What do i need to do

[Jake]

Right then.
As some of you know i'm going to transfer all my off roady bits onto my 300 tdi very soon.
My 300 is an ES (fully equipt)
What do i need to protect and how
eg ABS, ECU's
Whats the score with roll bars?
I'm going to keep them on. Do i fit spacers with my 2" lift or will they be fine?
What do people mean about them flipping/turning over?
is there anything else i should consider protecting?
I have, to fit -
Scorpion winch bumper
Scorpion racing 2" lift with DeCarbon shocks
Extended steel brake lines
(i 've just bought) New front springs to cope with a winch
235/85R16 mud terrains (yes i will camel the arches)
QT diff guards
Devon 4x4 raised spare wheel carrier + Jack carrier
Southdown tank guard
Team ME-4 CB.
I will be buying a steering guard, Scorpion rear bumper, winch, detachable tow bar kit and rock sliders very soon.
Please give me any information that i might need to make this a cracker of a car (without it going wrong all the time!)


One last thing
I never ask this usually but can we keep this one technical
i want to use this thread as reference when i start work in a couple of weeks.
(I will be taking lots of photos and yes i cant wait either  :D )

ps, No, i'm not sure what do about the (soon to be small) Big Blue.
I'm either going to break it or sell it.
PM me if your interested
DONT POST IT HERE PLEASE
Thanks

[Xtremeteam]

since i now wish i had ARB's on the 90 cant coment much on whether they would flip on extreme flex but AFAIK it would be worthy of making som blocks up to space them down to roughly the correct height,

[Thrasher]

Is the ES an auto?

[Paul]

I understand that two tow ball spacer plate can be used on the ARB.

They also have the correct spacing for the bolt holes.

[Jake]

Is the ES an auto?

Diesel Manual

I understand that two tow ball spacer plate can be used on the ARB.
They also have the correct spacing for the bolt holes.

Interesting.
Do we think that this is the way forward then, regarding the Anti Roll Bar?

[Paul]

Interesting.
Do we think that this is the way forward then, regarding the Anti Roll Bar?

With a 2'' lift you will need to do something with the ARBs to stop
them inverting, I've heard of people using tow ball spaces to get
round this problem.

[gords]

Interesting.
Do we think that this is the way forward then, regarding the Anti Roll Bar?

Mine only has a 1" lift, but I also have the Southdown tank guard. You will not be able to remount the anti-roll bar unless you use a spacer. And yes, towball spacers are ideal

Mine is also an ES model. I've not done anything to "protect" any ECU, although the ABS sensors, actually I think just one, is playing up at the moment :roll:

I have 235/85x16 and I trimmed the rear arches. The only place the tyres touch is the rear mud guard mounting plates. I would have taken them off, but 1) I want mud flaps and 2) the fuel filler pipe is right behind it. I have extended bump stops which I still need to fit.

Changing the bumpers is a very good idea (wish I had the money!) because the plastic end caps are a real PITA

I've no idea, but ... have you confirmed that the winch will fit without fouling the air-con radiator & fans?

[Range Rover Blues]

I've used towball spacers, just be carefull that you don't buy the extruded aluminium ones that have a massive hole in the middle, the rubber falls into it.  With the higher C of G I like the handling with roll bars on, I have 2 on the back because of the gas tank/dogs/tank guard etc.  When extreme off-roading I can uncouple the rear one and flip it to the back of the car, secured with tie-wraps.

The issue of 'inverting' is when the short dumbell shaped tie bars turn upside down under extreme articluation, as one wheel falls the bar become verticle with the swing of the ARB and axle being in opposite directions, then the resoring force of the ARB flips the dumbell over, it hits the bottom of the spring otherwise I'd just have flipped both ends and left it!

I have considered moving the mounts on the axle down and leaving it 'flipped' or making slightly longer links but so-far nothing has been done.  Ideally I would have longer links that incorporated a disconnect for off-roading,  Other projects get in the way.

[Jake]

Ok.
Thats the Anti roll bars sorted then
More tips/tech please guys
Protecting ECU's and stuff?
 :?:

[gords]

Ok.
Thats the Anti roll bars sorted then
More tips/tech please guys
Protecting ECU's and stuff?
 :?:

Don't think you need to worry about the ECU(s?), as they are (I think) high up under the dashboard, along with all the fuses/relays/etc. That's assuming you're not intending to wade upto the windscreen

[Xtremeteam]

see the plastic trims to the inside of the footwell,RHS of drivers footwell & LHS of pas footwell is where you will find the ecu's u need to worry about

just have to remember if your feet are wet your gettin in abit deep  

[gords]

You might find spring compressors useful - because of the anti-roll bars, the axle doesn't drop quite far enough to get the springs out & back in. At least, it didn't on mine.

Oh yes, drown all the suspension mounting bolts in WD40 and buy 2 new turret retaining rings, because you will almost certainly break studs while undoing them :roll:  They only cost a couple of quid luckily!

Also, have a (re)read of this

[Jake]

That's assuming you're not intending to wade upto the windscreen

You never know!
I have been known to get a bit silly in the wet stuff
 :lol:

[Jake]

Possibly a silly question.
How many tow ball spacers will i need?
i.e, what measurement do i need lift by on the anti roll bar?
How many parts of the roll bars are there to lift?
Is it 4?
 :?

[gords]

Possibly a silly question.
How many tow ball spacers will i need?
i.e, what measurement do i need lift by on the anti roll bar?
How many parts of the roll bars are there to lift?
Is it 4?
 :?

I've only spaced my rear anti-roll bar (2 mountings) - mainly because I had to (tank guard!). I can't remember what size I used, but the local caravan place had a number of different sizes. I'll try and measure them during the week, and/or you can have a look on Sunday!

I'm not sure if you need to do the front ... someone else will know, I'm sure :)

[J B]

jake

i fitted +2 springs and then fitted spacers to the rear arb, which still flipped over so i ended up removing it

i kept the front on though and unspaced

[Lostboy]

I took the anti-roll bars off mine completely as I wanted no movement restrictions on the axle. It's not bad for driving on the road now with a 2" lift but you really need to watch if you suddenly have to brake on a corner. I wouldn't fancy towing something with it either, so I'm searching for a disconnectable solution.

I didn't need to take the turrets off to get the new springs in, just used compressors - put the new shocker in and loosly bolt it at the top and then compressed the spring about 2 inches and it could be manovered into position quite easily.

The hardest part of the job was putting the pan-hard rod back on - I took it off to rebush it, did the lift and then found that the front axle had moved slightly off-centre, so it took some rope loop around one end of the axle to the other side of the chassis, a screwdriver to tension it and a lot of bashing to get the thing back together.

I'd add to your list strengthed steering bars, like Sumo Bars, and also relocate the steering damper. Despite the steering guard I've whacked mine off rocks a few times and the Sumo bars just flex out the way and then back into a nice straight line.

I've just put the Scorpion detachable towbar/recovery point on, and am thinking it's not nessecary to buy a tank guard, if I get some plate and weld it onto the underside of that it will protect the tank (and help with my bank balance somewhat!)