Mud-club
Vehicle & Technical => Defender => Topic started by: jamesledingham on November 07, 2006, 12:32:42
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As per my other post, I've just bought a 90TD Truck Cab. Once I get rid of my other car, I'm going to have (hopefully) about £1500 to spend on the defender.
Here's a couple of pictures:
(http://i1.ebayimg.com/02/i/08/d6/64/67_1.JPG)
(http://i10.ebayimg.com/03/i/08/d8/90/27_1.JPG)
What would you do to it with £1500?
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Depends what you intend using it for, but I'd start with Snorkle, rock sliders, mud tyres and steel wheels, winch + winch bumper, polybush kit if not on already and maybe upgrade the suspension.
Or if not already one, a TDI engine conversion.
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As the man said what do you want to do with it?
The only thing in the list above I'd bother with is better tyres and that's a maybe!
£1500 buys a lot of diesel so you can actually drive it places and have fun.
Mike
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£1500 buys a lot of diesel so you can actually drive it places and have fun.
Mike
I agree, but a winch is a good idea for when you DO get stuck.
Paul
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I would take the chequer plate off the rear cross member first...
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And a total PITA the rest of the time.
OK £1500 quid buys half as much diesel if you pay for your mate's fuel :D
I can never understand this fixation on winches. I agree they can be handy but not that often surely to goodness. I have a Tirfor style winch I take out sometimes.
Mike
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If its going to be your only vehicle, id get it serviced and sorted mechanically before fitting goodies....
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Intended use: Everyday use, kayaking trips, camping trips.
I haven't done ANY off roading before, and would like to get into it. Sounds like my kind of thing.
I believe Bristol (which I think is nearest to me) do fun days and for £40 you get an hour instruction and then the rest of the day to yourself.
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What sort of cost is TDi conversion?
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TDi depends on who does it, where you source the engine from etc, you can get it fitted ready to go from some places for about £1200, but much cheaper to source your own then try and get a gathering of local owners to all come over and help fit, from what I have seen this seems to be the way to go, wish I had the money to do it.
But, if your engine is OK then no real need for now, just do as suggested and make sure it is all running sweet 1st, I did a basic service as soon as I got mine, oils, filters, glow plugs, grease etc for my own peace of mind, then drove it for a few weeks to see what else needed doing, the probalem soon show up... :wink:
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Yeh - probably best staying off the gadgetry for a few weeks!
I'm a complete novice as far as car mechanics, although would love to leanr how to service my Defender. Any recommendations on how to go about learning other than just trying and failing?
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James I'd suggest the first thing you do is put your money away and use the LR. You'll be pleased with what it does now let alone with all the mods the guys have mentioned.
I'm in a minority of one but I took a lift off my 90, got rid of the snorkel (it was always getting caught on trees and I'm damned if I'm getting a wet bum), I think winches are nasty heavy things but I do like chunky tyres.
Why not try and get into one of the greenlaning trips people organise here. I keep meaning to tag along but get distracted.
Isn't there a play day at Avon Dasset this weekend - does anyone know? Then someone can show James what to do.
Mike
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Join a local club and attend some of their play days and laning days. Don't be intimidated, all clubs welcome newcomers. Let them know you are new and you'll find more than enough people offer to help and show you their bad habits. :wink: Just take it easy at first and ask lots of questions.
As for basic items consider getting the following..
Good recovery points front and rear
Spade
Tow rope, rated or a rated recovery strap
Some rated shackles for attaching strap/rope
This will cost you about 70-90 pounds.
You can use the Defender as standard, but I would consider the following if you are going to do plenty of playdays and laning..
Some good diff guards
Side sill bars
Pair of Waffles
4ft Hi-Lift jack
Pair of sumo tracj rod and drag link bars
That will set you back about 400 pounds
Get someone to show you how to use Hi-Lift jack properly or read up online.
As for tyres, what have you got on? AT's are good mix for on-road, laning and for most play sites. Mud terrains if you plan to do more laning and want to go most places on a play day site.
It's a good idea to get a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit too.
Cheers
Steve
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I think Steve has made some very good suggestions there. Your local clubs would be Midland Off Road Club who are very friendly and have monthly events. They will give you excellent advice www.midlandoffroadclub.co.uk. There's also the Mid West Off Road club who I am sure won't mind me saying that they are rather keen in that their events are quite remarkable. Not for the uninitiated although once again they will help all they can.
There's also the AWDC and you are between the Yellow Area and Pink area, how nice I hear you say but is pink my colour, it's so nineties. They have regional colours - I have no idea why. Once more very friendly and you'll get some solid advice there. Check out Calendar at www.awdc.co.uk
They generally all organise competitions which are fun if you don't get too competitive!
Mike
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as mentioned before,just drive it standard!the only things you need to buy are good m/t tyres a couple of ropes/straps and shackles for towing.a steering guard,diff guards an a pair of wellies!thats it!
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As a suggestion-- the awdc is holding a driving day @ broxted common, This sunday (12th) which is nr bordon , hants.
I have been to slab common which is very close by and there is something for every one, But consists of virtually all sand, which can be intresting (espaecilly if it rains) But in general is non damaging if you wish it to be, I usually take me old scratched disco, but me misses takes har almost new TD5 90 round also, we will be there for sure,
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Steering guard looks easy enough to fit. What about diff guard and rock sliders...are they easy enough?
Never fiddled with cars before but v keen to learn on my Defender!
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mud tyres and steel wheels
Why do you say steel wheels?
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Cheap to replace, cheap to buy in the first place! Might as well save the money you'd spend on alloys and spend it on something more useful :)
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Sell the gay alloys for £250-£300 and put steels on and m/t's. then you are ready for a hell of a lot of fun, just make sure you have front and rear recovery points. Save the money for breakages, Defen'ers are good offroad anyway. TD is famously fragile but if you have a good one why upgrade? get a new engine when that one is boogered :D
Enjoy!!!!! Defen'ers are the mutts nuts 8)
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drmike speaks the truth, 90's are great out of the box wi' no mods other than tires, also i have looked at your avatar and i would say get the truck on a ramp and see if it is sound as the chequerplate may be hiding all sorts. My truck is stock suspension with m/t's and goes most places, i have a snorkel though due to my wading addiction.
WINCH - No need. If you need a winch on a lane you shouldn't be there and you should have a mate to tug you out anyway, laning alone on unfamiliar lanes is stupid , take it from someone who has been there and bought the T-shirt. On pay and play sites there is allus someone with a winch or a rope to recever you.
ROCK SLIDERS - Get hung up and stuck on a slider or bend a £2.50 sill...... No more explanation required.
LIFT KIT - Defen'er can clear 33" tyres anyway so unless you can afford 35" why bother...........?
Fact is most of this bolt on crap is pointless as LR's can do the job anyway, the rear corner protectors are a good buy as are offroad biased tyres but just go and get it filthy, enjoy it and see how extreme your tastes get.
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Any recommendations on steel wheels?
Also, what tyres would be recommended? Mostly on-road driving with a bit off off road...maybe advancing to lots of off road!
Is it advisable to use your only vehicle for off roading? Is it just a matter of taking it a bit more easy than you would if you had on especially for off roading?
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Just tried to start it this morning...no luck! Battery's dead. Didn't leave anything switched on over-night! That'll be fun to sort this weekend!
It drove beautifully on the 2 hour drive home from collecting it.
Only a coupleof niggles I've noticed - one of the indicator repeaters has falle off, the driver door does not seal top or bottom, it's got the original 1989radio in it which doesn't work - what would you advise with regards an aerial?
They're all pretty minor things. As far as getting someone to havea look at it, would you just go for any garage or a LR specialist?
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Is it advisable to use your only vehicle for off roading? Is it just a matter of taking it a bit more easy than you would if you had on especially for off roading?
this is the case with my vehicle too... i still ofroad, just take it more easy - exactly like you said... also i tend not to throw her about either as i know i will probably have to use her the next morning for driving somewhere!
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If you arn't doing much offroad then AT's or Maybe a AT/MT intermediate if you still want to be capable. I know lots of people that use alloys for light offroad, but if you are worried, go with steels, a set of 8 spokes/modulars would do, (there are others)
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Are we talking this kind of thing -
http://www.paddockspares.com/pp/WHEELS_AND_TYRES/BF_Goodrich_Tyres/225/75R16_BFG_All_Terrain_T/A_KO.html
or this
http://www.bfgoodrich.co.uk/bfguk/front/affich.jsp?codePage=BFG_PAG_PRODUCT2&codeRubrique=11&codePage=&home=true&lang=EN&Flash2=true
James
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For the intermediate i was thinking this...
http://cc.oulu.fi/~thu/LC/Tyres/CommTraction/. i may be getting a set of these when my current trac edges wear out. Normal AT's dont quite cut what i need them to do, but i cant justify full blown muds with the road mileage i do.
Another pos is the cooper ST.
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What's the on-road to off-road ratio on those?
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Any recommendations on steel wheels?
Also, what tyres would be recommended? Mostly on-road driving with a bit off off road...maybe advancing to lots of off road!
Is it advisable to use your only vehicle for off roading? Is it just a matter of taking it a bit more easy than you would if you had on especially for off roading?
I use my only motor for some serious offroading as Miniman & JW will agree,i aint afraid to push it, :lol: i would recomend a set of BFG muds personally,as i rekon that if you buy AT's it wont be long before your wishing u had bought MT's
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I suspect my driving is likely to be 90% road, 10% off road though... maybe stretching to 80 20.
I have a 40 mile round trip to work every other day (lift sharing is brilliant - saves a fortune!) and I do a 140 mile round trip every Wednesday and again most weekends (Girlfriend!)
Estimate 20,000 road miles a year...may be pushing it a little! Tyres though will need to suit this!
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Those tyres are about 50:50 in terms of performance. The BFG MT is pretty well mannered on the road. Cos of the high(ish) mileage i would only look at BFG's to be honest, they are the ones with the highest mileage ability. Why dont you keep what you have at the moment and bolt on muds when you want to play, maybe a set of remoulds?
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I'd say use the LR first see if you want/need another set of tyres then try and get another set of wheels with chunky tyres on. I have two sets some very road biased tyres that are fine for running around in then some diamonds for off road. The raod tyres are smaller so the 90 is nippier, the diamonds are basically 750's which is what - a nominal 31" diameter?
Takes about 30 minutes to change the wheels at a reasonable pace - or at least that's what it takes me!
Mike
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(lift sharing is brilliant - saves a fortune!)
I wonder if your liftshare will agree after they've travelled to work in a Land Rover 90 truck cab a couple of times :D :D :D
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LOL - will have to wait and see! We'll have to leave an extra ten minutes for the journey now!
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Jamesledingham,
You have bought an almost identical truck to me! and with a similar use in mind.
I got mine a month or so ago, and although i do want to pimp it up a bit for offroading, I want to see if its worth spending the money/time and effort on the truck.
So far:
I paid John craddocks to do a cambelt change and pre-mot inspection. (~160)
Cos we have a dog, I have put hood sticks on it (£200), canvas
Gradually serviceing it, and sorting out grumbles for mot. (~50 to 100?)
I bought some felt and stuff to soundproof/insulate the interior(£50)
so spent about £500?
Hope to:
add canvas hood (£200) (Cab fit I want, not the body fit sticks that i got sent. grr.)
add a soundproofing kit (£200)
Spot lights (£100)
MOT(£40+??????)
Seats (£200???)
Ofroad paraphanelia (£££££££)
Offroad wise, I'd say the most important bit of kit would be decent tyres, these make the world of difference on the slippy stuff.
Depends how long you want to keep the truck for, but I would reccomend making sure that it was a sound truck first, before spending even more money modding it for fun. At least do the belts (I once got stranded 2 weeks after buying a car cos i didn't service it straight away)
ps whereabout in gloucestershire are you?
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Get it mechanically sorted
Get rid of the alloys
Get rid of the chequer plate
Get some Better tyres ATs may be good enough for your use but get 7.50/ equivalent metric(235/85?).
DONT GET WIDE TYRES you wont be able to go round corners.
A front Diff guard and stronger track bar/ guard
A winch does look good, but will you ever use it? I've been off roading now for 14 years and only ever NEEDED one once on a camp site at Robin Hoods Bay. The farmer charged me a lot less than the price of a winch.
Rock sliders are good as they dont crumple like normal sills.
Dispite appearances the biggest difference can be made by tyres.
Your local club is always the best bet be it ALRC or not but check a few out. Some clubs are pure off road racing, some have social event, some only do extreme events.
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It's interesting no-one's mentioned anything about security!
I think the things I'll initially spend money on are:
Lockable box for in the back (one that sits on the seat) like the last product on this page http://www.forgetec4x4.co.uk/
Grill to cover the easily openable rear window
Radio/CD Player and speakers
Lockable cubby box which will house a radio http://www.mobilestoragesystems.fsnet.co.uk/store-caddy.htm
Poles and canvas
Alarm and Immobiliser
FULL SERVICE!!