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1991 RRC Hunter

4K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  journeyman 
#1 ·
Unrestored, in need of some TLC. Rust-free example from Idaho.
This is my second Rover, first RRC.

Known issues:
Broken right front axle
Failing tie rod ends
Failing rear brakes
Failing water pump
Horrible window tint
Numerous cosmetic issues inside and out.

Planned upgrades:
Springs, shocks, and tires
Custom roof rack
Custom front receiver bumper
Custom removeable door hinges
Custom soft doors
Custom... ?
 

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#4 ·
As this is your first RRC, you might want to do some research on them before making the planned changes.

Rust free ones in general are getting harder to find and Hunters were not very plentiful to begin with.

Just a suggestion why not try to bring it back to its original state versus the custom stuff.

Having owned various Rovers including a 110 in Brasil and a NAS 90 SW, our RRC really is a great all around Rover.

BTW, we are moving back to the Somerset, PA area so not too far from your neck of the woods.

And nice looking Hunter.
 
#5 ·
Rust free ones in general are getting harder to find and Hunters were not very plentiful to begin with. .
I agree with Blueboy.
Less than 400 Hunters were sold when new; I bet there's only a hundred or so left.
I've personally seen no fewer than 5 Hunters succumb to the rust-bug.

Have you pulled up the front carpets and checked the floors to really make sure it is rist free?



.
 
#6 ·
Window Tint and Windshield Replacement

Operation Restoration is under way.
First- remove that awful 80's purple tint. "Drug dealer shiek" a friend called it.
Second- replace broken windshield for PA inspection.
Fun fact: Windshield technician says, "this windshield has been in our inventory A LONG time. In the 25 years I've been doing this, I've not once replaced a shield in an old Range Rover."
Another fun interaction :)

First two pics are before, second two are after.
 

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#12 · (Edited)
Broken CV and Other Axle Destruction

So last week, this happened:



The broken CV joint at the right, front was not disclosed by the previous owner, and made for an unpleasant surprise.
Beyond making the 4WD inoperable, the broken metal bits had ground their way around the ball and into the wheel and spindle bearings as well as wreck all of the seals.







In addition, draining the front differential yielded a nasty, but not gritty, goobly-gunk.

 
#14 · (Edited)
I can see the pictures just fine....but I cant tell if your swivel housing is all messed up or its just the grease/parts!

Diff oil doesn't look that bad--just old/maybe some water.


I think I've got a spare CV joint and inner axle in my shed somewhere...


.
 
#15 ·
...I cant tell if your swivel housing is all messed up or its just the grease/parts!
The housing, ball, seals, and bearings were all damaged.

I think I've got a spare CV joint and inner axle in my shed somewhere...
Thanks! A local fellow has helped me out with some parts. I'll know more over the next couple of days.
 
#16 ·
A Load of Parts and Then Some

To deal with the damage and get the Hunter rolling again, I needed parts. Fortunately, a local friend has some old Rovers for spares and was willing to help me out.

Over the course of 6hrs, and using hand tools, air tools, a torch, and a tractor, we extracted the donor parts from a '92...



... A bed-load of parts.



I cleaned, inspected and sorted all of the axle goods.



My '91 Rover Hunter (essentially a '90 carryover) had the older style axle assembly that used B-suffix CV joints with bolt-on stub axles.



But the donor parts from the '92 were of the newer style, using drive plates and C-clips.
A quick dry-fit revealed that all parts should play nicely together.



We'll see how it all holds up once I get it off of the stands and back on its wheels!
 
#17 · (Edited)
Side Mirror & Tail Light Lens

Between my work and the weather here in central PA, not much got done on the Rover project this week.

After removing the window tint and installing the new windshield, replacing the broken side mirror was the last step in completing the glass restoration.

Before


After


And that pesky taillight lens... I hope the designer who came up with this complicated contraption won some kind of inter-office joke poll.

Before




After


Some progress is better than no progress, though. Got to keep whittling away...
 
#18 ·
Axle Rebuild/ Non-ABS to ABS bits. Why?

With the recent spell of really nice weather here in SC PA, I was able to return to the task of repairing the front axle.
I had left off at the end of March with the axle disassembled, donor parts from a 92 RRC procured, and an optimistic attitude that all fitment would go swell. Ah, such innocence, such naivety…

The subject of fitting later model Suffix A/ ABS axle components to an earlier Suffix B/ non-ABS axle is worthy of a write-up all its own, although I wonder if many people would be interested. Removing ABS seems to be a popular topic, but, unless it’s the only option, I imagine few would choose the opposite. Of course, I wasn’t adding an entire ABS system, simply using ABS axle bits; however, financially and time-wise, I would have been further ahead had I just rebuilt all of the original busted components. This is doubly true for me since I plan to do just that in the future.

Original, Non-ABS Components


The Later-model, ABS Replacements


There are numerous subtle differences between the ABS and non-ABS designs involving the axle stub length, wheel bearing spacing, top swivel mount, and brake line support. Fortunately, the overall axle lengths, brake calipers, attached steering components, and wheel track width are all compatible.
I had intended to use a mix of the 91 and 92 parts, but for the differences noted above, that wasn’t to be. However, mounting the entire 92 end assemblies (from swivel balls to drive flanges) went fairly straight-forward save for the pesky ABS sensors.

ABS Sensor


The wire and sensor sticking out of the top swivel bearing mount makes for complications when reinstalling the attached brake line support plate. Simply removing the sensor would leave an open pit straight to the swivel housing and encased CV joint. I decided a modification was in order.

Enter Small Vise and Hacksaw


Result


*Note: Be careful when removing the top swivel bearing. LR’s idea of combining the mount location for both the top swivel bearing and the brake line support plate is not one of their finer, since removing the bolts for the top swivel bearing allows the swivel ball to sag and thus leak fluid from around the resulting distorted oil seal. If you’re servicing the swivel ball or its inhabitants or relatives, this is acceptable, but to just service the brake caliper, the brake line support plate must be removed, which means the mounting bolts need removed, which means that if you didn’t take preparatory measures, a basic brake job becomes an unexpected oily mess.*

The top swivel bearings were reinstalled along with the brake calipers, and it was time to mount the brake line support plates. Modifying the sensor protrusion solved only ½ the problem here, the other ½ being that the distance between mounting bolts had widened, presumably to make way for the sensor. No worries; in traditional LR mentality, I adapted.

Adapt or Perish


I used a stack of washers (to be replaced with a spacer) to attach the plate with one bolt, while the second bolt sits home per spec. This setup provides the advantage of being able to remove the brake line support plate (and thus the brake caliper) without completely releasing the top swivel bearing mount. It isn’t perfect, as some oil will still seep with the one mounting bolt removed, but it is a much less messy solution.

Next up, brakes and steering. :)
 
#19 ·
Steering and Brakes

Steering
While waiting on the weather, I had ordered and received new dust boots for the steering ball joints from Rovah Farm, which allowed me to grease and reinstall the drag link and tie rod. Note here that there was a change in drag link styles between the two axle types. The 91 Hunter (suffix B CVs/ non-ABS) retained the older, rebuildable, built-in ball joint at the pitman arm end (same as my 85’ D110 had), while the 92 donor (suffix A CVs/ ABS) utilized a replaceable, thread-in ball joint at the pitman arm.

The 91 Hunter Drag Link


The 92 Drag Link & Comparison


Brakes
Sorry, I bricked. No brake pictures this post. And it is a shame, because they would have been comical.
The Rover had been delivered with known brake issues. The light was on, the fluid reservoir low, the front pads completely toasted, and, as I was about to discover, a decidedly non-traditional installation of the right, rear inner brake pad.

I discovered two things, actually, while bleeding the brake system.
  • The fluid had not been changed in quite some time, as it oozed like 30wt from the calipers.
  • The right, rear, inner brake pad had been installed incorrectly and was causing the caliper to stick. Granted, the design for mounting the rear brake pads is a bit dodgy, but in this case, the pad was actually placed crooked, such that part of the pad was exposed above the rotor. I had missed this detail in my earlier inspection. The pad had been that way for some time, too, as it was quite grooved, and the exposed bit formed into a kind of hook preventing the pad from releasing from the rotor. This was a bit perplexing.

All issues resolved, the wheels were reinstalled and the Rover gleefully brought down from its jackstand-perch, where it had sat for better than a month. The first attempt at starting revealed a low battery, so with a jump from my trusty 94 Isuzu Trooper, the 3.9L V8 managed to turn over and roar to life.

Initially I was super excited to be back in the Rover again! But soon the test run would indicate that I hadn’t adjusted the float on the wheel bearings quite right, so parked it was and off came the front wheels again…
 
#21 ·
It's been awhile since I've posted, because, well, I've been out enjoying the truck!
New wheel bearings and brakes all around as well as a replacement front pinion bearing and other misc. items have gotten me on the road.
And on the road the Hunter and I have been... we just returned from a 2000 mile trip into VA for the 2016 MAR and OXE in Ashville. I'm pleased to report that the adoption of this Classic into my life is permanent- as is my grin when driving it.
Strange thing for me- I had thought for years that the diesel defender was where my heart lied. After owning, restoring, and selling my D110, and then getting into this RRC, I'm finding that my self image and overall enjoyment definitely favors the Range Rover. Anyone else experience this?

Some recent pics for you all to enjoy -







The only breakdown I've experienced thus far- and due entirely to my trying to be a "show-off."



Looks good with a little dirt.



The Hunter makes for an excellent hammock anchor :)



And it cleans up well, too.
 
#23 ·
I thought this Hunter was going to be my "forever" Rover, but alas, I've found that a LWB may better suit my vehicle-based camping needs. It's been a great run.

If anyone still following this thread is interested, the Hunter is currently listed for sale by the good folks at Second Daily Classics.
 
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