D90 Rebuild......

[LandyAndy]

Thought I'd post a few pic's of my D90 rebuild... decided that I would never get what I've spent on it over the years if I sold it, so.....

Start off with a simple RHD to LHD conversion....

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 24x768.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 24x768.jpg

Decided whilst I'm at it, might as well go to 100" wheelbase & add a rear winch too, that I happened to have spare :wink:

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

Now to add the rear winch tray, steel parts were cut at 'Custom Cut' in S'Arm from drawings developed in Bendtech Sheet Metal

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x316.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

Finally will add an extension to the exo-cage to give better protection off-road, still in design stage until I get the cage mounts welded onto the chassis

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x386.jpg

[franko]

Looks great love the rear winch tie in. So what's the plan for this on,still road friendly?

[ANDYD]

Thanks for sharing the photos Andy.

Please take lots more of the RHD to LHD steering conversion as I know there is lots of people thinking about doing it!

[LandyAndy]

Looks great love the rear winch tie in. So what's the plan for this on,still road friendly?

I can't take credit for the tray design, sort of based it on Devon 4x4's and saved over $700 in shipping costs in the process :D

Plan to keep it on the highway, no point in making it a trailer queen would be too restrictive then & I don't have a trailer to haul it around on. There's no chance of getting one in the near future too, as the wife's just lost her job at RMR.... :evil:

[LandyAndy]

Thanks for sharing the photos Andy.

Please take lots more of the RHD to LHD steering conversion as I know there is lots of people thinking about doing it!

The actual conversion is not that hard... getting all the parts is the real PITA, espically the LHD dash bits if you want to keep it looking 'stock'. To be honest I'm in two minds to just make a new dash as the bits I've got are not in the best condition being ex-mil. abd quite old. The dash vinyl is rather hard & brittle, so spending $$ on getting it recovered might as well be spend on getting a new alum dash fabricated that will offer better storage space & look just as good.

[HeadDamage]

I thought that BC had some odd rules about frame modifications on street legal trucks?

[LandyAndy]

I thought that BC had some odd rules about frame modifications on street legal trucks?

Not as far as I'm aware, just on frames that are heat treated as part of the manufacturing process. You can't weld on them, LR frames are just regular mild steel.

[HeadDamage]

It looks like a good project, I was asking because when I lived on the Island there seemed to be a lot of concern related to frame mods with the non-rover 4x4 crowd. Back here in Alberta I think it is much more anything goes as long as you can get private insurance for it.

[LandyAndy]

It looks like a good project, I was asking because when I lived on the Island there seemed to be a lot of concern related to frame mods with the non-rover 4x4 crowd. Back here in Alberta I think it is much more anything goes as long as you can get private insurance for it.

From what I understand, alot of the domestic trucks have frames with the heat treated 'C' section profile to give them the rated load capacity, as these are also used under alot of the SUV's in one form or another it can be a bit of a headache when your doning mods. I guess that's why you see alot of 'bolt on' stuff here, doesn't cause heat stresses in the frame from welding.

Good point though :wink:

[LandyAndy]

Umm.... things seems to be snowballing..... as I need to remake the rear 'A' frame for the new wheelbase, why not just 4 link it.... like this one :wink:

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 4link1.jpg

Will need to mod the rear axle with a truss & mount but that'll get rid of the restrictive ball joint too.... win win :D

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 4link2.jpg

[LandyAndy]

Steady progress this past couple of weeks, rear winch cage all completed.

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... x480-1.jpg

Main hoop cage mounts done & swapped the outer side plates into ones that tie into the frame rails.

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

Now working on the design for the rear axle top link mount. Have replaced the lower trailing arm mounts with std. 2 5/8" brackets for Johnny/Creeper Joints.

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

Hopefully get the rear axle back under the truck in the next week or so & can then start the general rebuild & finish off the LHD conversion.

Other plans include fitting hydro assist to turn the 35's, kit is from GP in the UK.

http://gigglepin4x4-shop.co.uk/epages/e ... 2/Steering

[LandyAndy]

Made some new mounts for the rear 4 link setup

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 60x480.jpg

Cleaned up & painted the bulkhead

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 60x480.jpg

Finally get to start bolting bits back on rather than taking them off :D

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

[LandyAndy]

Bit of progress this last week or so, got the rear bulkhead reinforced and the top capping tidied up. Now to work on the new twin battery cradle that'll sit just behind it.

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

Rear axle is just waiting for the order of Jonny joints to arrive so I can finish up the 4 links and finalize the pinon angle. Once that's done it can be final welded, painted & rebuilt.

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

Then we can get it rolling again & start work on the cab rebuild, wiring, brake lines and get the engine running under Mega Squirt :wink:

Plan is to have it drivable as a chassis cab then finish the rear cage and tube front wings :D

[LandyAndy]

Slow progress.... but, rear axle back in on the 4 link to check out the flex & work the shock upper mount location out.

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

X-Eng helper springs set to 99% extension, should keep it all tight & less rattly

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 60x480.jpg

Cab back together :D

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

Time to get the dash in & make up some new brale lines.

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 40x480.jpg

Megasquirt is also coming along, ECM mounted into the waterproof box & mil-spec connectors wired up

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... /ECU-1.jpg

Till the next time.... happy rovering !

[mepham55]

Wow nice build! That welding is a work of art.

Matt

[BCROVER]

Hi Andy,

I just found your rebuild on here, how did it turn out in the end??
Looks fantastic do far.
I am looking at doing a RHD-LHD conversion on my defenders, I just wondered how difficult it really is? Do you need a new bulkhead? or can you just reverse it? I am in the UK for a while and am sourcing some spares. What components wont reverse? is there anything I should get whilst I am over here that would make it work?
I am down in Kelowna and frequently pass through Revelstoke, One day we will have to hook up, It would be great to see the finished article.

Cheers

Will

[LandyAndy]

Hi Will,

Still working on the truck, have had to take a break to get some more outside work finished on our house before the snow arrives.... and it's almost here !

Doing the conversion is not hard, it's all nuts & bolts like any 90/100 job, hardest bit is getting all the LHD handed trim items as there getting scarce now and any decent stuff fetches a premium price. Check out some of the dashboard for sale threads on D90.com (http://www.d-90.com/forum/index.php

Depending upon the D90/110 year the bulkhead may be handed, can't remember when the cut-off was for universal LHD/RHD ones.

For the main mechanical items your best option is to find a older classic range rover (in Canada) that's being parted out, you'll get the complete swivel hubs, axles, drag link, power steering box etc., from that or just get the complete front axle and all the steering parts. If it's a later one and the vehicle had ABS you can either get some blanking caps made for the ABS sensor holes (as I did) or just leave the sensors in there & cut the cables off.

PM me your email address & I can send you a list of parts needed for the conversion.

Cheers,
Andy

[LandyAndy]

Got allot of the house work done recently so.... back to the fun stuff :D

Time to get the tube bender out & put it to good use....

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 76x768.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 24x768.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 76x768.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 24x768.jpg

More work to do on the rear tub frame but happy with the progress so far, keeping it looking D90'ish is the challenge :wink:

[LandyAndy]

Bit more done on the rear bodywork skin supports, will be able to hang some decent demountable h/d truck mud flaps off the rear corner frames for daily use :)

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 24x768.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 24x768.jpg

Front will get some tubular 'challenge' style wings made next.

[LandyAndy]

Been rain'in all weekend.... so, made a start on the front tubular wings :D

Bulkhead bracket & inner tube.
http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 76x768.jpg

Outer tube being trimmed to size, front will get cross bracing across the slam panel. Wings will be skinned with diamond plate on top.
http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 24x768.jpg

Can you guess what this'll be :wink:
http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 24x768.jpg

[tait]

Been rain'in all weekend.... so, made a start on the front tubular wings :D

Bulkhead bracket & inner tube.
http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 76x768.jpg

Outer tube being trimmed to size, front will get cross bracing across the slam panel. Wings will be skinned with diamond plate on top.
http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad30 ... 24x768.jpg

Can you guess what this'll be :wink:
[img]http://i946.photobu

Hmmm...rear-mounted turret, a-la Batmobile!? :lol:

[LandyAndy]

Link fixed :wink:

[DBrands]

Spare tire mount?

[discojonny]

What size is that tubing? 1 1/2" 1/8" wall?
looks great.

[LandyAndy]

Spare tire mount?

Yup... :)