Hi all

i am finalizing my build on a D90 and i am on the fence for the “Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack” ($750).

i don’t plan on doing much off-roading but i do plan on driving it on snow, mud, gravel and other similar mild off-road settings.

would the “Off-Road Pack” suffice?

should i consider adding the “Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack” as well?

I’ve seen videos depicting that you can view the terrains at various camera angles outside the car from the touch screen (e.g. navigating around a big boulder or ditch). Is that standard? Or part of the “off-road pack”? Or part of the “advanced off-road capability pack”?

thanks!

 

The "clear sight ground view" is part of the "3D surround" capability which is standard on all Defenders. I have found the clear sight ground view a useful tool off-road (using it well takes a bit of practice), and the 3D surround camera useful in keeping from hitting the dogs while backing up or parking the vehicle. The picture has no trouble keeping up with a running dog -- something I found remarkable -- very clear and accurate.

For your purposes, I believe you do not require what is offered in the "advanced capability pack", particularly since you are not purchasing the towing pack.

The off-road pack includes the most critical hardware add, which is the electronic active (locking rear) differential.

The advanced capability pack is all software. And each of the items is not necessary if you do not drive off-road daily (and even then it is not really necessary).

I have found ATPC to be a cute idea, but not a "game changer" at all, yet. Unfortunately, the times I would most love it to work, multiple wheels spin and I have to dig out / board recover. Darn wet, clay mud !!! Evil stuff.

The best thing in the package for me is the AUTO mode in Terrain response II. It does a great job keeping up with the varying terrain inherent in off-road, mountain driving.

I still have not gotten to using the configurable capability. That learning task is on my to-do list.

If one needs and buys the tow package, the advanced capability pack items (all software) are bundled in -- (with minimal incremental value). So, the very useful towing hardware and wiring items carry with them the electronic gadgets (none of which are necessary, as described above).

 

I really look forward to that multi-camera spotting system. I do a lot of my off-roading out west (just got back to Atlanta from another two weeks in SE Utah) and I'm often alone, so no spotter. I rigged a 4-cam 7" screen system five years ago, a temporary rig that I installed only when going offroad solo. Cam on the front and rear bumpers and bullet cams under each of the front fenders, pointing down at the tires. The resolution was terrible, but it allowed me to place tires on rocks as needed. The Defender screen/camera setup is sooooooo much nicer.



This is a screen shot from a preliminary test, when the bullet cam was just stuck to a frame rail. For actual use I had them under the fenders, pointing down at the tires from above.

 

Thanks for the explanation and analysis. I really appreciate it.

i originally was not going to add the off-road pack as i don’t foresee myself doing any off-reading, but after reading about the fact that it cannot be retrofitted and that it would help on-road capabilities such as slippery slope (winter snowy icy driving comes to mind) and such as well, i think i should add the off-road pack for future-proof purchase and additional handling.

 

Wrong any of the off road packages can be retrofitted later. Just go here and order it. They do all of the programming over TeamViewer software google it, anywhere in the world! They program trucks with a simple internet connection and an Indy shop that uses pathfinder.

https://lr-retrofits.co.uk/

 

Not based on what I read so far, as a matter of fact, there are a couple of threads in this forum talking about just that, that is, the electronic differential cannot be retrofitted and that's the same case for other LR models as well.

Please point me to where I can retrofit an electronic active differential with torque vectoring by braking.to a Defender that is not equipped with one.

If you are talking about the advanced off-road capability pack, then that's a different story. But I wasn't referring to that in my previous post. I was referring to the off road pack.

Am I still wrong?

 

I am in the same position as you - I decided to add the Off-road pack to get the locking diff but did not add the advanced off road pack. I will be using it in lots of snowy icy driving on steep slopes to go skiing so i wanted to add that diff.

I actually went to the VT Land Rover experience to test out a defender with the rear diff to see how much of a difference it makes.. While we were offroad, it was locking the rear diff constantly. So the defender absolutely uses it a lot when it is equipped.

 

That’s exactly what i intend to do, driving to various mountains to go skiing.

Thanks for sharing your experience at the VT LR experience, that solidifies my decision to add the off-road pack. I suppose you were looking at the touch screen and seeing the differential locking and unlocking?

 

Yeah when i read your first post it reminded me a lot of my situation, i didnt know if i should get the advanced pack or not. Happy to share the experience to someone with a similar thought process!

I was watching the differentials on the instrument cluster while i had the off road cameras going on the touchscreen.. My immediate reaction was WOW these things are fun to drive 😁.

 

Here is what they offer:

DEFENDER ACTIVATIONS

Adaptive Cruise Control - £250

Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack - £300

Advanced Tow Assist - £200

All Terrain Progress Control - £100

Towing Pack - £300

Each purports to activate within the existing software what already exists.

I do not see any evidence of the ability to change out electro-mechanical or rubber hardware. There is no mention of the "off-road" pack, nor its hardware -- the e diff, the rear outlet, nor the off-road tires.

I too believe Mark1107 made an error in his statement.

Enjoy !!