Thread: Question about Defenders

Better suspension articulation (IMHO), clearance, bigger wheels, bigger payload, lower gearing ... and much, much better looking than a RR or Disco

Originally Posted by Greylandy

much, much better looking than a RR or Disco

here here

Noddy may be right about Hybrids. The one weakness of Defenders is the depth of the chassis rails which reduces ramp over angles. Hybrids on RR chassis which are not as deep and perhaps flex a little more easily have an advantage here.

as far as lower gearing.... all manual defenders, rangie classics and discos using lt77/r380 and lt230 have the same 1st low.

90 is actually 92.9 inch wheel base and i do agree that 100 is a great wheel base but only with tyres up to 35/36 inch anything bigger needs to be about 110-114 inch wheelbase.

but put some 750-16's on the original early 70's rangie's with 47-1 low range and this would keep up with a stock defender in my opinion

serg

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

Made me think " a bit less poncy maybe?" but I take it back coz I don't want rotten tomatoes thrown at me

I'm afraid you are mistaken. Land Rovers are reknowned for being classless...

... until they introduced the RR Sport, dammit.

I think overall the fender is a good package, however the track has a major effect on which will get up easier, deeper ruts favours the fender with the bigger tyres, tracks which need a better ramp over angle favour the shorter wheel base vehicle. There was one situation earlier in the year where my disco walked up a rock shelf where as Zook's fender struggled a bit, allthough it still made it, the longer wheel base meant the rear wheels were placed in a spot with less grip when the front wheels hit than where mine were placed. But that is getting finniky.

Overall i would say the fender is a pretty good truck orr road, but a disco 1 or Classic rangie with good tyres will go a long way.

But i agree with Tusker, the driver makes all the difference, a drivers ability to put the vehicle in the right spot at the right time will more often than not mean the differance between not getting up and getting up. Then good tyres are next, without grip you go nowhere. Matt

Originally Posted by Tusker

I don't think a Defender is always better. Apart from varying conditions, sometimes the 100" cars do better, where they are more softly sprung, than the load-carrying Defenders. Scouse's car is a good example. No lockers, apparently soft springs that give great articulation, tall tyres that aren't aggressive, its remarkable where that thing will go.

FWIW I think the order when seeing how far a car will go is driver first, tyres second, vehicle spec third.

Regards
Max P

I think it might have been dobbo last w/e that said "... Scouse's rangie is like a hovercraft..."

Thank you all for this discussion

It has been very informative - for me - the uneducated. about Series/Defenders.

What I've learned thus far:

Defender has more clearance due to bigger standard tyres.

Defender can be easily hosed out.

Defender (some models) has vast carrying capacity.

Defender is noisy, due to lack of trim, but has much character, due to diesel and manual drive and no sway bars.

Defender owners go anywhere as a result of all of the above.

SO where I am I with a (similar spec) Disco?

Seems it could do the same job, but I can't (easily) hose it out, or remove the sway bars, but my D1 (to me) has character. Yes, it has a charm, not seen in the garage mate Falcon. (Almost the same amount of charm as my oh so gorgeous X1/9)...

SO, another question...

There's a V8 County 4 door LWB from about 1983 ish for sale for $4k. It appears in good but worn condition, (I get the feeling this rig was a V8 version of the "Stage One") but I may be wrong.

The County doesn't pop up in LR discussions, anyone know about this model?

While I'm here, my neighbour who is dying of cancer, is selling everything.
He has a rather odd 1980s (square headlights) RR Classic in total white for sale.

If anyone is interested in this (I'd reckon for parts), but it's roadable, I'm here......... (don't bust me for advertising, INC. I'm just mentioning for no gain to me).

Cheers all,

GQ