Learning to 4WD, in a Discovery Sport

[TB]

Hi guys. I just posted my hello in the Intro forum, and like I said there about 18 months ago we bought a 7-seat DS to be our family car.

Despite the sales folks assurances and all the great vids online of the DS off-road credentials, it was more than a year before we tried a couple of beach drives (first one successful, second one bogged!) and just this April we got to do the "Discovery Day" that Land Rover hosts to introduce owners to the capabilities of their new vehicles. OMG that was fun and a real eye-opener as to what "Mum's car" can do.

But it was also an eye-opener as to what a "real" Discovery can do with air suspension and low range gears. The bush is calling me back...

Being a 7-seater, my DS only has a skinny spare and doesn't allow a tow bar. I have a 65L diesel tank and just one battery with no room to expand either of those. Don't have even have roof racks, though I could remedy that I suppose. On the bright side I went with the standard 18" wheels so I have 235/60's that I can take down to reasonably low pressures (and I now have a deflator and a compressor to take care of that). The 2015 models all had "active driveline" which I think is the auto-locking centre diff so I get FWD economy on the highway and rear wheel assistance as required.

I've taken a drive up in the Conondales (easy peasy) and also into the D'Aguilar forest park. I made it to the car park at Diana's Bath with reasonable caution but no actual difficulty. "Grass/gravel/snow" mode and Hill Descent Control meant I really only had to worry about where the tyres were headed. I took one look at the entrance to the "A Break" track and decided I'd have to be an idiot to attempt that alone, with no recovery equipment, no knowledge of my car's limitations and bugger all experience.

I'm keen to explore the capabilities of this car on day trips or on 1 or 2 night outings to places where I don't have to take my own accomodation at this stage. My mate picked up a 2016 DS before Christmas, and since he only has 2 kids he got the 5 seat version with a full size spare... if I can convince him to join me every now and then I won't worry quite so much about what happens if I bust one of my tyres ;)

So, hoping that some of the more experienced 4WD'ers are reading this forum, does anybody have any suggestions about gear I should get, skills I should learn, places I should go or people I should link up with to safely explore the region around Brisbane in a Disco Sport?

If it all goes well, I'm contemplating an upgrade to a full size Discovery at the end of next year, and heading out for some proper escapes from the city.

[cripesamighty]

A bit left field, but one of the guys at work has a DS (wife's car) and he has just bought a 7 seat D1 (his car) for playtime and harder off-roading. Next year (tax time) he will be buying a newer D4 or D5 to replace the D1. He figured the D1 scratches the 4WDing itch until he gets his new baby without tempting him to put the DS through the wringer too much - and the ire of his wife!

Whichever way you go, a Land Rover specific 4WD course is invaluable (through Land Rover itself, Land Rover clubs, or through Gordon's "Green Oval Experience") as they will cover the Terrain Response system's usage. I'm sure the guys here will chip in shortly and help out with getting the most out of your DS off-road. Good car by the way!

[Barefoot Dave]

G'day TB. Glad to hear you are getting out there and exploring your vehicles capabilities and expanding your own. A-Break looks scary (especially from the Southern end) but once you get going it is an awesome drive. Very narrow with steep drops, yes, but steady steady and all good.
Cant add anything about your vehicles capabilities. I drive a Perentie now and stepped out of the D2. What I can say was that ultimately I found my Disco boring to drive as it was so capable. I expect that yours is a couple of generations ahead so it is usually just a matter of knowing the ins and outs like the d3-4. With them the best option for sand is not sand but mud with traction control off.
I understand that Green oval experience are the leaders in this training.

[TB]

BDave, that's encouraging about A break – thanks. I'll work my way up to it, providing the DS is deemed suitable.

The most helpful thing you said though was "Green Oval Experience". Now I know what GOE stands for and have managed to find their website :)

[Mamil]

Being a 7-seater, my DS only has a skinny spare and doesn't allow a tow bar.


LandRover do a towbar for the 7 seater, it just sticks out a bit further than the 5 seater one...

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It's not cheap though - by the time you add the tow hitch and electrics the total cost is about 2.5k.

[TB]

LandRover do a towbar for the 7 seater

Oh, interesting - thanks. Wasn't an option at all on the 2015 build. Given my aspirations towards a future D5, I'm probably not going to ask about a retrofit.

[TB]

Still exploring the Mt Mee forest tracks for a few hours each weekend. It’s beautiful country, but the granite is really tough on these city tyres, so I’m babying it a fair bit. Dropped the pressure to about 30 front and 25 rear (warm) today just to spread out the load a little. It’s amazing how the car takes on a totally different personality when you soften the tyres and press the gravel button.

When I got back to the bitumen acccess road at the top of the Dayboro valley today I pulled over to reinflate. Just as I was packing up a handsome old blue Range Rover (an early Sport, maybe?) pulled up behind me and starting doing the same thing. The driver – friendly British sounding bloke – and I chatted briefly, leaving me even more envious of the bigger LRs with their air suspension. He’d just done the A Break track for the first time in his, and he was rather sceptical that my coils would be sufficient given the current state of the track.

That’s OK, I’m loving the one I’m with. This week I bought Mud Maps 3 for my phone and iPad and today picked up a set of Max Trax on 20% discount from BCF. The trax fit perfectly across the very back of the cabin behind the 3rd row seats if they’re up. Reckon I’m gonna take on some more sand in the next couple of weeks.
[biggrin]

[Barefoot Dave]

Great to hear you are out there getting to know your new beast!
Beautiful weather to explore.

[LRD414]

.... he was rather skeptical that my coils would be sufficient given the current state of the track ....
I've been up A-Break in the D4 and you won't have any problems in the DS, except maybe the road biased tyres. But even then my guess is you'd still handle it, albeit with some tyre damage.

Cheers,
Scott

[TB]

Thanks Scott. I'm not keen to damage anything so I'll put that track on my "later" list.

The big unknown right now is which will come first:
1. I put Grabber ATs on the DS
2. I succumb to the sudden desire to grab one of the very decent 2nd hand D4s which are currently on the market
3. I trade up to a new D5 (but not so new as to get all the 1st generation glitches)

[TB]

"Be safe – and don't hurt my car!"

That's how Michelle farewells me when I head off exploring the national parks for a few hours. The good news is I succeeded in staying safe.

I went back up into the Mt Mee forest to check out some of the facilities and tracks from The Gantry over to Somerset lookout. The Qld National Parks map has the main loop coloured green indicating that it's an easy (i.e. pretty but boring) drive. The lure of the yellow ("moderate") side track was too great and I turned off to explore what the DS and I could do.

You'd have to classify me as a cautious person. I took it slow and steady, and when the track started to get a bit rutted and rough I walked ahead clearing dangerous looking rocks and sticks, scouting for safe lines. I came to one washed-out descent which was right on the borderline of my risk tolerance and spent more than a few minutes deciding whether it was time to turn back. The sort of thing a full Disco would handle almost without noticing but which had a couple of spots where the DS's lower clearance would be tested. After walking up and down a few times I reckoned I had it figured out.

I was nearly right.

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What you see in that third picture is my front end nearly grounded (I heard it touch before I stopped) with a spike of rock about to rip the heart out of the first stage of my exhaust. That rock wasn't sticking up like that beforehand, it must have been rolled up by contact with the engine protection plate.

Not yet owning a long-handled spade, I tried removing it with a sturdy stick but I could only loosen it. No way to go forward but my front left wheel had just dropped into a lower section so by reversing less than a foot I was able to lift the body and then remove the rock. Still the problem remained of proceeding without bellying on a crest of broken granite.

I didn't have a spade but I did have these:

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Have only owned Max Trax for a week and this was their first time under the rubber. The extra few cm of clearance they provided let me stick to the line I'd chosen going in to the next section which was even more badly washed out. Even though this is pretty trivial as off-roading goes I was pretty pleased with myself for getting to the bottom with my exhaust intact.

Not that I escaped unscathed though... think I might be needing a new cross-brace. And then a set of bash plates if I can find some.

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PS Please don't tell my wife.

[cripesamighty]

So long as your wife doesn't venture onto AULRO you should be safe. Not much chance of her getting underneath for a stickybeak I would guess. Ha ha. Nice save by the way!

[PhilipA]

That crossmember is the bane of Evoque and DS.
An Evoque came to driver training at Stockton and was great on smooth sand.
Once it came to a badly rutted bit it was stuck sitting on that crossmember.
It was a problem even using my Maxtrax as the tyres didn't have sufficient tread initially to grab on, although they were damp also. We had to dig them right under the wheels.
You should be aware that this will be a problem wherever there are deep tracks in sand, like near rocks on Fraser.

Still it was a good recovery exercise.
Regards Philip A

[DiscoMick]

Buy the ATs now. Consider other vehicles later.
Also, normally the rear tyres should be higher than the fronts. Maybe lower by about a quarter of the pressures recommended on the door plate for your 18s, but less for 19s or bigger. You want longer (not wider) tyre footprint, but not enough bulge to damage sidewalls.
If there are protection plates then I recommend you get them.
Enjoy.

[TB]

Thanks for the comment, Mick. LR recommended cold pressures for the current tyres with a light load are 35 front and 31 rear. For a heavy load 37 front and 41 rear.

On Saturday I started with 30 each end (warm) which I figure is about in line with your suggestion. Took them down as low as 20 to try and get traction on a later slippery climb.

I’m definitely getting ATs. I mentioned in the tyre and rim thread that 255/55R18 are the current leading contenders now that I’ve had confirmation they are not too wide. Would *Love* the extra half inch clearance afforded by 255/60R18 but need to maintain compatibility with my 29” spare. General Grabber AT is probably the go.

Also my lift kit arrived today. Next thing is to find somebody good and hopefully local to install the new coils.

[LRD414]

How much lift? Can you get a Bridgestone D697 in that size? In 265/60/R18 they are an LT spec which is strong so maybe same in your size. They have excellent traction considering how quiet they run on road. Almost as good as highway tyre. Not sure how they compare to the GG.

Scott

[TB]

How much lift? Can you get a Bridgestone D697 in that size? In 265/60/R18 they are an LT spec which is strong so maybe same in your size. They have excellent traction considering how quiet they run on road. Almost as good as highway tyre. Not sure how they compare to the GG.

30mm lift according to Eibach
Eibach Pro Lift Kit <br/> Land Rover Discovery Sport Buy suspension from Eibach including adjustable suspension and automotive coil springs. E30-71-007-01-22 (http://www.eibachdirect.com/p/9215032/eibach-pro-lift-kit-br-land-rover-discovery-sport-.html)

I don't think 265s would fit in the wheel arches, and D697s don't come in any other size which suits. My other option in 255/55R18 size is a KO2 but it just feels like overkill. Some folks are running 255/60R18 which is an inch greater in diameter and that would open up the Pirelli Scorpion ATR as a 3rd AT option.

[TB]

The more I get to know it, the more I love this car.

Back into the D'Aguilar range again this afternoon, staying off the side tracks, exploring Neurum Creek Road north of the Gantry. No big deal, but it was late in the day and some light rain came over to make the surface just that bit more interesting. Lots of up and down climbs, a mix of broken rock and hard packed dirt and some softer stuff with a bit of a clay look to it. Some pretty rough patches, 30cm deep wash outs etc but nothing dramatic.

In all my previous driving around that area the loose stones and dirt put me in mind of "gravel", so I have done everything using Grass/Gravel/Snow mode. At some point today a little light dawned in my head and I realised that on some of the much slower, bumpy stuff I could do with more ready torque and more persistent rear-wheel assistance. I tapped the button to switch into Mud Ruts mode.

It's such a stupid name. "Mud Ruts" makes me think of huge bog holes. There was just about zero mud to contend with today but suddenly the car starts acting like I imagine a "proper" 4WD should, getting down into 1st gear, pushing with the rear wheels, with eager throttle response and a determination to just clamber over the rocks and gullies. And it felt much happier and less stressed doing it this way compared to the gently-gently approach you get from Grass/Gravel/Snow.

It's still on the original tyres and springs, but I'd dropped pressure to 30psi warm. They're getting replaced this coming Friday so I didn't care if they got a bit chewed today, and I wanted to drive home on the bitumen without having to stop and reinflate. Once again, that transformation between off-road explorer and highway cruiser for the drive home seems like magic. I'm so impressed with the way this one vehicle can feel so comfortable and capable in such different driving conditions.

Anyway, Neurum Creek camping ground looks like a nice spot to spend a night as a beginner. Roof racks are on my shopping list, plus something like an OzTent to carry on them.

It's gonna be a long time before I can hold my head high around the likes of this guy though...
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[LRD414]

I know that feeling of being impressed. Does it have Rock Crawl mode too? It has more of the same change you've noticed moving to Mud Ruts, which I find to be the most effective mode in most situations in the D4. The word gravel is really misleading, it is very much a snow mode and certain sand situations.

Scott

[TB]

No the DS just has three terrain response modes - grass/gravel/snow, mud ruts and sand. No rock crawl. Which doesn't surprise me given we don't have low range. But we do have 9 gears.

In normal and ggs modes the car uses 2nd gear to pull off. Mud ruts and sand start in the significantly lower 1st gear.

[TB]

So I was musing over the stuff I wrote on the weekend, and how Grass/Gravel/Snow mode is awful for mountain tracks even if they do have lots of loose stone (too much straining in higher gears) but Mud Ruts is really cumbersome if you want to go faster than about 15kph on the easier stretches of track. And I had an opportunity yesterday arvo to get out again for a few hours.

It turns out that for most of the off-bitumen driving I’ve been doing the best mode is none at all. Just let down the tyres and drive the damn car, and if you come to a bit where slow and torquey is called for, hit the steering wheel paddle to bump down into 1st.

I covered probably 90% of the distance that way and it was just great. 20 to 30% of the time – but much less distance – was spent in Mud Ruts mode and S on the dial for manual gear selection, to traverse the roughest sections or the steepest descents with HDC.

That also just about completes my coverage of the main tracks through the Mount Mee section of D’Aguilar. Tomorrow (Friday) the car goes in for springs, tyres and roof racks. Then on Saturday it’s off to Bribie to try out the higher clearance and spend more time in Sand mode.

:D

There will be before/after photos of the mods too. Wish me luck.

[TB]

Tomorrow (Friday) the car goes in for springs, tyres and roof racks. Then on Saturday it’s off to Bribie to try out the higher clearance and spend more time in Sand mode.

:D

There will be before/after photos of the mods too. Wish me luck.

You lot clearly didn't wish me enough luck. Bad AULRO, bad! :bat:

The lads at British Off Road are a pleasure to deal with but apparently the Disco Sport is less so when you try to rips its legs off. Unlike its Evoque and Freelander siblings which are said to be quite cooperative I'm told my DS is resisting hard against being dismantled. My hopes for a one-day turnaround have been thoroughly dashed and I'll be at home on the Playstation tomorrow instead of cruising up Ocean Beach in the winter sun.

Still, I promised photos. I can only give you "before" shots, obviously, and if you are silly enough to be interested in this process then you'll have to endure the wait for the "after" shots just the same as I am.

I put a tape measure against the front wheel and fender. Tyres are still down at easy trail pressure from Wednesday's drive, a bit below 30 (cold) on the 235/60R18s. The top of the 29-inch Goodyear is actually 28 inches above the concrete floor and there's a 12cm gap between the top of the tyre and the bottom lip of the wheel arch:

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I'm hoping for that gap to be at least 15cm next time I measure it, since the new tyres will be the same diameter but the new springs will be higher.

Here are a couple of shots showing the stance of the car, the unadorned roofline and the 235mm HT OEM tyre in the arch at full lock:

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Bring on Tuesday.

[TB]

Don't have time to write much this morning, but it's a good news story. Got the car back yesterday afternoon and took the LONG route home through the mountains. I'm very happy: the combination of springs and tyres is well worth it for off-road use IMO.

Also it looks great. Not just my opinion, the guys at British Off Road liked it enough to make it their new Facebook banner:
http://facebook.com/britishoffroad

They're happy to take on more like this if anybody is interested. Need to budget for 6-8 hours labour because apparently the Discovery Sport is trickier to lift than the Freelander and Evoque before it.

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[guthrie]

What are the noise levels like from the General Grabbers?

Also look like the 255 55 18's gave you a slight lift as well?

[TB]

What are the noise levels like from the General Grabbers?

Really not bad. Hardly audible on the highway, just the tiniest drone at 60kph.


Also look like the 255 55 18's gave you a slight lift as well?

Only because of pressure differences. The photos I took of the old tyres were below 30psi after some track driving. The new tyres are around 40psi from fitting.

According to tiresize.com 235/60R18 is 29.1" and 255/55R18 is 29.0" height, so I should have lost 0.05" chassis height all else being equal.

[LRD414]

That looks really good, fit for purpose. It will be interesting to see how this new combo goes for you, I think it should make a major difference. I would think you could fit a 30" diameter wheel. This would give you slightly more lift but also more sidewall height.

Scott

[TB]

That looks really good, fit for purpose. It will be interesting to see how this new combo goes for you, I think it should make a major difference.

Well I didn't do it for looks, but I'm glad you're liking it. Based on the hour and a half of rough track I know for sure it makes a major difference to the driving.


I would think you could fit a 30" diameter wheel. This would give you slightly more lift but also more sidewall height.

I'm pretty sure the bigger wheel would fit, and yes it would lift the car even further, but doing both a suspension lift and fitting bigger tyres on a vehicle with electronic stability control is specifically forbidden under Queensland vehicle regulations. See the "minor modifications" document G19 here:
Vehicle standards instructions (Department of Transport and Main Roads) (https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Vehicle-standards-and-modifications/Vehicle-standards/Vehicle-standards-instructions.aspx)

Seems to me like springs and wider AT tyres is everything that can be done without engineering certification. Underbody protection is the other major thing on my mind but that's proving really hard to source outside of Europe.

[LRD414]

I'm pretty sure the bigger wheel would fit, and yes it would lift the car even further, but doing both a suspension lift and fitting bigger tyres on a vehicle with electronic stability control is specifically forbidden under Queensland vehicle regulations.
Never noticed that section thanks to having suspension that lifts already.
Only read up on diameter, width and track width increase limits.

Scott

[TB]

Never noticed that section thanks to having suspension that lifts already.
Only read up on diameter, width and track width increase limits.

Yeah, the Discovery 3/4 sure have a leg up... so to speak. I am going through all the pricing exercises on the D5 already even though I've promised to wait until at least the end of next year before buying another vehicle. In the meantime, just have to wring every bit of fun I can out of the Sport.

[TB]

Back up the mountain today, with a specific goal in mind: see how well the upgraded DS and its slightly more experienced driver can now handle the track which last time required Maxtrax on the ground to help with clearance and left that damper bent up towards the exhaust.

The track must have known we'd be back, and it prepared for us. I swear it was more dug out and rock strewn than last time. But no matter, car and driver were up to the task. It took a little bit of caution but no concern and certainly no recovery aids. We crawled down and clambered back up again, the DS sure footed and agile.

No question in my mind: these springs and tyres are a genuine performance upgrade and allow DS owners to access much more of the Land Rover off-road capability that's part of their car's DNA. What good is Mud/Ruts mode if you can't go anywhere near a rut for fear of turtling yourself?

The Disco Sport has become my favourite car and the D'Aguilar national park one of my favourite places.

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[TB]

Tyre pressure down to 20. Sand mode. DSC disabled. “S” on the dial for manual gear selection. And an incredibly beautiful day on the beach.

With longer legs and bigger, chunkier boots, this time the DS felt totally at home on the sand. I hardly ever felt/heard the underbody contact the sand, and I could go anywhere I wanted instead of being stuck in other people’s ruts.

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[cripesamighty]

I will be bookmarking this thread for it's mods in case I ever end up with a DS. Well done!

[TB]

Checked out Booloumba Creek camping area today. That was rather disappointing. I suppose if the creek was flowing and the foliage greener it'd be more pleasant, and possibly the long bush walks which fan out from there are the real attraction.

Having driven 90 mins to get there I wasn't keen to just head home, so I crossed the bridge to the north and headed west on Sunday Creek Rd towards Jimna. That's a beautiful drive, an average 40-60 kph on hard packed dirt or gravel sections through the different forest zones across the range. There are plenty of intriguing side tracks which I mostly didn't have time for, but there was one section which has been cleared of trees that I couldn't resist clambering up to the highest peak.

(The forum doesn't seem to like my panoramic photo. I'll have to try uploading it another time sorry.)

Tyres on 40psi for bitumen gave me a fuel consumption of 7.3L/100km over a 120km stretch :thumbsup:

Dropped down the 30 for the rocky start of Sunday Creek Rd so as to avoid having everything shaken to bits. 30 was super comfortable and had heaps of grip on the rest of the drive. It gave me enough grip to mud-and-ruts up a steep bank with high approach and breakover angles, me going slightly sideways to avoid body contact with the ground and therefore doing a bit of three-wheeling over the crest. I also checked out the emergency braking performance on a safe section of downhill gravel – these ATs stopped me much quicker than I imagined would happen.

In to LR service tomorrow for them to check out the oil leak I found the other week. It'll be interesting to see how they react to a DS with an unusually tall stance :blink:

[Mamil]

At last I feel I can contribute to this thread as I had my first real off-road trip with my DS today.

Headed to Wilbinga, a popular dune/beach area just north of Perth for a day of sand driving. Was in company with much larger 4WDs such as a Prado, Shogun, Ranger, and D4 but I was able to do most of what they could with the notable exception of deep soft sand as I just didn't have the clearance or the power they had to plough through it. Still, the DS put up a credible showing and I had a great time trying out the capabilities of the car.

Apart from a Rival bash plate, everything else on my car is standard, including stock 18" wheels with road tyres, and I needed to drop them to 15psi to get over the largest dune of the day! As mentioned in another thread, I bought some 17" wheels last week but have yet to fit the A/T tyres to them, so will have to wait until the next trip to find out how much difference they make. Was in sand mode most of the day, and tried mud/ruts and grass/gravel/snow a couple of times, but the higher revs of sand mode definitely has the edge. Noticed the diff lock was only ever 1/4 engaged so most of the drive was still going to the front wheels.

Here's a picture of our final destination after an hour or so driving down sandy tracks and over dunes to get there. None of us ventured onto the beach itself today as the sand was too soft, although one guy from another group did, and immediately got bogged, then proceeded to rip the bull bar off his new car in an attempt to be towed out by a mate - ouch!

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[cripesamighty]

Good work! I was up at Wilbinga on Sunday taking my younger cousin in his D1 and a friends son in his GQ Patrol. It was their first time off-road in their new cars and they had a ball. Thanks to recent rain the sand wasn't as soft as it can get in summer and we all got through ok, especially since they are newbies. We saw a variety of cars including a Perentie which they thought was awesome. I'm glad you had a good time and know what your new DS is capable off. Should be more fun with your new tyres and rims though. Enjoy!

[TB]

Apart from a Rival bash plate, everything else on my car is standard, including stock 18" wheels with road tyres, and I needed to drop them to 15psi to get over the largest dune of the day! As mentioned in another thread, I bought some 17" wheels last week but have yet to fit the A/T tyres to them, so will have to wait until the next trip to find out how much difference they make. Was in sand mode most of the day, and tried mud/ruts and grass/gravel/snow a couple of times, but the higher revs of sand mode definitely has the edge. Noticed the diff lock was only ever 1/4 engaged so most of the drive was still going to the front wheels.

Looks like a fun day!

Remind me where you bought the Rival plate? I tried a bunch of companies online but the freight cost to Australia was going to be hundreds of dollars and I couldn't find anybody local who would import it.

15psi is lower than I think I've ever gone. Good to know, thanks. Do you have your own gauge/deflator and compressor or did your mates sort you out?

Sand mode is absolutely the best for.... sand. :) Just a reminder to also turn off stability control every time you go on the sand, because DSC actually is the opposite of what you need when sand driving. Legally I think the manufacturer isn't allowed to turn it off automatically for you, so it's up to the driver to remember every time you start the car.

And I know what you mean about the front/rear torque split, it's surprising when you see it. The Freelander/Evoque/DS platform has the front wheels driven directly out of the gearbox so always active, but the rears only get used as much as the car thinks is needed. It's an open rear diff (not locking) with a either single brake connecting the drive shaft to the diff (ie the Haldex AWD unit), or if you have Active Driveline there's a clutch for each wheel so torque can be removed from a wheel which has lost traction. Active Driveline also has the ability to disengage the drive shaft up front at the gearbox for extra FWD efficiency in easy driving.

I'm hoping to be back on the sand with some friends this weekend, too.

[Mamil]

Remind me where you bought the Rival plate? I tried a bunch of companies online but the freight cost to Australia was going to be hundreds of dollars and I couldn't find anybody local who would import it.


Autoranger in Germany. I bought the full four piece kit although I never fitted the fuel tank ones, and have since removed the rear diff one because it hangs lower than the rest of the underbody and I was hitting more with it than without. Shipping was 125 Euro or about two hundred Aussie.



15psi is lower than I think I've ever gone. Good to know, thanks. Do you have your own gauge/deflator and compressor or did your mates sort you out?


I started out at 20psi as I was worried about damaging either rims or sidewalls seeing as I was on 18" road tyres, and there were some sharp rocks on the way in so just as well I didn't go any lower. However I just couldn't get up the steepest dune after five tries, so relented and lowered them to 15 and just floated up no problem on the sixth try. Carried my own 160 lpm compressor and a rapid tyre deflator doo-dah which made adjusting tyre pressures easy. Also invested in a snatch strap, tow bar mounted recovery hitch, and a set of TREDs, but didn't need to use any of those - thankfully!



Just a reminder to also turn off stability control every time you go on the sand, because DSC actually is the opposite of what you need when sand driving. Legally I think the manufacturer isn't allowed to turn it off automatically for you, so it's up to the driver to remember every time you start the car.


Thanks, that's a good tip - I'll have to try turning it off next time I'm on sand and see the difference.

[Mamil]

Good work! I was up at Wilbinga on Sunday taking my younger cousin in his D1 and a friends son in his GQ Patrol. It was their first time off-road in their new cars and they had a ball. Thanks to recent rain the sand wasn't as soft as it can get in summer and we all got through ok, especially since they are newbies. We saw a variety of cars including a Perentie which they thought was awesome. I'm glad you had a good time and know what your new DS is capable off. Should be more fun with your new tyres and rims though. Enjoy!

It's a great area isn't it. So close to the city, and yet you could be in the middle of nowhere! I can see myself returning a few times, especially as I want to improve on my performance on Sunday - practice makes perfect!

[velocity08]

Back up the mountain today, with a specific goal in mind: see how well the upgraded DS and its slightly more experienced driver can now handle the track which last time required Maxtrax on the ground to help with clearance and left that damper bent up towards the exhaust.

The track must have known we'd be back, and it prepared for us. I swear it was more dug out and rock strewn than last time. But no matter, car and driver were up to the task. It took a little bit of caution but no concern and certainly no recovery aids. We crawled down and clambered back up again, the DS sure footed and agile.

No question in my mind: these springs and tyres are a genuine performance upgrade and allow DS owners to access much more of the Land Rover off-road capability that's part of their car's DNA. What good is Mud/Ruts mode if you can't go anywhere near a rut for fear of turtling yourself?

The Disco Sport has become my favourite car and the D'Aguilar national park one of my favourite places.

127114

Hi TB

how are you finding things now that you've had the mods for a little while?
Im also thinking of taking your lead and getting the Spring lift and Tyres done.

I did a small drive into our state forest in Victoria and thought i would do a simple dirt road drive up to Mount Emu lookout, eventually ended up hitting a few very rocky and steep incline tracks and then onto a goat track on the way down that was super narrow and even rockier.

I was super impressed with the DS it just managed to tackle every obstacle thrown at it even on its stock standard 18" OEM tyres, it did bottom out on a deep ruts for a sec and i then realised a lift and proper tyres may be in order.

would be great to hear your thoughts on how the car handles now and how its bedded in since the changes and some drive time :)

""Cheers
G

[TB]

Hi G

Well, you see, there came to be a bit of friction between my wife and I regarding how much I was nicking off in her car. Especially since our other car is a manual and she isn’t licensed to drive it.

So just over a week ago I took delivery of the 2010 D4 that’s now added to my signature [bigwhistle]

I managed to get back to Bribie a couple of weekends ago in the Sport. Tyres on 20psi weren’t low enough, I had to go to 15 for some of the softest stuff. Now I’m not sure if I’m going to be allowed to take the Sport out especially on the rougher tracks. I’m heading to Levuka in a couple of weeks and honestly I’d rather take the Sport to see how it goes, but current indications aren’t very positive that I’ll be able to do that.

Still I have no hesitation in saying that if you want to do more driving like what you described, you’ll enjoy the extra clearance from a lift. The tyres are a must.

[velocity08]

Hi G

Well, you see, there came to be a bit of friction between my wife and I regarding how much I was nicking off in her car. Especially since our other car is a manual and she isn’t licensed to drive it.

So just over a week ago I took delivery of the 2010 D4 that’s now added to my signature [bigwhistle]

I managed to get back to Bribie a couple of weekends ago in the Sport. Tyres on 20psi weren’t low enough, I had to go to 15 for some of the softest stuff. Now I’m not sure if I’m going to be allowed to take the Sport out especially on the rougher tracks. I’m heading to Levuka in a couple of weeks and honestly I’d rather take the Sport to see how it goes, but current indications aren’t very positive that I’ll be able to do that.

Still I have no hesitation in saying that if you want to do more driving like what you described, you’ll enjoy the extra clearance from a lift. The tyres are a must.

Hay TB

thanks for getting back to me :)

Sorry to hear about the friction there, its a shame as the DS is really proving to be a great allrounder and so far is really soaking up everything I've managed to dish out. (which isn't a lot yet but has impressed so far)

have worked out how to get the best out of the throttle and found that the lag described by some members is non existent when driven in a specific way :)

Yea ive started taking the car out around here more often and its really nice to be able to actually explore the area with more confidence.

have had a quote for $990 to get the springs installed.

Also looking at slightly wider General Grabber AT2's LT275/65R18 just need to get a test tyre fired to make sure it sits well and doesn't rub.

still waiting on the quote back for the GG.

really appreciate you taking the time to reply.

catch you around the forum.

""Cheers
G

[TB]

have had a quote for $990 to get the springs installed.

Also looking at slightly wider General Grabber AT2's LT275/65R18 just need to get a test tyre fired to make sure it sits well and doesn't rub.


Be careful, G. Depending on which state you're in, these two things in combination might be illegal. In Queensland, on a vehicle which is equipped with electronic stability control you're only allowed to lift the vehicle by altering suspension *or* tyres, not both. 275/65/18 is 32.1" tall – more than 3" higher than the factory tire size.

[velocity08]

Be careful, G. Depending on which state you're in, these two things in combination might be illegal. In Queensland, on a vehicle which is equipped with electronic stability control you're only allowed to lift the vehicle by altering suspension *or* tyres, not both. 275/65/18 is 32.1" tall – more than 3" higher than the factory tire size.

Thanks for the heads up TB :)

we we don’t have the active dynamics pack just standard shocks and springs, really can’t
complain the handling is still quiet good for a car that weighs 1800 kg, at the end of the day it’s not a sports car but performs super well which I’m very impressed with.

Aparently the new 2018 model due to be released has 220ml ground clearance from factory, what would be really impressive is having the Disco sport in an svx badge with all the proper off road mods from factory, now that would be very nice! :)

ill check out the rulings here in Vic before I go making any changes.

thanks again.

””Cheers
G

[Chops]

G,, we'll be up in Albury over Xmas,, might have to go out for a drive one day 😏

[velocity08]

G,, we'll be up in Albury over Xmas,, might have to go out for a drive one day 😏

Hi TB

for some reason I don’t get notifications when someone posts a reply (need to look into this) please accept my apologies for the late reply.

yep I’ll be around no plans to go anywhere at this stage and happy to meet up if the planets align for a drive :)

PM me when you know the dates your in the area and I’ll shoot you back my details.

””Cheers speak soon.
G