TDCi Defender Appreciation Thread

[isuzurover]

This is my Rocket. Best vehicle I ever had

Allan

Looks awesome!

[Izmirblue]

I love that when I'm out and about people assume I have an old car - not a brand new one! I also love that I get fantastic torque offoad without having to pay for an enormous engine thanks to the gear ratios!

[Grockle]

best Defender we've had.

[Naks]

So now we have our first issue with the Puma.

When I got back from Barca last weekend, I had the first chance to drive the Puma properly and noticed that it was drifting to the left and also was swerving to the left under braking.

When I took it in to LR N1 City for the radio fitment, they did a wheel alignment and according to them it's sorted. However, the braking thing, they will require the car for at least a day to be able to diagnose and fix, so it has to go back in next week *sigh*

In the meantime, the wheel alignment has sort of worked: the Puma does not drift so much on a smooth road. But on a bumpy street, it will swerve as soon as one wheel hits a bump/speedbump/etc. Also, as soon as a gust of wind hits, it swerves to the left.

Anyone else experience this sort of thing in the Puma?

[Allan]

I sorted mine with the removel of the sway bars and shock absorber changes. This may not be legal in all states I believe, but my defer now drives like a different vehicle.

Allan

[Naks]

I sorted mine with the removel of the sway bars and shock absorber changes. This may not be legal in all states I believe, but my defer now drives like a different vehicle.

Allan, how is the handling on tar without the sway bars? Did you remove both front and rear?

What shock absorbers did you put on?

[Allan]

Allan, how is the handling on tar without the sway bars? Did you remove both front and rear?

What shock absorbers did you put on?

Yes I removed both sway bars and have used the dampers to control the ride. As I have an ARB bar and winch I eventualy went for 130 Land Rover front springs and used the OME shocks I had (when the OME dampers die I'll change these to Terra Firma also). I used standard springs rear with dislocation cones and Terra Firma +2 inch shocks. I'm also running 265/75 16 on 8 inch rims but at standard pressures. I think this mod. will save a lot of disc pads as my traction control does'nt make a sound unless pushed very hard, unlike when i took it offroad at first. I would say it has 10 to 15 percent more body roll than it had standard but the ride is 70 to 80 percent improved especialy with a bit of a load compared to the standard Puma. I drove my wifes 90 today and I think it going to get the same treatment. My SVX rides as good on corrigations as my sons D3. Worth the try.

Allan

[skoller]

My Puma did the same.Veering to the left.I mentioned it to service crew and they knew about it.They done something to,I think,the steering box and now it seems much better.

[Naks]

My Puma did the same.Veering to the left.I mentioned it to service crew and they knew about it.They done something to,I think,the steering box and now it seems much better.

Skoller, would you be so kind as to find out what they did exactly? thanks

[skoller]

I am going to see the dealer on friday about my 2nd noisy rear diff so I will try to get them to tell me what they did about the steering.