Advice Wanted on D2 Accessories

[DeanoH]

The time has come to ready SWMBO's D2 for this years epic journey North. Currently it's a stock TD5 with 160K Km on the clock, a new set of Cooper ST's 255/65's on factory 8" rims and polyairs on the back. Now have the P38 for daily use so can afford to make the Disco more off road friendly.

Bullbar - I'm a bit paranoid about weight so thought an alloy bar would be the go. ARB don't make one and TJM no longer make one. ECB's is gussetted on the wings and comes in at 38 Kg. TJM's steel at 60 Kg and ARB won't tell. They all seem to stick out a ways unlike older bars I've had. I'm leaning to the ECB.

Roofrack - Again, weight concious. ARB's is steel, only 1100mm long and nearly $1000. I like the look af the Tradesman alloy Medium length rack, 1500mm long about $1300 weighing 21 Kg. Loaded will be under 60 Kg.

Suspension - This is the most confusing and has the most cost variation. Currently D2 sits at 485mm in each corner. Thought a sub 50mm lift would be nice. Doesn't matter who you ring they've all got their own brand which is better than everyone elses, although half the springs look like King's. ARB wins for most expensive at around $1400, about twice the price of every one else. Is OME really this good :confused:, and pedders at $1200.
What about coil spacers, are they a viable alternative with no shocker upgrade for a small lift of say 20-30mm ? Spring retailers say no but is this because they have a vested interet in lightening your wallet?

All views and contributions gratefully accepted.

Deano

[scarry]

Watch out the ECB bar doesnt restrict use of the stock recovery point.If you want alloy,you will probably have to go ECB.Had one on my first D2 & didnt like the look of it......just my personal thoughts..

I have been looking at springs & shocks,spoke to MR auto today & they swear by King springs & bilstein shocks,do quite a few sets every week.These guys are Landy specialists .Bilstein shocks are supposed to be the best,but you pay for it.I will probably go for this setup,as i would prefer to pay a bit more & not have a failure.

Suspension stuff seem to think Lovells shocks & dobinsons coils are the go.A few guys on this site run these.

I got the same as you they all think whatever they have got are the go.

Dont use a rack so dunno,my brother has an alloy one on his D1 he is happy with.You can often pick them up 2nd hand.His may be a TJM,i think.

Now the kids have grown up,i take all the rear seats out,leave the cargo barrier in,& seem to have heaps of room:)

Good luck

[Hendrik]

Hi deano
I was in the same position as you are a while ago.
As far as the bullbar go, there is no real reason to be paranoid about weight, as I had a steel TJM winch bar with standard suspension on my D2 for ages, and it didn't sag. As far as suspensions goes, give shane from suspension stuff a call, he sells top gear for much less that everything else. I have heard too many instances of OME's sagging quickly, so they are not worth the money really.
Can't really comment on a roof rack, as I am still looking for one.

Hope some of that helps
Cheers
Hendrik

[DeanoH]

Thanks Scarry

I've just put Bilsteins on the P38 and they are a great improvement over the 15 year old OEM's. The only criticism I have had from other suspension retailers, who sell double tube shockers, is that the Bilsteins (single tube shocks) are more prone to stone damage to the tube which will cause them to fail. Again I dont know if this is another "ours is better than everyone elses" story or if its true.

Deano

[scarry]

Can be a problem,my brother wraps conveyer belt rubber around his & uses cable ties to hold it on ,on the rear shocks.He did live in Weipa for many years...

The D2's with SLS have that rubber thingy ,but i think it is to protect the rear air bags.

[grover7488]

Bullbar - I'm a bit paranoid about weight.TJM's steel at 60 Kg.

hi deano

I put a steel bar on my D2 and it does not weigh 60kg!:o I can't remember exactly but i was thinking about 38kg. It was easy to pick up, more awkward than heavy.
BTW the stock bumper weighs 18kg:)

[georgesadlik]

Thanks Scarry

I've just put Bilsteins on the P38 and they are a great improvement over the 15 year old OEM's. The only criticism I have had from other suspension retailers, who sell double tube shockers, is that the Bilsteins (single tube shocks) are more prone to stone damage to the tube which will cause them to fail. Again I dont know if this is another "ours is better than everyone elses" story or if its true.

Deano

Bilsteins come with a stone guard for the rear, or at least used to a few years ago when i got mine. None the less they are a very good shock and even though my shocks have many little stone chips in the paint they have held up exceptionally well over the years and do not have any dents in them even from some occasional heavy use and high speed work. Definately worth the extra pennies.

Cheers

george.

[gone bush]

Hi Deano.
If youi are after looks then go the alloy if you are after protection go the steel. I have had both and due to living in the bush and being a firey that attends alot of collisions the steel bullbar gives alot better protection.m As far as suspension i have only used OME and have found it to be excellent and did come with stone guards for the rear of my D2 - did get it at the right price though. I cant comment on anything else as I haven't used it. That said I am yet to read anything but good things about bilsteins. As far as roof racks goes I am currently playing around with rhino racks and the custom platforms you can make up but I have also been looking at the roofracks on the dolium website - awesome full length one for discos on there with tonnes of attachments. I have rhino racks due to roof top tent, fox wing awning and versatility.
good luck
JP

[MickS]

Watch out the ECB bar doesnt restrict use of the stock recovery point.

Scarry, you don't mean the tie down point at the front do you? There is no stock recovery point on the front of the D2's...you have to go aftermarket.

Go the steel bull bar....definitely. I've been told the spacers do nothing more than lessen your adjustable ride height.

[scarry]

Scarry, you don't mean the tie down point at the front do you? There is no stock recovery point on the front of the D2's...you have to go aftermarket.

Go the steel bull bar....definitely.

Here we go again.....there are many posts about this...

The D2 has 4 tie down points,two at the front & two at the rear,and that is what they are for,tie down only.
On the left front of the vehicle is a recovery point,as per D2 maual,for on road use only.
I have used it also for off road recovery & never had a problem,BUT,if i was doing hard off road recoveries regularly i would definitely go aftermarket.

The ECB bar has a lower front skirt ,from memory than the ARB or TJM,so if you went aftermarket for recovery points,you may have to hunt around for ones that would fit correctly.

And i agree,go the steel bar.My front did sag after 5yrs with the TJM steel bar.Fitted a set of king springs standard hts & billy shocks & it has come up a lot,this was done today.Havent measured the heights as it was dark when i got it back.

Springs are cheap,its the shocks that can get expensive,depending what type you get

[MickS]

No we don't, and yes there are....search is your friend, and the overwhelming advice from the many learned people on this site is they are unsuitable for off road recovery..simple really. ;)

I'd be looking at these;

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/marketplace-alerts/80049-gunnebo-recovery-points-group-buy.html

or these from here;

Recovery Points (http://www.4x4intelligence.com.au/recovery_points.htm)

or here;

Troutbeck Sales & Services (http://www.troutbecksales.com/)




Here we go again.....there are many posts about this...

[Jedimastermat]

Gday Deano
Mat2D2 was in the same place before Easter.
I went the TJM steel bar as I had one previously on our R50 Pathfinder and cant fault either. It also got a TJM winch. Next day had the 160Km service and out came the bags and in went some tough tog 9 stage shocks and springs (235 LT ATs look tiny now, but we are learning from our mistakes :angel: )

Last week it got a snorkel, a Bruce Davis recovery point and the ECU chipped (well the one in there was replaced with a spanker).

Im looking at the ARB steel cage as i only want the rear half cage. I want to put a solar panel on the front but that a project for another day.

Tossed out the radio and put in a touch screen 7" TFT with all the bells and whistles, installing reverse camera at the moment, trying to get the TV bit to work (has anyone ever had one work?? recievers always seem crap). Yanked out he speakers and replaced with 6.5" in the rear and also currently trying to make subbie fit

Currently tossing up lights Narva blue 225s look OK

Love to put a pic up but having probs with the upload but we wont go there :confused:

We are off in Innaminica in 4 weeks via Wilpena Pound and Arkaroola then Birdsville and unfortunately home. Bit of an early 40th thing

thats what Im doing to mine, good luck with yours. As you see there are so many combinations and permutations it would thake lots of fingers to count.
cheers
mat

[McDisco]

Check out Dolium Pty Ltd (http://www.dolium.com.au). They make the roofracks that oppositelock sell. They are aluminium, very light weight and strong. Highly recommend them.

Angus

[DeanoH]

Thanks all for the input. Re TJM steel they quoted me the 60Kg inclusive of fitting gear. Thanks grover7488 for the info on factory bar weight, I hadn't even thought of the weight saved in its removal. I'll be heading to opposite lock for a look after the long weekend.

My biggest dilemma with bull bars is that the centre aproach angle seems worse than the factory plastic and I'll need a suspension upgrade just to restore it and compensate for its weight. Perhaps I'm better off without one. I don't drive between dusk and dawn so the chances of animal collision is a lot less. So little money and so many ways to spend it.

Jedimastermat, each of the places you mention has its own uniqueness and you should have a great trip. The ridgetop tour at Arkaroola is really worth doing but you get thrown around a bit in the back of their very agricultural Landcruisers. You'll wish the tour was in your Disco instead.

We're (SWMBO & I) heading off to Alice Springs at the end of June and will leave the off road van there. Then off to Dalhousie via Old Andado and then to Birdsville, down the track to Maree (hopefully via the inside track) then up the Oodnadatta track back to Alice via Lake Eyre. Thats the plan anyway. Lake Eyres full of water, don't know about Lake Eyre South and there's been plenty of rain in the Simpson Desert. The wildflowers, birdlife and scenery should be exceptional. I was up there in 1973/74 ( as a young whippersnapper in a S2A Landrover) when both lakes were full and it was fantastic. Hence the need to get the D2 set up right. Might see you on the road ?

Re putting a solar panel on the roof. Fine in theory but do the maths. Minimum $1000+ worth of gear to get 80 watts of power. Okay if you're planning to prop for a while and not start the engine but consider the alternatives. ie. Optima deep cycle battery and run engine for half an hour a day I reckon willl give you a better result & hell of a lot cheaper. Plus you don't have to leave your car in the sun. What solar panel vendors don't tell you is that most solar panels lose efficiency markedly as temperature increases. The sneaky sods might quote eg. 80 watts @ 25 degrees C but thats the panel temp not the ambient temp which could be about 5 degrees C for this result.

Crikey !! I'm hijacking my own thread here. Thanks to all for the info to date please keep it coming and I'll keep you posted.

Deano

[Stuart02]

Hi guys - i've not actually seen one to suit a D2, but does any one know anything about Ironman bullbars? They're in the same price range as TJM and ARB, do you get what you pay for??
cheers

[Rudolf]

For threads about bull bars, look here.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery-2/79953-bull-bars.html
For threads about recovery points.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/75372-scorpion-racing-swivel-recovery-points.html

[Rudolf]

Stuart
I recently posted a question about Ironman Bull bars and got no reply.
Her in South Africa there are two models. Standard black, about half the price of the ARB bar and a Grey/silver model, about 2 thirds of ARB.
Both looks good and they are airbag compatible.