Mark Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 Since I had the camera out, I thought I would add a few photos of some of the changes I have made to my Disco at the back of the car... The most obvious change I made was to change the rear bumper for a Discoparts Heavy Duty one There were several reasons for this, but my main one was to give me a decent rear recovery point. The Bumper is drilled for the NATO hitch and there is a reinforcement plate that attaches both the hitch and the bumper through to the chassis. I went for the 300 series version, with the light holes so that I could add another set of stop/tails and indicators. Having seen how easily the lamp units break though, I might just leave them empty for now... Opening the back door, we get to the next mod: an improved rear door card: Lots of companies sell chequer plate ones of these, but I didn't really want chequer plate. I also wanted to keep the pockets and the handle from the orginal, but needed somewhere to store my spade. The panel was cut out of a sheet of 3mm Aluminium, using the original door card as a template. All the trim fixing holes got reused, but with M6 Rivnuts in. The new panel then screws to the rivnuts using M6 button headed bolts, mainly cos thats what I had. The piece of aluminium came from a local scrap yard and the quick fists holding the spade were via the group buy on here. This isn't very bling, but is very practical, and cost less than half of the cost of a pre-cut one (even taking into account the broken jigsaw blade...). In the back of the car, I have added some Cargo strip to give a deccent tie down point anywhere in the bed of the truck: [not the greatest photo but you get the idea] The cargo strip runs all the way to the front of the floor, so it can still be used with the seats up. The little loop fittings fit anywhere along the length of the strip. It is held down by 12 countersunk M6 botls on each side with big penny washers on the back, so the load is well spread throughout the floor. This is really only worth doing if you know the floor is good - mine is almost all new metal, so I am pretty confident of it. This means that when I go laning, I load up the back like this: left to right is: socket set, toolbox, Recovery gear box, spares and vehicle fluids box. This is held down by a ratchet strap between two of the moveable eyes in the floor strip. The waffles sit on top of the boxes and are held in place by some bungees from the rear seatbelt mounts up over the waffles, and back down to the same points the ratchet strap is hooked into. They are pretty quick and easy to get out from there. The boxes are 35L 'Really Useful Boxes' and I have to admit that they do live up to their name - they are prett good and strong, and have good strong lid too. Next in is the Jerry can (strapped to the dickie seat - not wonderful, but if anyone has any suggesitons let me know...) and the battery rattle gun (with the door closed it is captive under the waffle board, so dosen't move): And best of all, it all fits under the load cover, nice and hidden from prying eyes: So, the disco is then all packed for a days laning... Anyway, sorry for the long, slighly random thread, but this stuff never gets discussed with regard to discoverys, so I am attempting to redress the balance. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 Very neat & tidy if you don't use the dickey seats, take out the left one & make up a stowage cage for the jerry can,so it sits in the space left by the folded seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 very pretty wish i had a decent boot floor & a straight rear bumper. hi-lifts fit in the same place as your spade i've seen in the past. i find the seatbelt from the dickyseat will hold a jerry can in that posistion rather well. ive also taken the backs off the dickyseats as they hit the speakers i put in the rear pillars when open. the gap down the back of the seat now has spare drivebelts, hacksaw, bowsaw, stuff & thingys oh plus the odd oo-je-ma-flip (no i cant remember what is there). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeagent Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 bit of a naf piccy (camera phone) but you can sort of see the rack we built for the morocco trip, it holds all my boxes of different suff, and allows 3 fuel or water cans to be secured on one side, with the coolbox on the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddyplugger Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Nice piccys Mark, and may I add the reason you should fit an HD bumper (this is a picture of Onions Disco, I hope he won't mind me showing it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 Yeah that was one of the reasons I went for the HD one... Although I managed to achieve that driving out of my carport! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 anyone whos been somewhere like tommys with me knows that problem too. i often borrow a sledge to adjust my bumper back low enough that the back door will open again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waveydave Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 (edited) Time you got a propa bumper Andy. TBH that and the tank are realy the 1st things on a Disco that need modding. Ohh by the way did i tell i now have a new back end? Edited October 17, 2006 by BogMonster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 Ooh, got any more pictures of the winch mount? ta Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 oh sod off, some of us cant weld up fancy bumpers when we bored at work. a real bumper is on my list of bits i need, just below a larger wallet contents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waveydave Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Not got to many but heres a few i do have So just how do i delet the posts that went wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 So just how do i delet the posts that went wrong? You wait till I come along with my moderating bazooka and say "Hasta la vista baby" now they are in the bin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waveydave Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Kewl..Just like majic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 like the winch mount, but dosn't it reduce the already carp departure angle? I am trying to devise some way of mounting a rear winch which dosn't increase the departure angle, or encraoch on loadspace..... Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waveydave Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I hope this piccy shows you just how high the bumper is. .My departure angle is better than a stock disco. Mind you i have a 4" lift and run 34" tyres so maybee its just the height that dose it. It very rarely touches down and if it dose it dosnt realy matter as its all very heaverly armoured back there. The corners of the bumper are actuly closer to the body of the disco than a so called jackable scrapiron bummper.So is the depth of the bumper in the corners (the depth is 40mm on the corners.) The winch also dose not affect the load area. Also goes all the way to the wheels so it dosnt get hung up just slides over stuff. So far after making it the rear end has recived no more damage and i have had less hang ups.Which againg is more than i can say for my old scrapiron one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_a Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 hi wavey, over from difflock then. what tyres you running now, they look like stock khumo mt's - bit normal for you isn't it my main modifications to my disco have been to get rid of doggy smell (a bit) and stop the brakes from leaking. however I am getting a camel trophy bull bar off my brother in the next few weeks to make the front a bit more substantial. I am desperatly trying to avoid any real off roading my disco, I have a terrible fear of beaching it because of the long wheel base and small tyres in comparision to the 90.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waveydave Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 hi wavey, over from difflock then. what tyres you running now, they look like stock khumo mt's - bit normal for you isn't it my main modifications to my disco have been to get rid of doggy smell (a bit) and stop the brakes from leaking. however I am getting a camel trophy bull bar off my brother in the next few weeks to make the front a bit more substantial. I am desperatly trying to avoid any real off roading my disco, I have a terrible fear of beaching it because of the long wheel base and small tyres in comparision to the 90.... Long wheel base heck its only 100".Give it a decent lift and get some taller rubber and you will be able to follow most 4x4's.In fact we have found that in some cases we can go were some cant hehe. Im not saying its a full on challange mota but TBH i can normaly get it where i want it.And i often want it somwhere silly. Tyres are Kuhmo MT 285/75/16 and i love em.80mph runs to Yorkshire from Hampshire and marshaling at Tong or a run to Wales to play at Tommys and they are fantastic.Ok so they wont get me through a Russiam Bog but TBH im not going there.I also have a few other toys that help as well . As for a bit tame the grizleys fell to peices ,Literly on the M1.Not nice.And i find the Khumos work better on the rock and sand. just one question Steve-a do know you ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon W Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 I like the rear light ideas i have seen them on andy's too. I know they are function over looks, but think they would look even better if you had the NAS spec lights i.e. like the fog and reverse ones, if they would fit. Then if you wanted the real chav look put a piece of perspex over where the original lights were Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_a Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Hey Wavey, passed a few messages over on difflock and waved at each other at a HBRO driving day where I was marshalling last year. As it happens we were yapping about grizzly claws and thier ability to eat wheel bearings Did a run to Germany with someone on grizzlys and we saw him lose loads of lugs - some poor french and belguimeze drivers got hit by large lumps of tread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 i think wavey & i worked out the light idea chatting on msn, he got his done 1st though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waveydave Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 I m sure i will remeber soon Steve but my memory is in goldfish mode at the moment (where it is quiet often).Hmm yea grizleys not my bestest tyre. Yes NAS spec lamps would look awsome and i plan to do it when i have some more folding stuff.There is two problems tho 1 its expensive (i intend have all but the fogs be reveerse lamps with coloured LED's in them to give colour) 2 i will have to cut the hole a little as they will be a little to tall.But you are right will look great. Both Andys and my lamps were done for very little mine cost about £1.50 for the trailer lamps and about a tenna for the NAS fog and reverse lamps.I also trimed the rubber boot that normaly lives aroundthe stock lamps fo make it look a little neater.Andy has gone for a more basic look Most of my mods are basicly done for as little as possable and you might find i dont have ANY bling, just stuff that dose the job.I think you might fond Andys has been built to much the same ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 my mod plan is even easier if the truth be told. 1) knock bits off 2) fit cheaper replacements Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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