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Tom109
03-07-2015, 08:47 AM
A couple years ago we sold our D1, which left a gaping hole in our fleet, and we still miss that LR. Knowing it's in good hands is really important, but dragging my feet with shipfitter's on my 109, we still didn't have a family 4WD we could all jump-in and take off for a week. Fast forward to Wednesday night and this arrived:

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A 1995 RRC LWB, Western truck, all original including EAS, only 49k miles. It is eerily strange to sit in it - never owned a RRC, and it has just a hint of the D1 dash. We love it!

galen211
03-07-2015, 10:45 AM
Wow. 49k. The '95 is my favorite because of the dash.

Nice find.

Disco96JSWB
03-08-2015, 07:13 PM
That looks great. We need more pictures!

Tom109
03-08-2015, 08:34 PM
I'll get some. Today I did all the fluids, and a general once-over. There is a very slight oil leak, that drips downward onto the trans cooler lines beneath the front cover. Other than that it seems to be holding all fluids. The front CV's wer packed with grease, so I flooded with 90wt, and I'll have to do a few drain/refill cycles to purge it all out. I'll likely have to renew the SPH seals as well....

Tom109
03-20-2015, 08:28 AM
So far I've changed all the fluids (except coolant), done a cursory once-over, and placed a small parts order. For safety I'm going to replace the oil cooler lines. I'm going to wait on coolant for now, as I'd like to get the radiator inspected/cleaned, and may do the water pump at the same time. I need to read-up on the '95 RRC ABS system, then I'll bleed them, shoes and rotors are fine, and brakes are AWESOME. I've made a few local runs, and last night moved the Scout Troop trailer - this thing tows the doors off a D1, aside from the relatively low HP, you can't even feel the trailer due to the EAS and better brakes.

Here are few more photos...

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Tom109
03-20-2015, 08:35 AM
Interior is super clean

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It has everything, even the stone shields on the fog lights.

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devildog01
03-20-2015, 06:45 PM
I work in Flemington rite off river road. If you need a hand I'm always in the mood to check out a nice rrc after work!

Tom109
03-21-2015, 11:01 AM
Devildog,

That's crazy - I work in Three Bridges, and use River Road as my cut through!

Frank84
03-23-2015, 08:16 AM
Wow, that RRC is really nice and clean - Good luck with it!

Tom109
04-22-2015, 03:16 PM
The only real rust I've found was the right-rear mud shield, where the mud flap mounts. Below is the original next to a galvanized replacement from YRM (with a stealth POR15 topcoat).

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All I can figure, since everything in the same vicinity is rust free, is the original panel was never painted or treated.

Tom109
05-19-2015, 12:54 PM
Last time out I felt a little vibration through the steering wheel at 65mph. So last night, with my oldest son the drivers seat, we did the requisite steering linkage checks, everything looked good. Drop arm? Check. steering rod-ends? Check. Wheel bearings? Check. Panhard rod bushes? Check. SPH preload? Let's do that last....

Just by chance I grabbed each shock. They easily rotated in my hands, and the top of the RH shock was physically loose. Trouble was, the lock nuts were tightened and bottomed on the stud shoulder? Pulled a set to check at the parts store, and looked-up the part numbers for a LR parts order.

Early this AM I find this:
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The shocks are basically brand-new. However, they were installed the the bushings flipped 180 to the drawing above. This caused the bushes to nest into the cups/washers, and allow the nut to bottom without compressing them.

Disco96JSWB
05-19-2015, 02:25 PM
That's interesting.
The bushings for OME shocks are symmetrical so it's fool-proof.
I'm not sure I would have known to install the original ones in an EAS RRC that way. I'd think they were upside down, but it makes eminent sense looking at the diagram.

Tom109
05-19-2015, 11:06 PM
It is certainly a non-intuitive installation, and purposely designed. Shows the RRC Engineers really thought about a lot of things!

Tonight I decided to swap the bushings to their correct position, which was a little bit of a fight! The rubber was in great condition, but getting the concave end into the cups, and holding it there so I could fit the nut was incredibly hard. Now I know why they get installed incorrectly! Using a slow and steady approach with a little silicone spray, I eventually got it all back together - about 30 minutes per shock.

Test ride to work tomorrow!

Tom109
05-27-2015, 11:53 AM
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Last weekend we hit the Shore so the kids cold test out their paddle-boards. LWB rode like a caddy and I'm really likin' the EAS. I need new bags - they leak, parked in standard height, but hold air fine at extended height.

I also have a new ABS accumulator sitting on my work bench. The ABS pump cycled a little more than it should, and my preliminary tests indicate the accumulator has lost it's charge. Next activity will be it's replacement and a full system bleed.

Tom109
07-05-2015, 11:42 AM
Two weeks ago I replaced the EAS bladders.
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I found genuine Dunlop replacements in the UK
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There is a significant height difference between the new and old bags, here is an new front next to the old
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New front bag installed
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Same for the rear
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Tom109
07-05-2015, 11:46 AM
Since they were so much taller I decided to fight them into as-much-of-a compressed position as possible.
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It is a real bear to do this. I made a short manual fill line to charge the bladder, then loosened the fitting to slowly bleed-off air, while folding the bladder over onto the lower piston.

The ride is 100% transformed - soft, supple and soaks-up road irregularities.

Next up, I plan to run individual manual fill lines to each air bag, so I can fill them up if the compressor or EAS system fails or faults.

galen211
07-06-2015, 04:39 PM
Does the truck ride higher since the airbags are taller?

Tom109
07-07-2015, 07:31 AM
To be honest, I didn't measure ride heights to compare between the new and old airbags. The new ones are taller and narrower because they have never been pressurized under load, so you have to deal with the extra length as best you can before their initial air up. Post inflation they take a similar shape

I would think the height settings are controlled by the individual sensors at each corner. That said, extended height seems a good inch taller than with the old bags. Ride is excellent at every level.

Tom109
07-18-2015, 07:37 PM
New coolant, t-stat and hoses were on the menu this weekend. What was the one thing I overlooked? This motor still has the original expansion tank, and it's failed around the seam.
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So, I ordered one up and now I wait for it to arrive on Tuesday.

At least I now know where the coolant smell was coming from!

Tom109
09-08-2015, 09:37 AM
Last month I did a little maintenance on my EAS system. First, I installed remote manual fill lines for each corner
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With these lines in place, I can flip the manual EAS override switch, manually inflate each corner, and continue onward in the face of a major EAS fault.

Shortly thereafter, the LWB would slowly lower if parked for a few days to a week. I had a leak!. Finally located it where the original right real line connected to the airline y-fitting. Once that was corrected, I replaced the EAS delay relay with a standard relay, preventing the system to attempt to level the vehicle while parked/unattended. Now when I park it at a certain height, it just sits at that height, with one exception...

When I fixed the leak and swapped the delay relay for a standard one, I had parked the LWB in the EAS extended height setting. Now, the everything operational, when I park overnight the LWB defaults to extended height! I'm not sure how this would work - resetting the default height - but my suspicion is that without a delay relay, the sensor feedback says "extended height" simply because four people + gear were removed after parking, and the now-unladen vehicle rose up from standard height.

Either way I love it. No more settling while parked, the LWB sits at a more visually appealing height, and I usually take it for a short course around around our 4.5 acres before hitting the pavement!

Tom109
11-03-2015, 12:47 PM
Last weekend I dropped the sump to clean and re-seal it. I used the Right Stuff on the flange, and since the rear-most sump bolts would not hold tight, I de-greased and put a little blue thread sealer on them.

Of course I noticed ATF drops on the trans cooler lines, so I ordered up a new lines and a ZF filter kit. To allow dropping the Y-pipe I removed the x-member bolts and dropped the front sway bar. I'm still amazed at the lack of rust, but I'm ever paranoid about the exhaust studs. They've been soaking for two days - day one with PB Blaster, 2nd day with ATF/Acetone. I'll heat them up tonight and quench 'em again with ATF/Acetone.

This is what the x-member bolts and steering damper hardware looked like:

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Yes, they are originals. I Did wipe the grime off the steering damper nuts :)

It should be all buttoned-up by the weekend, when I'll give it a complete undercoating of Fluid Film.

Tom109
11-09-2015, 09:23 AM
Spent last Saturday under the RR buttoning things up:

Mobil1 Motor Oil and ATF
Napa Gold 1515 filter
Transmission Cooler Lines
Transmission Filter kit
Exhaust Flange/manifold Gaskets & nuts


I didn't get to the Fluid Film, but I did install new Cibie Headlights.

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Tom109
12-14-2015, 04:02 PM
Drove over 1300 miles Thanksgiving week, looping up through Eastern Canada - ran like a dream. What a beautiful road-trip platform!

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Woke-up to a dead battery Sunday, so I'll get to track that down this week. The battery came with the LWB, date coded for early 2013 but I have now idea of it's history. At least it held-up for the recent trip...

Tom109
02-01-2016, 12:05 PM
I converted the rear passenger ashtray to dual 12vDC outlets.

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This would work on 1995 RRC's or D1's (all years).

galen211
02-01-2016, 12:48 PM
That is a nice clean install!

Frank84
02-02-2016, 09:41 AM
That came out great!

Tom109
04-28-2016, 10:50 AM
This week I received a bunch of parts:
- STC1856 Amplifier relocation kit (genuine Lucas kit from UK)
- Distributor rebuild kit
- New fuel pump (turned out to be Allmakes brand)
- EAS interface cable

So this weekend I hope to get a lot accomplished....

Tom109
11-18-2016, 03:23 PM
Ok, quick update.

- Relocation kit was a bust (will revisit that in the near future)
- Distributor rebuild was a fun learning experience, and it is now better than new!
- New fuel pump has been fine (still carry the functioning original on long trips)
- forgot about the EAS interface cable, I'll get on that...
- Did get a 14CUX interface cable and run RoverGauge software on a HP Win8 tablet. If you have a 14CUX system you should really get this software - it's free and really lets you look inside the system.


Next item is tires - 225/75 or 215/85 ???

Disco96JSWB
11-18-2016, 08:48 PM
Did get a 14CUX interface cable and run RoverGauge software on a HP Win8 tablet. If you have a 14CUX system you should really get this software - it's free and really lets you look inside the system.


Next item is tires - 225/75 or 215/85 ???

Very interesting about the software. Thanks for pointing that out.

For my '92 I went with the original size tires which were 205-80 Pirelli Scorpion ATR. They're tiny. With the OME lift they look even smaller.

I just got back from a 250 mile trip in it.

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Tom109
11-22-2016, 11:06 AM
Jeremy - those 205's look good. If you're OK with that width at highway speeds, I should be fine with 215's. I may just go with whichever size is cheaper.

We did ~500 miles round-trip two weekends ago - ran up to Boston for a load of RRC parts. The LWB ran like a champ and soaked-up the miles.

Here is the main RoverGauge page (with links to the download and cable specification down near the bottom):

https://github.com/colinbourassa/rovergauge

I picked-up a refurb HP Win8 tablet to use for RRC diagnostics. It has been much more convenient that the old laptop I had laying around...

Tom109
12-02-2016, 11:05 AM
Successfully relocated the ignition amplifier module. The directions did not match my 1995 RRC which led to a few failed attempts. Once I traced all the wires I found my harness is the same a a 94-95 D1! I taped off the stock module wires, left the injector circuit feed, and was rewarded with a nice crisp start!

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It is very odd to not have to plan trips and open the bonnet to cool off the module. Guess I'll have to find something else to occupy my time...

Disco96JSWB
12-02-2016, 12:34 PM
Tom,
As I recall, there are some differences between the engine in a 95 Classic versus earlier years, like serpentine belts and repositioned oil pump (possibly?). Sounds like the 95 Classic engine is pretty much to same as the 95 Discovery.

What's the status on your Rover Gauge monitoring? Does it give a information that lets you know how the idle air control valve or throttle position sensor is working? I'm intrigued by it and read the info on the page you linked to previously.

- Jeremy

Tom109
12-02-2016, 12:37 PM
Jeremy,

IACV - Yes, it does. I'll see if I can figure out how to take a tablet screen shot, then post it.

If we are anywhere near each other we can plug it into your Classic too.

Tom

galen211
12-02-2016, 03:42 PM
If we are anywhere near each other we can plug it into your Classic too.



Sounds like you both need to go to SCC. :)

Tom109
12-03-2016, 06:22 PM
Jeremy,

There is also menu selection for an IACV test. Here is a screenshot from today's drive into town...

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Here is an explanation of each section of the display.

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(taken from this page (http://www.v8register.net/FilesRV8WN/160921-RV8-diagnostics-note-DM8.pdf).)

Disco96JSWB
12-07-2016, 04:08 PM
Yahoo! That 'dashboard' is neat. I will see some issues on my ECU.

I have a Windows laptop. Did you make your own '14CUX interface cable'?

Tom109
08-14-2017, 12:36 PM
I found a really nice, non-winch ARB Bumper for my LWB!

http://gunsandrovers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=16299&d=1502718151

This means I'll probably sell the rougher one I had planned to use...

Tom109
03-26-2018, 01:28 PM
Another week or so and the salt should all be rinsed off the roads! Then it's time for new rubber a on a set of CSK wheels!

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Disco96JSWB
03-27-2018, 10:46 AM
Another week or so and the salt should all be rinsed off the roads! Then it's time for new rubber a on a set of CSK wheels!

So what tire are you thinking of getting?
I opted for a set of 205/80-16 Pirelli Scorpion ATR for mine on the stock wheels.
Now it seems kind of silly since it's a dented-up trail truck on mud terrains, but the Pirellis are nice tires.

Tom109
03-27-2018, 01:55 PM
Size will be 225/75, and I'm leaning toward the Cooper ST/Maxx.

mpruiks
04-01-2018, 11:57 AM
Another week or so and the salt should all be rinsed off the roads! Then it's time for new rubber a on a set of CSK wheels!

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Looking real good Tom!!!