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Here in the U.K. you can get the steel wheels with the 3.0 diesel and it's a fabulous engine.
lt has 250/300bhp and over 600Nm torque at under 1,500rpm.
Although few keep the steel wheels. Ebay is full of sellers offering a set of five for peanuts. I got five brand new steel wheels with Goodyear Wrangler A/T's for the equivalent of U.S $600
My Defender is on coil springs and rides great with the 18" wheels.
We also have the two seat "Commercial" version which comes on steel wheels if you order the cheapest model. That's what l've got and it's a great vehicle.
wouldn't that be fantastic news! If the rumors of a KO3 tire fitting a 19" Defender rim are true, awesome news for folks looking to buy the "off road ready" Defender trim. It's only the S Trim remaining where JLR allows any sidewall. You can't have a sidewall without the S trim, and the S trim is pretty lonely as JLR is more hyped to sell the X trim. In the most bizarre act of self-loathing, JLR has worked really hard to eliminate all benefits, comfort, cushion, and protection of sidewalls, almost ensuring that folks won't want to drive Defender off road. If you want to be a fancy gym marketing an awesome tennis court that is NEVER busy, simply build an awesome looking court, then tilt ever so slightly the ground underneath. To the eye it will look great and never be busy. But that's only because if you play tennis on an uneven surface it's not that fun. This is JLR: they build an awesome Defender, then change one little thing just enough to ruin the entire experience....Why they build an off road icon and then restrict it's use as an off roader? Very frustrating for sure, but if you put 22" rims on there and pair it with a V8, you've agreed to pay JLR a boatload of your money to simply be a parking lot icon intent on enhancing JLR branding. Those Defenders are an extension of their marketing arm, and I can't imagine it's going to be a fun drive, particularly if you hit stuff. The big rim Defenders are clearly intended by JLR to be parked at Whole Foods and nothing further. To make sure you have zero fun off road, JLR sells you 22" rims - that will teach you to buy an off roader from us!? JLR must imagine Defender between a G Wagon and a Lexus LX. Why can't JLR realize that some of us would park Defender between a Bronco and Wrangler? They have a bit of a snob problem, for sure. What's so wrong with using an off road equipped SUV as an off road SUV? I don't get JLR fears about allowing Defender owners to fit proper tires on there, but clearly they don't want that. Bye bye 18" rims... On the other hand, all this is banter if the news on the new KO3 is true; a Defender with 19" rims and KO3s would be a HUGE winner for the segment of Defender owners that want to do stuff besides showing off to neighbors. The Goodyear Wrangler All Terrain Adventures with Kevlar also seem sturdy & have good reviews, so there will be at least 2 choices for the 19"s.
I agree they make no sense. The only thing I can think of is they might be hemorrhaging significant money from in-warranty repairs by way of the small subset of folks who thought these things would stand up to consistent prolonged weekend beatings off road. They may be looking to curtail the activity by increasing the risk of a flat significantly. Sounds crazy but who knows, bottom line is it's a business and for 9 out of 10 buyers it's mostly all about the look anyway.
A couple of thoughts. First, I spent a full day at the off road experience at the Biltmore last month and the Defender 110 on the stock 20s was far more capable than we might believe. Because we had a full day our instructor, a 45yr LR guy took us to the less traveled portions of the property and the defender was incredible, especially in the hands of a professional instructor. "Most" not all people would be fearful of some of the obstacles we tackled in a bone stock 110.
If it's a mountain goat that you're after why not buy an old jeep with an infinite supply of aftermarket parts and save 50k+? My second point, as these cars age they will take on a second life as a weekend toy and by then the aftermarket will have caught up with off road ready parts. No different than then the Porsche you buy new and after a decade of service becomes the weekend track toy.
A couple of thoughts. First, I spent a full day at the off road experience at the Biltmore last month and the Defender 110 on the stock 20s was far more capable than we might believe. Because we had a full day our instructor, a 45yr LR guy took us to the less traveled portions of the property and the defender was incredible, especially in the hands of a professional instructor. "Most" not all people would be fearful of some of the obstacles we tackled in a bone stock 110.
If it's a mountain goat that you're after why not buy an old jeep with an infinite supply of aftermarket parts and save 50k+? My second point, as these cars age they will take on a second life as a weekend toy and by then the aftermarket will have caught up with off road ready parts. No different than then the Porsche you buy new and after a decade of service becomes the weekend track toy.
It's capable until you get a flat like TFL did. Why would anyone not prefer 18s? Even the original commercial when it was released said the 18s were for the purist. I guess they don't want the purist anymore. That's TATAs business but personally I don't get it. Buy a range if you want to be a bling king with pimp rims and rubber bands.
A couple of thoughts. First, I spent a full day at the off road experience at the Biltmore last month and the Defender 110 on the stock 20s was far more capable than we might believe. Because we had a full day our instructor, a 45yr LR guy took us to the less traveled portions of the property and the defender was incredible, especially in the hands of a professional instructor. "Most" not all people would be fearful of some of the obstacles we tackled in a bone stock 110.
If it's a mountain goat that you're after why not buy an old jeep with an infinite supply of aftermarket parts and save 50k+? My second point, as these cars age they will take on a second life as a weekend toy and by then the aftermarket will have caught up with off road ready parts. No different than then the Porsche you buy new and after a decade of service becomes the weekend track toy.
the obstacles at these places are designed to highlight the vehicles capabilities. Not to expose its shortcomings.
when you’re miles from anywhere and hours from the blacktop you want tires you can trust.
a 20” rim and sidewalls of Adventure cheese don’t cut the mustard on trails around here.
a total crapshoot.
All LR had to do was to fit a rear caliper they already had. (Disco5) and 18” rims could be had on every trim barring the V8
by all means keep selling the neutering 22” stuff people love. Gotta keep the lights on.
A Defender should be running on 17”s. 18”s is already too big. The folks at LR live with the view that you don’t need sidewall. Don’t need to air down. Don’t need tire choices. it’s idiotic and entirely impractical, uncomfortable and less safe, to run trails on high psi with low profile tires.
5 years into the brand and they’re making a concerted effort to turn it into a complete joke.
I agree alot of what Gavin just said. JLR can surely make a 110 Defender with the correct engine (the 3.0L) paired to a really suitable rim: the 18"s (you pick aluminum or steel, but you get the 18"). I think it's a snob thing. When you have a G Wagon, you brag about having a G Wagon. Do you want a spin in my G Wagon so I can tell you all about the neat electronics and capabilities? Honestly, sure! as I'm never going to own it, so why not tag along for a ride. But that stuff gets old. The long term owner wants practical, not snob appeal. I read the new Ocat may have 275/60/20: looks similar to the 19"s in sidewall. interesting.... [motor authority article on the octa]
Last edited by curb-optional; 05-18-2024 at 10:02 AM.
While I don’t disagree with what’s said above, I think the reason behind having larger brakes on the P400 is for towing. I recall reading they had to be within a certain spec.
While I don’t disagree with what’s said above, I think the reason behind having larger brakes on the P400 is for towing. I recall reading they had to be within a certain spec.
Rotors and pads don’t need to change. Just the design of the caliper. No reduction in braking capability is needed. No reduction in braking occurs when the caliper change is made.
the designers were likely told to fit the calipers in a 19” rim so they designed the calipers with big fat metal extrusions to act as mud scrapers to clear the well of debris.
Rotors and pads don’t need to change. Just the design of the caliper. No reduction in braking capability is needed. No reduction in braking occurs when the caliper change is made.
the designers were likely told to fit the calipers in a 19” rim so they designed the calipers with big fat metal extrusions to act as mud scrapers to clear the well of debris.
The tail wagged the dog.
Yeah this is most likely right. You can get a one ton Ford truck that can pull 23,000 pounds and still comes with brakes small enough to fit 17" wheels. It's likely an appearance thing. People like the look of a rotor filling up the space in the wheel when rocking a 22" rim. Smaller rotors look cheap in a huge rim even though they are just as effective. The larger size is only important for heat fade resistance which is important on a track with repeated full force braking but when towing, if the trailer has any real weight it will have brakes and you won't be repeatedly stomping full force on the brakes.
05-17-2024, 04:22 PM
