Old Rovers Too Feeble?

[LR Max]

Glad to see we are still kicking this can down the road. Here, let me throw some gas on the fire:

10 spline

Modern Overlanding

Computer

Duct Tape

 

[EricTyrrell]

..and I hear Matt likes the DC100..


:sombrero:

 

[MedicalCowboy]

Duct Tape

What kind? Premium or Midgrade?

 

[David Harris]

What kind? Premium or Midgrade?

This old question again. . . If you can afford to own a Rover then you can afford premium. . .

 

[MedicalCowboy]

This old question again. . . If you can afford to own a Rover then you can afford premium. . .

Correct answer!

 

[Chazz Layne]

Gorilla tape > duct tape.

 

[LR Max]

What kind? Premium or Midgrade?

We are series owners. We buy the cheapest we can find.

I mean, its just gonna fall off next week.

 

[Mack73]

This. . .

Well if you are going to post that, at least post the reply:

FWIW, that Australian test is the ONLY reported test of an LR3 completely failing. There are however, many examples of the LR3 (Discovery 3) defaulting to Limp Home Mode due to sensor failure, air suspension compressor failure, a fault in the fiber optic backbone connectors, or some other related glitch. In those cases, the LR3 ALWAYS made it home....slowly.

The LR3 is a popular platform for the annual Morocco Challenge (a bit like the Dakar Rally) for many folks from www.disco3.co.uk forum. They have never had any unrecoverable faults, but they do bring the Land Rover T4 testbook computer along with to reset any issues that might pop-up.

But in the end, this was done years ago before cheaper portable computer systems came to the market like the IIDTool.

It doesn't matter how many tech's you have on satellite phone when you don't have the computer system to clear faults.

 

[David Harris]

Well if you are going to post that, at least post the reply:



But in the end, this was done years ago before cheaper portable computer systems came to the market like the IIDTool.

It doesn't matter how many tech's you have on satellite phone when you don't have the computer system to clear faults.

This brings me to a question: Can you simply pull both battery cables and touch them together to do a hard reset on everything without a scan tool?

 

[Mack73]

This brings me to a question: Can you simply pull both battery cables and touch them together to do a hard reset on everything without a scan tool?

Some very minor faults can be cleared. But anything major enough to prevent the vehicle from functioning (or getting out of a 'limp home' mode) won't clear without a computer tool.

 

[DividingCreek]

I have been playing with 4wd trucks since the 70's. I have owned: Willys, Kaisers, AMC's, Toyota LC, straight 6 gas, H 6cyl 4 liter, and 3b 4cyl diesels, and Land Rover 2A, Classics, Discos 1 and 2, every size defender 90-130. Everything from stock 2 liter 4cyl trucks to 400+ cubic inch v8s with 35 inch tires and lockers.

Here's what I would offer:

Comparing vehicles built in one decade with even the next decade as technology and safety standards as well as the US/worldwide road network radically changed/improved is pointless. Of course 60 yr old trucks aren't ideal for "modern day overlanding" whatever your definition of that is.



Get out and drive what you have off road in as varied conditions as you can find and develop a skill set, fix what you break yourself, learn why some designs are superior to others for certain things, but that no one brand or model is the panacea. Then your opinion will carry some weight.

Bickering never got anyone anywhere.

 

[Toy-Roverlander]

Quote Originally Posted by Martyn
Last year an Australian Off road magazine did extensive testing of stock SUV's in the outback.

The LR3 received top marks until the computer malfunctioned. Even with a team of technicians and satellite phone connection to Land Rover Australia they couldn't get the vehicle to run.

They abandoned it in the outback.

Now I’m sure the same thing could happen to any new vehicle, this example just happened to occur in a well covered expedition.

I've been to Australia a few times now and I always buy a 4wd magazine. Several times I've read stories about them taking a bunch of 4wd's, including a new Land Rover vehicle into the outback. And I'm not lying, everytime I read such a story the Land Rover, whether it's a discovery, range rover or rrs, they always had issues ranging from windows opening and closing all by itself, suspension problems (dropping to bumpstops), random other electrical issues or that the vehicle just refuses to start... Usually they could get it reset but I've read such a story where the range rover just refused to start. It had 12V in its battery, but it just would not turn over...
Personally, I would have zero confidence in such a vehicle in remote regions.

I've witnessed a D3 that got massively confused after a front cv broke (damn idiot stood on the brakes and gas together in low gear and snapped the cv). The thing thought it was driving but didn't get any wheel speed signals so it got confused.
The rear diff lock had to be actuated to be able to be driven back, very slowly as above a certain speed it would disengage the difflock again...

I'll take a fully mechanical truck over anything modern with computers any day...

 

[ZG]

After seeing a Series III roll over and hit the trails the next day, and Tim Smith bomb into one of the harder challenges at 25mph, I'm not worried about the strength of the Rovers.

 

[Toy-Roverlander]

Mine had a little fire behind the engine, fried a battery cable and clutch hose. Minor damage otherwise. Caught it early luckily. 2 hours later it drove again :smiley_drive:

 

[NMC_EXP]

I've logged hundreds of thousands of miles in Series Land Rovers and owned around ten of them. I like the way they make you slow your pace down to adapt to the vehicle - you tend to enjoy the journey a little more and pay more attention to the world going by your windows. They encourage you to take the back roads and relax and enjoy the trip. Once you venture back into the country lanes you never really notice the lack of power and especially once you leave the smooth pavement for a dirt road. The sheer simplicity of the trucks has a very real appeal and you appreciate the fact that there is a whole lot less that can go wong on an old Series Land Rover than most modern vehicles.

I saw my first 109" Land Rover station wagon when I was around 13 years old (back in 1964) - I thought it was the coolest car I'd ever seen up to that point (even cooler than a 1963 Stingray Coupe) and I still sort of feel that way. Car guys seem to select the vehicles that really make an impression on them at a fairly early age - for me it was Land Rovers, Alfa Romeo Guiliettas, Porsche 356's, BMW 2002's and dune buggies.

You and I are the same age.
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I agree about a slow vehicle being an excuse to take the "road less traveled" with the windows down and enjoying the scenery (and not getting flipped off if not run over by the 85 mph crowd on the highway).
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Also agree about vehicles making a lasting impression/lust on a 13 year old. For me it was: FJ40, some sort of Series Rover, and a 356 Porsche.
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I did buy a '79 FJ40 new (still have it). Never got around to a Series Rover or the Porsche.
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Regards
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Jim
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p.s. What do I have to do to to get a paragraph break besides adding a . ?