Thread: New Member - Don't know anything about Defenders - Questions

Wish i had budget of $80k to kick off my first 4wd. I bought an old tired 110 and tinkered with it. Then with the benefit of experience bought the 130 and set about building it to my needs. I bumped into Wayne in Birdsville, what a fantastic first 4wd. Like climbing mount Everest as your first mountain ascent.

We have all, per the OP, focussed on the defender. Lets be honest the D1 and D2 are capable 4wds for what is required by the OP. Have a barn door rear access, out of the box flexes like the defender (with a few modest suspension mods will flex as well as required for all but the extreme of tracks) and the same aftermarket support that adorns the defender. The D2 has TC and in TD5 auto guise will be a fantastic tourer. Both are simple and if well maintained will give years of happy service. Only thing missing is the panache of the defender. The D4 can be got for sub $40k these days and, frankly, the best all round 4x4 on the market. Fast and comfortable, handles great both on tar and dirt, loads of space, reasonable aftermarket support. While D4 owners might not take to complaining about their vehicle with such religious vigour as do Defender owners but i'm yet to hear of a D4 that left someone stranded in the outback in a critical way. Food for though.

For my 10c worth, everything here is correct - including the fact that the Defender can be an acquired taste and at some point you will get wet feet (finally got some Wurth "dum dum" so feet are finally dry now). I got my 110 in 2003 when I was in WA to go north. Only two options for load carrying were Defender and Troopy. Went with the Defender (at $20K less new) and haven't looked back. I added all the necessary touring stuff (winch, battery, rear drawers, roof rack, LR tank, HF/UHF, fridge etc) but did no mechanical mods. Went everywhere in the Pilbara and Kimberley without an issue. Wife and three kids, enough food for 3 weeks, 80L water etc, 2nd spare, small genny etc. Reckon I was smack bang on GVM when fully loaded and had no issues.

All of the reliability issues I have had over the years have been factory-build related (steering box, front diff, gearbox etc) from poor build/setup. Most of these issues should have already been sorted in a used machine.

Like many others I can't stress the need to look at one (esp someone who has a good touring setup) and more importantly drive one. They are quirky and can be uncomfortable if you are like me at 6'1" and somewhat north of a 30 BMI! but even I am so used to it I don't notice (and it is much more comfy than my 89 Canter petrol tipper!!!). But I don't regret buying it for one minute.

Thanks for the feedback.

Showed wife the pop top that can be done on the Defender... she told me as a little toddler when the family used to go out four wheel driving, they had a Land rover, double clutch something rather.

She loves the idea of the land rover more than the jeep now that I shared the thoughts from here and images.

So thanks

Terms of space... I am not a big build person. 5'9 and slim/normal build.

What sold me on the jeeps in the first place... watch this: YouTube, and then this one YouTube - pay attention to what is being said.

Those 2 4x4s make everything look easy. I watched MOAB in the USA, everyone runs Jeeps on that. 37" is like the standard go-to size and it makes all those tracks (like in the videos) look very easy to climb over and it makes the jeep itself look more monster truck like which I do like. In that second video, the guy talks about minimal body roll for driving and more wheel flex etc which really makes that look like a solid 4x4, not one that rocks around like a boat feeling like it wants to tip over and at the same time, he also runs 37" wheels on his wrangler it just looks right.

That is why (without ever having one or being in one) I started really liking the idea of a jeep. It just looks right at home off-road. Rather than looking like a car on big wheels (Landcruiser), it actually looks like it is meant to be in the bush doing that. Really looks great. Whether I would be happy in it or not due to all the limited space etc... well, that is another story.

I guess that is why I was 'set' on 37" wheels, just to be able to do all that sort of stuff with ease and stability like those wranglers do it.

If the Defender can do all that no problem, just as easy and stable and be built like those wranglers are, to have that same sort of raised big wheel monster truck look and yet still has the awesome space of a defender that the wrangler does not have... well, then it is definitely on my list to test out.

first off, engineering 37" rubber in NSW will take a lot of persuading the engineer. AFAIK National Standards are 75mm (50mm lift, 25mm rubber) and permissible to 125mm with engineering. A Rubicon has 245/75R17 rubber from the factory. That's 31.5" in the old money. You use up your 5" (125mm) going from stock rubber to 37's. Not to mention the lift for clearance for the guards.

I know of 2 defenders running around on 37" rubber. One is a mini monster truck on portals and the other is CAL415 (Mick). Stepping up to 37" rubber, even in a Rubicon, comes with it upgraded diffs (diff centres, CV's and half shafts), HD prop shafts, HD steering arms and panhard rods, and the list goes on. Driving and steering 37" puts strain on your wheel bearings and cv's and will require flares that will stick out of the body panel to an unattractive state. To fit 37" rubber under a Rubicon will likely require trimming of panels or a lift that gives clearance (a defender needs a health trim of the guards). Lots of work to get 37" onto a vehicle and have it reliable.

35" v 37" (no idea why its inverted)

IMG_0502.jpg

Anyway, we are all entitled to fantasise about what could be. If 37's rock you boat, more power to you. But you won't need them for the type of driving you expect to do. Those trucks in the video's were not cheap to set up. i'm sure they are more capable than the tracks show in the video. Those tracks were tame in the scheme of what is out there.

G.man my D2 with max load, 31 inch Duratracs on 16s, and a modest 2 - 3 inch lift had no problems at all at Cape York and the Old Tele Track. More capable with just traction control (ie no locking front or rear diff) than the late air suspended D3 and late D4 with me. Sure there are some tracks where more clearance and say 33s would be required but they are very heavy duty compared to anywhere else popular with those doing genuine offroad touring. 37's...wow. I cant imagine anything short of (serious) comp trucks that would need 37's. I mean even Jeep Rubes do the Rubicon trail with 32-33 inch... want are you going to do with 37's man?! Would probably drive like a pig too especially lane changes and roundabouts etc.

Cheers

With wheels like that... who needs to change lanes or go around the roundabout.

As I sit here listening to the rain on my Canberra roof, I smile at the thought that any leaks in my Deefer will hopefully facilitate the drowning of all the spiders that have taken up residence in every bloody nook and cranny

There is a profound difference between Moab and the Tanami track or Canning Stock Route your thinking is out of step with reality.

You wont need 37 inch tyres in fact if you do have them the likely hood of finding them anywhere in Outback OZ is extremely remote.
I am also not sure why you need 18 inches of wheel travel if you have diff locks.

I always found it amusing when living in the Territory the number of Land Cruisers traveling through with large mud terrain tires that were totally inappropriate might be great in the Victorian High country but useless in the desert.

Still think you should buy a Jeep