Learning to 4WD, in a Discovery Sport

So I was musing over the stuff I wrote on the weekend, and how Grass/Gravel/Snow mode is awful for mountain tracks even if they do have lots of loose stone (too much straining in higher gears) but Mud Ruts is really cumbersome if you want to go faster than about 15kph on the easier stretches of track. And I had an opportunity yesterday arvo to get out again for a few hours.

It turns out that for most of the off-bitumen driving I’ve been doing the best mode is none at all. Just let down the tyres and drive the damn car, and if you come to a bit where slow and torquey is called for, hit the steering wheel paddle to bump down into 1st.

I covered probably 90% of the distance that way and it was just great. 20 to 30% of the time – but much less distance – was spent in Mud Ruts mode and S on the dial for manual gear selection, to traverse the roughest sections or the steepest descents with HDC.

That also just about completes my coverage of the main tracks through the Mount Mee section of D’Aguilar. Tomorrow (Friday) the car goes in for springs, tyres and roof racks. Then on Saturday it’s off to Bribie to try out the higher clearance and spend more time in Sand mode.

:D

There will be before/after photos of the mods too. Wish me luck.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TB

Tomorrow (Friday) the car goes in for springs, tyres and roof racks. Then on Saturday it’s off to Bribie to try out the higher clearance and spend more time in Sand mode.

:D

There will be before/after photos of the mods too. Wish me luck.

---

You lot clearly didn't wish me enough luck. Bad AULRO, bad! :bat:

The lads at British Off Road are a pleasure to deal with but apparently the Disco Sport is less so when you try to rips its legs off. Unlike its Evoque and Freelander siblings which are said to be quite cooperative I'm told my DS is resisting hard against being dismantled. My hopes for a one-day turnaround have been thoroughly dashed and I'll be at home on the Playstation tomorrow instead of cruising up Ocean Beach in the winter sun.

Still, I promised photos. I can only give you "before" shots, obviously, and if you are silly enough to be interested in this process then you'll have to endure the wait for the "after" shots just the same as I am.

I put a tape measure against the front wheel and fender. Tyres are still down at easy trail pressure from Wednesday's drive, a bit below 30 (cold) on the 235/60R18s. The top of the 29-inch Goodyear is actually 28 inches above the concrete floor and there's a 12cm gap between the top of the tyre and the bottom lip of the wheel arch:

Attachment 126556

I'm hoping for that gap to be at least 15cm next time I measure it, since the new tyres will be the same diameter but the new springs will be higher.

Here are a couple of shots showing the stance of the car, the unadorned roofline and the 235mm HT OEM tyre in the arch at full lock:

Attachment 126557Attachment 126558

Bring on Tuesday.

Don't have time to write much this morning, but it's a good news story. Got the car back yesterday afternoon and took the LONG route home through the mountains. I'm very happy: the combination of springs and tyres is well worth it for off-road use IMO.

Also it looks great. Not just my opinion, the guys at British Off Road liked it enough to make it their new Facebook banner:
http://facebook.com/britishoffroad

They're happy to take on more like this if anybody is interested. Need to budget for 6-8 hours labour because apparently the Discovery Sport is trickier to lift than the Freelander and Evoque before it.

Attachment 126831Attachment 126832Attachment 126833
Attachment 126834Attachment 126835Attachment 126836
Attachment 126839Attachment 126838

What are the noise levels like from the General Grabbers?

Also look like the 255 55 18's gave you a slight lift as well?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by guthrie

What are the noise levels like from the General Grabbers?

---

Really not bad. Hardly audible on the highway, just the tiniest drone at 60kph.

Quote:

---

Also look like the 255 55 18's gave you a slight lift as well?

---

Only because of pressure differences. The photos I took of the old tyres were below 30psi after some track driving. The new tyres are around 40psi from fitting.

According to tiresize.com 235/60R18 is 29.1" and 255/55R18 is 29.0" height, so I should have lost 0.05" chassis height all else being equal.

That looks really good, fit for purpose. It will be interesting to see how this new combo goes for you, I think it should make a major difference. I would think you could fit a 30" diameter wheel. This would give you slightly more lift but also more sidewall height.

Scott

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LRD414

That looks really good, fit for purpose. It will be interesting to see how this new combo goes for you, I think it should make a major difference.

---

Well I didn't do it for looks, but I'm glad you're liking it. Based on the hour and a half of rough track I know for sure it makes a major difference to the driving.

Quote:

---

I would think you could fit a 30" diameter wheel. This would give you slightly more lift but also more sidewall height.

---

I'm pretty sure the bigger wheel would fit, and yes it would lift the car even further, but doing both a suspension lift and fitting bigger tyres on a vehicle with electronic stability control is specifically forbidden under Queensland vehicle regulations. See the "minor modifications" document G19 here:
Vehicle standards instructions (Department of Transport and Main Roads)

Seems to me like springs and wider AT tyres is everything that can be done without engineering certification. Underbody protection is the other major thing on my mind but that's proving really hard to source outside of Europe.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TB

I'm pretty sure the bigger wheel would fit, and yes it would lift the car even further, but doing both a suspension lift and fitting bigger tyres on a vehicle with electronic stability control is specifically forbidden under Queensland vehicle regulations.

---

Never noticed that section thanks to having suspension that lifts already.
Only read up on diameter, width and track width increase limits.

Scott

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LRD414

Never noticed that section thanks to having suspension that lifts already.
Only read up on diameter, width and track width increase limits.

---

Yeah, the Discovery 3/4 sure have a leg up... so to speak. I am going through all the pricing exercises on the D5 already even though I've promised to wait until at least the end of next year before buying another vehicle. In the meantime, just have to wring every bit of fun I can out of the Sport.

Back up the mountain today, with a specific goal in mind: see how well the upgraded DS and its slightly more experienced driver can now handle the track which last time required Maxtrax on the ground to help with clearance and left that damper bent up towards the exhaust.

The track must have known we'd be back, and it prepared for us. I swear it was more dug out and rock strewn than last time. But no matter, car and driver were up to the task. It took a little bit of caution but no concern and certainly no recovery aids. We crawled down and clambered back up again, the DS sure footed and agile.

No question in my mind: these springs and tyres are a genuine performance upgrade and allow DS owners to access much more of the Land Rover off-road capability that's part of their car's DNA. What good is Mud/Ruts mode if you can't go anywhere near a rut for fear of turtling yourself?

The Disco Sport has become my favourite car and the D'Aguilar national park one of my favourite places.

Attachment 127114