Setting a Disco II up for expedition travel

[TeriAnn]

I have been asked to put together a web page about choosing a Land Rover as a platform for extended expedition style travel. This is for the Expo site and. I will freely admit to a lack of hands on experience with the newer coiler models. So I am asking your advice. Replies should be general enough to cover all the Disco II markets and not just a single country market.

1. What are the primary problem areas to look for when looking to purchase a used Disco II?

2. What basic mods would be helpful for long term reliability for long range expedition type travel? Not building a gonzo rock crawler, just a reliable cross country off road traveler. Please no responses suggesting switching to parts from another marque.

It is my current understanding that extracts or reworded thoughts from your replies will likely show up on at least one if not two web sites.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Chazz Layne]

Sounds like fun, I look forward to seeing it. I'm sure there are other things out there just as important, but I'll stick to what I actually know and let someone else fill in the rest.

On item 1:

Top of the list would have to be finding a D2 that is outside the VIN range for oil pump troubles. This was an issue with the mounts for the pump on the block, not the pump, so fixing it means a new engine. :Wow1:

A close second would be making sure it either has center diff lock, or can have it added by just installing the linkage. On 2001-2002 model years IIRC, you had to replace the transfer case to get it.

I'd also be looking for any sign of coolant leaks at the engine, oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil as these are sure signs of prior overheating and head gasket issues (or worse).

Last I'd be checking all over the transfer case for any sign of leak. A common problem is the internal seals wearing out, which slowly but steadily leaks out all the gear oil (which coats the entire underside and anything behind the Disco at highway speeds). Average shop cost to fix: $1,000+.

Those are the only major areas I'd be watching out for when buying one, and they would be deal-breakers (or at least prompt a substantial discount). I'd also be looking specifically for oil leaking from the valve covers, coolant leaking from non-critical areas (like the throttle body heater). These aren't a big deal, but I'd want to know about them before purchase.


On item 2:

New suspension, and conversion to coil springs if it has SLS. I'd have to recommend heavy duty Old Man Emu springs and shocks on this, with the appropriate lift for the tire size desired. The improvement in ride and handling over stock is simply amazing, even moreso when the Disco is loaded down with gear and supplies.

Plan on rebuilding the front propshaft whether or not it had already been done (since we are talking long expedition duties here). In fact, I ended up both rebuilding the front propshaft and installing a new one - the old one now serves as a spare. The rear is a matter of preference: some replace it, others just carry a spare rotoflex. Since it is easy to spot trouble on your morning inspections, and a quick item to replace, I just carry a spare. That, and after 90,000 miles mine still shows no sign of wear.

Rock sliders, and a tough aftermarket rear bumper. Damage to this area is a matter of when, not if, even during light-duty use.

Lockers or limited-slip. The goal here isn't traction, but to replace the weak factory differentials. Rather than carrying weak spares, I'd seriously consider just eliminating the problem altogether. My Disco has not been abused, and I'm pretty light on the "stoopid pedal" on the trail. Despite that, my rear diff is in need of repair at only 90,000 miles. Personally, I've decided to go with Detroit Trutracs front and rear, and re-gear to 4.1 while I have them apart.

 

[AxeAngel]

Agree with chazz

My List in Random order:

Other than the mechanical stuff:

1) Rebuild stock driveshaft with unserviceable u joints to greasable style ujoints (Neapco/PDQ) and centering ball kit
2) Remove stock thermostat and octopus hose and replace with inline style thermostat
3) OME or similar 2" lift with compatible springs. Avoid 3" or higher kits
4) If not a 99 or 04 D2, add CDL and shifter as necessary
5) Trim front bumper fascia for more clearance
6) Install Jate Rings or aftermarket bumper(preferred) for recovery points
7) Stock D2 tire carrier can accommodate 32s or larger if inverted and notched
8) Scangauge to monitor water temperature and scan any codes as needed
9) Check sunroof drain tubes if anyone water ingress is noted or in passenger footwell
10) Get rid of factory 18s(on some models) in favor of 16s
11) 03/04s do a good job with traction control, these respond very well with a trutrac

-Sam

 

[Paladin]

Is this for "Overland", or Expedition Travel? And then what exactly does Expedition Travel mean?

A lot of this is really unnecessary for "Overland":

Rock Sliders
Lockers
CDL (yes, even CDL, I only engage mine when heavy off-road)
Rear Bumper

For a more realistic Overland build:

Diff Guards
Shackle mount in the reciever
Jate Rings
Cargo system
Medium or HD OME Suspension

 

[Disco2Guy]

Here's a little more specific info about the CDL in the DII.

'99-early '01

From the factory the CDL guts were in the t-case's of these trucks but there was no way to engage it from inside the cab. It is best to crawl under and inspect for the cdl "nipple" yourself as people have had t-case replacements without the guts during non-CDL years.

late '01-'03
Non CDL years of the D2 fall in this range. The CDL guts were completely removed from the t-cases at the factory favoring only the TC to get you through.

'04
The '04 not only has the CDL guts, but the linkage to engage it while driving. It uses 2 cables to shift from Hi to Lo, and CDL locked and unlocked.

Ways to engage the CDL
-The lever, this can be made pretty easily. There are a couple pics floating around the web showing it's construction.
-Install an electric solenoid, and wire a switch to activate it.
-Use a t-case shifter from a D1. This is probably the most common route. There are modifications you'll need to make to the shifter fit/work. Get the knob too as it has the lock positions stamped into it.
-The t-case shifter from an '04 is the best as it is cable operated and very smooth. It is also the hardest to find and most expensive (over $300 usually).
-10mm wrench. The most simplistic approach, but requires you to crawl under the truck and avoid getting burned by the exhaust and engage it on the t-case itself.

I have pics of my install here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/RovrFlo/04CDLInstall#
I also used UrbanPanzer's write up (not sure if he's on this board, but he would be a great source of info for the TD5 D2):
http://www.discovery2.co.uk/diff_lock.html

Here's a pic from RAVE of the CDL nipple on the t-case, and one from my '04 shifter install.

 

[Disco2Guy]

The oil pump issue mentioned earlier is specific to the 2003 and affects vehicles falling within this VIN range, ending with 3A771801 – 3A808362.

There is an updated coolant hose that should be used in place of the original. If the bleed screw is sitting on the cowl on top of the radiator, it should be replaced.

The 3 amigos. This is when the TC, ABS, and HDC lights illuminate the dash. It's usually an expensive fix involving the modulator and/or ABS sensors. There is a tool from RSWSolutions called the ABS Amigo. It's a scan tool that can read the ABS codes and plugs into your computer via usb to spit out all the info.

Wet carpets can be an indication of clogged a/c drain tubes. These can be found on the tranny tunnel. They're kind of concealed, so use a flashlight. Tweak them with your fingers and get out of the way as a lot of water can pour from them.

The cargo door latch can become stuck, if this happens the first thing to do is pop off the LR badge in front of the handle. Spray some silicone lube or WD40 in there and it'll usually free it up.

 

[Chazz Layne]

3) OME or similar 2" lift with compatible springs. Avoid 3" or higher kits

As a recommendation I agree, but I'm curious what your reasons are. Mine is cost - 3" required me getting a longer front propshaft which is totally unnecessary for most folks if they stick to 2".

 

[AxeAngel]

As a recommendation I agree, but I'm curious what your reasons are. Mine is cost - 3" required me getting a longer front propshaft which is totally unnecessary for most folks if they stick to 2".

Chazz, I'm at 3.5" and will be adding a spacer in the future. Didn't upgrade shafts just yet. The costs do it right are pretty large, radius arms, double cardan the rear, you need new brake lines and abs over 2"(can reroute at 2" lift). My angles are starting to get a bit hairy as well. How are yours?

-Sam

 

[Disco2Guy]

You can run 2" lift and keep the stock lines. The front driveshaft will hit the cross member before the lines will be over extended. Likewise, the watts linkage in the rear will limit your flex and you may not need longer lines. I'd recommend upgrading to stainless lines regardless and pick a length that suits your needs. If you need a little more length right now, remove the brake lines from the brackets.

Front brake lines are 23"
Rear brake lines are 17.5"
(figures are from Expedition Exchange's site)

 

[Chazz Layne]

Chazz, I'm at 3.5" and will be adding a spacer in the future. Didn't upgrade shafts just yet. The costs do it right are pretty large, radius arms, double cardan the rear, you need new brake lines and abs over 2"(can reroute at 2" lift). My angles are starting to get a bit hairy as well. How are yours?

-Sam

Surprisingly, the only thing I had to change was the front propshaft. I am planning to do all of the above though when I move up to 4", which I figure I'll need under the extra weight (storage, gear, trailer). I'm hoping that 4" will sag back to 3" as 3" is perfecto for my needs...

 

[Brian McVickers]

This is great TeriAnn.

In addition to what has been mentioned:

Common issues:
- Drive shaft u-joints, it comes with a combinantion of serviceable and fully sealed joints, the fully sealed units tend to go bad after a while but can be replaced with aftermarket serviceable units for not much money.
- The solenoid which allows the transfer case to be shifted from High to Low range tends to go bad after a while. Note that this is only a safety feature included on NAS DIIs. The solenoid can be removed with no side affects, it is only there to keep people from accidentally shifting the transfer case at high speeds.
- The wheel speed sensors are very sensetive to vibrations and certain frequencies can cause them to false fault which turns on the "Three Amigos" and disables the Traction Control system. The most common issue to cause a false faut is squeeks from aftermarket brake pads. There are a few however that have been determined to work ok however the general rule seems to be to just use Genuine pads but as most things it is debatable. The "Three Amigos" are caused by "hard faults" which can not be cleared by a common ODBII code reader. A special LR proprietary computer system is needed, others may know the name, however the is a little gadget called the ABS Amigo which can be used to read and clear these hard codes.

Basic Mods:
I think one of my most simple and favorite mods has been removing the rear sway bar and adding quick disconnects to the front sway bar. I did not think it would make a lot of difference but in my opinion it the suspension really opens up with the sway bars disconnected. The front is most noticeable, disconnecting it allows for less wheel lift, more traction, a smoother ride and overall better handling. That said, the front should really be reconnected on pavement, especially with a load ont he roof, hense the quick disconnects.

Regards,
Brian