The DiscoDavis Sandglow Thread
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DiscoDavis
Explorer
Bc my truck is better than your truck
Totally kidding as my truck is a lawn ornament at the moment waiting for parts
Saw your other post, you have dual shock absorbers rear don't you? Sneaky :ylsmoke:
DiscoDavis
Explorer
Sierras: Bowman Lake to White Rock Lake, August 2017
Several months late in posting this item, this trip was the first major chance to get out and see how the cars would do living out of them and tents for a few days. No fancy roof tents or kit. Just a couple of cars and some old camping gear.
Day 1
Note: All photos by Z. Maclean, kind enough to bring film cameras along and develop/scan them. I am delighted to be able to share these.
So:
We loaded up both cars the night before and set out early in the morning. Almost the moment the sun rose Little Red decided to blow its top out on the highway and our first unscheduled stop occured!
Made it up to Grass Valley later that morning, then offloaded Little Red and started down to Edward's Crossing bridge. The road down roasted our brakes, which meant a wait and photo opportunities
From there we passed through Washington, swam a bit in the river there, and moved on down the road towards Bowman Lake
Stopped for a camel man action shot
The road from Washington to Bowman is not hard at all but slow. Replace corrugations on any road with a thousand rocks just large enough to pound your shocks and it means you won't go very fast. At least we did not, maybe a jeep on large tires would. (Pictured: a nicer bit of that road)
I wished we did more swimming then, but this trip was mapped in such a way that we were pushing hard to make each day's mileage on time.
It was quite nice summer weather, with a cool mountain breeze if that helps the imagination. Cold water however.
From the lake we proceeded up to the ridgeline and then the next, before wandering through a part of the area that is being logged, and had just shut down for the day.
We stopped again to ogle the stacks of timber and machines
Leaving the logging area, we started to get hit with our first major issue: the radios. Both cars had handhelds with old and outdated nicad batteries which were performing terribly. One car had the charging unit, a large 90's design about the size of a toaster; which we used to hotswap batteries that kept dying out. Eventually even that couldn't keep up with our use, and we started having to yell or stop at every turn to check on things you'd otherwise relay by walkie.
Got a few ridges over and settled in a valley for camp 1. Everyone was tired and the sun had dipped down so halfway up a field in some trees we set up tents and ate hot dogs. 7/10 site.
Several months late in posting this item, this trip was the first major chance to get out and see how the cars would do living out of them and tents for a few days. No fancy roof tents or kit. Just a couple of cars and some old camping gear.
Day 1
Note: All photos by Z. Maclean, kind enough to bring film cameras along and develop/scan them. I am delighted to be able to share these.
So:
We loaded up both cars the night before and set out early in the morning. Almost the moment the sun rose Little Red decided to blow its top out on the highway and our first unscheduled stop occured!
Made it up to Grass Valley later that morning, then offloaded Little Red and started down to Edward's Crossing bridge. The road down roasted our brakes, which meant a wait and photo opportunities
From there we passed through Washington, swam a bit in the river there, and moved on down the road towards Bowman Lake
Stopped for a camel man action shot
The road from Washington to Bowman is not hard at all but slow. Replace corrugations on any road with a thousand rocks just large enough to pound your shocks and it means you won't go very fast. At least we did not, maybe a jeep on large tires would. (Pictured: a nicer bit of that road)
I wished we did more swimming then, but this trip was mapped in such a way that we were pushing hard to make each day's mileage on time.
It was quite nice summer weather, with a cool mountain breeze if that helps the imagination. Cold water however.
From the lake we proceeded up to the ridgeline and then the next, before wandering through a part of the area that is being logged, and had just shut down for the day.
We stopped again to ogle the stacks of timber and machines
Leaving the logging area, we started to get hit with our first major issue: the radios. Both cars had handhelds with old and outdated nicad batteries which were performing terribly. One car had the charging unit, a large 90's design about the size of a toaster; which we used to hotswap batteries that kept dying out. Eventually even that couldn't keep up with our use, and we started having to yell or stop at every turn to check on things you'd otherwise relay by walkie.
Got a few ridges over and settled in a valley for camp 1. Everyone was tired and the sun had dipped down so halfway up a field in some trees we set up tents and ate hot dogs. 7/10 site.
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DiscoDavis
Explorer
Got busy, lazy. Maybe the rest of the trip will go to the trip reports section, back to maintenance
Maintenance backlog December 2017
There was an issue where the center diff lock would not stay locked. Especially on difficult slippy parts it would pop out if you didn't hold it in. Pulled the tunnel piece and futzed with the linkage until the throw was right, put some wd40 in the articulation points.
Roof lamps have a grounding issue somewhere, and sometimes pairs work while others do not, or pairs work but when one set is on another is dimmer... etc. First to pull the original wiring and unfortunately this must be replaced.
Interesting note, the "factory" special vehicles configuration would have the switches, relays, fuse box for the roof lamps inside the cab, where they would live behind the large switch box, see Shayne's car, huge box only a few switches originally. One of the first owners apparently had a god awful stereo install that moved the relays and fuse box into the engine compartment and rewired it substantially...
glass fuses, 35 amp for box input, 17 amp for each light pair, each pair has a relay (relays to the right in photo)
Power wire from battery was god awful. Hodgepodge of brown alternator sized wire clipped and melted in places
Crimped together with a green/yellow wire in what can only be described as a screw crimp?
To be continued.
Maintenance backlog December 2017
There was an issue where the center diff lock would not stay locked. Especially on difficult slippy parts it would pop out if you didn't hold it in. Pulled the tunnel piece and futzed with the linkage until the throw was right, put some wd40 in the articulation points.
Roof lamps have a grounding issue somewhere, and sometimes pairs work while others do not, or pairs work but when one set is on another is dimmer... etc. First to pull the original wiring and unfortunately this must be replaced.
Interesting note, the "factory" special vehicles configuration would have the switches, relays, fuse box for the roof lamps inside the cab, where they would live behind the large switch box, see Shayne's car, huge box only a few switches originally. One of the first owners apparently had a god awful stereo install that moved the relays and fuse box into the engine compartment and rewired it substantially...
glass fuses, 35 amp for box input, 17 amp for each light pair, each pair has a relay (relays to the right in photo)
Power wire from battery was god awful. Hodgepodge of brown alternator sized wire clipped and melted in places
Crimped together with a green/yellow wire in what can only be described as a screw crimp?
To be continued.
DiscoDavis
Explorer
Post January Desert Trip Notes 01/13/2018
We got back from a nice few days camping and driving around looking at mine sites around the Mojave. Two cars and four people, and I asked around every day or so for notes or suggestions about what we liked or did not like about how the 110 was set up. The only note I have for Joe's 90 is it needs a working heater
One major item was interior power sources. We've been using a set of old reprogrammed sabers for years for car to car or person to person while camping or driving and in August it was clear that the batteries we use need to be retired, they would only last for one or two hours each and we would spend much longer trying to hot swap batteries out of a charger. Friend found these excellent chicom ebay special battery adapters that are basically just snap on fittings that instead of being a battery are just 12v plugs that go in the cigarette lighter socket.
The problem is that the 110 has only one socket. One. With people needing to charge phones, cameras this means choosing to have working radios or working phones. Some days we needed one or the other, on most days we needed both, so it was a problem. After the trip ended, I got one of the Mud UK faceplates and few sockets and some wire and went to it. They have a lot of options!
Factory face plate. See above it in the dash space that is where the full width camel light panel controls would go. Because of the old radio someone shortened the box and pushed it over to where it is now.
Mud UK faceplate above, 3 hole version with 2 12v and 1 double usb thing
Interesting that it has the cutout for the clock like any other production one ten
Unplugged existing wires, and I actually just safed off the existing 12v socket wires, pwr, grd, light and taped them up in a bundle to be hidden if needed to reverse this change.
swapped over the old wiper switch
Ran brand new 12ga cable through to the dash for each socket, loomed and sealed outside of the dash to the accessory fuse box. You can see I did have to cut the opening to fit the new plate. Was not my favorite but if it needed to be reversed and the old plate fitted it is not visible.
They have full time power but can only drain the auxiliary battery as it is isolated from the other while vehicle is not running. In the future they may be switched but it has worked for a few months now.
We got back from a nice few days camping and driving around looking at mine sites around the Mojave. Two cars and four people, and I asked around every day or so for notes or suggestions about what we liked or did not like about how the 110 was set up. The only note I have for Joe's 90 is it needs a working heater
One major item was interior power sources. We've been using a set of old reprogrammed sabers for years for car to car or person to person while camping or driving and in August it was clear that the batteries we use need to be retired, they would only last for one or two hours each and we would spend much longer trying to hot swap batteries out of a charger. Friend found these excellent chicom ebay special battery adapters that are basically just snap on fittings that instead of being a battery are just 12v plugs that go in the cigarette lighter socket.
The problem is that the 110 has only one socket. One. With people needing to charge phones, cameras this means choosing to have working radios or working phones. Some days we needed one or the other, on most days we needed both, so it was a problem. After the trip ended, I got one of the Mud UK faceplates and few sockets and some wire and went to it. They have a lot of options!
Factory face plate. See above it in the dash space that is where the full width camel light panel controls would go. Because of the old radio someone shortened the box and pushed it over to where it is now.
Mud UK faceplate above, 3 hole version with 2 12v and 1 double usb thing
Interesting that it has the cutout for the clock like any other production one ten
Unplugged existing wires, and I actually just safed off the existing 12v socket wires, pwr, grd, light and taped them up in a bundle to be hidden if needed to reverse this change.
swapped over the old wiper switch
Ran brand new 12ga cable through to the dash for each socket, loomed and sealed outside of the dash to the accessory fuse box. You can see I did have to cut the opening to fit the new plate. Was not my favorite but if it needed to be reversed and the old plate fitted it is not visible.
They have full time power but can only drain the auxiliary battery as it is isolated from the other while vehicle is not running. In the future they may be switched but it has worked for a few months now.
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Victory_Overland
Explorer
Nice work! A touch of modern but keeping it classy!
Cheers!
Cheers!
the deputy
Well-known member
Very nice set-up. Like the way you kept it classic, too.
Brian.
Brian.
DiscoDavis
Explorer
Thanks guys, one of those compromises that needed to be made. Lots more to document, I forget to take photographs but should be able to explain what is coming next. Backlog includes:
>new rear shocks fitted for standard HD coils
>ran power to the back of tub
>added light for the back work space
>fitted new steering dampener, steering rod joint to swivel
>did cambelt
>new water pump to replace the britpart one that somehow soldiered on 5000 miles since last year
>rooflamps still have issues, disconnected for now until I decide how to attack originality vs functionality
>pulled old main diesel tank (tank to cradle junction rusted and leaked)
>new main diesel tank to go in and then clean sedimeters and fit a new fuel filter
>cleaning frame from time to time with pressure washers and by hand
>replacing all frame rigging eyelet bolts with new since one snapped on removal
>to pull the steering guard assembly and refit new hardware
>to service ball joint in steering drop arm (access occluded due to steering guard) its fine now but boot is ripped
>pulled a lot of the non original.... wiring from the frame. Someone should be slapped for the amount of sloppy and unprotected splices, cable runs I am seeing, bad, extraneous, live cable ran to nowhere, etc.. Re loomed some sections, retaped others and tucked out of the way. I don't claim to know it all but at least I can read a diagram and follow basic instructions from a book. At least rust is not a huge concern.
With the other cars it was more mod and go but with this one it is: remove questionable modifications and then pore over old photos and video to make it LR perfect factory or restore a piece that they cut apart or moved somewhere else.
Here's some material I've found, albeit blurry. 1990 demonstrations before the main event with the rare 127 comms truck and workshop unit, also pictured is part of the airlift in the An124's, even shows the interior loaded with discoveries. I'd like to see the 1988 workshop one ten show up here someday, I know someone in the USA has it.
and another feature showing the Ruslan, starting in 1989 the Soviets offered its use for unique commercial cargo transport needs, I hoped they might mention the 1990 camel airlift but they also do state that these were often used for Siberia heavy transport.
Last one: still on an aviation kick today, found two photos of two aircraft with the description:
"Getting airborne from Farnborough with a cargo of Range Rovers for the Camel Trans Siberian Rallye. Farnborough (FAB / EGLF) Mid 1980s [sic]"
-Ken Videan
More to come
>new rear shocks fitted for standard HD coils
>ran power to the back of tub
>added light for the back work space
>fitted new steering dampener, steering rod joint to swivel
>did cambelt
>new water pump to replace the britpart one that somehow soldiered on 5000 miles since last year
>rooflamps still have issues, disconnected for now until I decide how to attack originality vs functionality
>pulled old main diesel tank (tank to cradle junction rusted and leaked)
>new main diesel tank to go in and then clean sedimeters and fit a new fuel filter
>cleaning frame from time to time with pressure washers and by hand
>replacing all frame rigging eyelet bolts with new since one snapped on removal
>to pull the steering guard assembly and refit new hardware
>to service ball joint in steering drop arm (access occluded due to steering guard) its fine now but boot is ripped
>pulled a lot of the non original.... wiring from the frame. Someone should be slapped for the amount of sloppy and unprotected splices, cable runs I am seeing, bad, extraneous, live cable ran to nowhere, etc.. Re loomed some sections, retaped others and tucked out of the way. I don't claim to know it all but at least I can read a diagram and follow basic instructions from a book. At least rust is not a huge concern.
With the other cars it was more mod and go but with this one it is: remove questionable modifications and then pore over old photos and video to make it LR perfect factory or restore a piece that they cut apart or moved somewhere else.
Here's some material I've found, albeit blurry. 1990 demonstrations before the main event with the rare 127 comms truck and workshop unit, also pictured is part of the airlift in the An124's, even shows the interior loaded with discoveries. I'd like to see the 1988 workshop one ten show up here someday, I know someone in the USA has it.
and another feature showing the Ruslan, starting in 1989 the Soviets offered its use for unique commercial cargo transport needs, I hoped they might mention the 1990 camel airlift but they also do state that these were often used for Siberia heavy transport.
Last one: still on an aviation kick today, found two photos of two aircraft with the description:
"Getting airborne from Farnborough with a cargo of Range Rovers for the Camel Trans Siberian Rallye. Farnborough (FAB / EGLF) Mid 1980s [sic]"
-Ken Videan
More to come
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DiscoDavis
Explorer
01/20/2018 Rear shock absorbers
After the broken shock absorbers in the desert, a different rear set arrived to try. These are a standard pair as the car has no additional lift or taller coils, etc. Also got new axle bump stops (one fell off in the desert), and new flanged 19mm nuts for the top mounting bolt for each shock eyelet. Went on tight but otherwise normal. Axle stops needed new hardware, easy to find at local store.
Once they went on went into town to use a pressure washer and clean everything. Body roll is worse than with the OME's, but acceptable. On future radar is either the 130 inner helper springs or dual rear shock absorbers, or both. I particularly like that the body position and the eyelet structure is opposite from the OME orientation.
After the broken shock absorbers in the desert, a different rear set arrived to try. These are a standard pair as the car has no additional lift or taller coils, etc. Also got new axle bump stops (one fell off in the desert), and new flanged 19mm nuts for the top mounting bolt for each shock eyelet. Went on tight but otherwise normal. Axle stops needed new hardware, easy to find at local store.
Once they went on went into town to use a pressure washer and clean everything. Body roll is worse than with the OME's, but acceptable. On future radar is either the 130 inner helper springs or dual rear shock absorbers, or both. I particularly like that the body position and the eyelet structure is opposite from the OME orientation.
DiscoDavis
Explorer
01/22/2018 Rear electrics and light
Next on post trip suggestions list was power to rear of car. Had a box of components months before that were sitting around for a planned wiring run, when I was last in CH, outfitter Marc suggested welding cable as good quality and flexible for any amount of power you could ever need in a car.
Used
>2 ga welding cable, 25' sections of red and black ea.
>sealed marine lugs
>marine heat shrink
>0.5" marine loom (whatever was highest heat rating, found at marine store)
>Super 88 electrical tape
>zip ties
Got under the car three or four times measuring an exact, and then more generous run length to account for stretch, flex, pulling on the wire, then cut to size, approximately 15 feet of cable.
Fit sealed lugs, used a hydraulic crimp tool, then put shrink wrap over that, ran all the wire inside loom, and taped the whole length shut. After that it was just running the cable under the car, and securing it. I did have to drill one hole at the very rear of the tub in one corner, felt bad about it but there was no other way to do it and it can be capped if everything is removed.
Cable is fused at the battery with a 100a ANL, and where it comes up into the rear of the tub it enters a manual switch box that then sends power to a blue sea 6 slot fuse box. Both fixtures are just velcro'ed in and can be removed. The hole it passes through does need a grommet... working on it.
Wired in some pigtails as plugs for any future item. Plugs are deans. Easy assembly/disassembly, lighting changes, etc. Bit of a pain to solder (still learning to do a neat job)
Did a wiring run from fuse box to the inside ceiling, a sealed section with plugs on each end, for a dome light.
The larger black bundle is for the rear flood/reverse lamp
Dome light actually a map light with a red filter, was a good price on another order of items. If I want it somewhere else just unscrew the mount and unplug from the loom right there, move it somewhere else.
And before anyone says "why not just use a billion LED strips?", I want it simple, small, and for now minimal power draw. This 6 unit fixture is just fine. I have several types of LED strips and am slowly experimenting with them for other purposes. "Better is the enemy of good enough".
Bonus, top right is a field expedient that has worked quite well. Just a hammock hanging strap zip tied to the roll bar, hang dry bags and rope bags, rigging, gloves, etc. off it. Out of the way and away from leaky windows in rain storms.
Next on post trip suggestions list was power to rear of car. Had a box of components months before that were sitting around for a planned wiring run, when I was last in CH, outfitter Marc suggested welding cable as good quality and flexible for any amount of power you could ever need in a car.
Used
>2 ga welding cable, 25' sections of red and black ea.
>sealed marine lugs
>marine heat shrink
>0.5" marine loom (whatever was highest heat rating, found at marine store)
>Super 88 electrical tape
>zip ties
Got under the car three or four times measuring an exact, and then more generous run length to account for stretch, flex, pulling on the wire, then cut to size, approximately 15 feet of cable.
Fit sealed lugs, used a hydraulic crimp tool, then put shrink wrap over that, ran all the wire inside loom, and taped the whole length shut. After that it was just running the cable under the car, and securing it. I did have to drill one hole at the very rear of the tub in one corner, felt bad about it but there was no other way to do it and it can be capped if everything is removed.
Cable is fused at the battery with a 100a ANL, and where it comes up into the rear of the tub it enters a manual switch box that then sends power to a blue sea 6 slot fuse box. Both fixtures are just velcro'ed in and can be removed. The hole it passes through does need a grommet... working on it.
Wired in some pigtails as plugs for any future item. Plugs are deans. Easy assembly/disassembly, lighting changes, etc. Bit of a pain to solder (still learning to do a neat job)
Did a wiring run from fuse box to the inside ceiling, a sealed section with plugs on each end, for a dome light.
The larger black bundle is for the rear flood/reverse lamp
Dome light actually a map light with a red filter, was a good price on another order of items. If I want it somewhere else just unscrew the mount and unplug from the loom right there, move it somewhere else.
And before anyone says "why not just use a billion LED strips?", I want it simple, small, and for now minimal power draw. This 6 unit fixture is just fine. I have several types of LED strips and am slowly experimenting with them for other purposes. "Better is the enemy of good enough".
Bonus, top right is a field expedient that has worked quite well. Just a hammock hanging strap zip tied to the roll bar, hang dry bags and rope bags, rigging, gloves, etc. off it. Out of the way and away from leaky windows in rain storms.
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DiscoDavis
Explorer
Misc Feb 2018 work
End of winter and before spring it's time for routine yearly service
>air filter
>oil change
>fuel filters (not done yet)
Next, items tend to shift around the back of the car and often blocked access or flew everywhere on bad roads. Made a little platform and got some of that alu cargo track. Dimensions are 36"W x 43" L
With millimeters to spare it will fit 2x wolf boxes wide and a bit more than 2x wolf boxes deep longways with room for the door to close. Still need to locate bolts through the floor support cross spars and tie it into the tub but in the interim everything is lashed together in one giant pallet, better than all the little heavy pieces shifting.
need to use chamfered bolts to maximize space, and getting the bottom nut and washer on with enough space is a bit tricky but it works, we trimmed the ends after.
2 more wolf boxes replaced the one clear bin, water ingress became a problem and size not standard. Used stratchits to tie it all down, the rubber spring force on those is nice
End of winter and before spring it's time for routine yearly service
>air filter
>oil change
>fuel filters (not done yet)
Next, items tend to shift around the back of the car and often blocked access or flew everywhere on bad roads. Made a little platform and got some of that alu cargo track. Dimensions are 36"W x 43" L
With millimeters to spare it will fit 2x wolf boxes wide and a bit more than 2x wolf boxes deep longways with room for the door to close. Still need to locate bolts through the floor support cross spars and tie it into the tub but in the interim everything is lashed together in one giant pallet, better than all the little heavy pieces shifting.
need to use chamfered bolts to maximize space, and getting the bottom nut and washer on with enough space is a bit tricky but it works, we trimmed the ends after.
2 more wolf boxes replaced the one clear bin, water ingress became a problem and size not standard. Used stratchits to tie it all down, the rubber spring force on those is nice
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