Thread: footage, I need footage

its a combination of things...

starting with the series it was a combination of low gearing and low power engines, IF you couldnt spin the wheels you couldnt break traction and while they didnt quite have the axle articulation or clearance of some other 4x4's they did have better approach and departure angles. Aluminium panels also gave them a very slight edge in the weight department.

that pretty much carried through to the discos and rangies when the suspension setup changed and that won the day along with better engines (although still slightly less powerful than some competitors) but economy won that fight as well. and in the event of the dicso (which was essentially a 100 inch version of the coiled county/deefer) the shorter wheelbase provided excellent capability for its class.

now its a combination of everything with IMHO the best application of TC and ABS that wins it over.

But thats just what I think IMHO another thing that sets them aside is the repairability of the base models and the original vehicles. although for the day the same could be said for all of them in a shed on wheels variety rover most things can be done on vehicle if you know the secrets and they are very simple which increases the reliabilty.

They are also among the last 4x4s to maintain a chassis/body configuration using a box framed chassis which adds rigidity to the whole thing so everything stays in the same relative postion while its doing its thing.


70+% of all rovers made are still on the road today...

As far as Rangies and Discos go, i think the 100" is the perfect balance between a LWB and a SWB.

As for the proof, i have a great story about a slippery hill, that all of my friends had to be winched up (an 80 series Cruiser, GQ Patrol with muddies and a brand new Navara) and i drove it bottom to top on very average all-terrian tyres. They tell the story too . However, the photos i have don't really tell the story properly.

Some of it also comes down to how you drive, not what you drive.

where is that clip on youTube of Maggots Rangie crawling up that hill?

LRH

For probably 95% of normal use a good driver would be able to drive any vehicle across the same terrain. Some might not be as tidy but all would get there. The other 5% narrows the field a bit but again given a good driver I would say there isn't a lot of difference between any of the "heavy duty" 4wds.

So much depends on the driver, as stated, the tyre selection, the situation (a lightweight Jeep Wrangler would perform better in sand than a 110 Defender for example), how much the vehicle has been modified etc.

What I like about the Defender is its bushability. I don't really care that much if I get some small dents or scratches and in any case these are less likely than in a lot of vehicles because of the relatively narrow, square body. The interior is basic and supposedly hoseable though I have never been quite game enough to try that. The carrying capacity is also better than most. Plus I really like the look of them. The only real competition is the Toyota Troopy, I like those too just not as much. (And having driven both in anger while the Troopy is surprisingly capable off road for such a bulky vehicle its suspension set-up makes it less capable then the Defender by a fair margin). My only complaint with the Defender is that I would like a V6 or V8 diesel for more relaxed long distance towing.

If you want to talk about more luxurious vehicles then the D3 wins hands down. The suspension and drivetrain technology make it an incredibly competent off roader (better in standard trim than the Defender, but not as bushable ) and a limousine to drive on road. As Gordon has proved a fairly standard D3 can keep up with comp modded Japs and Jeeps.

I drove (trayback) Landcruisers for many years for work and I have been driving Defenders for the past thirteen years so I've been in a pretty good position to make comparisons between the two. Make no mistake a Defender is MUCH more capable, but the thing I found most infuriating about the Landcruisers is the departure angle. It's hopeless, especially with the genuine towbar. It caused me to get hung up several times in places where I know a Defender would breeze through. I often had to remind myself I wasn't driving a Defender. Rampover angle, too is an issue for Landcruisers. Defenders will idle over the crest of a hill that will stop a Landcruiser dead. They're just better....but don't get me started.

here we go

nice........any traction aid or tyre quality difference there though?
If not then you'd have to conclude that rangie is a better balanced 4wd than the cruiser.

or driven better