First Land Rover!

[Kgh]

Just wait til you run across Rover rednecks! They do exist.

Your initial plan of T-stat and front drive shaft are good.Check all the hoses for weak spots, better yet replace all of them and coolant. A little price but heat and front shafts have probably killed more Discos than anything else.
Change all fluids. Check all steering and suspension linkages. Shocks are easy performance and driveability upgrade. Are the tires in good shape?

Get the jack out and lift the car to ensure it works, and you know how.

Clean out sunroof drains, and check condition of cowling in wiper tray area. Rainwater in ECUs=bad.

Does your 04 have the centre diff lock?

I would rebuild the antilock system, not difficult.

Best advice was to drive and learn the truck. And take into account what you are doing with it.

Discos are cavernous, and lots of gear can be stored and adequately tied down in the back.

 

[Ray_G]

Welcome to the sickness.

You are getting good advice here, I'd echo Howski's and say take the truck out in stock form and learn it first-then mod it. Carts input on shocks is dead on too. Personally I'd say follow the track you are on and:
-ensure the front DS is serviceable, and serviced.
-Tstat mod.
-Baseline the fluids (engine oil, dif oils, TC fluid, transmission fluid)

Drive it.

As Howski said a 2" lift and something akin to 265's is likely optimal without dumping cash and dealing with a lot more issues. Dii's can be a little more forgiving for going higher then 2" than D1's but there is no need to do so.

Get the best tires you can afford. It astounds me when people mod their trucks but have crappy tires; it's like wearing great running clothes but not having shoes on for a race. Shocks/springs right after that.

Since its an 03 you might be out of luck with the LT230 center locking dif modification if memory serves me right, that would be a job to retrofit but honestly will give you great returns.

Is she a 4.6l?
r-
Ray

 

[Ricks_Adventures]

Wow. That's a lot to process. I've changed the oil, ordered the tstat, installed an OBD2 device the pairs with my phone, and as soon as I have time, I'll change the rest of the fluids, and when I have money, I'll do the shaft job. I was actually thinking I'd just replace the u joints in the shaft and go with it.

I'm not TOO concerned with a lift, as it's my daily, but I'm not against it. Since it's the 03, I don't think it has the locker. I'm not sure though. It does have the 4.6L. I've put 500 easy miles on it since I bought it, and I love it even more.

Luckily, it doesn't have air shocks, so I may wait on the suspension upgrade. The tires are in good shape. They're toyo A/T's.

As soon as the holidays are a bit closer, and I can cross school off my list for a few weeks, I'm planning to hit the trails for some of road fun!

 

[series 1]

Congrats on the Disco! Looks good. Lots of good advise here. If you are willing to wrench on it yourself you should have no problems keeping it for a long time at minimal cost.

PS: I hope you aren't attending that school up north Hail State

 

[Ricks_Adventures]

Fortunately, no. I'm actually at USM.

NEWS UPDATE: Took the rover wheeling last night and happened to get her stuck. The water was two or three inches above the floorboard. Sadly, I was too caught up in trying to stave off Hypothermia to capture any pictures. She was definitely listing to port though. Finally got unstuck this morning, and I think I may have water logged the transmission control unit.... It isn't quite acting right. When I put it in drive, it seems to be running in only a single gear(3rd, if my estimate is correct...). Input? Bueller?