Thread: Land Rover Engineer Requires Info

Originally Posted by isuzurover

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It still needed a 24-spline, 6-gear (HYPOID) front diff though.

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Dana 44 high pinion would be good.
Strong enough without being too large and heavy, and complement the Sals 8HA/Dana 60 rear.

Originally Posted by P38arover

Oh, on the Defender, go back to the original hub nuts that can be adjusted in the field.

Dave did mention this way back on page 1, but it doesn't hurt to reinforce it.
Using selectable spacers to set hub bearing pre-load is crazy when you may have to do a bearing change out in the scrub.
Bring back normal hub nut/lock nut arrangement.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

To add to what I said earlier. In the opinion of myself and many people, the Australian Built 1984-1990 one-ten CSW with a 3.9L Isuzu Diesel (factory fitted) was the best (coil-sprung) Land-Rover made. I will be keeping mine until LR make something which I think is comparable.

The things which made this model great:
A decent sized engine!!! 3.9L 4cyl direct injection truck diesel engine, that may be slow and rattly, but has great torque, great fuel economy, NO TIMING BELT (gears) and lasts a long time (1 million km is not abnormal). EDIT - IME it feels much nicer to drive one of these than a Tdi/TD5 due to all the torque right from idle (there is a turbo version fitted to the 6x6 landies - also OZ only).

It also had a decent strangth gearbox (LT95 or LT85).

And all the things that were better on the county - stronger trailing arms, wider spaced hub bearings, halfshafts that didn't wear out, strong CV joints!!!

It still needed a 24-spline, 6-gear (HYPOID) front diff though.

The 6-speed in the new defender is a great idea, but increase the engine size to something that can compete with the nissans and toyotas over here, and stick some decent axles under it for once.

isuzurover,

are there still many of 110's with a 3.9 4BD1's around ?for a while I've been thinking about buying one , and if L/R released it again to allow me to enjoy if from new , I will definitely put an order in tomorrow for one.

Loz has been beating the bushes for comment on some of the forums in the States as well.. Amazing how similar the comments are! Right up until Defenders and Diesels..
In the States we'd like a new Defender! It might cost $45K but it's also not 12years old which is the olny viable selection over her.

We'd also like a Diesel... Any Diesel... TDV6, TD5, 300TDI, 3.9 Zuzu.. Of course a lot of that doesn't have a great deal to do with Land Rover but if they actually had tried it would go a long way!! Mercedes does a diesel, VW Does a diesel, Chrysler, Isuzu..

G'day, hoping that this guy doesn't work for Nissan or toyota...

Like others, I wish the defender had servicability ie the ability to service parts rather than replace them. This would have to impress the enviro's as it would reduce wastage.

Long range tanks. Stronger CVs/axles and transfer cases (aka Patrol running gear). KEEP THE CURRENT SHAPE PLEASE.

A larger engine that is probably from the current family (ie the TDV8 detuned from the rangie would be perfect) - superb torque and good economy. Toyota has been copying the Brits for decades and improving on it so why can't we take a leaf out of their book and get the new defender to be as reliable as the toyotas (arguably) are ?

Please keep the beam axles and freight train chassis - I refuse to buy a 4WD with independant suspension. Keep it simple. Minimise the computer element.

Enough of my ranting...

Thanks for the opportunity to vent my opinion...

Matt

Would it be herecy to ask for Dana 60's front and rear in the defender? they are excellent diffs with a huge variety of options for them.

Blythe

Here's some ideas, all from personal experience in a variety of LRs. PM me for more details if required:

1. Low-profile rims. No, no, no. On what planet does a 45 profile tyre operate well offroad? Offer 18, 19, even 20 and 21 inch rims if you must, but make all your vehicles avaialble with 17s, max. And I don't want to hear about the giant brake calipers necessitating those rims. You are clever engineers, build a braking system that doesn't require rims from a pimpmobile. This is a MAJOR problem with modern Land Rovers because it affects everything; puncture probability, ride, traction, ability to air down....even overheating on sand as has happened to me in one your finest vehicles.

2. Traction control. LR used to have the best. Now Toyota with the LC200 have stepped ahead and frankly it makes the Range Rover look very average indeed. Need to step up there and soon.

3. Parkbrake. Why can't you secure a D3 or RRS downhill? Because the parkbrake only works on the rear wheels, and the centre diff unlocks at rest. Hence, only two wheels are locked. Again, on this planet, you need all FOUR wheels locked.

4. Lowering the suspension at 40kmph. No, no, no. Come out here and I will demonstrate why auto-lower is a bad idea. Make it 100. And this leads me on to my next point.

5. Control. I'm a big fan of electronics and progress. I'm not a fan of giving up driver control. For example, while I think the electronics do a great job of deciding when the centre and rear diffs should be locked, there are times when I'll want to override. For example, just see Point 3 above. Oh and Point 4. Offroad driving is unpredictable. I've recovered a car by putting it into 2WD and deliberabtely wheelspining it around. I don't want any electronics deciding I can't be doing whatever I want with the car. Have them there by all means, and I understand the LR marketing with technology and how easy they are to use, but....give us the overrides too.

6. Reslience. When the eletronics decide something is wrong, give us information so we can make a call on it ourselves. You may well end killing a customer because he couldn't get his car over a dune as the engine was in limp mode, but he might have been willing to take the risk of engine damage by revving it. His choice, not yours.

Also on that subject make the electronics field-replaceable units. ECU died? Flick in another one. Yes, I know about the cost. But you did ask the question.

Air suspension; love it. But, make it inflatable with a normal compressor should the main one fail.

7. Defender. Take the swaybars off the 110 and throw them away. Our previous models didn't have them and I'd like to understand why LR feels the MY07 needs them. Then give it at least a rear locker and better traction control. The Defender is now embarrased offroad by the Wrangler, 76 and Hummer at least. You can't claim best-in-class offroad capability for it I'm afraid.

Now LR is doing a lot of stuff right with 4WDs. Retain the driving position, the squared-off bonnet, the throttle response, low-low range gearing, nice diesels, the sequential shift autos, HDC adjustable by cruise control, recovery points (oh, add them to Defender please), excellent traction control, and Terrain Response. Turning circle excellent on new vehicles. Dynamic Response also fantastic. Make it standard!

HDC needs to be even slower on all models I've ever driven. Let me show you some rocky downhills and you will agree.

Why is a rear locker not standard on the Vogue? C'mon, it would barely dent the profit margin, surely!

Those are some initial thoughts, hope it helps.

Further to my earlier post in this thread. It mentioned some desirable changes. Now a few things NOT to change - and I refer only to the Defender, although the comments perhaps could be looked at for other models.

1. One of the things that have happened to the detriment of all those people who live in hot climates is that almost every car in the world is designed by (and for) people who live in cold climates. And in the case of the few that are not, in almost all cases the styling is slavishly copied from the majority. The biggest problem is the near horizontal, vast area of windscreen. Leave any of these parked in the sun, where the shade temperature is around 40C for half an hour, and interior temperatures of 70C are easily reached. Its all very well to counter this with good air conditioning, but you still have to get in to start it, and it will cook everything inside, from your groceries, to your camera, to the upholstery itself.
The major exception to this is the Defender, with its relatively small, near vertical glass and vents (missing on the latest version) that allow passive ventilation while remaining secure. It is still a vast improvement on anything else on the market, let down only by lousy airconditioning (can't comment on the 2007 here).

2. Door sills no higher than the floor. This is so obvious that it is amazing that the Defender is just about the only offroad vehicle to have it - allows you to just brush out the stuff out that comes in on your feet, or in the worst cases just hose it out.

3. Flat glass. This means that replacements can be manufactured easily if necessary Particularly important in places where windscreen damage is commonplace and dealers few and far between. (most of Australia)

4. Part or assembly commonality or interchangeability with earlier models. Helps to keep it going and reduces cost of spares; even if it doesn't help the manufacturer increase profits from selling spares, it reduces his costs of stocking them. Also means accessories designed for the last model still fit the next.

These points are some of the major advantages the Defender has over all their competitors - and are often forgotten by owners because they are so obvious that you are surprised and mortified if you replace your Defender (or Series) with a car that does not have these advantages.

To these I would add one point that others seem to have missed:-

The Defender badly needs to be fitted as standard with ADR compliant child restraint anchorages and three point seat belts in the middle seats.

John

Has the Defender got airbags yet? I don't think that it's acceptable not to these days.

I'm a Disco driver though, and what I would like to see is:


*** Just make them reliable and problem free ***

They generally don't have major problems, but they niggle.