That radiator core support = I cut out with my TF Front Bumper/Warn M8000 Winch combo. Yes it's a support, but the TF Bumper is now the main support up from vs the OEM weak bumper that supported nothing. "If" you want that bumper to sit back further with the winch I'd cut that support honestly. If you plan on doing any serious off roading you'll thank yourself later when you aren't dragging your front bumper over every obstacle.

Down here in TX I'd never run that winch on a D2 due to it blocking SO much airflow. I knew several people with TJ/LJ Jeep's that ran those and they always overheated. Up in Canada though you'll be fine.

 

I got a couple more hours in before sunrise today

 

 

finally got this thing off, using a grinder, sawzall, puller, an air chisel, and several steel wedges.


not pretty.

yes, i replaced the brakes and the hub afterwards.

 

What a nightmare!

 

kinda like my ordeal with an OEM driveshaft basically welded to the flange by severe rust!! Yes I bought another D2 an 02 D2 Westminster, but it's a rust bucket frame wise. Exterior/interior is great, engine seems ok (will have to properly seal and replace a waterpump to truly know), but for the wheels, and all the other parts I got a good deal. I have a good frame, but no way I'm going to attack that! I'll see how it runs and it might be my dedicated trail truck (serious mods) more like a D2 Buggy or sold parted out.

 

Cross threads a tight thread....lol
glad you got it off.

 

Last weekend I replaced the idlers, tensioner, and serpentine belt. There is a high pitched whine that quietly shows up around 70 mph, but changing those things didn't fix it. I'll overhaul the bearings in the old idlers and keeps them as spares, and carry the old belt as an emergency backup.

Today I rebuilt the driver door lock actuator. Since I bought the truck, on the driver door I've only been able manually lock-unlock using the key, or superlock via the fob. Regular fob lock-unlock function on the driver door did not work, but it did on all the other doors and the gate. There are two 12V motors in the lock actuator--one for lock/unlock, and one for superlock. In my case the culprit was the first motor, which had brushes that were chewed up from a badly manufactured commutator. The inside was covered in graphite.

After years of daily key use, I feared that the lock pin in the door handle was going to break any day now--supposedly this happens in these trucks. So I took out the door lock actuator and rebuilt it with a new Mabuchi motor, and replaced the door handle lock pin with a CARRS4X4 stainless version.

Next weekend: brakes.

 

Build an Aluminum frame for it!

 

After hearing a growly noise from the front end of my '01 Disco, I found out it was the water pump. I guess this noise was ever increasing slowly, and you become accustomed to it. But after a new water pump was installed, I was amazed how quiet the engine was. Though I found 1 small leak around the base of the water pump, I am still hunting down the odd drip here and there. Just today, I found that the plastic reservoir seems to be leaking around the seam between the upper and lower halves. This likely explains why after topping up the reservoir, it goes down about 1" then stops.