DiscoDavis
Explorer
NICE.
2007 LR3 - my 10 yr build thread...
- Thread starter Jwestpro
- Start date
Jwestpro
Explorer
Magnaflow exhaust: a few people have asked for more detail. The system ‘might' be s direct for on otherwise fully stock lr3 but **** they screwed this up without letting buyers know up front. I may have mentioned in previous post, but I'm still not over it I guess 
Anyway, here are some photos showing it's custom routing in the rear bumper corners and replacing X pipe with X pipe/internal muffler combo.
Anyway, here are some photos showing it's custom routing in the rear bumper corners and replacing X pipe with X pipe/internal muffler combo.
Jwestpro
Explorer
Victory_Overland
Explorer
Great set up and pics. Love the wheel leveling jacks, where can we get those?
I like the idea for road tires when not needed.....thinking about putting my old 18" with Nitto AT on for the long trip up to NorCal this week since I won't be doing any trail time.
I like the idea for road tires when not needed.....thinking about putting my old 18" with Nitto AT on for the long trip up to NorCal this week since I won't be doing any trail time.
Jwestpro
Explorer
I tried to find the chok traks a few times to no avail but have asked a UK guy who claims to have a set as well if he knows where to find them now.
Yeah these Michelin tires are fine off road even if it’s dry. Main concern is sidewall strength against any sharp rocks but i had them around 40 I think last weekend which seemed like enough mushrooming under its weight.
They are way quieter, have better road handling, safety in rain, and better fuel economy. Plus I’m not needlessly wearing out the more expensive BFG just rolling tarmac.
Victory_Overland
Explorer
Great info, shoot me a text when you find those chocks. Lol.
Yesh Michelin makes great tires. There were my choice on motorcycles as the quality is top of the line.
I still have a few thousand miles left on the Nitto AT so I’m gonna run them off and then look for a new set of AT rubber for daily and the trip to NorCal although her daily driving miles are really limited these days, I don’t need to add 1k tarmac miles to KM2s.
Also, I ordered that Odyssey 1350 since the new alternator is installed now. Looking forward to great charging and power. Thanks for the advice on those batts.
Jwestpro
Explorer
Still no luck sourcing those chocks for you.
Tested the big tires today on much more demanding terrain. This trail is super narrow too. It was Evan’s Creek number 102 rated most difficult: http://www.nwjeepn.com/EvansCreek.htm
~24 psi seemed about right for the current weight but I’d like to calculate a psi to weight ratio for more precise airing.
Tested the big tires today on much more demanding terrain. This trail is super narrow too. It was Evan’s Creek number 102 rated most difficult: http://www.nwjeepn.com/EvansCreek.htm
~24 psi seemed about right for the current weight but I’d like to calculate a psi to weight ratio for more precise airing.
Jwestpro
Explorer
Above photo showing right rear tire near slider is to remind anyone that the rear suspension design shortens the wheelbase as lifted higher. Such that the tire comes closer to the slider as seen. It’s just an interesting detail.
These are factory 18”’wheels without any spacer. The other photo shows how it is imperative to allow the tire to tuck up into the fender liner.
When people with lr4’s use spacers or even the UK wheels which have I think roughly 10mm wider stance, critical tuckability is given up, and thus dangerously problematic rubbing or required reduction in tire size.
I am frankly amazed these nearly 34” BFG km2 285/70-18 actually functionally fit so well and in full articulations, tight turns, etc. Using spacers howeverveould scres it up big time unless I can remove the fender liners entirely...
These are factory 18”’wheels without any spacer. The other photo shows how it is imperative to allow the tire to tuck up into the fender liner.
When people with lr4’s use spacers or even the UK wheels which have I think roughly 10mm wider stance, critical tuckability is given up, and thus dangerously problematic rubbing or required reduction in tire size.
I am frankly amazed these nearly 34” BFG km2 285/70-18 actually functionally fit so well and in full articulations, tight turns, etc. Using spacers howeverveould scres it up big time unless I can remove the fender liners entirely...
Jwestpro
Explorer
I just re-installed the strut spacers and seem to have it dialed in with the shortened rods and a proper mix of ride height and suspension extension. I tried the spacers last year but with factory sensor rods because i didn't realize it was needed to balance the system out. it makes sense though i guess because there's apparently a "range" the vehicle wants the height sensor to move within. Adding the 50mm spacer is equally offset by a shorter rod length of 10mm which is roughly what tells computer it's 50mm lower. you end up with the strut at it's neutral length and air pressure but the vehicle at an actual 50mm taller.
Now, i feel like the geometry of the control arms will mean that's not as stable at highway speeds even though the air spring and the damper are both at ideal neutral length.
So i went out to test what is the most compression that rides ok on the highway. well, it's not much. i was hoping i could at least drop 25mm which would be splitting the difference and set the vehicle at 25mm above factory neutral and the strut at 25mm compressed. 25mm sucks. rides like track car but worse because a track car strut is not simply a normal one compressed already. The travel until too stiff is too short. This may also be due to the nature of an air spring vs a high end progressive strut like a Billstein pss10. ( I bet the bp51 people put on Land Cruisers is awesome)
The air sprung land rovers shine on road trips sitting at the factory engineered heights. This thought actually makes me wonder how the Range Rover struts that are used in vehicles with the 'automatic higher speed sensing lowering' feature. I had an 07 RRSC, it did this at higher speed like over 76 or something, maybe 80+. How is that strut different that it didn't feel like crap when a bit lower?
I'll probably end up at -20mm at most to get suspension arms closer to neutral while keeping ride at decent feel.
Today I'll be testing lowest possible height and drive-ability for parking garages, camping, and of course in the unlikely event of total air loss. The tires I'm testing on are nearly 34" BFG KM2 12" wide 285/70-18 on factory LR wheels. I tried my 25mm spacers which looks truly awesome but is an equally no-go on clearances all over the place for the front tires. My sliders get caught up as well as the bumper area. Those could both be modified but not right now.
In my experience you need to get one thing at a time dialed in just right before adding a new issue like spacer/stance width.
Now, i feel like the geometry of the control arms will mean that's not as stable at highway speeds even though the air spring and the damper are both at ideal neutral length.
So i went out to test what is the most compression that rides ok on the highway. well, it's not much. i was hoping i could at least drop 25mm which would be splitting the difference and set the vehicle at 25mm above factory neutral and the strut at 25mm compressed. 25mm sucks. rides like track car but worse because a track car strut is not simply a normal one compressed already. The travel until too stiff is too short. This may also be due to the nature of an air spring vs a high end progressive strut like a Billstein pss10. ( I bet the bp51 people put on Land Cruisers is awesome)
The air sprung land rovers shine on road trips sitting at the factory engineered heights. This thought actually makes me wonder how the Range Rover struts that are used in vehicles with the 'automatic higher speed sensing lowering' feature. I had an 07 RRSC, it did this at higher speed like over 76 or something, maybe 80+. How is that strut different that it didn't feel like crap when a bit lower?
I'll probably end up at -20mm at most to get suspension arms closer to neutral while keeping ride at decent feel.
Today I'll be testing lowest possible height and drive-ability for parking garages, camping, and of course in the unlikely event of total air loss. The tires I'm testing on are nearly 34" BFG KM2 12" wide 285/70-18 on factory LR wheels. I tried my 25mm spacers which looks truly awesome but is an equally no-go on clearances all over the place for the front tires. My sliders get caught up as well as the bumper area. Those could both be modified but not right now.
In my experience you need to get one thing at a time dialed in just right before adding a new issue like spacer/stance width.
Jwestpro
Explorer
Deflated all and ended up with this. First thing I realized the awning walls barely touch the ground with just the flap meant to be flat on ground for rocks or snow. Sort of annoying but could make an extension solution.
Drove down the street and while it’s stifff as hell, you could get home if you had to or at least to a flatbed access. Or could you? If it’s too rough for a tow truck to come in, then I doubt you’d be making much headway on the bump stops. I forgot to get a minimum clearance photo under the differentials/guards and sliders.
Drove down the street and while it’s stifff as hell, you could get home if you had to or at least to a flatbed access. Or could you? If it’s too rough for a tow truck to come in, then I doubt you’d be making much headway on the bump stops. I forgot to get a minimum clearance photo under the differentials/guards and sliders.