I have done some offroading and greenlaning, both in my freelander 2 and in a defender.
The Freelander is capable of a lot but steep hills in rough terrain will break it. I have had the clutch smelling for days since slipping the clutch is the only option I have...
Ok all defenders have low range & the way I was instructed (N.I. Govmt instructor) was using gears & momentum....a skill to be acquired.
A manual FL2 clutch slipping is another matter entirely.
That's the benefit of an Auto box on LR SUV's - Infinite control of speeds forwards & reverse + immediate access to hill descent system in both Disco 3 box ranges.........only available in low range in a Disco 2 so to get to hill descent you've got to get to low range.
mad85 wrote:
....About spring suspensions, I have seen that some models came with those and it is also possible to fit them, as many people do with the Disco 2. But that is a separate discussion
Reason why Disco 2's get modified from standard is:
Higher spec ones had active ride at the front end (complex) & air suspension at the rear.
Good system for on road use...surprisingly agile in use.....but there were handbook warnings about its limits in rapid cornering - the laws of physics took over.
When these systems failed the cost of upkeep made lots revert to standard springs, I've three work colleagues who've done this.....it's the lower cost easy fix.
Disco 2 - Radically different situation than the Disco 3
I'd be very surprised if anyone downgraded from Disco 3 standard air suspension with "all its got" off road wise with extended & super extended possibilities to get coil springs.
It also means the vehicle maybe isn't then suitable for seven seats fitted as standard, which may be an issue.
Maybe some "keen modifier" will do or has already done this...someone in here will know
.....however if your eventual purchase to double as a family vehicle that'll pass MOTs etc you ought to check out.
The whole point with a Disco 3 "as standard" is the low-range box, air suspension, selectable off road options in an integrated system...for the majority of uses you don't even need to select the off road options, that's the capability of the whole lot. Awesome.
In another league altogether to a Freelander.
Whatever you get you can "paint orange" & make it look like you want.
Years back some of the surplus to the event G4's were sold off at lower prices.
Look here:
http://www.g4ownersclub.com/images/Resourc...overy3.PDF There is a G4 challenge owners club.... http://www.g4ownersclub.com/index.php?lang=enBREXIT - done properly.
Right now ...We need Government - not Politics
Save the Dipstick Flagbearer-keep it simple, less likely to fail campaign-agenda items:Starting Handles, Acetylene Lamps.
Founder: Dipsticks-R-Us Inc
D3 HSE-perfectly formed, passenger friendly...has real DIPSTICK
Jag XK-but sadly no DIPSTICK...HUGE design fault
FL2 has DIPSTICK..."real comfort in rear seats"
VW Golf wondermobile (?)..has real DIPSTICK
Morris Minor..original DIPSTICK technology..and a real KEY.
9th Jul 2017 5:43 pm
mad85
Member Since: 08 Jul 2017
Location: Naxxar
Posts: 13
Thanks for all the comments.
Quote:
Ok all defenders have low range & the way I was instructed (N.I. Govmt instructor) was using gears & momentum....a skill to be acquired.
A manual FL2 clutch slipping is another matter entirely.
A Freelander, with its high gear ratio and no diff lockers is not capable of slowly going over objects, especially when you are going uphill. If you do not want to slip the clutch, the only way is to gain just enough momentum to be able to keep going... at around 6mph - way too fast if the road is very rough.
A question about off road capabilities of a Disco 3... Do all Disco 3 come with the same off road capabilities? Do they all have diff locks for instance?
My Disco - which is totaly bog standard HSE
Has centre & front diff lock
The rear was an optional extra....even though the infotainment screen shows it. It's not fitted
Disco 3's have:
Low ratio box.....on an auto switched to manual mode there is gear hold, hill descent on high & low
Air suspension (except for pretty basic ones) which is selectable height, self levelling, massive wheel articulation - with extended & super extended modes for getting out of things.
huge wading capability increased when in off road height
4 wheel traction control - one wheel with traction will drive you out of mud, snow, sand etc
Tow Assist (may not becright name) - where a system takes over &'slows you down when on road your trailer through speed "pushes" the Disco
Mines got auto transmission which has self learning, command shift etc..
The off road capabilities are awesome....maybe even legendary.
You don't have to switch or select anything - the vehicle in "road" mode will cope & adapt
Then on top of this you have the special programs.
These are displayed on the sat nav screen with a pictograms of the wheel articulation & steering position.
If you haven't driven or had one shown to you - it's worth doing.
The systems are more or less the same as those on RRS 1 & 2, FFRR, with many enhancements on the 5.BREXIT - done properly.
Right now ...We need Government - not Politics
Save the Dipstick Flagbearer-keep it simple, less likely to fail campaign-agenda items:Starting Handles, Acetylene Lamps.
Founder: Dipsticks-R-Us Inc
D3 HSE-perfectly formed, passenger friendly...has real DIPSTICK
Jag XK-but sadly no DIPSTICK...HUGE design fault
FL2 has DIPSTICK..."real comfort in rear seats"
VW Golf wondermobile (?)..has real DIPSTICK
Morris Minor..original DIPSTICK technology..and a real KEY.
Last edited by BLFarrar on 12th Jul 2017 11:28 pm. Edited 1 time in total
10th Jul 2017 9:35 am
RRSTDV8
Member Since: 07 Apr 2014
Location: Here
Posts: 13092
Quote:
My Disco - which is a big standard HSE
Has centre & front diff lock
If it's a standard vehicle, it doesn't have a front diff lock.
Quote:
A question about off road capabilities of a Disco 3... Do all Disco 3 come with the same off road capabilities? Do they all have diff locks for instance?
They come with a centre diff lock which is automatically controlled by the Terrain Response (TR) system, it's not driver selectable other than by choosing the TR setting.
Rear diff lock was available as an option. It was seldom chosen so vehicles with rear diff lock are very rare. The rear diff lock us also fully automatic in operation.
The diff locks both use the same principle of a multi plate clutch activated by an electric motor operating through a ball ramp mechanism. This gives variable locking capability with preload as determined by the TR system.
To be honest, you don't need the locking rear diff. Except for certain, limited situations, tyre choice is more important. Get any 4x4 on slippy wet grass and it'll struggle, but for laning etc. the standard setup is excellent and more than good enough.Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
2012 RRS SDV6
2008 RRS TDV8
"When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die! You don't know who's children are going to scream and burn. How many hearts will be broken. How many lives shattered. How much blood will spill, until everybody does what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning: SIT DOWN AND TALK!"
10th Jul 2017 10:01 am
mad85
Member Since: 08 Jul 2017
Location: Naxxar
Posts: 13
yes i agree, the center diff is enough for what I have in mind. thanks for confirming it though
My Disco - which is a totally bog standard HSE
Has centre & front diff lock
If it's a standard vehicle, it doesn't have a front diff
Backtracking through posts - didn't realise thatBREXIT - done properly.
Right now ...We need Government - not Politics
Save the Dipstick Flagbearer-keep it simple, less likely to fail campaign-agenda items:Starting Handles, Acetylene Lamps.
Founder: Dipsticks-R-Us Inc
D3 HSE-perfectly formed, passenger friendly...has real DIPSTICK
Jag XK-but sadly no DIPSTICK...HUGE design fault
FL2 has DIPSTICK..."real comfort in rear seats"
VW Golf wondermobile (?)..has real DIPSTICK
Morris Minor..original DIPSTICK technology..and a real KEY.
12th Jul 2017 11:31 pm
mad85
Member Since: 08 Jul 2017
Location: Naxxar
Posts: 13
thanks for all the posts. I am still looking to sell my Freelander. Apparently it is harder to sell at a decent price than I expected Anyway, was still doing A LOT of research about the discovery 3, and one thing that I come over and over again is that there are quite a few reliability issue, chief among is the sudden crankshaft bearing failure.
This would basically mean that a (well maintained) engine can suddenly die while you are in the middle of nowhere. From what I understand there are no warnings that it is going to happen and there is nothing you can do to prevent it. Obviously, it is impossible to fix in a field. Is my understanding right? how serious and common is this?
Thanks
Mark
27th Oct 2017 3:19 pm
HS66
Member Since: 05 Apr 2016
Location: Surrey
Posts: 47
mad85 wrote:
This is what I have in mind
Click image to enlarge
Srsly, a reliable car is very important since i intend on going on greenlaning/offroad trips overland. I would also rather have spring suspensions,manual parking brake and a manual gearbox, just for added reliability
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Might want to buy a Landcruiser then , I swapped my RRS for one a few months ago after getting a particularly bad RRS that kept going wrong and it hasn’t skipped a beat, I fully admit though that when they’re working Land Rovers are the nicer car, and having had 3 FFRRs before that never caused me any major problems, not all LRs are unreliable, in fact I expect I will be back at some point but would get a D3/D4 with a manual box to avoid the risk of the auto packing up.
But if you’re talking about doing expedition type stuff miles from anywhere that you’d want a G4 spec one for- I’d have a Toyota.
I’d not get a D3 on springs though, they ride much nicer on air and for the cost of an airbag or compressor needing replacement I’d prefer to have it than not.
29th Oct 2017 7:13 pm
mad85
Member Since: 08 Jul 2017
Location: Naxxar
Posts: 13
yeah, the land cruiser is tempting but it is extremely hard to find one with less than 150k miles. Also, licenses for discovery 3 (5 seater commercial) is around 100-300eur a year. There are no 5 seater commercial land cruisers so that means 500-1500eur a year license alone.
30th Oct 2017 12:33 am
DG Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50934
A bag of on the eye mind
30th Oct 2017 12:45 am
HS66
Member Since: 05 Apr 2016
Location: Surrey
Posts: 47
I’d not be worried about buying a Landcruiser with 150k on to be honest.
I don’t think the 80/100 or 120 Series ones look too bad, the newer 200 Series though is pretty ugly.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Anyway, was still doing A LOT of research about the discovery 3, and one thing that I come over and over again is that there are quite a few reliability issue, chief among is the sudden crankshaft bearing failure.
, I swapped my RRS for one a few months ago after getting a particularly bad RRS that kept going wrong and it hasn’t skipped a beat, I fully admit though that when they’re working Land Rovers are the nicer car, and having had 3 FFRRs before that never caused me any major problems, not all LRs are unreliable, in fact I expect I will be back at some point but would get a D3/D4 with a manual box to avoid the risk of the auto packing up.
on the eye mind
