ROFL, you're a brave man :)

My take on it is that this site is growing slowly but surely and keeping the original spirit. If we were to put an effort into growing, I'd like to see us organising some events. We've been very lucky that Marty has let us use his workshop twice now and we've achieved some good things - I certainly wouldn't have had a new headlining if it hadn't been for the production line we had going. We also learnt a lot about how to do headlinings, the first ones were not great but the last ones were pretty much perfect IMO. Perhaps if we do something like that again we'll have to allow time/materials to totally fuck one up as a learning experience and re-do it at the end.

It's really hard to make sure everyone comes out happy from a meet like Summer Camp. There will always be people who haven't achieved all that they wanted because time is limited and people work at a different speeds. Or they just sit around cooking stuff :)

Don't get me wrong, I thought Summer Camp was fantastic and I hope we can continue to do group maintenance meets, especially if Marty is happy for us to come down and bother him again. Or maybe we look for another venue and give him a break for a year - or at least the opportunity to come and see some different countryside :)

Apart from Summer Camp type meets, maybe we could organise an off road trip, or just a day at an off-road site? or perhaps form a group at a broader Land Rover show? I wouldn't want our USP to be "We're not RangeRovers.net", I'd rather see something a bit more positive and see membership grow because we're enjoying our vehicles and we're helpful.

Just my 2p. :)

Merry Christmas one and all 😁

I'm keen to hear what these sound like. I'm not in the market myself but a good V8 rumble is always a pleasure :)

Greenstuff are excellent on a p38. Not squeaky and great from cold with no fade so far.
They are a different spec for 4x4 than the ones for lighter cars.
Are they worth the premium? No idea. You'd need proper testing to be sure but I don't regret buying them (And the matching discs) one bit.

Keep Bailing!!

And my block is back in :)
Thank you Mr OrangeBean - yours will be coming back to you in the next few days and it is in excellent condition. However, I did manage to pop out one of my collets when refitting the block and it rolled out through the annoying funnel at the bottom of the plastic box. I robbed one of yours but I'll replace it with one from the block I bought to get the NRVs - just in case you're wondering at the lack of smart water on that particular component :)

Also, I noticed when stripping mine down that you can adjust the angle of the threaded rod that the rubber washers/nuts attach to for the compressor. I left that adjustment a bit slack and the compressor sat on it much better when it went back on. The reduced side loading in the rubber bushes has brought compressor noise back to "is it running?" so that's a result too.

The Duchess is currently sitting on the most level ground I can find within parking distance and I'll see how much she drops in the next few hours. With a bit of luck, that'll be the end of it.

In other news, I replaced the boot hatch gas struts. Now the boot stays up, but also closes without needing to be slammed. Who'd a thought it, eh?

My next task is to summon up the courage to move the intake manifold and finally fit the silicon coolant hose from the block to the expansion tank (totally bypassing the throttle heater plate).

Thanks again the Marty for service above and beyond, and Orangebean and BPSM for sending/lending me parts!

£500? A front diff from Ashcroft should be £385 plus £32 for two way shipping. Once you ship them your old diff you get £100 back so the final cost is £327 - I can't see an ebay special being worth it once you've paid someone to fit it. They ship superfast too....

hmm, OK there's £80 VAT too, so £400.

Google Maps does offline navigation, and is free. I don't think it's ever quite as good on an iPhone because it is a few versions behind Android. At least, that used to be the case.
I use FillLPG for finding gas, also free but Android only. It uses crowdsourced pricing info, ie you can update the prices on your phone and it updates the central database. Most LPG stations have accurate pricing.

Auto Silicone Hoses sell the correct spec silicon pipe. Their inventory is pretty shitty so you might end up waiting but it should be a final fix to this issue. Several of us have replaced that pipe and the one from the radiator -> expansion tank with silicon. When the plastic gets brittle it's definitely a ticking time bomb.

I really can't imagine anything better. Please video the unwrapping so we can share it. Many times, on facebook :)

That was just to show off a convoy of beautiful P38s to the locals! :)
(or not)

Tis such a dilemma!
I love the whole OEM look but the sat nav is more amusing than useful. Orangebean's new CD did help a lot and added postcodes but it still doesn't beat "OK Google, navigate to the nearest Pub" and live traffic info.
The system sounds nice when it's fully working but I can't help wondering what could be done with modern kit. If I had an HSE with the dash cubby I'd stick a tablet in there, no question.

Interesting. Is the NRV for the fronts the one in the middle?

All I have to say on the subject is that the better question is to ask "which lpg installer" and leave the choice of equipment to him.

Gilbertd wrote:

Morat wrote:

What flavour of Grabbers are they? The AT2 on the Jeep might well be noisy but you wouldn't notice over the engine and wind noise :) I can't hear the (newer) tyres on the P38 which is, of course, pretty quiet.

It's got a matched pair of ATs on the front and an AT2 and a Landsail on the back. All have a good 8mm of tread but it's the fronts that are the noisy ones. I've been looking for a secondhand AT2 so I can at least have matched tyres on each axle. Report is that it grips well in the snow though. As Dina was working an overtime early shift today she left home at 5am as the snow was starting and got back at 2pm just before it turned the sleet she went to work in it rather than a rear wheel drive Merc on summer tyres.

well, with a mixed bag all bets are off. You could be getting all sorts of weird harmonics going on. The AT replaced the AT2 (confusingly) when the EU decided to limit tyre noise which meant that AT2 became NLA (although there seemed to be a surprising number lurking in the supply chain). AT has a swirly tread pattern which didn't look as macho but seems to work pretty well alongside the traction control on a P38. I can't hear any tyre noise from the cabin in the P38 - but it was driveby noise that the EU were getting arsey about so there might not have been much change audible from the driver's seat.
AT3 is an attempt to keep the qualities of the AT and combine it with the chunkier looks of the AT2 - whether it has worked or not I'll tell you in 10k time (on my Jeep) when I reach 50k total which is the promised mileage on the AT2. The Duchess has done 10k on her ATs and they've kept us on the road. Maybe next time we meet up somewhere we could do a Top Gear style brake test from 40-0? Best not use the track behind Marty's workshop though :)

I'm not a great fan of polys but I've never tried them in a P38.

Gilbertd wrote:

Ascot has Grabbers on it and while they seem to grip well are bloody noisy.

What flavour of Grabbers are they? The AT2 on the Jeep might well be noisy but you wouldn't notice over the engine and wind noise :) I can't hear the (newer) tyres on the P38 which is, of course, pretty quiet.

Another vote for General Grabbers here. I've got AT2 on my Jeep (40,000 miles so far) and AT on the P38. I've offroaded the jeep at a pay and play site and was amazed how well it went. The P38 has only done muddy tracks and wet grass, but it coped very well. Both tyres have good road manners and do well in the snow.
General are Continental's SUV/4x4 division.

It could be a diff, my front let go with a pop then a worryingly loud regular clunk/growl depending on road speed after a tooth broke off the CWP. We drove it home (150 miles) but it clearly wasn't happy.

Does the noise it is making now sound similar to your broken diff (what was wrong with your old diff?)

Was the new front diff set up properly by the garage? Mine broke because it was a recent replacement that had incorrect backlash set on the crownwheel pinion which lead to premature failure. It might be worth popping the front diff cover off to have a look for obvious damage/bits of loose metal. Ashrcroft can have a replacement to you in 24hrs.