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[rosinante]

Hi , all these suggestions are food for thought , side steps are the most practical  why didn't I think of that doh!

Chris

[Supercal2007]

You need this.

[rosinante]

A bit to radical , a subtle lowering is what I thought , 70 years old is to old to be thst cool
Chris 

[williammac]

Did anyone see what the goblin works did to a land rover? At the extreme end of course but some of the methods they used might be thought provoking...

[w3526602]

Hi.

Thanks both, for the above pictures. They are getting closer to the sort of look and utility of what I'm aiming for.

Without wishing to detract from the artists' achievements, (they've been there, I haven't), ...

My ideas about fitting smaller wheels are three-fold .....

1. Reduce height.

1.1. I reckon that a drop of three inches in the diameter is achievable just by changing the.wheels and tyres.

1.2. I don't know if three inches will be enough to get a full hard-top under my up'n-over garage door.

2. Increase the ratio between engine TPM and tyre TPM.

2.1. This will permit the use of a smaller engine. I'm trying to find data for Rover P6 2000, Ford 2.0 (and 1.6) and Marina/MGB 1800. I have not yet investigated Marina 1300 A+ engine, nor the Triumph Spitfire 1500. All mentioned should have a good spares back-up.

2.2. It will also improve the VR between tyre rolling diameter and brake drum diameter.

3. Subtract another one inch, by packing between top of spring and bottom of axle, should not lead to too much "S-ing" of the rear springs, which mightbrequire anti-tramp bars to prevent breaking springs
 Refering to the afore-mentioned pictures (with all respect  )

I would try to (contrive to) retain the standard height for the front bumper ... which might reduce it's ability to withstand impacts. Front registration plate to be hung under the bumper, between the dump-irons, as a modesty panel.

Smaller wheels and tyres might reduce the "drag-ass/over-loaded" effect, for the same drop in height.

4. I'm sorry, but to my eyes, S2 sills look too "Victorian" (morality wise). Triumph Herald sills affect me the same way ... to much metal.

4.3.1. Option 1. Go Commando ... no sills.

4.3.2. Fit S3 sills. Better, but maybe not "betterer" enough.

4.3.3. Fit rock-sliders (prefered), which could be utilised for supporting "Barbara Boarding Boards" (AKA "planks"), or perhaps more technical means of humping her "up and in".

Again ... my respect where it's due.

602

[w3526602]

There are several charities/organisations that can help with access ramps (F.O.C.)

Hi Alan,

We've contacted Social Services. They want US to provide details ... that should be fun.  They are the experts.

The problem is that the "front" door is at the side, opening onto the drive ... which leads to the garage. Side fence to side of house is a short 12ft. Any ramp could project about 40" without obstructing "straight line" vehicle assess to the garage. But it would need a 12" rise to "top-of-steps", plus another 3" to top of uPVC threshold.

Solution ... exit house onto horizontal section of ramp, turn left 90*, go down gentle ramp which would run along side house.

Problem ... passenger door needs room to open without hitting fence. Driver's door would need to open over ramp (unless parked at distance from front door) which would make Barbara have to lift herself higher to get off the seat. Demolishing the garage wouldn't help much, just move the problem.

Hmmm! Remove garage roof, extend brick walls upwards 12", and replace roof. Lift garage floor 12". Lift about 18ft of drive 12", and build a ramp onto the plateau ... I think a non-starter.

Back to the drawing board!

602

PS. Hidden assets ... my sister was a social worker (with a little bit of rank) in South London, she can tell us what to do, but not do it for us. Her husband is a (successful) free-lance journalist.  Articles in Times, Telegraph, etc, (equivalent of Major in Army when he was MoD Press Officer). I'd better not tell you what my daughter does.  

[Calum]

Did anyone see what the goblin works did to a land rover? At the extreme end of course but some of the methods they used might be thought provoking...

Isn't that one pretty much just a cut down P4 with Series 1 bodywork?

[Bradfordseries2]

The goblin garage lowered Land Rover is the 'A' plated one shown. It had extensive work to the chassis to allow the axles to be fitted higher up to give the lowered effect.

I believe the other one pictured above with the series one front panel is actually a VW beetle with an assortment of series body panels.


As a thought, if smaller wheels and tyres are fitted, along with fitting spacers between the spring and axle, are you actually going to get any clearance between the floor and the diff case? Might prove interesting when encountering speed bumps... 

[w3526602]

Might prove interesting when encountering speed bumps... 

Hi Brad (may I?)

The axle (diff) will rise with the tyres, on full with speed bumps, and the little ones are best taken on just the wheels on one side, or the other.

I believe speed bumps are supposed not to exceed 4" high. What's the clearance under a SWB  differential?

602

[w3526602]

Hi,

I took a shufti at the coach builders drawing.

The axle drain plug clearance on a 109" appears to be about twice the depth of the rear cross member. If I had a paper copy, I could use a steel rule, then scale from other details on the drawing. Crude, but good enough.

Does anybody here have their drain plug clearance, height to centre of hub cap, and diameter of tyre (measured horizontaly), within their gift?

Looking at front spoilers on modern cars, I think I'd be happy with six inches under the diffs, and keep the big tyres for "high" days and holidays ... if my little engine will pull it. Hmmm!  Maybe fit the big wheels with snow tyres ... when I won't want too much grunt anyway. 4x2 remember.

602

[Wittsend]

Just been out and done some measuring.

Ground to centre of hub cap = 14.5"
Tyre diameter = 30.5" from ground to top of tyre.

Ground to bottom of diff = rear 9.5" - front = 9"
i.e. ground clearance.

[w3526602]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for that.

Why the reduced clearance on front axle? I would have expected the front axle to "bend" down at the ends (inclined king-pins) which would tend to lift the differential.

No matter. For civilised driving, I feel 6" under the differential to be acceptable, which means I can knock 3" off the axle height, implying 6" off the tyre OD. Doh! I used to have a cutting from (I think) a 1970s Hot Car magazine, giving all the specs for various tyres, by manufacturer and size.  Would that data be available on Google? I think the TPMs are embossed on the sidewalls.

In the days when I used to read "Hot Car", there was a wheel manufacturer offering to drill their wheels to your stud pattern. Yikes, that was before I retired ... 35 years ago. Barbara was happy to keep me, and my dogs, horses, and Land Rovers, etc. (For those of you who know about such things, she passed an SEO Promotion Board, but the Director wanted her to represent DVLA on a DPM Task Force, in her present grade ... and HEO pay scale).

("Think of the career prospects!" ... "Yeah - I retire in two years!")

602

[Wittsend]

Driving over speed humps is not good for your suspension components, even at walking pace 

There is a proscribed maximum height and councils have been successfully sued for not complying to the specifications and paying compensation. But it's hard to prove that speed humps have damaged your suspension.

You can increase your clearance by not straggling the humps. Drive with one side (or the other) up over the hump. The vehicle will be at an angle and if you position the vehicle accurately you should get over with a much lower ground clearance.

Speed humps have been proved to be ineffective (pinch point chicanes are more effective) and councils directed to remove them - except there's no money for this.

Better just to let the speed humps crumble away and add to the pot holes.
Pot holes are the cheapest way to make the traffic slow down (as posted, it's hard to prove that a pothole has caused damage to your vehicle).
 
Average speed cameras are what councils are clamouring for - a fantastic potential source of extra funds for them to waste on their vanity projects - like miles of cycleways that no one uses 


 

[w3526602]

You put a remote servo on top of each footwell, under the wing.

Hi Alan,

I either missed, or misread. or misunderstood, the above, at first reading. Point taken ... but unlikely to be implemented until found to be necessary. Sleeving the clutch master might be a cheaper solution, subject to it giving enough "throw" to the cross-shaft. I'll wait and see.

Barbara is currently driving a modern manual, and has no problems with the clutch. DVLA will insist on an AUTO, or a couple of months after each knee replacement, which takes the servo clutch out of the equation.

The current situation is at a "stand-off". Her surgeon refuses to operate unless Barbara is walking. Barbara says IF she could walk, she would live with the pain, and forget the operations.  This is nine months down the line from first assessment.  OK, I'm omitting some of the detail, but they have nothing to do with walking, nor the actual operation. I'd rather not go into detail on public pages.

Does anyone have experience of the BENEDEN clinic? Beneden are the Civil Service private health insurers. They paid for my new eyes at a MK hospital. They have only recently started to do knee replacements, but at £7,500 per knee, and at their clinic in Kent. If push comes to shove, we can find the wherewithal without affecting our life-style. But do we want to wander into the unknown (South of the Thames)

602

[Wittsend]

One is tempted to say; "Find another surgeon."
Get a 2nd opinion.