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Where do I start?
It’s a question that comes up daily either online or on the Tech Line at work. Someone just got a Discovery, Range Rover or Freelander and wants to modify it. Invariably, they always ask where to start as if it is a simple question. Only problem is that it’s probably the most difficult question of Land Rover ownership. The way one builds, modifies or customizes one’s Rover is an individual statement, a representation of not only personality but of their needs. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with ANY modification as long as it doesn’t put anyone’s safety in jeopardy, but before even asking the question of where to start, one has to do some soul searching. Are you planning to take your Land Rover off road? If so, how often? Be realistic though, even those of us who live to get dirty often can’t fit it in the schedule more than a few good trips per year. Are you willing to compromise the on-road handling for off-road capability? If so- how much? See where I’m going with this? There is no easy answer when people ask me this question and most seem a little surprised with the interview that follows. Most of the time if they’ve never considered these things and the call ends with something like “Uh, well, I guess I got a lot to think about” and that’s it. It would probably be easy to sell them a huge set of springs and lots of gadgets, but I can’t do that knowing they haven’t thought out their approach. There are a lot of resources available these days, especially the internet. The instant access to huge amounts of information is a great thing, but the only problem is that much of the information is of nefarious origin. Just today I saw a Rover newbie receiving an explanation of how the Discovery II had an LT230 transmission that was explained as a BMW 750 unit. The same questions on the same forums over and over often reveal the same answers time after time. Although there are exceptions and there is always someone willing to argue, there seems to be some well-accepted time-tested bits of information and I’ll see if I can cover them here. I’ll start with the vehicle-specific questions and then move into the general questions. Discovery I: Lift: Most popular lift on these is two inches for the casual off-roader or a dual-purpose commuter machine. Some brands of springs SAY two inches but lift more than that- so be sure to ask when you compare brands. Why two inches? More than that can cause driveline problems, as the castor angle at three and more inches of lift can cause vagueness and wandering in the steering. The driveshafts on most DI’s have a rotoflex rubber joint (instead of u-joints) which won’t last terribly long with the three inch and larger suspension lifts. The cost of doing a proper three inch or larger lift grows exponentially as you then have to look into replacing the suspension arms with modified ones, etc. It can be done and done well with enough time and money spent, but a two-inch lift is simple and inexpensive. Adding two inch extended shocks on a DI usually doesn’t require any brake line modifications also- giving you useful travel. Longer springs on stock shocks can look cool, but doesn’t really increase capability. So in essence, a well thought out two-inch suspension is superior to a poorly executed three-inch or higher suspension. Tyres: The rear wheel well on the DI is kind of small. With the common two-inch lift, one can fit a 245/75-16 tyre but will need to trim the wheel well slightly. Larger tyres are certainly possible with more trimming or more lift. Fender flares are also available if you choose to cut the fenders even more, but again- it just depends on the look and function you want for your truck. Discovery II: Lift: In stock form, the Discovery II can fit a 245/75-16 tyre without problems. For a Discovery that will only see minor off-road use, there’s no need to do anything more. As with the Discovery I, lifts above two inches will result in a wide variety of results. I’ve put 3” lifts springs on one with no driving or handling problems at all and I’ve seen others with the same springs have vibrations and steering problems. Two-inch lifts are the safe bet with the Discovery II as well and will allow the fitment of 265/75-16 tyres with no trimming required. To extend the shocks to give more travel, the brake lines must be replaced with longer ones and the ABS sensor wires must be extended or somehow re-routed. Taller lifts of course can be done, but then consider the u-joint conversion on the rear drive shaft as well as corrected suspension arms. If you have SLS (Self Leveling Suspension), which is an air suspension in the rear, you have some options. You can convert to coils, add spacers or ‘trick’ the computer into raising the level higher to match a lifted front end. The best route to take depends on your intended use. Tyres: The Discovery II has larger wheel wells than the early ones. Because of this, it is rare to have to resort to cutting the fenders to fit larger tyres. As stated already, stock suspension will fit a 245/75-16 and a two-inch lift will fit the ever-popular 265/75-16. Freelander: Lift: The Freelander should have been higher from the factory, no doubt. There are two ways to lift a Freelander, the DAP two inch lift and the Ironman 1.5 inch spring lift. I have installed both, several times, and spent 30K miles driving a DAP lifted Freelander. The DAP lift uses a spacer to move the struts away from the body, lifting two inches. The Ironman setup replaces the springs with stiffer ones, raising it 1.5 inches. Off-road reports from people who have these lifts typically favours the DAP lift since even at full compression; the Freelander is still two inches higher. The Ironman springs don’t increase the range of motion like the DAP lift, but they ride higher within the stock range of motion. The stiffer rates of the Ironman springs result in a stiff ride that works well with larger tyres and also work very well with load carrying capability. Tyres: Most people who desire to take a Freelander off road will want to change the tyres. The Freelanders with 16” wheels have an advantage here, as there are several options. Stock form, a Freelander can squeeze a 225/75-16 although it may rub if heavily laden with cargo or rear seat passengers. A 225/70 is a safer bet if you often have rear seat passengers. In lifted form, the 225/75-16 is common and won’t rub. With the combination two-inch lift and 225/75 tyres, the Freelander will sport eleven inches of clearance underneath! This is one reason Freelanders excel off-road and often embarrass the ‘bigger brothers’ in the Rover line. If you have 17” wheels, you can either seek out some 16” or you are limited terribly in tyre options. Range Rover: Lift: The Range Rover Classics use the same springs and shocks as the Discovery I, so the same issues/results as the DI can be expected. If you have a P38 Range Rover or a Classic with air suspension, then you really need some help. The air suspension in those vehicles is notorious for expensive and complicated repairs. The best option is a coil spring conversion, which can cost between $400 and $800 depending on several variables. Everyone I’ve spoken to who has done the conversion is happy with his or her decision and even happier with the improved ride. What winch and bumper? There are many winches on the market and any of them from any of the major manufacturers would be acceptable, Superwinch, Warn or TMax. Most Land Rovers are best suited with 9,000lb capacity winches as a minimum. A Series Rover can get by with 6,000lb. If you plan to winch quite a bit, larger capacity is always welcome- just keep in mind that it has to fit the bumper or winch mount that you select. For bumpers and winch mounts there are many options. Some appear stock, some winch mounts hide the winch underneath and some are radical in appearance. For occasional use, the discrete winch mounts, which put the winch behind the stock bumper, are a great value and conceal your expensive winch from curious onlookers. For those who plan to spend a lot of time off road, the better you can access your winch, the happier you will be. Rovertym, SafariGuard and DAP/Bearmach bumpers are all designed to make the winch easy to access at the expense of concealment. TJM bumpers are a good compromise from the “hardcore” bumpers as they conceal the winch somewhat, but at the expense of the approach angle of the more hardcore bumpers. ARB’s are no longer on my “acceptable” list since the one I had rotated while winching and damaged my truck. Until they come out with a way to control that problem, I can’t recommend one at all. Snorkel-
Bling or functional? OK- they look cool, no doubt and there’s nothing wrong with wanting your truck to look cool. Really, it’s ok! Consider that without special preparation, you should not be driving your Rover through deep water anyway but a snorkel can save your butt in case of accidentally going too deep. In dusty conditions, the higher intake can decrease the amount of dust trapped in (and clogging) your air filter. Using a scan gauge, I have documented a decreased air intake temperature comparing a snorkel equipped Discovery with a stock Discovery. Shouldn’t I just armor up with every skid plate, sliders and diff/tank guards? Lots of hardcore rigs are covered in skid plates, rock sliders, diff guards etc just to go to the mall. You don’t NEED that stuff, but when you get to a certain level of terrain that you are attempting to cross, things like rock sliders become necessary to avoid damaging the vehicle. You can’t make your truck invincible by armoring it from top to bottom and it’s a bad idea for a beginner because it makes you feel invincible. You won’t learn anything driving like that. What do I need to go off road? Best thing to have is someone else with more experience going with you. Oh, you meant what equipment… In that case, make sure you have the following:
Steel
wheels or alloys? Debated to death on every internet forum and around every campfire. The winner is: either. The reason often given for preferring steel wheels is because of one gets bent, one could hammer the rim back into shape well enough to continue. Alloy wheels can bend, but when pushed too far, they break. How many times have I seen a steel wheel pounded back into shape on the trail? Once. It happened to me in a Jeep Grand Cherokee that I converted to steel wheels. Likely to happen again? No. If you have alloys, go with them and use the money for a more useful upgrade. If you need to buy wheels anyway, then you have to decide. I run steel wheels on mine mainly because I like the look- there… I admit it. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Have more questions? Try the forum!
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