disconnected them. It was riding on the bump stops, though, so I probably have a slow leak somewhere to track down.











​​​​here's hoping I can get through the dismantling soon and move on to fixing the rust on the frame. I feel like it all should go back together pretty quickly once those two things are done.

 

Durnit! I just got some heat shielding removed and saw that the rubber accordion of my center support bearing is completely ripped through. Finding stuff like this was my intention when I decided to tear down the vehicle like this, but dang. Sucker better ride and drive like new when I'm done.

 

The going is slow. I need to drop the rear diff, but the exhaust is in the way. I tried to unbolt it just before the muffler, but the nuts on the flange and the band of the butt joint clamp were corroded to the point of being fused together. Nothing the sawzall couldn't fix.




I really hate rust. The mild corrosion on my LR3 is making the dismantling process go so much slower than I initially expected. Lemons to lemonade, though. I'll just use this newest setback to install an x pipe where I cut off the exhaust, then reattach the muffler behind it, deleting the big "turtle shell" resonator at the same time. I intend to use clamps instead of welding it on. The primary determining factor behind that decision is that I don't own a welder and don't know how to weld (yet!), but secondary to that is the restriction of access to components in the rear drivetrain caused by the exhaust. I want to be able to remove it in sections.

Checking my spreadsheet, I am now over the $5600 mark for this project. I'm hoping to make back $500 or so by selling the ugly 20" wheels and tires I bought with the vehicle. I'll also sell my F-150 when the LR3 is right and reliable. That will hopefully net me another $2000, so this rig should still end up being a bargain for its capability and utility. Even if I don't sell those things, I figure I'll come in about $6000 when it's all said and done, but then I'll have a 2006 LR3 V8 with 155k miles that is rust repaired with new control arms, links, bushings, brakes, freshly serviced transmission, t-case, diffs, center support bearing, cleaned fuel system, and fresh coolant and oil. That's pretty good, IMO.

 

Add new rear air struts and rear brake back plates to the list of parts. I just ordered them because the ones on the vehicle are pretty corroded. The old struts function fine and hold air, but to the top hat and lower damper body are pretty crusty. The visual inspection leads me to believe they're probably isn't much dampening ability left in them.