Escape

I'd say the specified wading depth for the Defender is very much on the save side. Surely we have all seen them wade a lot deeper without any modifications. The breathers are all higher than the top of the tyres, so shouldn't cause any problems. Fact remains you can safely stop a standard Defender in 20" or more of water, I'd like to see some of the other 4x4s try that.

I agree with your reasoning, but not your conclusions. A RWD will generally perform better then a FWD, because when accelerating or applying torque, the rear wheels will get more load, thus more potential for traction. You do have a valid point concerning build up in front of the front tyres and you could possibly benefit more from a front locker by steering the wheels left to right in search of traction. Overall, offroad I think one is more likely to encounter other situations, favoring RWD or a rear locker. Often the difficult sections are uphill, rear wheels often hold traction longer, giving you just a bit more momentum to overcome an obstacle and when giving someone a pull, the rear will take most of the load. So I would definetely chose a rear locker first, as is recommended by most brands as well (Terrain Respons only has the option for a rear locker, as do some Japanese 4x4s, ARB standard wiring always engages rear first...).

My 2005 TD5 has a (rear) tank of 60ltrs, according to the manual, but trial and eror proved the capacity to be only 58ltrs... The warning light comes on with about 45-48ltrs used, so not unlike yours. I just watch the odometer after the light comes on to determine how long I have to find a gas station.

Some (all?) Range Rover Classics were also fitted with those sensors, but I haven't seen them on a Defender or P38a.

I'm not sure Defenders were ever fitted with brakepad sensors, but the parking brake light does double as a warning for a low brake fluid level (at leadt on my TD5 it does). And when your pads are worn, it's not unusual to have the level drop below minimum as well, thus causing the light to go on.

I think we can help each other here. Do you have a link to the literature, or was it on paper or in Ukranian? I have thought about making the panhard sit more horizontal, lengthening the upper bracket is not too difficult, but the forces on it would be huge. Perhaps it would be possible to relocate the existing bracket higher up the axle. I don't think I will bother with it, as it drives fine at the moment and if I get shaking I'll just replace the bushing, as it is very cheap and not much work. You should also check the bearings and steering balljoints for play, they can cause extra load on the panhard as well. In time I'm planning to build a 3-link front suspension with an A-frame as on the rear (or a comparable triangulated 4-link), thus eliminating the need for a panhard rod.

Yeah, I think the P38a bush is bigger. The rose joint had too mcuh play in it and caused a death wobble around 50-60 km/h. A replacement was not immediately available and I wasn't keen on paying again for a new one. So I decided to go with a rubber bush, after some trial and error the P38a's turned out to be a perfect match. Why do you want to change tot rose joints wehn rubber does the job just as well?

I agree as well. I often go laning on my own, usually just a little bit when I'm heading somewhere and have some time to spare. Most lanes are not that challenging, you just need to think things through and be smart enough to turn back in time. A winch will get you out of most situations, a cell phone and a few good mates even more so. In Belgium, phone coverage is hardly ever a problem and civilisation is never more then a couple of miles away, undoubtely even more so then in the UK. I do enjoy laning with a bunch of friends very much, but going out solo is just a little bit more adventureous and gives you a more in depth experience.

I totally disagree and find ABS very usefull onroad, with almost no interference offroad, but this could be because my 2005 TD5 automatically disengages the ABS below 5mph. If you want to get rid of it, you can just pull the appropriate fuse, your brakes will operate normally, just a little annoying light on the dash to ignore.

The diameter is slightly different, IIRC. I had a rose joint fail, and decided to replace it with an OEM bush. Standard Defenders issue was impossible to fit, but with a minimum of machining, the P38a bush was a perfect match.

It is possible, I did it on my '95 4.6. When the old exhaust failed, I decided to replace it with a twin sports system, designed for later models. But it does involve some tinkering. The centre muffler is no problem, and the RHS fitted perfectly. For the LHS you obviously need extra support brackets (which requires trimming the left wheelliner) and have to cut a piece out of your bumper. The T-piece joing both rear mufflers to the centre one is a problem though. It interferes with the brakelines and their bracket. On later P38a's the brake and ABS lines go forward from each will and join each other ahead and above the axle. On the old one, the brakelines join on top of the diff, right where the T-piece is supposed to come. I solved this by moving the lines to the rear, behind the panhard rod and fixing them to a longer bracket to keep them away from the exhaust. The result works, looks and sounds great, I'm very happy with it. Greetz, Filip

14.50 is quite wide, this could add a considerable load when driving, so I'm not sure how the engine will cope, especially on soft surfaces. An underdrive would certainly be a good idea to give you more control and engine-braking when offroad. But it's a bit expensive for my taste at the moments. So far I have not had any problems with the steering, so I don't think hydraulic assist (ie tractor plunger) will be necesary. If you do install hydro-steer, you will put a lot more strain on the steering and track rod and their joint, so they should be reinforeced as well. If you fit the tyres, don't forget to show us a picture! B) Greetz, Filip

If the steering stop bolts are too short, you can replace them with longer ones (M10 IIRC) or bend them a bit so they made contact with the axle a bit sooner.

To get a fresh start, you could order a set of airbags and rebuild kit from Rover Renovations, not to expensive and very complete. Altenatively, try to figure out where the leak is. To test the bags, leave the car parked for some time with the tailgate open, so the auto-levelling is disabled. If it drops front or rear, you have only one end to check and replace. Further leaks can be detected by spraying the bags and all airline connections with soapy water and watch for bubbles. The 'valve stuck open' error is a common one and is often the result of another problem or a tired system. Filip

I agree, it sounds like a low battery voltage caused the problems. The windows are easy to set, just open en close them, holding the button at each extreme untill the dash beeps. For the EAS error, you'll have to get that reset with a testbook I'm afraid. There is DIY procedure, but it's not easy. When you check the battery, do this with both the engine off, running at idle and at 1500-2000 rpm so you know the alternator is charging OK as well.

Myself and a few mates run Mickey Thompson Baja Claws, very similar thread as the Mudzillas, apart from the center blocks. We're very pleased with the performance, so I would think the Mudzilla won't let you down either. And it's a good looking tyre too. They do need to be aired down sufficiently to work well in mud, I saw a LC on Mudzillas at road pressure and they were hopeless in the sticky stuff. The guys I know that ran Creepy's have all changed to Simex or similar because they didn't live up to their expectations (mainly challenge events).

I have not been able to confirm it, but myself and some mates are looking into it. I didn't know the German site, but will take some time to visit it.

This is normal behaviour, going up hills offroad challenges the traction of the tyres, especially if you give it some throttle. Hence the TC does what it is supposed to do, getting you up the hill. The light simply indicates it is working. BTw, taking a car offroad from the first day you have it, way to go!

I'm gonne check this out immediatley and will let you know! If you go, I'm very interested to meet you guys there! Greetz, Filip

I would assume the problem is with the sensor that detects neutral. If it is out of position, this would explain why it only gives the 'neutral' signal to the ECU when you're actually in reverse.

If you mean for the 255s on standard suspension, I'm sorry, no clear pictures and the arches are sold on. This gives you some idea of both the problem and solution (arches were already trimmed). You could spend some time looking in my gallery to get an idea. Basically I just trimmed the little edges of on the bottom corners of the rear arches.

Same here, I have used 255/85R16 BFG Muds on a non-lifted 90 for almost 2 years, only slight rubbing, especially with people in the back. I did trim the arches a little bit. 255/85 is getting more widespread: Cooper Discoverer STT, Maxxis...

I have had and offroaded 2 P38a's, one a manual diesel, the other a 4.6 V8 auto. The diesel sometimes lacked a bit of power, even in lowrange. It needs some revs to buil up power, which can be a problem on steep slopes. The V8 is wonderfull, although I find the autobox gives me less control (I have always driven and offroaded with a manual, I expect I'll adapt my driving style soon enough). The EAS is a great feat (when working...). There is even an emergency setting, this is activated by the ECU when it detects the vehicle is grounded and raises it a further 1". On one occasion this resulted in me driving of under my own power just when a friendly fellow LR-driver was ready to attach a towrope. What I like a lot about the P38a is that it brings you anywhere in the utmost comfort. This is a great benefit on the road (for example to and from events) but also means the lanes themselves are more relaxing, especially on higher speed sections. The size is obviously a bit of a disadvantage, and a P38a doesn't wear scratches and scarrs as wel as older LRs (or even a new Defender for that matter). You're also wise to remove the front spoiler lip and mudflaps if fitted before you take it offroad. The rear towbar can act as a bit of a ground anchor but provides essential protection for the rear bumper (and exhaust). The GENIII kit from RoverRenovations is great value, you can easily engineer an electronic 2" lift, get an even more comfortable ride and a bit more articulation when used with longer dampers. As for tyres, I am now running 265/70R16 and having just lifted it will upgrade to 265/75R16. One problem concerning tyres is the speed index. I use mine as a daily driver so onroad performance is important. Living close to the German border means I also like to maintain the ability to safely cruise at 160 or 180 km/h. On the other hand, I'd like an aggressive tyre for when I go laning and can't be bothered to switch between 2 sets. I'll probably have to settle for ATs as a compromise. At the moment, accesoires are not easy to come by, but I expect this to improve as the cars get older, cheaper and thus more often used as offroaders. The ETC is an important factor when buying one. As stated, many of the older models don't have it. Final note, a P38a is a complex machine, with a lot of nice features, but also a lot that could go wrong. Be prepared to invest some time and money to keep it in optimal shape. A dependable local mechanice WITH ROVACOM is also an important asset. Greetz, Filip

I think it looks real nice, not over the top but functional. B)

I have been runnibng 37" Competition Claws on my Defender for about a year now. The truck is a 90 TD5, used mostly offroad, not as a daily driver. I have a 4" suspension lift, extended arches and needed to trim the rear bodywork a bit. Drivetrain is uprated with ARB front and rear along with Ashcroft halfshafts and CVs. Gearing is standard and the TD5 doesn't seem to mind onroad, offroad engine braking is sometimes insufficient and I use 1st more then before. I find it drives quite well onroad, but offcourse the high centre of gravity and big tyres mean it's wise to be an extra carefull driver. Only real problem I've had is with the rose joint on the adjustable panhard rod. It had to much play, causing a death wobble. After a lot of trial and error I machined the head to accept a Range Rover P38a panhard bush, and this has so far performed flawlessly. Main reason for the little road use it sees is the wear on the tyres, which is not only expensive but just a shame as they performe excellent offroad and don't deserve to be chewed up by 1000s of kms on hard surfaces. But I would think twice about using it as a daily anyway, it's great fun occasionally, but not the most conveniant way to get to work every day (although I still enjoy driving the Defender more than I do my Range Rover). A friend of mine put 37" Maxxis tires on his Bel Air, with a 3" lift. It looked great, but he had a lot of vibration problems and rubbing on the bodywork (he's not as crazy as me to put the angle grinder to a relatively new car). He changed back to smaller tyres, mainly because his wife uses the car as a daily driver and it rarely goes offroad. A lot depends on the miles you need to do and the sacrifices you're willing to make. 2 Sets of tyres are obviously a possible solution as well. You can find plenty of pictures of my Defender in my gallery (including older pictures before the lift and 37"). If you have any specific questions, just ask.