Posts

Posted on

Prep, Plan, Re-organize Range Rover Classic, Floor Bed Repair (Post #674) 10/4/2024

This post and video are ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I got so distracted when I went out into the shop this weekend. My frustration with the disorganization finally got to me. I reorganized the workbench. I moved the screws and bolts. I re-ordered some shelves. Reorganized the yard tools. It was a busy weekend.

I also talk about a new project to built a jerry can holder for two jerry cans. I have most of a 4×8 sheet of 16gauge sheet just taking up room. I think I can make a template and cut out a jerry can holder from the sheet. This would accomplish two things:

  1. Take care of a need to store stuff on the Range Rover Classic when I’m out.
  2. Get most of the sheet steel cut down to a manageable size.

It’s a win win for me.

I also want to make something from the two ancient jerry cans I found in the old shed before I tore it down. They are pretty crusty inside so they are only going to be good for a project like one of these….

I actually want to make a storage for my recovery gear. So that will be awesome if I can make that be as cool as it sounds.

The Big White Bus showed me it still has an issue with either/and/or the battery and alternator. While running her to prevent the varnishing issues she just died. Turned out to be a dead battery. So either the alternator is not charging the battery, or the battery won’t hold a charge. I’m pretty sure its the first. I will be getting a new alternator via warranty. It will be my 7th replacement from NAPA. I think I’ll also look for a NEW alternator with a similar lifetime warranty.

That’s about it. Told ya this post was all over the place.

Thanks for reading, like and subscribe, Patreon if you have the means to support the page.

https://youtu.be/JxiPtaaCecc
Posted on

Upper Tailgate Repair on a Range Rover Classic, Part 3 (Post #673) 9/29/2024

In this post I finish up the upper tailgate repair. I finished up all the rust removal and put the frame back on.

This went “good”, I guess. I broke one bolt on the passenger side latch mechanism. I didn’t finish the seal. There were two holes that the rivets would not work in. I tried to tap them for a 10/32 bolt. I need to but the bolts and see if my tapping worked.

I tested the latch but it didn’t work super great. So I have some more work to do to get that adjusted again. It was working perfectly before I took it apart. So it may need more adjusting.

I took a few minutes to investigate where my backup camera will need to be mounted. I’ll have to experiment more once the head unit is installed. I only get one shot at drilling and installing. I gotta make it count.

I didn’t get to finish the job this weekend. One, the tapped screws did not get bought. Two, we had torrential rains happen today. At one point the rain was falling at 2 inches an hour. It slowed down some and in the end we got 5 inches of rain in 6 hours. It’s still sprinkling. This will break the drought we were under.

Next week I’ll wrap up the tailgate probably off camera. Next project is the rear floor. I still haven’t sorted out how I’ll get the rust off. So that’s the research I need to do this week.

Like and subscribe.

Thanks for reading, and watching, and Happy Rovering.

Posted on

Upper Tailgate Repair on a Range Rover Classic, Part 2 (Post #672) 9/22/2024

thumbnail

In this video I continue to refurbish the upper tailgate frame. It’s crusty. I ordered some 30 inch wire bottle brushes to attempt to get the rust out of the frame.

They worked great. I ordered them from Justman Brushes. Made in America too!! I eventually nipped the ring off of one and inserted it into my drill. This was pretty clever of me if I do say so myself.

Once I got as much of the rust out as I thought I could get, I moved to get the paint in there. It did occur to me that I could have dipped the frame in sulfuric acid. But I would have had to start all over and in the end, I still had to rely on the paint pouring to coat the interior.

I will still have to lightly sand the frame to even up the paint. The rust preventative paint is some very thick stuff.

At the end of the video I go on a rant that I liken never finishing the Range Rover Classic to Shipwright’s Disease. I posted on this previously back in 2022. You can see that by clicking the link Shipwright’s Disease [Okierover].

Read Tailgate Repair Part 1 here….

Carry on to Part 3…

Thanks for listening to me whine, like and subscribe, and Happy Rovering.

Posted on

Upper Tailgate Repair on a Range Rover Classic, Part 1 (Post #671) 9/15/2024

Yeah, yeah, I know, “I thought you were working on the floor bed?!?”

I was, but I looked at the upper tailgate and I know it’s gonna be hard to believe, but I found RUST! Shocking! Anyway, I thought I’d investigate and my OCD took over and then I was halfway through with taking it apart.

So what’s wrong? The inner tube of the lower frame is rusting BADLY from the inside out. Lots of surface rust on the outside but also rust has eaten through the steel inside out.

Do I have any hope at all that I can save it? A little, at least I’m gonna slow it down. This is one of those parts on a Range Rover Classic that rusts. Check the message boards…everyone has rust on their tailgate.

IF you buy a new upper tailgate protect it from rust immediately, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. If you don’t you will lose it to rust.

So the plan now is to paint it, I already have two coats of primer on it. The second is a daffy plan to pour rust preventative paint down the tube. Yeah, you read that correctly. I found a place to buy steel tube brushes. Justman Brush Company. I ordered the minimum of 6 brushes.

I’m going to run the brush through the tube until it stops the rust bits stop coming out. I’ve already poured “kitty litter”, you know the stuff that you use to soak up oil spills, down it until I was sure it wasn’t doing anything.

Once that job is done, I’ll reassemble. I’ve already bought all stainless steel hardware. I’ll protect the threads with copper anti-seize. This will hopefully limit the corrosion on the hardware.

That’s about it. If the brushes arrive by next weekend I’ll be finishing the tailgate and reassembling. If no, I’ll be working on the floor again. I forgot to disconnect the battery last weekend so this weekend I was reminded I have a slow drain somewhere in the wiring OR the alternator diodes have failed again. I’ll test next week by just disconnecting the alternator.

Upper Tailgate Repair, Part Two

Upper Tailgate Repair, Part Three

Like and subscribe to the channel and the blog.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

Posted on

Rear Floor Pan Repair on a Range Rover Classic (Post #670) 9/7/2024

In this post I play a chemist and use muriatic acid to de-galvanize the zinc off my Z bar. Some time ago I sourced some Z bar to rebuild the rusted ledge of the floor panel. Welding galvanized steel can make you sick. It requires a well ventilated space and likely a respirator. There are lots of videos on the YouTubes that show guys welding galvanized steel. I’ve seen enough warnings to know I don’t want anything to do with it.

So using some of the acid for the swimming pool I decided to chemically remove the zinc. This too is very dangerous. So this is fair warning, don’t try this at home kids.

I got the zinc off in short order and got the Z bar double primed and double coated with black paint. I have no fantasy that this will never rust. I just don’t want it to rust through in the next 10 years.

I also got the sunroof drain installed. This was rewarding. Getting little jobs done is great. I bought a “step drill” and am now wondering why I didn’t buy one A LONG TIME AGO. This was pretty awesome. It was expensive at $58.00(US) for one that would cut mild steel.

My next step is to dry fit the panel to confirm the Z bar and panel will fit in the place it once was. I also reached out to my biological brother’s sister (we didn’t grow up together) to see what getting the panel stripped with her metal stripping service. I really can’t go forward without that step completed.

That’s about it for this week. Like and subscribe on YouTube. Subscribe to the blog so you get notifications. I had a hit with…

Footwell Repair Part 6: Floor Panel Repair, Seam Sealer (Post #665) 8/5/2024

As of this post it has more than 1,000 views!!! I have no idea why. Most of my videos don’t get to 100 views.

Thanks for ready and Happy Rovering.

Posted on

Changing Oil on a Range Rover Classic (Post #669) 8/31/2024

In this episode I change the oil the my Range Rover Classic. My grandson Grady came over to help so we tried to make this mundane task fun!

The good news is we got the Big White Bus running and drove it out of the shoppe! This was huge. It’s been a while and to see her running and driving was pretty awesome.

Not much to say about the oil change, I done this somewhere around 73 or 74 times. Every 3,000 miles, or in this case, after sitting for 4 years. I know, I know, but it all worked out. It’s got fresh oil for now and we’ll be starting and running the Range Rover Classic every week from here on out.

We also gave her a bath. 4 years of dust had settled on her and it was badly needed. Also helps me keep a cleaner shoppe.

That’s about it for this week. Hopefully Mrs. Okierover has won her third straight Oklahoma Senior Games Over 55 Women’s 3v3 Basketball tournament. With a win, they advance once again to Nationals. I’ll report back next week with the results.

Like and Subscribe. Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

https://youtu.be/8GifXAydNmU
Proudly powered by WordPress