Disappointed in the D5 / waiting for the Defender

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Originally Posted by 1nando

If i had to buy a proper hardcore 4x4 right now (imagining i didnt have my defender ), i hate to admit this but id be hard pressed not to buy a 76 series. I know that the leafs make for terrible 4wd vehicle but they are ok fpr touring. The thing that seals the deal for me is live axles and a tough no nonse design. If i didnt buy that id have a d4 as my second option

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I drove a Troopcarrier for years for work in northern Australia ...leaf springs are terrible, no matter the load. ...Although the design of Amarok leaf springs is much better, being side mounted on the chassis improves stability and ride. Hard to believe VW were the first to work this out. ...still not as good as four coils though.

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Originally Posted by Zeros

I drove a Troopcarrier for years for work in northern Australia ...leaf springs are terrible, no matter the load. ...Although the design of Amarok leaf springs is much better, being side mounted on the chassis improves stability and ride. Hard to believe VW were the first to work this out. ...still not as good as four coils though.

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I reckon american utes and trucks have been mounting their leaves like that for ages.

However, my Rok has similar ride comfort to a Disco 1, and yet due to the leaves being dual stage it can handle more load.

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Originally Posted by 1nando

Rammy my 110 would have idled over that section where the perentie struggled. Id put my mortgage on it.

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My dad used to own a 110 county and i am confident it wouldnt have got up unladen or with only light load. Fully laden it might have articulated enough to have a decent stab by keeping wheels on the ground for longer.

Of course, if say a rear locker was fitted, no worries.

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Originally Posted by ozscott

Rammy that Roc is very nice. But a well set up live axle Land Rover with a rear locker and traction control (apples v apples) will be better is very difficult terrain...jusy the way of it. Let's face it the VW would easily get people 90 per cent of places people would want to tread.

Cheers

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Agreed, with caveouts.

One, my Rok gets me 98% of the places i want to go, and would get most 4wders 99.99% of the places they want to go. It has a significantly better side slope capability than a defender, and more power delivery to climb dunes. It left the perentie for dead on big red.

Two, defenders are no longer available new.

Three, i have seen a Rok with 30" tyres get through ruts that stopped a defender with 32". The front bash guard of the Rok works like a tobboggan, and the ifs drops the wheels down into the ruts to keep giving traction, while the rear diff has good clearance and also slides well.

Four, defenders were 50% more expensive (?), and yet had horrible archaic interiors, much less performance, etc...

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Originally Posted by Zeros

Nothing against Amarok as a potential Defender replacement if it suits your purpose. But for me, more than cross-axle capability, it's about long term durability. ...Live axles, four coils, massive box chassis, are going to be more durable over time, hammering over 30-40,000km a year of desert corrugations, year after year. ...As will more clearance, flat sides, taller tyres, heavier duty drive train, larger CV's, etc.

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My Rok doesnt hammer over corrugations. It was voted by far more comfortable than the perentie. A couple of people felt sick from it and swapped into my car.

My Rok has 33" tyres, they fit easily, which are larger than defender std and the defender cant so easily fit bigger.

Is the defer chassis and drivetrain really more heavy duty? Sure, i did a cv at 60k, but i was always the guy doing the hardest stuff while others watched.

Rammy, im twin locked. Im fairly confident i would have idled over it

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Originally Posted by 1nando

Rammy, im twin locked. Im fairly confident i would have idled over it

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Yeah, decent chance of that in that case. Otherwise, poke a front leg in the air and sit there idly spinning the rest.

The question is whether the Amarok could be seen as a more suitable vehicle for traditional LR folk than the D5 or new Defender . . .

Rok got straight up, Perentie took a few go's . . .

Preparation for the AUMC Simpson Trip - YouTube

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Originally Posted by rammypluge

[...]My Rok has 33" tyres, they fit easily, which are larger than defender std and the defender cant so easily fit bigger [...].

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Gotta call you out on that comment, just for accuracy - not claiming this one detail makes much difference to the weird discussion.

Defender stock is 235/85R16 (~31.73”). My Defender is running 255/85R16 (smidge over 33”) and all I had to do was take the old rubber off the stock rims and fit the new rubber.

i.e. No spacers, no rim change, no susp lift, no body lift, no cutting or shunting and no rubbing.

Can it it be any more simple!?

Whats the stock size tyres and rims on the ‘rok? What changes did you have to make to fit 33” tyres?

Also lets not forget that a perentie is not as good offroad as a puma. The TC on the puma is excellent