Suggestions for offroad beast?

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evs1984

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 21, 2011
Messages
46
Hi guys, just looking for members input on this. I know that many of you have modified your 4x4's however was wondering what parts, modifications I would require in order of importance first and then progress onwards to make my MAV a real offroad.. but road legal beast.

Maybe put some links and most importantly price. When I'm flush.. hopefully sometime soon then I can use this as my shopping list.

Maybe also suggest what I don't need on there aswell, however I would like to try and keep it road legal aswell.... suggestions please.

Here's how it looks now
02012011076.jpg
 
there are a couple of really easy things you can do that cost nowt.

Firstly, lose the side steps....they aren't that much oif a hindrance but as you'll probably find out they do catch sometimes.

Secondly, wind your torsion bars up on the front until the difference in height between top of the tyre and bottom of the wheel arch is almsot the same front and back, preferably 1-2 cms lower at the front, cos when you load it heavily up the back sits down a tad. But that lifts the front a bit to improve your approach angle.

Thirdly, if you have a towbar, take it off. Its only six bolts to remove it but it does feck up your departure angle.

Fourthly, when you can afford it, get some bigger slightly more aggressive tyres. General Grabber AT2s for example are a good compromise allrounder.

You can fit 31" tyres (which will give you about 1.5 inches of lift) although an aggressive tread pattern can sometimes scuff a little bit on tight turns on the seam inside the front wheel arch, but you can fix that by simply bashing it over with a hammer and re-undersealing it. But you can go a tad smaller if you don't want to start messing around.

There are other things you can do like removing anti-roll bars BUT and its a big BUT, you should only do that when offroad....it gives you more articulation but makes road driving MUCH more dodgy because of the wallowing it allows. Rear ARBs are less influential in that respect than the fronts, which are crucial. So like I say, DON'T ever leave them off on the road.

Other than that you are into suspension lifts etc.., winches and other good/expensive stuff!

Laurel and Hardy will no doubt fill your head with all sorts at the weekend! LOL
 
Recovery gear - shackles and strap(s). (Not always essential as other have it but best to have your own)
CB radio
Snorkel - (make sure your insurance will allow it before you do it)
Good set of tyres
 
Cheers for the advice Lacroupade. Inexpensive solutions are always in my favour. I mite sound like a dingbat but would 31" tyres fit on my current wheels or would I have to get wheels aswell.. How do the dimesions work with the tyres?? Apologies for sounding FICK! LOL
 
Nice one Fez, wot snorkels would fit then coz I am struggling with PRICE? they seem really expensive.. DIY job maybe?

Plus would I benefit with snorkel even though it's petrol?
 
it would be a diy job unless you want to pay $400+ for one. Not sure about the petrol side of things.
 
K cool. Yeah I've seen some bits on ebay to do a not too bad snorkel.
 
There are other things you can do like removing anti-roll bars BUT and its a big BUT, you should only do that when offroad....it gives you more articulation but makes road driving MUCH more dodgy because of the wallowing it allows. Rear ARBs are less influential in that respect than the fronts, which are crucial. So like I say, DON'T ever leave them off on the road.


Now youve started it :augie:naughty
 
Nice one Fez, wot snorkels would fit then coz I am struggling with PRICE? they seem really expensive.. DIY job maybe?

Plus would I benefit with snorkel even though it's petrol?

You will have 15" or 16" rims and you'll find the right tyres easily available for either size. On the 15" for example they will be 31 x 10.5 x R15. same for the 16" but its R16 instead. For some odd reason at these sizes they abandon the usual metric dimensions. And like I say, with a very aggressive tread pattern, i.e. deep, you might get a little bit of rubbing when you turn, against the seam at the rear of the front wheel arch which is cured by just hammering it flat. But if you don't want to start doing stuff like that, just go to a 30" or 30.5" tyre.

As regards snorkel, I wouldn't bother for two reasons; firstly the petrol is much more prone to damage from water ingestion so doesn't like wading deep, and secondly, if you look at where the air filter is (and the inlet pipe is inside the nearside wing - assuming the petrol is the same as the diesel in that respect, not sure), you'd be in a good metre of water for it to be inundated, at which point your car would be filling with water....are you seriously going to do that? I'd guess not from what you say.

You'd normally only need a snorkel if you were either in a P&P site or driving probably illegally offroad somewhere :thumbs

Now youve started it :augie:naughty

what? we don't want any f****ng yellow Land Rovers on here!:thumbs
 
Disagree with the snorkel there Luvgluv. I had my petrol one snorkeld and it was fine. The petrol is well waterproofed for wading anyway, although if you want over bonnet deep then one of the wife's rubber gloves works well to extra waterproof the dizzy:thumbs
TRYES TYRES TYRES is your first expense I think and go as big as you can afford to get max diff clearance. Everything else can be done very cheaply:naughty
 
Disagree with the snorkel there Luvgluv. I had my petrol one snorkeld and it was fine. The petrol is well waterproofed for wading anyway, although if you want over bonnet deep then one of the wife's rubber gloves works well to extra waterproof the dizzy:thumbs
TRYES TYRES TYRES is your first expense I think and go as big as you can afford to get max diff clearance. Everything else can be done very cheaply:naughty

scuse me? it was YOU that told me the petrol was shite in the wet?!

Mind you, your version of 'wet' is, well, wetter than everyone elses! :lol:lol

...and, "wifes rubber gloves" my arse.....they are yours and you know it Marigold.:p
 
Comparatively YES :p

and the reason you dumped your petrol Mav was.....?

Allow me to help.....21.18 hrs on the 4th of June 2009....I quote...

"Dont know about JB but my old petrol ones were fine(well mainly)
I just made sure all the seals were good like on the dizzy and had new leads allover etc.
I only blew the engine in the water cause I hammered it through a ford that was a bit deeper than the duck suggested!
Petrol ones are cheap as chips so not really an issue I dont think
I still prefer the petrol power band but overall the deisel is less likely to be a prob in the wet"


The prosecution rests m'lud :bow
 
and the reason you dumped your petrol Mav was.....?

Allow me to help.....21.18 hrs on the 4th of June 2009....I quote...

"Dont know about JB but my old petrol ones were fine(well mainly)
I just made sure all the seals were good like on the dizzy and had new leads allover etc.
I only blew the engine in the water cause I hammered it through a ford that was a bit deeper than the duck suggested!
Petrol ones are cheap as chips so not really an issue I dont think
I still prefer the petrol power band but overall the deisel is less likely to be a prob in the wet"


The prosecution rests m'lud :bow
Agreed, as I said , comparatively, and yes I still prefer the power band on the petrol, and from my own experiance............DONT CHASE THE DUCKS........in a petrol one anyway:lol
 
scuse me? it was YOU that told me the petrol was shite in the wet?!

Mind you, your version of 'wet' is, well, wetter than everyone elses! :lol:lol

...and, "wifes rubber gloves" my arse.....they are yours and you know it Marigold.:p


and while we are quoting one another . i wonder if you would care to explain your (what appears to be) latest addition to your bucket list pauly.

and yes it was drowned pete hydolocked chum

so no splashing in deep water for the petrol. well nothing over the bumpers anyway
 
OOO evs1984 just remembered I've got a power chip thingy for the petrol engine:naughty
I'll bring it along on sunday for your delectation :D
 
it will be hit and miss if 31" fit without mods. 30" KL71s are close.
 
yes but will it reduce the ability for the wheel to articulate into the arches?

I do wish I went bigger, Should of done lift before buying tyres.
 
While were on the subject as I have considered doing mine up a bit....

Is it worth getting sump and diff guards for the Terrano? I know a lot of Disco drivers get them.
 

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