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First serious play

G

Guest

Guest
Went out with the family on Saturday to pursue a local country pursuit
which gave me the first chance have a serious play with the 80 off
road.
Went through a couple of fords where the water went over the bonnet of
Discovery in front, but no problems for the 80 with the lift - a HD OME
lift on a stock vehicle seems to have given me around 4" of lift.
Also went down a couple of miles of severely rutted tracks [privately
owned, knew owner :)], fit really only for a tractor, but had no
problems - am amazed how much difference the MT tyres (Goodyear
Wranglers) make compared to the old BFG ATs I had on my last 80 -
without the lift or the MTs I wouldn't have dared try it.
Wife and children (Girls - 3 and 4, bouncing around the back seat) all
seemed to enjoy it as much as me, which bodes well for future off
tarmac trips.
Only downside is that my rear diff lock won't engage - didn't need it
but thought I would test it out anyway, so looks like I need to get it
stripped down and cleaned out.
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
Julian
Well, Julian, as you may or may not know, I've had the diff lock not work on two occasions (when I've tried it to see whether it will work or not - it doesn't, it has been stripped and cleaned on at least 2 occasions before I got it, and I had it done myself, it doesn't make any difference. So I think in my case its a question of avoiding having to use it at all, more to do with driver skill I guess.
I used to drive on the ridgeway up until two years ago, the farmers now are not happy about this any more, so haven't done this recently. My BFG's did okay, so I'm not going to change them until I get the larger wheels that I've planned for spring 2005.
The brand new AT michelin ones that were used on 75's in egypt in 2001 did not do at all well - my friend and all of us had to change all but one of them on all three vehicles as they kept blowing constantly. That Spring was the year I should have insisted on taking by beast out there, despite the 500% cost on top of all the other costs - so we hired 75s instead. they were just two years old but had done about 200,000 miles each. The 75s were fine, but the tyres weren't.
As I said to Dennis, I need proof that things work when they are supposed to, when they are sold as being the best product for our needs. Because where we've used them they failed miserably.
Anybody out there want a pair of PSP steel sand ladders? =A37.50 each or a tenner for them both. Too heavy for my needs, I never used them when I was last in algeria and libya.
Also I have an aluminium tool box that is stuffed full of srews, nuts, bolts, nails, seals, gaskets etc - =A320 for box and contents, buyer will either have to collect or I'll drop them off providing they are local to the SW of England.
hit me off list if any of you want to, on [Email address removed], or [Email address removed]
Regards
Renate
>>> [Email address removed] 11/08/04 11:37am >>>
Went out with the family on Saturday to pursue a local country pursuit
which gave me the first chance have a serious play with the 80 off
road.
Went through a couple of fords where the water went over the bonnet of
Discovery in front, but no problems for the 80 with the lift - a HD OME
lift on a stock vehicle seems to have given me around 4" of lift.
Also went down a couple of miles of severely rutted tracks [privately
owned, knew owner :)], fit really only for a tractor, but had no
problems - am amazed how much difference the MT tyres (Goodyear
Wranglers) make compared to the old BFG ATs I had on my last 80 -
without the lift or the MTs I wouldn't have dared try it.
Wife and children (Girls - 3 and 4, bouncing around the back seat) all
seemed to enjoy it as much as me, which bodes well for future off
tarmac trips.
Only downside is that my rear diff lock won't engage - didn't need it
but thought I would test it out anyway, so looks like I need to get it
stripped down and cleaned out.
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
Hi Renate,
Yes I noted that - just been searching the Birfield archives so have a
pretty good idea of what to check. They are renowned for getting water
in them, which causes obvious problems, there is also talk about issues
with the relays.
Always handy - what are they from?
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
Julian,
basically for the 80 and for fixing things to it, I've never used them, nor their contents, if I do come to Salisbury (there is still a bit of doubt about whether it wil be worth the journey from Bristol) then I could bring them along, but if I'm off-roading I'll have to tie them down pretty tightly. Because the box is pretty heavy
And the other thing, what about the permission for this exercise? who'es giving it? providing the info? these kinds of things.
Off list I said to Dennis that maybe the Salisbury thing might not be a workable idea for me,
1, your cars will be modified far in excess of what mine is, even though I have a snorkel and LRFT,
and 2, I don't do bells and whistles, my 80 has been modified very basically - there is no other beast modified less than mine!
3, self-esteem, riders who may be out there to prove something either to themselves or others.

In a nutshell, I need an idea of peoples abilities, what they have, general mods, whether they have the driver skill necessary etc.etc, I'm not saying that any of them are unskilled, far from it. But I've been on these kinds of things before, and enjoyment was not at the top of some peoples list for the day.
I guess I'm a sceptic and the severist critiq of them all, and certainly the hardest taskmaster for myself, and I guess, a bit of a loner really [rogue?]. Well certainly an Iraqi friend of mine was gobsmacked when I told him I drove alone in Libya, he thought I was kidding, I kidded him not.
So I dunno, I need some more info, and I need that info pretty soon.

So if you or any other list members could get something sorted, then this would be useful - I know its early days yet, but I'm involved in running GMDSS (radio/GPS), Day Skipper, Coastal, Yachtmaster, and Diesel engine courses for sailors and boating enthusiasts and this is taking up quite a bit of my time - if I know some more specific details very soon then I can timetable a yeh or a neigh in my diary for that day
Cheers all on the list
Renate



>>> [Email address removed] 11/08/04 12:26pm >>>
Hi Renate,
> Well, Julian, as you may or may not know, I've had the diff lock not
> work on two occasions (when I've tried it to see whether it will
> work or not - it doesn't, it has been stripped and cleaned on at
> least 2 occasions before I got it, and I had it done myself, it
> doesn't make any difference.
Yes I noted that - just been searching the Birfield archives so have a
pretty good idea of what to check. They are renowned for getting water
in them, which causes obvious problems, there is also talk about issues
with the relays.
> Also I have an aluminium tool box that is stuffed full of srews,
> nuts, bolts, nails, seals, gaskets etc - =A320 for box and contents,
> buyer will either have to collect or I'll drop them off providing
> they are local to the SW of England.
Always handy - what are they from?
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
Hi Renate,
OK, I might be interested - I miss having the bins of nuts and bolts in
the farm workshop at home.
I'll be providing info to people via the list, and am talking to a
couple of 'old hands' who have been on the plains a few times with
regards where to meet, tracks to use, etc.
Some of the tracks are owned by the MOD, however many are public rights
of way/byways across privately owned land. It might be worth noting
that due to the possibility of hunting being banned by the government,
the MOD have been banned from using large tracts of the plain (3500
acres at last count) by local farmers so they are unlikely to be using
tracks adjoining this land.
Don't panic, this is supposed to be a fun day out and a chance to put
faces to names. Whilst there will be some highly modified LCs coming
along, the plan is to find easy to drive tracks suitable for standard
vehicles with AT tyres.
There may be some scope for some more serious stuff, but it will be up
to the individual drivers if they want to try it.
So far we have 13 people coming in a 60 series, a number of 80s in
various stages of modification, a 100 series and also a Toyota Surf -
not strictly an LC, but a close cousin.
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
Julian
What kind of farm was/is it?
Many moons ago I used to spend my childhood on farms in the North of
England, every weekend with the tractors, the cows, sheeps, chickens etc
- would you believe it I miss the animal smells and the diesel!
I'll still have to think about the day out.
Renate
>>> [Email address removed] 11/08/04 01:21pm >>>
Hi Renate,
> basically for the 80 and for fixing things to it, I've never used
> them, nor their contents
OK, I might be interested - I miss having the bins of nuts and bolts in
the farm workshop at home.
> And the other thing, what about the permission for this
> exercise? who'es giving it? providing the info? these kinds of
> things.
I'll be providing info to people via the list, and am talking to a
couple of 'old hands' who have been on the plains a few times with
regards where to meet, tracks to use, etc.
Some of the tracks are owned by the MOD, however many are public rights
of way/byways across privately owned land. It might be worth noting
that due to the possibility of hunting being banned by the government,
the MOD have been banned from using large tracts of the plain (3500
acres at last count) by local farmers so they are unlikely to be using
tracks adjoining this land.
> Off list I said to Dennis that maybe the Salisbury thing
> might not be a workable idea for me,
Don't panic, this is supposed to be a fun day out and a chance to put
faces to names. Whilst there will be some highly modified LCs coming
along, the plan is to find easy to drive tracks suitable for standard
vehicles with AT tyres.
There may be some scope for some more serious stuff, but it will be up
to the individual drivers if they want to try it.
So far we have 13 people coming in a 60 series, a number of 80s in
various stages of modification, a 100 series and also a Toyota Surf -
not strictly an LC, but a close cousin.
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
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Hi Renate,
Mixed farm, but mainly chickens. The farm was built up as a chicken
(eggs) farm with a suckler herd for beef and about half the 300 acres
down as arable. At peak we had about 120,000 layers (producing 0.25%
of England's eggs!) and a 45,000 chick rearing unit on another site,
but in line with current trends have moved over to barn, free range and
organic free range, down to around 75,000 birds that run alongside
around 400 early lambing ewes.
Personally I would prefer to see the chickens back in the cages -
running around 'free range' they make a complete mess of the land,
there is higher mortality, more disease problems and higher levels of
salmonella.
I love the place despite being put off by the mess from the chickens.
My whole childhood was spend out in the yard or in the fields and I
used to work full time during the holidays from the age of about 11
when I started driving.
Before I met my wife, I used to take holidays from my normal work to
help out with harvest, digging ditches, and other tractor work!
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
(frustrated farmer!)
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
Julian
surely not! a frustrated farmer...
Well, i'm sorry but i like my chickens organic and free-range - when I'm away in the arid climes of the Africa deserts I do what the locals do - hunter/gatherer/fisher/forager....the best diet I know of! no growth hormones or salmonella there!....

I also used to dig peat as my grandparents had a shooting lodge on the moors - and collect fossils and neolithic flints, and the like.
Kids today have no idea how we used to live....shame really, they can learn so much about themselves...
My brother was driving tractors at 11, and I was driving mercs at 15....you know, the 3ltr jobbies, as was then...diesel mostly - I have a thing about diesel...lurve the smell! and always use synth oil (100 Fuchs 'Truck Oil') love the stuff, my beast does - a welsh farmer gets it for =A380 per 25 ltr barrel...
Renate
>>> [Email address removed] 11/08/04 03:09pm >>>
Hi Renate,
> What kind of farm was/is it?
Mixed farm, but mainly chickens. The farm was built up as a chicken
(eggs) farm with a suckler herd for beef and about half the 300 acres
down as arable. At peak we had about 120,000 layers (producing 0.25%
of England's eggs!) and a 45,000 chick rearing unit on another site,
but in line with current trends have moved over to barn, free range and
organic free range, down to around 75,000 birds that run alongside
around 400 early lambing ewes.
Personally I would prefer to see the chickens back in the cages -
running around 'free range' they make a complete mess of the land,
there is higher mortality, more disease problems and higher levels of
salmonella.
> Many moons ago I used to spend my childhood on farms in the North of
> England, every weekend with the tractors, the cows, sheeps, chickens
> etc - would you believe it I miss the animal smells and the diesel!
I love the place despite being put off by the mess from the chickens.
My whole childhood was spend out in the yard or in the fields and I
used to work full time during the holidays from the age of about 11
when I started driving.
Before I met my wife, I used to take holidays from my normal work to
help out with harvest, digging ditches, and other tractor work!
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
(frustrated farmer!)
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
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