What should I do to my disco next....

[newlandyowner]

Looking for ideas on what I should do to my 2000 Disco TD5 manual 165 km's next. I'm aiming to slowly build up a decent family tourer, and need new ideas to research and keep me out of trouble!

What Ive done so far...

Provent
D2a Intercooler
ERG
Lift Kit
Cooper AT3's
Roof Rack
Cargo barrier
Low coolant alarm
Chipped ECU

I was thinking along the lines of front muffler removal and doing the front drive shaft and rear drive shaft rubber removal as I only have the factory non greasable UJ's and DC shaft's at the moment.

Fire away with your thoughts.....

[OffTrack]

My eyesight and concentration is probably failing at the moment, but the glaring omission is CDL lever install. That should be high up on the list.

If you want a tourer leave the centre muffler in, or at least replace with a hot dog. Apparently completely removing makes the cabin substantially noisier so won't be great for touring with the family. Advocates of this mod tend to be the guys who do day play trips or are stone deaf.

cheers
Paul

[Baffle]

Diff protectors, good recovery points, steel rear bar, rock sliders/ steps, comms, nav,cdl, locker,v8 hahaha, list goes on:D

[OffTrack]

Diff protectors, good recovery points, steel rear bar, rock sliders/ steps, comms, nav,cdl, locker,v8 hahaha, list goes on:D

What's the V8 needed for? The only use I can think of is a "dead man" to winch off when there are no trees around. ;)

[disco2_dan]

CDL kit for sure! Sounds like your on the right track already....

[Disco EMU]

Definitely do the front drive shaft and maybe with the chipped ECU an EGT gauge?

Rear drawers ... Drifta do a nice set for around $900.

We'll need pix when it's all done!

Cheers

Craig

[pop058]

What's the V8 needed for? The only use I can think of is a "dead man" to winch off when there are no trees around. ;)

The exhaust note :D

[Capacious]

Depends what sort of touring I guess... but if you go with only one car I would get a winch and maybe a sand anchor if you go desert. Or if on a budget a shovel, shovel holder and some max traxx!
CDL
Air lockers
Bigger tyres
UHF
VHF
Playstation/DVD screens for the kids?

[simonmelb]

Having gone through this and done a 9 Month trip recently, I would add, as well, in the following order.

i) ARB on board air compressor (I mounted mine under the drivers seat where the CD changer would go)
ii) Second 120AH deep cycle battery in one of the rear bins.
iii) Fridge slide and Engel fridge
iv) Water storage (eg marine collapsible 50L bladders which take up no space when empty)
v) Solar panel if going on extended tours.

Remember, whatever you do, keep the weight down, especially on the roof.

Cheers
Simon

[gusthedog]

You could drive it? :D

Seriously though - I got caught up in the whole modifying bug and have done most of the things you list. Does it make it a better truck? Not really. It actually handles worse on the road with 235/85's and a lift kit.

So just drive it and use it as is and fix stuff (like the rubber doughnut and drive shafts) when they go wrong.;)

Use the cash for fuel instead. That's what I should have done!

[Baffle]

Haha, yeh ..... the v8s always up the hill watching you wallow about down the bottom wanting a snatch :)

[newlandyowner]

Cheers guys, theres some good ideas in here, especially the drive it one! Not so much the V8 though!

Tracking down a front drive shaft in the US and prob going to get a CDL lever off .50 in the UK, through here.

I'll keep you updated.

Cheers for the help.

[OffTrack]

Cheers guys, theres some good ideas in here, especially the drive it one! Not so much the V8 though!

Tracking down a front drive shaft in the US and prob going to get a CDL lever off .50 in the UK, through here.

I'll keep you updated.

Cheers for the help.

The .50 lever is definitely the best choice, and I'd put it at the top of the upgrade list if you are going anywhere where traction is going to be an issue. The locked CDL really upgrades the off road capability of the D2's.

cheers
Paul

[TD50WA]

The .50 lever is definitely the best choice, and I'd put it at the top of the upgrade list if you are going anywhere where traction is going to be an issue. The locked CDL really upgrades the off road capability of the D2's.

cheers
Paul

Hey Paul, now I'm confused, I thought you thanked Gusthedog in saying that modifying was a waste of money, drive it as it is, the vehicle is good enough and mods don't make it better?.... Now your saying the lever improves the car?.....is this a "two bob each way" bet mate?:D:D:D:D

I'm not really confused, just taking the .....and I don't agree with Gusthedog, (sorry).... The D2 is great with a few mods, much better than standard, mine has ace, so with bigger wheels and lift, the handling is still very good, much better than the jap stuff I drive at work.

Modifying is like a disease, once you've caught it, it's usually terminal and you can't stop.....some things you need, some things are good, and some things are just to "get your fix"......then when it's done, you sell, update and start again!:D:D:D

[OffTrack]

No each way bets. You can't exactly call something that was factory fitted to the d2a models a mod. It's just upgrading to D2a spec ;)

[TD50WA]

Ahhhhhhh, :D:D:D

[OffTrack]

Cheeky bugger :)

Seriously though, the 1999-2002MYs are the only discos not to have been fitted with some means of locking the centre diff. LR came to their senses with the D2a.

I personally think the CDL is the amongst the first upgrades that should be made on a d2 that isn't fitted with one from the factory, even ahead of fitting better tyres. Many people will disagree but I'd also suggest that upgrading the slabs ecu to a d2a version (srd000150 or srd000070) is worthwhile as this gives you revised and improved programming that accommodates the locked cdl. These ECUs are a bit hard to track down, so if I can get my hands on a spare I'm going to see if its possible to "rechip"'with the later firmware.

Cheers
Paul

[gusthedog]

No each way bets. You can't exactly call something that was factory fitted to the d2a models a mod. It's just upgrading to D2a spec ;)

Here here!:D

Well a few upgrades don't hurt :angel:. Especially making a 4wd a 4wd (ie a little lever that locks the bleeping centre diff turning a 'car' into a '4wd' - seriously, what were you thinking land rover? :mad:)

[TD50WA]

Here here!:D

Well a few upgrades don't hurt :angel:. Especially making a 4wd a 4wd (ie a little lever that locks the bleeping centre diff turning a 'car' into a '4wd' - seriously, what were you thinking land rover? :mad:)

IMO, I think the two biggest mistakes they made with the D2 are, lack of cdl and fitting 29" wheels....oh yeah, and a better exhaust manifold....yes that's 3 mistakes.

I know there are other things that could have been improved, but if those things had been done right, (fitting cdl, 32"wheels and a manifold that didn't warp) then this would have been a car that would have been very hard to improve. Maybe they were worried it would have taken away from the Defender sales, or like the RR, not actually used for "offroad", just "soft road"?

Back to the OP though, I think the order of extras could go like : nanocom, egt gauge, low water alarm, cdl, larger intercooler, silicone hoses, ecu upgrade, slabs/rotors upgrade, tyres, suspension, front bar, winch, recovery points, steering guard, steering arms(depending on tyre size choice), diff guards, then onto axle and driveline improvements - sort of from important to desirable scale, well in my thoughts anyway:D

Cheers
Kev

[OffTrack]

These ECUs are a bit hard to track down, so if I can get my hands on a spare I'm going to see if its possible to "rechip"'with the later firmware.


[geek mode = on]
Having got my hands on a spare ECU I think it's going to be fairly difficult to do firmware upgrades on the SLABS units. The SLABS ECU has three separate microcontrollers all of which are "One Time Programmable" so upgrading firmware would require replacing at least one, and possibly two obsolete chips. The chips are fairly difficult to source unless you want to order $250 of stock or risk ordering off scammy looking Chinese websites. Add to this the fact that the cheapest hardware I've found that has the capability to program the main microcontroller costs around $500. If I find a cheaper way to program the chips it could be do-able, but until then....

On a side note, I recall reading a comment that the slabs ECU's were "just a tiny board and a box full of air". They definitely aren't that. The board is basically the same size as the box, and is fairly densely populated with components on both sides of the board.

Judging from pics of an early SLABS ECU I have found posted on the web all the D2 variants use the same board design (both boards have the same part number), so the only difference between variants is the firmware.
[geek mode =off]

cheers
Paul

[CountP]

Paul,
Is it possible to swop to the later slabs ecu? Or is programming and additional sensors required?
Ryan

[OffTrack]

Paul,
Is it possible to swop to the later slabs ecu? Or is programming and additional sensors required?
Ryan

The SLABS ECU's can be swapped pretty easily. There is a potential gotcha with the 2002MY in that the wiring harness might be missing the cdl switch connectors. Apart from that sensors etc are all common to all d2's. The only thing that is needed is settings have to be transferred to the new ECU so you'll need access to a Nanocom or Hawkeye to do this.

There are only a handful of settings:
- Test Status
- Transport Mode
- ECU Calibrated
- Suspension Type Air/Coil
- Left Stored Height
- Right Stored Height

If the ECU has come from a coil equipped D2 and is going onto a coil equipped d2 nothing needs to be changed. If you have a SLS equipped D2, then you need to check and configure the last three. If it has come off a SLS equipped vehicle and is going onto a coil equipped d2 then you need to change suspension type. That is it.

There are only two ECU's which are worth fitting to an early D2 as an upgrade:

SRD500070 (originally fitted to 2004MY)
SRD000150 (originally fitted to 2003MY)

All 2002MY and earlier D2's should already be fitted with the SRD000070 SLABS ECU. Steer well clear of any SLABS ECU with a part numbers that aren't listed above.

I see lots of SLABS ECU's on ebay with SRD100461 and SRD100462 part numbers. Don't touch these ECUs as they were subject to factory recalls and should not be used under any circumstances.

I have a SRD500070 fitted in mine. I picked up a SRD000150 from the UK a couple of weeks ago for $50 shipped, but you need to look on ebay.co.uk and ask the sellers if they will ship to AUS to get a bargain. Local wreckers are by and large thieves when it comes to ECUs if it's electronic they see $$$ even if it's worthless junk.

cheers
Paul