Metric socket Sizes For Defender and Discovery

[Logos24492]

Hi I'm new to Land Rovers, but not new to overlanding!

Out in the Boones on long trips space is at a minimum and the truck is usually packed to the hilt for gear. So I like to pack as many specialty tools as possible and as few redundant tools/unnecessary tools as possible.

I HATE metric SAE combo kits.

I don't need to pack imperial tools around I never use them!

So what are the bare minimum socket sizes a rover guy must pack?

My defender is a 92, so far I've been told it should be all metric is that true? What sizes of sockets must I carry?

Any must have specialty tools?

[red90]

There are some imperial. All fine threads are UNF. Like the drive shaft bolts.

A normal metric set does most stuff. You need a hub nut socket and circlip pliers to work on the axles.

There are some 12 point head bolts so you need combination wrenches and/or 12 point sockets.

[Logos24492]

Good info! Just what I was looking for!

So does anyone know specifically what sizes to carry?

For instance on my old truck I only had to carry 8,10,12,14,17,19,24,27,35 mm

Everything else was not needed

[BOlson]

8,10,13,15,17,19,24( or 1 1\16 for lug nuts) pretty much covers it... Oh yeah. 9/16 for the drive shaft bolts

[Bill E.]

Yes 9/16's for the drive shafts, and I highly recommend snap-on "speed" open end wrenches for this job in particular. You won't believe how much they speed :bounce: up the process of dealing with the limited space at the business ends of the drive shafts.


http://roverlanders.bc.ca/gallery-photo ... xxlzig.jpg

[red90]

For the driveshaft nuts, you can get a special socket that makes it even quicker, at least in my experience. As Bill says, some closed end wrenches do not fit and you end up being forced to use the open end and that can round off a tight nut.

http://www.paddockspares.com/da1119-pro ... 50gbp.html

[David V]

Special socket? How in the name of Odin the god of Land Rover maintenance will the special socket work. Show me a picture of one on a propshaft nut; it cannot work on every nut and bolt arrangement so you still need a ring wrench and open jaw combo.

Two things.

One;Bill has it absolutely right just remember to use a ring wrench on the bolt head and loosen/tighten the assembly using the ring wrench then you'll not round anything off. You should put new nylock nuts on each time you remove or replace a propshaft but nobody ever does. Unless you round off the heads using daft "special wrenches"...

Two; if you've worked on the truck before a trip, maintenance or repairs or adding stuff. Put all the tools you've used in a bag and take with. Chances are, if you've not adjusted, tightened or installed something you'll need those tools to fix the issue. Add to that a socket set or two, all the electrical tape and duct tape you can find you'll be OK. Remember those of your travel companions with off-road experience will also have good stuff to share too.

Land Rovers are a great source of temporary repair parts. I once had a serious fire that burnt through a main battery cable. I was able to make a connector from nuts and bolts holding a fender brace and I re-routed the cable to lengthen it for a new connection. Bound it all up in borrowed electrical tape and I was back on the trail in 4 hours.