It's wise to change out those socket cap screws for standard hex cap screws. And lose the heat shield. After those two things I can change my starter in 5 minutes.

 

Where did you find that, HVAC section? Great solution!

 

I love it! Have a product link so we can all do the same?

Boredom fixes done today. Three of my sunroof shades work, got tired of that fourth one laughing at and mocking me: https://landroverforums.com/forum/mo...ir-clip-57254/

 

Started reassembling the dashboard now that I've got the Double DIN navigation wiring fully installed.

I also worked on my sunroofs. After taking both of them out, I had found they both have bent pivot blocks on both sides. which seemed odd. Some of the small plastic parts were broken and cracked as well, but they were less important. The part of the pivot block that pulls the sunroof rails tight against the seal were bent, so the front sunroof wasn't tight, and the back one was so bad that it just didn't work.

I tried to straighten one of them, but it broke. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but this by itself is odd.

I bought another sunroof of of ebay, for $80, thinking I could get the parts from it. But while all of the other parts were fine, the pivot blocks were bent at the same point.

These things are cast out of some unknown alloy. I thought maybe I could heat one an straighten it, so I tried heating the one I had already broken. It softened and turned molten readily with a torch, so I gave each one a light heating and was able to push them back into the proper position.

I don't expect them to stay that way. Think about it. you've got a part that's cast of metal that melts at about, say 1000 degrees.

It's mounted in the roof of a truck. A truck that frequently is parked in the sun and gets fairly warm. Not 100 degrees, bu probably the boiling point of water on occasion.

The metal gets hot and softens slightly. The pressure on the pivot bends it slightly. This happens over and over until the damn thing gets pushed so far the sunroof doesn't work. How long this takes, I don't know, but obviously 10 years is enough.

Between the three roofs and the repaired blocks, I've got enough parts to repair both roofs.

Well, we'll see how long my repairs last. May be I'll look into casting these things from brass.

 

Whoawhoawhoa...double DIN in a D1? I gotta see this, please post up some pics. My HU is on the way out and the single DIN Kenwood I have in mind is nothing compared to the old Pioneer AVIC I had in my Subie.

 

Yesterday: took out the passenger seat and gutted it down to the foam. It was much more involved then I had imagined. The top headrest actually comes off pretty easy if you find the little clips that hold it on.
Will be needing to replace the bottom liner that keeps you elevated as that cracked completely.
Wish we could buy the original seats covers from somewhere as well as that bottom support. Instead will be hunting the local upholstery shops in LA to see what it would cost to duplicate original.

Today: took the headliner down, it is sagging pretty bad and its time for it to get redone. While I was at it, I changed both tracks of the front sunroof and rear sunroof, as I had purchased them a long time ago.
They are working again it.
Look forward to both of these projects being over with.

 

Great, its dim but now some light. Can't win.

 

It requires major modifications to the center dashboard plastic fascia. I bought a second one from EBay to do the work, it looks good but it's not easy. I'm still looking for a better way to handle the climate controls.

I've got the Kenwood DNX7140 out of the dash right now to check on why it constantly requires initial settings when the ignition is powered on. Apparently this was a common problem with these units.

When I do get it back in I'll take photos. Pretty cool... it boots up with the Land Rover logo, and it allows you to set the color scheme to match your vehicle.

 

Picked up a set of 245/75-16 BFG's AT/KO's on SE7 rims and swapped them on the truck, tightened the radius arms as passenger side rear rubbed with the prev 245/75-16 Dunlop ATs a bit but the driver's side didn't. (??) As the BFG's have a wider stance than the dunlops, I trimmed back about 3/4' on the psgr side as an extra measure since I didn't get the movement out of the radius arms.

Wheeled it with the NCLR club on Saturday and the passenger side pulled the panel a bit and the driver's side barely rubbed...

Finally fixed the dash (surround) with a couple of longer screws vs. the nav system I have had purposefully stuck to the window in such a way it holds the dash in place - felt good to get that easy one done

Lastly, mounted my newly refurbished ladder with riv-nuts. (Measure, seat it, stand on it, measure again, step back and stare for a while then repeat... then mark holes, Repeat, then drill... $.02)

Rear output shaft seal seems to be holding ok so happy with that project.
(I have pics to prove all this happened and happy to post, just figured this was pretty routine stuff we've all seen before

I do appreciate the tips, tricks, inspiration and motivation I get from this thread - thanks guys!

 

Were you out with Mike McClung? Tell him I "effing hate him!". He'll get it.