Why even ask... why a defender?

[Symo]

I have just come back from a eight week trip up to Cape York and back to Melbourne and my family and I had a ball. More importantly the puma just performed outstandly.

People who dont know any better ask, why buy a Defender. Well here are a few happy snaps of my trip and how the car performed to answer those that ask why. Like many pics they dont do the tracks justice.

Pic 1 is heading up palm creek (north to south) i drove down it to see how the car would go as i planned to drag my camper down it the next day. After i drove down i then relised I had to drive back up.... Doh!!!

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/DSC00595-HDR.jpg

Pic 2 is a little further up
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Pic 3 is amost there......

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/DSC00612-HDR.jpg

Pic 4 is there

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/DSC00614-HDR.jpg

here are some pics of the ford just before Nolans......


https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/DSC01407-HDR.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

here is Nolans.....

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/DSC01487-HDR.jpg

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/DSC01490-HDR.jpg

Just another track that looks flat in a picture

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/DSC01365-HDR.jpg

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/DSC01368-HDR.jpg

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/DSC01371-HDR.jpg


The car did it all easily, did not skip a wheel anywhere and just crawled along where others were getting drowned or whinched, and she towed a trailer all the way from Melb to the tip and back without a groan of complaint. We drove the telly from Bramwell to the Jardine, every crossing, every obstacle and every muddy bog.

That why we own defenders!!!!

i have thousands of pictures and many video of the Defender powering through and others being recovered.. The car is brilliant.

[n plus one]

If you have to ask :angel:

Don't waste your time trying to explain it to them, they won't get and you don't care really care anyway.

Nice rig by the way :thumbsup:

[uninformed]

awesome stuff, thanks for posting :)

what mods have you done to your Defender?

[Didge]

Looks like he just put some lights on it; what more do you need?

[goingbush]

Very Nice, great pics. Must be happy with the camper trailer too I'd have thought.

[redrovertdi]

Blew a headlight bulb, I learnt to turn mine off when going into water. great photos

[noogie]

Thanks for the pics.
Yep nice truck allright!

Love to see more photos, perhaps you can put a link up sometime.
Looks like you've got larger MT rubber on. Don't know if she would have done as well with the general grabbers.

Is that a LROCV sticker on your back window?
:)

[Symo]

noogie
Is that a LROCV sticker on your back window?


Yes it is - A great club and the tyres are nice. I did notice a improvement when I got those fitted.




redrovertdi


Blew a headlight bulb, I learnt to turn mine off when going into water. great
photos


Yes but not through water crossings, a rock punched a nice hole in it, have sinced replaced it with the LED headlights from Mulgo. They are nice lights.




uninformed


what mods have you done to your Defender?



How long have you got?


285 75 16 Cooper STT on sunraisia steel rims.

Front and rear lockers (ARB air lockers - wanted maxie butnot available then)

Maxie font and rear axles and CVs etc - oil filled hubbsYada Yada.....

3 batteries (one standard 2 x optima)

Front ARB bar

12,000 warn endurance winch

Snorkel

Vision X light bars (10W LEDS Brilliant lights - excuse thepun)

Narva 100w halogen driving lights (since replaced with HID)

Standard headlights since replaced with Mulgo LEDheadlights.

Long Range diesel sill tank (both tanks use the same fillerpoint)

Passenger side 55 ltr water tank with pump.

35ltr dolmio water tank (behind passenger rear wheel)

Rigidig spare wheel carrier

Rock Sliders

2" lift with double cardon front shaft (I used the Discoshaft and plate)

TPMS system

Alpine in car system with sat nav, TV, reversing camera, DVDplayer Ipod bizzo with 8" sub-woofer and upgraded speakers. Reversingcamera with pop up blind.

GME 80 chan CB (TX3520 I think)

Mulgo centre cubby box

Custom centre console

Draw system in rear (with engle 40ltr fridge)

Reversing lights with 2 way switch (active from driverswitch or rear switch as work lights (vision x leds)

Scanguage II

Towbar with flat 14 plug for the camper

Compressor outlet taken to the rear bar so I can pump carand camper tyres easily.

Dash cam that records speed, location, video and audio forarguing speed camera fines etc. Not needed so far as i don’t speed - just liketo prove it if I have too.

Nice rego plates (purchased at a charity auction forVariety....)

A bazillion other little bits and pieces I cant rememberjust now. Its a work in progress. The war office calls it a 1,000 per monthcar!!!

Clearly I love my car and proud of her.... happy to postmore pice of the car or the trip if people are interested.

[RED]

Great photos & thanks for the vehicle information.

[chook73]

Great truck and thanks for taking the time to post the photos up.

[Chops]

Awesome trip by the sound of it.
Feel free to do a big trip report if you haven't done one yet, with lots and lots of pics.
And what a top looking car, damn nice rig, your close, we should get together for a chat,, (really, I just want to check out your car and see what ideas I can steal ;))

[dullbird]

Thanks for the pics.
Yep nice truck allright!

Love to see more photos, perhaps you can put a link up sometime.
Looks like you've got larger MT rubber on.
Don't know if she would have done as well with the general grabbers.

Is that a LROCV sticker on your back window?
:)

we did the cape fine with general grabbers we did it in july this year, these tyres dont get enough credit I reckon

[Symo]

I Agree. Standard road tyres at 40 psi will get a defender just as far as some of the jap cars with swampers on. I got the bigger tyres as I thought the cape would be harder than it was. Lucky I am in Victoria as what we have here is harder than the cape IMO.

Loved the cape and preparation is essential for any trip. However I over preppared I think. Would have gotten through on the standard size tyres just as easily I recon.

[jon3950]

Even as a Disco driver I don't have to ask! The photos say it all.

Cheers,
Jon

[Symo]

Even as a Disco driver I don't have to ask! The photos say it all.

Cheers,
Jon

Don't dis the disco. They are an amazing car also. It would have gone everywhere we went in the defender.

[dullbird]

Its good to see we weren't the only defender that dragged a trailer all the way through this year:)

[Symo]

Its good to see we weren't the only defender that dragged a trailer all the way through this year:)

Our ultimate camper is a perfect fit for the defender. Both are very good at what they were designed to do. The ultimate is nice and light behind the car and is hard to jack knife when doing switchbacks. A great family camper.

[HardCharger]

Nice set up!

I have been told that the ARB winch bumper reduces the approach angle, did you experience this at all?

Also, what kind of TPMS do you use?

Thanks.

[Symo]

Nice set up!

I have been told that the ARB winch bumper reduces the approach angle, did you experience this at all?

Also, what kind of TPMS do you use?

Thanks.

I have never had a problem with the approach angle on the car. I had the bar and bits fitted the day I picked it up ( almost) so I can't give you a before and after.

She has scraped her bum a few times but never an issue on approach.

The TPMS is an inawise system. It has the internal sensors. Like it as its easy to set reference pressure. A frind has another one and evergtime he airs diwn it tajes him 5 mins to reprogram to the new pressure. Mine Works well with a quick push and hold of a button. Mine has a LED display, not a LCD display. Can't remember the model number.

Cheers:)

[HardCharger]

Thanks for the details Symo.

I'll look up the TPSM.

[Scallops]

Symo - great post! :D And as to your question...."Why even ask... why a defender?"...

Exactly.

[Symo]

Thanks for the details Symo.

I'll look up the TPSM.


Here is a link to the manufactures web page.

I dash mounted mine and wires a secon reset button in parallel with the on in the unit to make it easier to press. Its great, when i air down and get back in the think is going postal - beeping me and telling me there is only 22PSI in the tryes. I press and hold the reset button and 10 seconds later it says OK, 22PSI is now the refernce pressure and shuts up. Same when i air up again.

My mate has a brand that requires you to enter the configuration mode for each tyre and then dial up the new reference pressure every time you change tyres pressures. It a pain as it takes him 10 minutes so in the end he just unplugs it....

TPMS for 6 Wheels (http://www.inawise.com/tpms1504.html)

They have new ones out now that do more than 4 tyres - great if you run a camper

cheers

[ezyrama]

Good to hear you had a good time, James told me you were up there when he called in 2 weeks ago (i know, not my day when he turns up:p)love the photo's of your truck in action, now I have a longer accessories wish list than ever before!!!

Cheers Ian

[HardCharger]

Thanks for the additional info Symo.

I looked them up and saw that they have a version for 4WD applications. The unit has a switch for when you are on-road or off-road. It should solve the issue you brought up. Not sure if all you need to buy is the reader unit or something.

Too bad you can't take the reader unit down with you so airing up and down will be a simpler process rather than guesstimate the air you put in or out then run back to the cab to see if it's correct then back again.

[goingbush]

Too bad you can't take the reader unit down with you so airing up and down will be a simpler process rather than guesstimate the air you put in or out then run back to the cab to see if it's correct then back again.

Thats what you use one of these for
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/573.jpg

[HardCharger]

True enough, I suppose. I guess you just have to determine the differences (if any) between the hand held gauge and the digital one...

[Symo]

You need both IMHO. The hand held gauge for airing up / down and generaltyre maintenance. The TPMS to tell you you have a puncture before it gets tothe point of destroying the tyre or blowing out and killing you.

Now I have the TPMS in the car I dont think I could go back to not havingone. Its nice to know you still have 18psi still in your tyre after youscramble to the top of a rocky hill.

I destroyed a Copper STT a while back because a schrader let go (I used to usethe ARB quick deflater and I guess i didnt screw the schrader back in properly) ATPMS would have saved me this tyre.

[Symo]

Good to hear you had a good time, James told me you were up there when he called in 2 weeks ago (i know, not my day when he turns up:p)love the photo's of your truck in action, now I have a longer accessories wish list than ever before!!!

Cheers Ian

Ian - greetings.... If you lock the door james cant get in.... works for me :D.

Have a few video to post if people are interested, I have a dash cam and have a short low res video from the driver perspective crawling up Palm Creek. (some people have suggested that I photoshoped the winch cable out of the pics I posted - they must drive Toymotors)... the engine sounds great in the video for a 4 pot oiler. When I get back home I will upload it....

Cheers

[Symo]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27896568/Palm%20creek%20N%20to%20S.mp4

Here is a short video of the Defender driving up Palm creek, north to south. This video was taken from a small dash cam, my friend was outside the car taking the still images you see posted at the start of the thread...

sorry I dont know how to insert a video -

[GlennWA]

Thanks for the video.

I notice a little bit of a crowd - what were they expecting?

A few congratulatory applauses at the end too!:D

[Symo]

Thanks for the video.

I notice a little bit of a crowd - what were they expecting?

A few congratulatory applauses at the end too!:D


for me to me to crash and burn or worse - use a winch....

many of the river crossings etc up there had crowds.... strange...