Major advances/Changes in Defender Models?

[technophile]

Hi all,

As i stated in another thread, i am seriously considering a Defender 130 for touring and exploration. As i am not familiar with defenders it is hard to tell what i am getting with each of the various year models of defender.

I am not sure if this has already been covered, my apologies if it has, but would someone mind making a list of the various/main changes land rover made to the defender over time.

This is pretty much what i have got so far? (hopes it is right)

1994: Engine Swap from 200Tdi to 300Tdi
1998: Engine swap from 300Tdi to TD5
2002: Introduction of programmable ECU
2007: Engine swapped from TD5 to TD4 2.2l, 5 - 6 speed manual, various interior changes
2012: Engine swap from TD4 2.4l to TD4 2.2l

Would appreciate any additions.

[spudboy]

That's a pretty good summary, except that the 2007 engine was 2.4L and the later ones went to 2.2L....

They are a great vehicle in the TD5 setup I reckon. Good balance of minimal electronics but good performance and fuel economy.

I've got a 300TDi (Indestructible) and TD5 - (more power) and 2.4L PUMA (More power again - but no front vents which is a shame).

[technophile]

Hi all,

As i stated in another thread, i am seriously considering a Defender 130 for touring and exploration. As i am not familiar with defenders it is hard to tell what i am getting with each of the various year models of defender.

I am not sure if this has already been covered, my apologies if it has, but would someone mind making a list of the various/main changes land rover made to the defender over time.

This is pretty much what i have got so far? (hopes it is right)

1983: Defenders got their name
1994: Engine swap from 200Tdi to 300Tdi
1998: Engine swap from 300Tdi to TD5
2002: Introduction of programmable ECU, 110 and 130 went from salisbury to P38 rear diff
2007: Engine swapped from TD5 to TdCi 2.4l, 5 - 6 speed manual, various interior changes/re-design
2012: Engine swap from TD4 2.4l to TdCi 2.2l

Would appreciate any additions.

Edit
*2007: Engine Info Correction
*Additional Info Added
* TD4 changed to TdCi

[spudboy]

The rear diffs changed from Salisbury to P38 in around 2001 I think. Lots of people go on about how good the salisbury diff is and that the P38 is rubbish, but we have been all over Australia with P38 diffs without a drama (on standard 235/85/16 tyres though and standard half shafts - if you go bigger then it might be different). For a touring rig the newer diffs are fine I reckon.

[Samblers]

I am new to Defenders too... here is where I started

Land Rover Defender - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[JDNSW]

I am new to Defenders too... here is where I started

Land Rover Defender - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Rover_Defender)

A good start, but you need to be aware of differences in Defenders sold in Australia. In particular, during about the first twenty years of production (from 1983) the Ninety was not sold here. Also, the four cylinder Rover engines were not fitted to Australian 110s prior to the Defender name, the only engines being the V8 and the Isuzu. And there were none sold at all for about two years when the Defender name was introduced. After the Defender name was introduced only the turbo diesels were sold here - no petrol or n/a engines (there were not many anywhere).

Also not covered in the article are the Australia specific models, 120 and 6x6.

You will find that in Australia the pre-Defender coil sprung Landrovers are often incorrectly referred to as "County" Landrovers. This is because the great majority of the civilian ones sold in Australia were 110 wagons with County trim, and the word "County" in large letters on the doors. (The term County was (is?) used to describe a moderately upmarket trim level on Series 3 and Rangerover as well as Landrover 110/90). In the 110 this trim included carpet, tinted windows, rear window washer/wiper etc.

John

[Psimpson7]

Not all these apply to 130's but in general:

Post 2002 there were a lot of small improvements

Steel one piece rear door
Concealed rear body mounting panel at rear of body
horizontal radio mounting panel with switches in dash

Around 2005, they also got one piece steel front doors, instead of the dreadful steel frame / aluminium skinned things. This is spottable from the inside of the frame in the top corners. Old ones are welded. new ones are curved.

i think the rear side doors were changed to one piece steel aswell with the 2007 model year.

[NT5224]

Very interesting thread.

I've read owners of early model Land Rovers lambast newer models with the accusation that chassis and panel sections have been thinned to save weight and construction costs. When did this happen- within the timeline under discussion?

To be honest my Puma doesn't seem to feel so different from how I remember the old Series, V8 and Tdi's I used to drive. But it could just be my memory is unclear.

And don't forget the iconic bonnet mounted tyre! What a bitch it was to lift the thing with a spare in situ . My 110 V8 bonnet's were always cracking and deflecting from the stress. But how cool did it look?! :D

Were tyres taken off the bonnet with the switch from 110/90 to TDi?

cheers

Alan

[Judo]

Not all these apply to 130's but in general:

Post 2002 there were a lot of small improvements

Steel one piece rear door
Concealed rear body mounting panel at rear of body
horizontal radio mounting panel with switches in dash

Around 2005, they also got one piece steel front doors, instead of the dreadful steel frame / aluminium skinned things. This is spottable from the inside of the frame in the top corners. Old ones are welded. new ones are curved.

i think the rear side doors were changed to one piece steel aswell with the 2007 model year.

This is interesting. I knew the doors went steel at some point but was sure when. In my mind the aluminium doors are better for corrosion and weight reasons etc. You believe the steel ones are better design and preferable?

[solmanic]

Probably should change the Td4 reference to TdCi to avoid confusion with the Freelander engine which is commonly referred to as Td4. Also, I would highlight that the 07MY Defender was the first ever interior re-design since all previous models were just developments of the Series 3. This stemmed largely from the blocking-up of the exterior front vents (perhaps the biggest single change to bodywork since genesis) which changed everything about the heating & cooling.

[Psimpson7]

This is interesting. I knew the doors went steel at some point but was sure when. In my mind the aluminium doors are better for corrosion and weight reasons etc. You believe the steel ones are better design and preferable?

Absoloutely.

The original doors are steel framed remember. they only have aluminium skins. They rust at a ridiculous rate.

The later one piece steel doors are 100x better at least. From memory they are also galvanised

[JDNSW]

Very interesting thread.

I've read owners of early model Land Rovers lambast newer models with the accusation that chassis and panel sections have been thinned to save weight and construction costs. When did this happen- within the timeline under discussion?

Not sure, or exactly when it happened. But a point that should be mentioned is that of doors. Earliest doors were the same as Series 3, changed to windup windows in 1984. Change to push button door handles in 1987 - these doors are thicker, mandating moving the front seats inboard about 25mm, a smaller steering wheel, and generally less room. But the new doors are more robust. Should be noted that at the same time galvanising of body cappings was stopped.

To be honest my Puma doesn't seem to feel so different from how I remember the old Series, V8 and Tdi's I used to drive. But it could just be my memory is unclear.

And don't forget the iconic bonnet mounted tyre! What a bitch it was to lift the thing with a spare in situ . My 110 V8 bonnet's were always cracking and deflecting from the stress. But how cool did it look?! :D

Were tyres taken off the bonnet with the switch from 110/90 to TDi?

cheers

Alan

Bonnet mounted spares were always an optional extra, even from 1948, although fitted to the vast majority of Series Landrovers, at least in Australia. Rare on coil sprung Landrovers, and probably not acceptable under ADRs referring to obstructions to drivers view from about mid nineties (guess). Bonnets seem to have got lighter somewhere about then too. TDCI engined Defenders cannot accommodate a spare on the bonnet due to the hump. Generally speaking, fitting larger tyres and softer drivers has made this option unpopular from the 1990s on.

John

[Benz]

yeah with the introduction of the Td5 a bonnet mounted spare was no longer a factory option. This was due to changes made to the frame of the bonnet to make room for the taller Td5 engine which made the bonnet too week to support a spare tyre.