Help requested for a potential D5 touring fitout

[RobA]

Hello. Looking at an SE D5 to replace our wonderful D4 and would like to get any feedback from those who have completed or are undertaking an outback touring fitout

First question is. Has anyone managed to remove the third row seats safely and easily? We did this with the D4 and it created an excellent storage space over which we put our sliding tray. Made for an excellent combination

Second. Has anyone purchased and fitted one of the hidden winch setups?

Third and I think I already know the answer. Has anyone found a bull bar or even a decent nudge bar for the front?

Fourth. What dual battery setups do you have please

Looking forward to learning how owners have progressed as there is not much to be had by the look of it

Tyres. We will have 20" rims as it looks like the TuffAnt guys can't supply 18" ATM

Thanks in advance

Rob

[Hugh Jars]

Gidday Rob,

I have a D5 which will be arriving in the next week or so. I specifically ordered it as a 5-seater SD6 HSE (and saved $3K by leaving the third row out). Have you thought of doing similar? From what I can ascertain, there's a fairly sizeable space under the floor on a 5-seater. Sorry I can't be more specific.

I had a D4 with Traxide also, but removed it for separate sale when I sold the D4. Someone on the D5 FB page suggested customising the Traxide from the D4, which I'm thinking I will.

Quite a few members have gone to a 275 tyre on the 20" (which I will do at some stage). While not perfect, it appears to give a reasonable gain in sidewall.

John R.

[Lee Jackson]

Hi Rob,

Yes i removed the 3rd row seats and ended up putting my twin batteries in that space. I cut a bit of ply board to create a flat floor and i built a platform 6 inches roughly to sit on the anchor points. I had my fridge and a draw on the platform and a table and my cooker underneath. this worked. When camping i put the 2nd row seats down and placed 3 plastic tubs together strapped in with cooking gear, wood and what not.

155925

[RobA]

Gidday Rob,

I have a D5 which will be arriving in the next week or so. I specifically ordered it as a 5-seater SD6 HSE (and saved $3K by leaving the third row out). Have you thought of doing similar? From what I can ascertain, there's a fairly sizeable space under the floor on a 5-seater. Sorry I can't be more specific.

I had a D4 with Traxide also, but removed it for separate sale when I sold the D4. Someone on the D5 FB page suggested customising the Traxide from the D4, which I'm thinking I will.

Quite a few members have gone to a 275 tyre on the 20" (which I will do at some stage). While not perfect, it appears to give a reasonable gain in sidewall.

John R.

John hello and thanks. LRA have a special going so it's take it or leave it. Well really more about finding one with a specification I can live with and that has been accomplished. So now more about fitout. I am acutually pretty happy to go with the 20" rims as we can't fit our D4 Compomotive rims won't fit the D5 but have a mate with a D3 who will be a very happy camper.

Rob

[RobA]

Hi Rob,

Yes i removed the 3rd row seats and ended up putting my twin batteries in that space. I cut a bit of ply board to create a flat floor and i built a platform 6 inches roughly to sit on the anchor points. I had my fridge and a draw on the platform and a table and my cooker underneath. this worked. When camping i put the 2nd row seats down and placed 3 plastic tubs together strapped in with cooking gear, wood and what not.

155925

Lee thanks that is great news. It's what we did with the D4 and as you have found it creates a huge amount of space. We built a sliding tray for the rear and I have attached a photo of that in the D4. With your reply I am now confident I can easily do the same thing again with a slightly smarter design from the original. Yes when touring we simply lay the second row down and strap stuff to them and the cargo barrier for a safe ride

Rob155926155927

[greg-g]

I haven’t removed mine, but from the manual it doesn’t look too hard.
The seat belts may be more difficult.
The thing with having the third-row seats is that the second row can be slid forward. This gives a lot more room in the back. For us it's normally only 2 up with the dog on the back seat and he doesn’t miss the footwell

[Chops]

Lee thanks that is great news. It's what we did with the D4 and as you have found it creates a huge amount of space. We built a sliding tray for the rear and I have attached a photo of that in the D4. With your reply I am now confident I can easily do the same thing again with a slightly smarter design from the original. Yes when touring we simply lay the second row down and strap stuff to them and the cargo barrier for a safe ride

Rob155926155927

Rob, did you do a build thread on this by any chance that I happened to miss?

[Numb Thumbs]

The second row seats slide forwards on a 5 seater.

There is a decent volume under the floor in the load space:

https://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/drj153/Discovery%205/20191127_135840_zpsl8y5mm2s.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/drj153/media/Discovery%205/20191127_135840_zpsl8y5mm2s.jpg.html)

The closest foam can be easily removed, leaving a reasonable volume. I have not been brave enough to work out how to remove the large one... They are both shallow though. I was thinking of mounting my compressor in the large space, but I don't know if they are okay on their sides. Any thoughts, anyone? I'd rather not shell out $1300 on an ARB twin if I can avoid it...

I also ordered a load space liner from "FitMyCar" which arrived today. It is a perfect fit and is much cheaper than the Land Rover one - surprise, surprise.

https://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/drj153/Discovery%205/20191127_135757_zpswigbaxfn.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/drj153/media/Discovery%205/20191127_135757_zpswigbaxfn.jpg.html)

I'm going with a 19 mm light weight ply replacement for the flimsy floor in the load space. I do not leave my second battery and compressor/airtank in all the time, only on a trip. I will use T-nuts to attach tie down points to the ply for securing the load in the back. I will cut a hole in the ply to allow access to the spare wheel lowering mechanism.

There are quite a few tyre options in 275/55R20 - nine that I found, and I went with the Nitto Terra Grapplers in the end. The 275/55R20s are 1" bigger than the original 255/55R20s, 32" vs 31". There are two in 255/55R20 - Duratracs and Grabbers from my research.

There are less in the 19" option - actually no AT's at all I could find in the standard size, 255/60R19, in 19" and a seven in a smaller size, 255/55R19. They work out the same diameters, 32" vs 31".

Cheers
Numb Thumbs ;)

[RobA]

Rob, did you do a build thread on this by any chance that I happened to miss?

Marcus hello and I put it together in my comments on my D4 build but not in the "build thread" stuff. It's not as easy as it looks given we bent up the flat plate for strength and to handle the sliders. That makes it difficult if you don't have the kit to do that work. It could be done with flat plate or timber but would not have the strength or load capacity in ours

Rob

[disco4man]

Hi Rob A

I have after many months of procrastinating finally put on The ECB on to my D5 - I thought there was going to be more choices from Rhino 4x4 but they don't look like they will do it at least in the short term.
Anyway, I got the unit fitted up in Black Ripple finish and I was extremely happy with the result - that big tube bar is really strong too, I was surprised how tough it is and only 35KGS compared to a 90 kg Steel Bar that was on my D4.

Of all cars, the D5 really needs a bar owing to the trans coolers right in front of each of the front wheels ,if you hit a roo you could be in a lot of trouble in the middle of no where otherwise if you don't have one.

I have also fitted the 18inch Tuffant MK2 steel wheels fitted with 265 65 R18 Coopers ATR LT these are great and actually make the car ride better too as there is now some sidewall flex. Very happy with them too. so finally some decent rubber to make a great car even better with its capability.

As for the compressor, I wouldn't be putting in the space from the third seat as it will have no cooling . The OEM compressor that is in the back is a special sealed unit one like found it a fridge almost and can cool effectively via its outer skin and is very efficient I am just fitting the new ARB up now and I will upload a photo when I have sussed out how best to mount it.

Hope this helps.