WRITING AN INSTALLATION GUIDE TO HELP OTHER INEOS OWNERS
Stu has asked me to put together an outline to help owners write installation guides, so installation is easier for other owners.
Not all the products for the Grenadier or Quartermaster (QM) have decent instructions (some do some don’t).
Two of the guides I wrote for the forum were offered to the suppliers, on both occasions they accepted a version customised for their needs. Not all suppliers are good at writing guides or making videos.
My suggestions for writing a guide are below.
GENERAL COMMENTS
- Use descriptive headings, like TOOLS NEEDED.
- Detail each step in the installation process, using numbered points. Use pictures were helpful.
- Limit each point to one or two steps.
- Add in Tips along the way. For example, the recommended torque settings for the bolts.
- Avoid missing important information. Sometimes Guides are written by people installing prototypes and they can forget an important step, as they have experience and already know what to do.
- Note any differences between the Grenadier and QM? If you do not know, say so.
The key parts of any Installation Guide are:
- Introduction;
- Installation Steps;
- Supplied Parts; and
- Tools needed.
Let’s look at each part more closely.
INTRODUCTION
I keep this short, just a basic description of the Guide. Often, I suggest people read through the whole Guide before starting work.
INSTALLATION STEPS
Have numbered points for each step, use pictures where helpful and remember the items suggested under the heading
GENERAL above.
SUPPLIED PARTS
List the parts that come with the product. Give the bolt size, nut size and thread pitch (or whatever else is supplied). Most parts on the Grenadier and QM are metric, for example (from the Custom Offroad Diff Covers Guide):
M12 bolts x two (2). Specs are M12 x 1.5 (thread) x 30mm (bolt length). Use the 18mm socket/spanner. They are metric bolts and threads.
Tell the reader if there are parts you need to supply yourself. List the details, so they can source the part from their garage or local hardware.
TOOLS NEEDED
List the tools needed like pliers, sockets/spanner, etc. This way you can get your tools and go to the car without repeated trips. For example (from the Custom Offroad Diff Covers Guide):
Long nose pliers (to remove the plastic bungs on the Grenadier or QM).
18mm socket/spanner (for the M12 bolts).
16mm socket/spanner (for the M10 bolts)…
If a tool is optional, say so.
Now proofread the Guide, in MS WORD use
Review>Speak Aloud and the text will be read back to you. Edit the Guide, check you have all the necessary steps and make corrections. Leave the Guide overnight and proof it again the next day, you will find things to edit.
Listen to feedback and make needed changes. After this is done, I have offered the Installation Guide to the supplier.
DOWNLOAD FULL INSTALLATION GUIDES
Copies of the two guides I wrote for
Custom Offroad Accessories and
EURO FLO Expedition Equipment can be downloaded below.
