Land Rover ideas for Jeeps

[jscherb]

A couple more photos of the orange Disco with the water supply I posted yesterday, there are a few more ideas from that magazine article.

"Gullwing" lockers. But not much info on the DIY swing-away moped carrier in the article.

Storage in them seems a bit cramped and jumbled though:

But in the cargo area they make good use of plastic tubs to organize storage. And they've got a small tailgate table just right for their stove.

 

[Jurfie]

But in the cargo are they make good use of plastic tubs to organize storage. And they've got a small tailgate table just right for their stove.

I like the clear tote idea. It is easy to get caught up with buying or making full drawer systems, but something like this would suffice for most (if only temporarily until one can afford or have time to build a more “permanent“ solution). The advantage of the totes is ease of remove-ability (can leave them packed and ready to go) and lighter weight.

 

[jscherb]

Someone started a thread the other day about converting a Liberty into a pickup: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/jeep-liberty-pickup.222189/#post-2883702 and that reminded me of some Discovery pickup and Ute conversions that have been published in the magazines.

A company called LongRanger 4x4 offers kits to convert the Disco into a pickup. I couldn't find a web site for them, but they are on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Longranger-4x4-213330378801985/

Some photos from the magazine:

This is the same kit, although it doesn't seem to be from the company that makes the kit: http://kitbrandnew.com/en/td5_disco...plete_pickup_truck_kit_project_land_rover.php

Another one:

And a Disco Ute conversion:

 

[jscherb]

One Defender feature that I believe makes a lot more sense than the equivalent Wrangler feature is how the factory jack works. The factory Defender jack looks like this:

It's got a much higher lift than the little factory Wrangler jack, and I believe it's much easier to use. To use it, the shaft is inserted in one of the jack points around the frame (I believe there are 8 jack points). The front and rear crossmember jack points:

Based on the wide foot of the jack and the positive contact jack point, these jacks may be safer than the small Wrangler factory jacks, especially off-pavement.

And it's probably more stable and secure than that popular Jeep fashion accessory, the High-Lift. I wonder how many people have tried jacking up their Wrangler with a High-Lift at home before they get into the wild and find out there aren't any good jack points for a High-Lift on a stock Wrangler?

To make use of the excellent Defender jack points, adapters are available for the High-Lift:

And they seem to work great:

In addition to High-Lift adapters, the aftermarket supports the factory jack (and High-Lifts with adapters) with additional jack points. These rock sliders, for example, include two jack points (http://www.extreme4x4.co.uk/Store/Protection/Protection-Rock-and-Tree-Sliders/defender-rocksliders):

And there are aftermarket jack points for other vehicles, FrontRunner sells these for Mercedes G-Wagens, they're a bolt-on installation (https://www.frontrunneroutfitters.c...acking-points-mercedes-benz-gelandewagen.html):

And they also sell these "generic" ones (https://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/en/za/front-runner-hi-lift-jack-jacking-points.html):

The product includes two jack points, a High-Lift adapter and a foot plate (necessary to stabilize the tiny foot of the High-Lift), High-Lift not included.

They don't seem to provide instructions for mounting the jack points above, in response to a question about that on their web site they basically say "if you can't figure it out, use a different jack"

I believe a set of jack points like these would be a great asset on an off-road Wrangler. They would simplify and speed up jacking the vehicle in the wild and would greatly increase the safety over a vanilla High-Lift. And they could turn many "fashion accessory" jacks into useful tools .

 

[pith helmet]

That Defender jack is the bee’s knees, but the pic of the truck lifted on the side with two wheels off makes me sweat. A positive connection to the vehicle frame is only part of the safety equation, especially since that connection point is a round pin and not keyed in somehow.
I would still prefer that to a stock Wrangler jack.

 

[jscherb]

That Defender jack is the bee’s knees, but the pic of the truck lifted on the side with two wheels off makes me sweat. A positive connection to the vehicle frame is only part of the safety equation, especially since that connection point is a round pin and not keyed in somehow.
I would still prefer that to a stock Wrangler jack.

Based on the Land Rover example, I've begun design of a set of bolt-on jack points for the Wrangler. Instead of a round pin, at this point my preliminary design uses a standard 1 1/4" receiver tube. Final design may be a slightly smaller square tube, but for now I'm basing the design on the standard 1 1/4" tube because if could have other applications - for example cargo/gear carriers that slip into the receiver tubes (which would of course be slipped out when you needed to use the tube as a jack point.

 

[pith helmet]

Based on the Land Rover example, I've begun design of a set of bolt-on jack points for the Wrangler. Instead of a round pin, at this point my preliminary design uses a standard 1 1/4" receiver tube. Final design may be a slightly smaller square tube, but for now I'm basing the design on the standard 1 1/4" tube because if could have other applications - for example cargo/gear carriers that slip into the receiver tubes (which would of course be slipped out when you needed to use the tube as a jack point.

That sounds like a great idea. I am a big fan of adaptable and multi-use designs.

 

[jscherb]

From the February issue of Land Rover Monthly, this Defender has a gear panel on the side of the hardtop. It's not a very clear picture and I enhanced the scan as much as possible so the gear that's on the panel is identifiable. Looks like a hatchet, perhaps a jack base, a shovel and a hacksaw?

Over the course of this thread we've covered a number of ways to mount things on the side of the hardtop; the idea above would go well with the mounting tracks on the side of the hardtop I did a quick mockup of earlier in the thread.

Also in the photo notice the inevitable aluminum box on the roof rack. I guess it isn't a real expedition Land Rover without an aluminum box up top .

 

[Jurfie]

Looks like a hatchet, perhaps a jack base, a shovel and a hacksaw?

Bowsaw. Makes quick work of decent-sized tree limbs crossing trails.

 

[jscherb]

Expeditioning in Style...

This ad was in the February issue of Land Rover Monthly:

The company advertises itself as "Safari Outfitters" and their product line consists of retro-styled "safari accessories" that one might have found on an African expedition a hundred years ago. From their web site:

Melvill & Moon is South Africa’s ‘retro Safari brand’. We manufacture high end Safari luggage, canvas Seat Covers, Campaign Furniture and Safari accessories... The great African safaris lasted for one century. From 1836 – 1939 unique conditions and eccentric individuals created a style of adventure that can never exist again. Abundant big game, ungoverned landscapes, a zest for discovery and an appreciation for both hardship and luxury, came together then in vast bush of South-eastern Africa.

A few photos from their site. They've got a very nice range of luggage. Here are a few:

And some very important "must have" safari gear, like their "Djinn Bar". It's *only* 1500 GBP, don't we all need one of these for our next expedition?

The styling of their bags (https://melvillandmoon.co.uk/luggage-and-bags/) is very similar to the styling of the Overland Outfitters products, although Melvill & Moon doesn't have any vehicle-specific products like Overland Outfitters does (https://www.overland-outfitters.com/#/).

 

[jscherb]

These Land Rover door panel pocket panels are from an Exmoor ad (https://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/):

I like the idea a lot, but in the JK and JL the door panels are very sculptured so large pocket panels like the ones above wouldn't really work. But there has to be something better than the factory mesh pockets that stretch and become unusable. I posted these photos a week or two ago in my JK thread, this is my solution to the stretched mesh problem.

This first panel has a Molle section at the front plus a long pocket.

As I typically use them:

Back when I designed these I also sewed several different versions. All have been picked up by a company and should be available soon - the other day I posted an update on that company's progress: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...factory-hardtops.127687/page-308#post-2885700



I'll be taking another break from posting in this thread until more magazines come in.

 

[pith helmet]

She seems to really like those panels. I look forward to those JK panels and I like this thread with my morning coffee and appreciate the inspiration and entertainment it provides!

 

[jscherb]

She seems to really like those panels. I look forward to those JK panels and I like this thread with my morning coffee and appreciate the inspiration and entertainment it provides!

Oh no! I wouldn't want to disrupt your morning routine... I guess now I'll have to start the Mahindra thread. Stay tuned for "Cool Jeeps You Can't Have - Mahindra of India".

Magazines from the UK are a bit delayed due to worldwide Covid + USPS disruption, I'll post more Land Rover Ideas for Jeeps when more magazines come in.

 

[pith helmet]

Ha! Thanks. I’ll survive til the post office catches up, but the Mahindra thread sounds great.

 

[cj-10]

This is an awesome thread. I would love to see a Mahindra thread as well