 | Home > Puma (Tdci) > Fitting Mantec Steering Guard to Puma defender |
 
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| Martyn Member Since: 10 Feb 2011 Location: Stourbridge, West Midlands Posts: 151   
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I haven't fitted one personally but my mate bought one from Mantec down the road here and didn't report a problem. The instructions were abit confusing. He went through with a pack of coloured highlighters and coloured up the bolts you reuse and various sizes provided. If I remember rightly, they provide fixings for both pre 2007 Defenders too so not all bolts are used. Are you sure you have got the right bolts in the right holes?
Failing that (and I'd triple check) give Mantec a call. Their techy guy Kevin is helpful, though I'd call them rather than email as they only seem to reply to email once every few weeks!! Keep us updated on this. My Defender is on order and I'm weeks from getting one for meself  |
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7th May 2011 5:47pm |
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| crinklycrag Member Since: 29 Apr 2011 Location: Skipton Posts: 19 
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Thanks Martyn,
I will give them a call as suggested. As you say the instructions have to be read carefully as they do in theory cover all models. As for the bolts 2, you have to reuse, whilst they provide 4 new ones. However, the top holes in the brakets are consierably larger than the heads of the M12 bolts and even bigger than the M12 washers. The remaining two holes on each side are normal size. I get the impression that the idea is to fit around the top bolt but that is not how the instructions read. It is also impossible to get a spanner on the nut of the top bolt on the drivers side and if I do need to remove it as per the instructions I will need to slacken of the radiator mounting and lift the radiator just to get at it. This I suspect is something to do with the fact that it has aircon. Still thanks again and I will let you know how I get on. Regards Crinklycrag |
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7th May 2011 6:25pm |
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| kingofthesparks Member Since: 06 Jan 2011 Location: Very close to Watford gap services , northants Posts: 987 
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Bit of a pain to do took 2 of us about 2 hours, there should be a large washer, also the nut you are on about is just about reachable if you feed a ring spanner in under rad and then turn it to get it on nut, tip leave spanner there with nut in it for when you put it back.
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7th May 2011 7:30pm |
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| crinklycrag Member Since: 29 Apr 2011 Location: Skipton Posts: 19
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Thanks KotS,
I will take your advice re spanner. Yes there is one large, thick spacer washer supplied (not mentioned in instructions) that would do the trick on the drivers side but there is nothing similar for the top hole on the other side unfotunately. I am still trying to think what the point is of making the top holes on the bracket so large. I suspect only Mantec know the answer to that, Thanks again.  Crinklycrag |
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8th May 2011 7:40am |
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| RED-DOT Member Since: 29 Jun 2009 Location: stirling Posts: 2363 
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I fitted mine without the aluminium plate fitted and fitted it last and i seem to remember taking the A/C grille off. It is 10X easier than the one i fitted to my Discovery. 2008 RS4 gone, 123d M Sport, and a Puma 90 XS..
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8th May 2011 8:22am |
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| SteveS Member Since: 05 Oct 2010 Location: Devon & Berkshire Posts: 388  
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Went through a whole lot of pallaver when mine turned up - the instructions seemed to be for a TD5 and the kit of bolts etc seemed to be short of a long bolt a large spacer and washer to fit the large hole in the top position - initial advice from Mantec was fitting with 3 bolts on one side and 2 on the other....which sounded odd. Anyway when pressed Mantec said that another bolt spacer could fitted in the 6th position and supplied this spearately.
I've been incredibly busy of late and thus I've asked somebody to fit for me - so can't advise on how easy it is |
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9th May 2011 7:13pm |
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| crinklycrag Member Since: 29 Apr 2011 Location: Skipton Posts: 19
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Thanks SteveS,
I feared as much. The idea of 3 bolts one side and 2 the other is rediculous. I will speak with Mantec asap. Thanks Red-dot, Fitting bracket then reattaching plate when fixed is a good suggestion which  will save some agro. Crinklycrag |
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9th May 2011 10:00pm |
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| Martyn Member Since: 10 Feb 2011 Location: Stourbridge, West Midlands Posts: 151
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Crinklycrag, did you speak with Mantec about this? Resolved?
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12th May 2011 6:09pm |
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| crinklycrag Member Since: 29 Apr 2011 Location: Skipton Posts: 19
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Hi Martyn,
Spoke to Kevin at mantec the other day. Great guy rearly helpful. He has sent me some close up photos of their display vehicle showing how things are fitted. Just waiting for him to come back re the reuse of 2 of the existing bolts which is not clear on instructions. However in summary, on the non driver side (right hand drive) the top bolt has the 40mm spacer between the frame and the chassis and the large 5mm thick washer on the outside under the bolthead holding it in place. However on the driver side the top bolt does not hold the bracket in place. There is a 5mm thick spacer in the kit that fits inside the hole in the guard frame under the bolt head and standard size washer, which merely restricts the amount of float on the bracket . On both sides the front bolts have a 30mm spacer between the steering guard frame and the chassis and the 3rd 30mm spacer is used on the remaining bolt on the non driver side. Happy to email the photos if it would help. Regards Crinklycrag |
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12th May 2011 8:42pm |
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| SteveS Member Since: 05 Oct 2010 Location: Devon & Berkshire Posts: 388
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just had my steering guard fitted by Devon4x4 as i mentioned in an earlier post. They advised that to put the 6th bolt in cost an extra hour of labour - due to difficult access they had to remove the radiator. Personally I'm happy with this for peace of mind
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14th May 2011 11:07pm |
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| 110SEB Member Since: 29 Jan 2009 Location: Essex, England Posts: 1444 
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I know Mantec stuff is very good, but all this faffing doesn't half make me think that it's badly conceived with bad instructions. Shame you all have to phone Mantec, wait for extra bolts and photos and plan fitting as if it's brain surgery. I hope Mantec read this thread above and learn something from it. Doesn't this thread just end up being an indirect plug for QT equipment?
10/10 for perseverance chaps. |
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15th May 2011 6:35am |
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| 110SEB Member Since: 29 Jan 2009 Location: Essex, England Posts: 1444
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...except after this early morning moan, I realise that QT don't appear to make a steering guard.
Shame about the imperfect experience some have had with Mantec though. What are people's experiences of fitting OEM? I have the cheapo Rebel 4x4 job and although not up there with the top quality guards, it was cheap, easy to fit, built like a tank and has saved my steering on several occasions. |
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15th May 2011 9:46am |
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| Martyn Member Since: 10 Feb 2011 Location: Stourbridge, West Midlands Posts: 151
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Yer, I kinda agree 110SEB. Makes me think twice about the faff and hassle and maybe go get a cheapo or pay the extra for the LR SVX one. I know it's made by Mantec for LR, but people on here seemed to have fitted it with ease.
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15th May 2011 12:43pm |
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| Happyoldgit Member Since: 14 Sep 2007 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3471 
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I've used the same Southdown guard on my last 4 or more Defenders. Easy to fit and get off. Steve.
Owned numerous Land Rover vehicles of all shapes and sizes over the decades. Current Defender: A non tarts hand-bagged Puma 110 XS USW. [Insert something impressive here such as extensive list of previous Land Rovers or examples of your prestigeous and expensive items, trinkets, houses, bikes, vehicles etc] http://forums.lr4x4.com I used to be Miserable ...but now I'm ecstatic. |
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15th May 2011 2:28pm |
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