A Review of Land Rover Manuals

Any review of this type is likely to be personal and subjective. Nevertheless the newcomer to the Land Rover world is faced with several manuals to choose from. So which is the best, or the most informative...

Land Rover Series II & IIA Repair Operation Manual - publishers, Brooklands Books Ltd. cat. no. AKM8159

This is the definitive official Land Rover workshop manual. Originally it came in two parts, now packaged in one volume, by Brooklands Books Ltd. Not cheap at £52.95 (plus post). It comprises of some 20 sections, each with an abundance of line diagrams and concluding with a fault finding guide and specifications. The manual covers all models (88” & 109”) and both petrol and diesel 2¼ litre & the six cylinder 2.6 litre petrol engine. Although the manual is specifically written for the bonneted control models, many of the overhaul procedures are applicable to the forward control models. It is the size of a very large telephone directory, weighing in at a hefty 2.3 kg! As a very minor criticism it lacks photographs, but then they weren’t the ‘style of the period’. If you can only buy one manual, this is the one to have. Not for nothing is it know universally as the 'Green Bible'.

Parts Catalogue Land Rover Series IIA - publishers, Brooklands Books Ltd. cat. no. RTC9840CC

Close on the tail of the Green Bible must be the official parts catalogue. There are two versions of this; a Series II (1958-61, cat. no. 605957) at around £22.95 and a Series IIA (1961-1971, cat. no. RTC9840CC) at about £25.95. They are invaluable when tracking down exactly what bit you need and they both have extensive exploded diagrams of the major sub-assemblies, e.g. front axle, showing the various model variations. Very useful on your visit to your parts supplier to have a photo copy of the parts you want, to check that you get exactly what you need. The diagrams can give extra clues as to how components are assembled when used in conjunction with the green bible. There is a third parts catalogue covering optional equipment as fitted to IIA, III & 109 V8  models, cat. no. RTC9842CE (£17.95).

The Land Rover Series IIA & IIB Instruction Manual (80 pages) - publishers, Brooklands Books Ltd. cat. no. LSM64 IM

This is the Land Rover version of the Driver’s Handbook. It contains all the basic information of the model variants; layout of instruments/controls, driving techniques, routine maintenance etc. A lot of the information can be found in the workshop manual but it is condensed into this volume, where it is more easily be accessible.

Haynes Service and Repair Manual - Haynes Publishing

Often ridiculed, (refit using the reversal of the removal procedure) this manual is not as bad as its reputation and at £14.99 (96 pages) represents good value for money. Its strong points are the accompanying photographs within each section and a description of how to tackle each job with basic tools. The style appeals more to the novice mechanic. Particularly good is the engine re-build section, which covers the basic dismantling of the engine and refurbishment/replacement of parts. It goes some way to demystify the engine internals and encourages the beginner, something which is absent in the official manual. The manual also covers the later Series III models and it can be confusing at times deciding what variant is being described and matching it to your own Land Rover. It is inevitable, that in a manual this size some detail information is missing, but the basics are there. A second manual covers the diesel engined models.

manual no. 0314 (Petrol) or manual no. 0529 (Diesel). Available from all good motor accessory shops or direct from the internet www.haynes.co.uk/

Land Rover Restoration Tips & Techniques (100 pages) first published in 1992.

A compilation of articles that appeared in the LRO magazine. The ‘star’ is KYJ 57P a Series 3 SWB petrol hard top. Don’t let this put you off! This is a ‘rags to riches’ story of how to renovate a rolling wreck, complete with comprehensive photos of problem areas. There is a short section on fitting a V8 engine and an introduction to welding techniques. Unfortunately there are several sections relating to the 90 model, which are out of place in this book. The book also lacks any advice on engine refurbishment. Don’t let these niggles put you off, there is still plenty of help & advice for Series 2 owners. It shows what can be achieved with the minimum of resources without specialist help.

The Haynes Restoration Manual for Land Rover Series I, II, & III by Lindsay Porter (287 pages).

Haynes Publishing now have a whole series of manuals covering vehicle restoration, of which this is one. There are several chapters covering the history of the various models, but quite why the 90s, Discoverys & Range Rovers are here, is anyone’s guess! Nevertheless there is a good mix of pictures and diagrams from the green bible to illustrate the descriptions of the various jobs undertaken. There are some excellent photos and descriptions on how to repair the axels, brakes, swivels & hubs. The sections on body work and engine refurbishment are particularly useful. Armed with this manual and the Green Bible the average Land Rover owner has enough information to complete a comprehensive restoration of their vehicle. www.haynes.co.uk/

Land Rover Series I, II, IIA & III Service Guide 128 pages

This is a complete guide to servicing Series Land Rovers by Lindsay Porter. Any competent person could follow the step by step instructions and service their vehicle, you don’t have to be a mechanic to do these jobs. It is a mix of line diagrams and photographs. Details of what to check each week through every major service interval are given. Chapter 8 contains all the service data you need and there is a chapter about the MOT test. A useful guide which gives more detail than the Driver’s Instruction Manual costing about £16 from  Land Rover part suppliers.

Automotive Welding Manual by Haynes Publishing, 80 pages

This is an introductory guide to various types of welding suitable for vehicle repairs, including Plasma Cutting. Each method is described showing how the equipment is used. There is an essential section on safety protocols and the trailer build project is interesting, showing what can be done with basic equipment. This is a good starter for the novice welder. (about £15) www.haynes.co.uk/

Winching in Safety from The Land Rover Directory for Land Rover. 99 pages

A handy pocket guide (A5 size) to all aspects of winching. Everyone should read this before they venture out and engage their winches. There is lots of information about maximum loads, cable strengths, pulling loads, etc. and how to setup ground anchors, strops, snatch blocks along with the different types of winch. Reading this does not make you an expert! Practice and caution are advised.

Which manual to buy?

If you could only have one, then that would have to be the Green Bible, even if it is the most expensive.  This is followed by the parts catalogue. The others cost about the same and cover slightly different aspects of Land Rover servicing and restoration. These supplementary manuals are useful for beginners, Land Rover experts and mechanics will frown at them and not find them useful. They all make excellent presents and will solve any Landy nuts family’s ‘what to buy him’ problem. All these books are readily available and can be ordered on-line through the Land Rover Enthusiast bookshop at www.landroverenthusiast.com/info.htm  

Online manuals

There is a growing trend for technical manuals to be made available on various internet web sites. None of these has official blessing of the copyright owners and their legality is something of a grey area. Consequently these sites come & go, many are hosted in other countries and so are difficult to police. At present the Series III official Workshop Manual is readily available. 

YOU SHOULD NOT PAY FOR A CD VERSION OF THIS MANUAL!

It’s a bit of a scam, people are charging £10 - £15 for something that’s not theirs to sell on a CD costing 40p!. You can download the manuals yourself for the cost of a phone call.

In any event, old fashioned books can be easier to read. Although there are many advantages in being able to take the relevant page/diagram from the computer into the workshop or down to the dealers for reference. Searching the online manuals is not easy or quick, there being no index or contents page. Someone familiar with the book layout will always find information quicker than on the electronic version!