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

A Defender is a meccano set on wheels.

The body is riveted and bolted together, that's no seam sealed, it's built the way they did it in 1948 and was basically hand built until the end.
No complex pressings spot welded and seam sealed.

Most of us have experienced wet boots while driving in the rain, either the seam where the roof attaches to the windscreen frame or the seam between the frame and bulkhead leaks.

I've had two Defenders (TD5 and Puma) and both didn't leak. This may help.....

Defender Water Ingress Manual.pdf

I see the payload has improved with this new model. In Rubicon 4 door up by about 80kg (lots of weight saving with alloy) Funny though cause it's still, for such long tough looking vehicle, 100kg less capable than a humble and now nearly 2 decade old Disco 2...(110 and 130.Deefer higher again) and the Disco 2 (and 110/130) tows 2000kg (yep 2000kg) more than the 4 door Rubicon. Crazy stuff. Doesnt give me any confidence in the structural strentgh of the Wrangler (the diffs of the Ruby are certainly up to higher loads...). And if you have or think you will have anything over about an 18 foot fiberglass boat or half.decent van strike the Wrangler off your list straight away. It's the extremely low tow.rating which helps give it the rep of being more a toy.

Cheers

Originally Posted by ozscott

Funny though cause it's still, for such long tough looking vehicle, 100kg less capable than a humble and now nearly 2 decade old Disco 2...(110 and 130.Deefer higher again) and the Disco 2 (and 110/130) tows 2000kg (yep 2000kg) more than the 4 door Rubicon.

Don't forget the 4t towload of the D1 i find it handles 4.5 ish fine. Only letdown is the auto box on the V8 gotta be super gentle with it. Crazy weights towed by a small 4x4

Yep LR Jim very strong chassis. My 95 D1 has 4000kg in the handbook if the dealer stamped it. My brother used it to tow a very heavy car trailer and GQ Patrol comp truck and some other bits and total weight was just over 4000kg and the 3.9V8 auto towed it quite well. Too short a wheel base to be towing that over long distances or higher speeds for too long. Cheers

Originally Posted by weeds

Where are you located...if you were anywhere near Brisbane you’d be more than welcome to check mine out

Getting 200L fuel capacity in a defer means at least three new tanks.....Er might be able to get close with 2 tanks but I cannot think of a combination.

What your budget.....

Your dollar will probably stretch further with a Jeep

I am in Sydney.

Thanks for the replies...

I actually don't want to tow anything, not even a camper trailer. That is the only reason I was thinking the Wrangler 4 door may not be big enough. Sure if I attach a camper trailer I can fit everything I want... but... then I have to tow something and I rather just be me and the car without anything being towed... unless I tow a caravan (wifes Idea)... yeah.

Probably why space was a big thing for me.

How does a fridge fit inside a defender with slide out draws etc when the door is so narrow? - That is the only thing I'm seeing as... Defender has huge space, but the door makes it defeat the purpose of the space its got. Any way around this problem or it is not a problem?

I guess what I am really trying to say with everything when I evaluate myself... I like to have something I can personalise and make my own.

EG: Spend $30,000 on a wrangler Turbo Diesel... then throw 50,000 at it to modify it. Lift it, bigger wheels, more wheel travel, diff locks front and rear, personalise the interior a little, custom touches (looks wise, lights etc)... the last thing I want to do is add all that extra stuff (spending all that extra to make it my own) to then think "I should of got the other vehicle".

That is what I want to avoid. I want to buy a 4x4 I will be happy to throw another 50,000 at to change and make my own, a real beast, a keeper for life. That is probably why I am asking about, diff locks, wheel travel and all the other stuff and what after market availability is there for the Defender to really spend on and make personal, something that will perform in extreme 4x4 situations (like the wranglers do) but NOT being a wrangler if you will. Something I can spend on and keep for life knowing it is exactly what I want it to be.

Originally Posted by G.man

I am in Sydney.

Thanks for the replies...

I actually don't want to tow anything, not even a camper trailer. That is the only reason I was thinking the Wrangler 4 door may not be big enough. Sure if I attach a camper trailer I can fit everything I want... but... then I have to tow something and I rather just be me and the car without anything being towed... unless I tow a caravan (wifes Idea)... yeah.

Probably why space was a big thing for me.

How does a fridge fit inside a defender with slide out draws etc when the door is so narrow? - That is the only thing I'm seeing as... Defender has huge space, but the door makes it defeat the purpose of the space its got. Any way around this problem or it is not a problem?

I guess what I am really trying to say with everything when I evaluate myself... I like to have something I can personalise and make my own.

EG: Spend $30,000 on a wrangler Turbo Diesel... then throw 50,000 at it to modify it. Lift it, bigger wheels, more wheel travel, diff locks front and rear, personalise the interior a little, custom touches (looks wise, lights etc)... the last thing I want to do is add all that extra stuff (spending all that extra to make it my own) to then think "I should of got the other vehicle".

That is what I want to avoid. I want to buy a 4x4 I will be happy to throw another 50,000 at to change and make my own, a real beast, a keeper for life. That is probably why I am asking about, diff locks, wheel travel and all the other stuff and what after market availability is there for the Defender to really spend on and make personal, something that will perform in extreme 4x4 situations (like the wranglers do) but NOT being a wrangler if you will. Something I can spend on and keep for life knowing it is exactly what I want it to be.

I am in Sydney and you are welcome to check my set up to see how I have done it for touring.

Line others have said, if you want to do it the defender is great, you just may need to spend money to get others to build stuff for you or if you are handy on the tools yourself you can build it out yourself. I can go away for a week with all gear to ride my bike, full camp kitchen, gas cooktop, the works and all you will see if you looked in the windows is a flat carpeted deck, camp mattress rolled up and a table.

Mine is a 2000 model TD5, with a newly installed engine (120k KMs on it), larger intercooler and a remap. Got a few other mods done to the engine so not standard but most of what people would do to set one up.

I found the doors not to be too much of a hindrance in mine (even after now owning a D1 and D3). There are plenty of ways of fitting fridges (behind front seats, pull out slide on top of drawers, etc) plus making sure everything else is easy enough to get to. If you want to go the extra mile for access, you can replace the rear sliding windows with gullwing lift up doors.

The great thing about Defenders is they are a mechano set and easily modified with every type of accessory known to man (and woman) available for them via OEM or aftermarket sellers. I travelled all over Australia with my partner at the time, and never had a problem with space, even when lugging caving and climbing gear. The more space you have, the more you tend to fill it though, and the heavier you get. Ask any 130 owner!