Offroad requirements?

[maddogz]

Hiya folks I'm back again  :oops:

what do I need to get to offroad my freebie?
Underbody protection? Lift?

I have general grabber at2 tyres fitted, are these adequate for light laning?

I'm used to my Vitara with 6" lift and big mud tyres but it has to go I'm afraid   :'(

Thanks in advance
Andy

[V8MoneyPit]

It ultimately depends on what you want to do with it. The standard vehicle is quite capable. The only thing you find is you have to pick your lines carefully with the lack of ground clearance.

If you only want to do 'light laning' you should be fine as you are. If you want to do a few more rocky or rutted areas, you may find a lift and underbody protection is helpful.

[Llanigraham]

I have none fitted to mine and as long as you read the ground carefully you shouldn't have a problem.

[landy_bug]

i have at2's and no other mods and have kept up in ruts with 2" lifted defenders on salisbury plain in the mud good fun. lift is a good idea but defo sumpguard as my original one is now cracked and extend your breathers i missed one and it blocked up and caused engine management problem :oops: lol as said quite capable standard even with road tyres in mud! but for laning over ruffer terrain. 40-50mm lift, sumpguard and extended breathers should be ok

have a look on www.mad-freelanders.org.uk forum for what can be done

what engine and gearbox do you have?

[maddogz]

Thanks for the replies  :D
My freebie is my daily driver/workhorse so i will only do light stuff as i dont want too much damage. It might only get out a few times but i would like to try it.
I think i might go for a 40mm lift and go and pop up Cannock Chase with BOFA4X4.
I have a Td4 on a 'y' plate with manual box. It also has HDC and TC 

Andy

[Llanigraham]

With a 40,mm lift you are going to need to modify the bottom chassis rails and possible fit new offset bushes for the steering arms. Try it as standard first and see how effective it is.

[V8MoneyPit]

With a 40,mm lift you are going to need to modify the bottom chassis rails and possible fit new offset bushes for the steering arms. Try it as standard first and see how effective it is.

Good point.

We fitted a 50mm lift and it needed significant chunks of 'chassis' rail cut away. Not just the hole in the inner wing as the instructions suggested. It still just about catches the track rod on the rails at full lock/full rebound, but our MOT tester is quite generous!

Also, on our TD4, the LH rail has a fuel pipe junction piece on top of the rail. This had to be relocated down onto the inside of the rail.

We also fitted adjustable camber pins to the front. The rear seemed to remain within factory tolerances. Even with the pins, the front tyres scrub the insides away. We have the tracking set as per factory specs. I tried toeing it in a little more, but it squealed like crazy round corners. Sounded like a car chase through a car park in a Hollywood movie  :lol:


Edit..... sorry my editing was rubbish earlier so have re-worded the above to make sense!

[maddogz]

Good job I didn't buy the 'bolts straight on' kit off the bay then [-X.
How much ££ am I looking at for a sumpguard then?
Any recommendations?

Andy

[Llanigraham]

If you have access to some 3 or 4mm ali plate/chequer plate I have the drawings for the sump guard

[V8MoneyPit]

If you have access to some 3 or 4mm ali plate/chequer plate I have the drawings for the sump guard

Ooo..... I'd be interested, please, please and pretty please  :lol: Is 3 or 4mm up to the job? I suppose it's better than the standard item!

[Llanigraham]

PM me an email address and I'll sort it out later. Off down the pub!!!

[landy_bug]

yes 3-4mm is up to the job, i think the mantec guard is a bit ott but nice looking and v. expensive. i have been running standard plasitic on which is fairly robust if you drive it carefully mine only broke when getting over enthusiastic and sliding in to deep ruts in the dry. :oops: do breathers, in the dry its fine but in the wet essential especially rear axle

TBH i hadn't heard of any chassis mods for lift before or cutting of inner arches the tyres rub a little on full lock  but i will ask elsewhere, i know a bloke who used to run 63mm lift on his and he said that was max without major mods

i asked about gear box because the manual box can eat clutches if not driven carefully due to lack of low box. i haven't had any probs with mine and i use mine towing at work as well

chris

[V8MoneyPit]

It's possible people fit lift kits without realising it can foul. In most driving, it would never be a problem, but the steering track rod touches the inner wing at full rebound before it gets to full lock. It seems most people get away with extending the hole in the inner wing downwards, but we found we needed to lower the top face of the 'chassis' rail by about 1/2" as well. And, as I said, the LH side of a TD4 has some fuel pipes in the way just to add to the fun!

[landy_bug]

that makes two people saying similar things i have just had info back from another forum about it but they didn't do anything with chassis and has been fine for a number of years now. i don't have a lift on mine and it never will coz i unfortunatly have to sell it :'( but it has been everywhere i pointed it and has only got stuck once in v.deep mud i.e. beached :lol:

i would defo have another again tho but auto box next time as quite lazy :lol:

[V8MoneyPit]

i would defo have another again tho but auto box next time as quite lazy :lol:

The auto box is so much better for off road use. It totally makes up for the lack of low range. We've had both manual and, now auto. The manual felt awkward even getting in and out of our fields just because you couldn't drive it slow enough. The auto is superb. With TC thrown in, it does astonishing hill starts that would have my Defender spinning wheels or stalling.