Overland Journal: Discovery I, 5-speed

[R_Lefebvre]

After reading K&N's air filter warranty I don't think there's anything you can use in their defense. If you use your vehicle off-road it voids the warranty, even for the filters they make for dirt bikes.
Basically they are saying, "If you use our filter for the application it's specified for, the warranty is void."

I'm not concerned with K&N's warranty. We're not discussing the filter failing. I won't run one because of their poor filtering efficiency, not because of the alleged MAF fouling. And the only warranty they are talking about, is the one on the filter. Not on the vehicle.

The question is does K&N cause MAF's to fail. K&N has a pretty interesting report on the subject. Biased? Maybe. But it's an interesting read:

http://www.knfilters.com/MAF/massair.htm

Sure, that report could be biased. But, so are Service Advisors. Dealerships make a lot more money if they can get the customer to pay for the repair, rather than warranty. They have an incentive to deny any warranty repair they can. If they can blindly blame it on K&N, they will.

As I said, MAF go bad all the time. My MAF just went bad, couldn't be cleaned, and I have always had a paper filter. The internet is full of discussion across all car brands, about MAF's going bad. They are not an unlimited lifetime part. It's just a fact of modern cars.

 

[Scott Brady]

My Discovery just turned over 90,000 miles today. In the 2.5 years of ownership, it has only had an issue with the window rollers (age) and the fuel pump.

I love driving it today as much as the day I bought it (I drive it nearly every day around Prescott). I have been very slow, even obsessive in my modification of it. In the last six months, the only change was moving from the Lightforce lights to a smaller (4") and more appearance-appropriate Baja Designs Fuego HIDs. I will post some pictures. I have a huge pile of parts sitting in the shop ready to be installed, but I will most likely never put half of them on.

I need to think of a cool solo trip to do into Baja with it, and stretch its legs a bit - maybe the Pinacate and Altar Desert.

I am starting to get a slight vibration from the front end. Likely because all of the Rover gurus were right about the DDC driveshaft, but I also just removed the crazy metal damping disc too, so further investigation will determine the root cause. I am about to tear into the diffs on the 8th of March to install the 3.90 third members with ARBs, so we will know more then. I also have a full set of the new OME Sport shocks to install, and I would like to get about 1" spring length in the rear with the same rate, as when loaded, it sags a bit past level.

I still smile every time I walk up to it. . .

Love at first sight (the day I bought it in SLC)

Changed just enough to reflect my tastes and needs on the trail/camping

 

[stevenmd]

LOL, I remember when I bought my first D1. I think I stared at it every night for a year straight. Tuck the children in bed, tuck the Disco in the garage...:ylsmoke: They truly are an obsession!

 

[muskyman]

I still love the look of mine and it is long since "broken in"

The truck looks very clean and simple still...that is a good thing.

 

[Green96D1]

shes a beauty I still look at mines every chance I get :victory: even sometimes at 4am haha

 

[bobtail4x4]

My wife has taken mine to work this week, as her TD5 disco is in the shop,

each time I come up the drive and its not there I have a little panic, until I remember.

 

[SeaRubi]

I am loving these new gear ratios that are available now. 3.90 should be perfect with 30~31" tires. I'm still bummed you didn't go with 215's :elkgrin: I'm sure the 245's are better in just about every way.

cheers
-ike

 

[Scott Brady]

New lights

I installed a pair of Baja Designs Fuego HID driving lights. They are 4" and all metal and glass and made in the USA - perfect. I love the understated, simple solution, yet it is built with 100mph across Baja as the durability requirement.

We also installed a Columbia Rovers gas tank skidplate. It is powdercoated black and provides significantly better coverage than stock, while also not being overkill or too heavy. We will provide some detailed images and more info on this in the coming weeks.

The Discovery is pulled into the shop, and is getting pulled apart to finish all the little remaining projects. The goal is to have it done by early May and take a weekend trip into the Pinacate.

Last items:
Finish wiring project
Finish differential project
New rear driveshaft
Replace water pump (small leak)
Compressor (for onboard air and Air Locker operation)
Snorkel (Mantec)
Diff Cover
New HAM radio (pulled the Icom for the JK)
Reinforce ARB bumper
Finalize recovery and tools
Finalize camping kit

I am also tempted to install a Highlander Low SD rack and the Hannibal awning from our recent. Must resist. . .

 

[hochung]

i am also tempted to install a highlander low sd rack . . .

lol!!

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

I am also tempted to install a Highlander Low SD rack

You knew he'd come around.

 

[Mike_rupp]

It's pointless to resist.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

So, when do the 35" tires and lockers go in?

I seem to have missed it, so I went back and tried to search for it but can't find the detail. What are you doing or have done with the rear bumper? This photo doesn't look stock:

Are those sockets for a jack?

Just curious. I just welded my socket tubes into mine last night.

I'm also curious about your impressions on the gas tank skidplate. Columbia shows a photo of them lifting the back of the truck by the skidplate, and it seems incredible. Such a large expanse of flat aluminum, I can't see how it'd be stiff enough for that? Not without flexing a bit and probably squishing the tank and transfering some of the load to the tank top strap.

 

[shartzer]

That is the Rovers North bumper with two holes for a jack. I know because I recently got one. I am surprised very few people use it. It looks nearly stock but is much more heavy duty without weighing a ridiculous amount. Also it iis priced well compared to the others. I have been really happy with mine but haven't banged it up against anything yet.

I really like those lights! Are those normal ARB mounts or did you fabricate them? On my ARB ABS Disco I bumper I don't remember the mounts going nearly as far back as yours.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

That trailer hitch is somewhat tragic though. So it's welded on, and it's not coming off (unless the welds rust... or you cut it off) It looks like it hangs down so low and there's not much you can do about it.

 

[lwg]

Columbia shows a photo of them lifting the back of the truck by the skidplate, and it seems incredible. Such a large expanse of flat aluminum, I can't see how it'd be stiff enough for that? Not without flexing a bit and probably squishing the tank and transfering some of the load to the tank top strap.

That's my photo from some years ago. Was really just curious and since it was my truck and my skid I figured I should test out the idea. There really wasn't any flex however if you bounced on the truck like that there might be a little. You've got to figure that there is a little support behind it with the tank, albeit a plastic tank. Additionally there are several bends giving it strength and since both front and back are bolted down it would take quite a bit of force to really move it.