After three hours at the JLR dealer today, I was down to negotiating the last details on a 110 V8, but I needed them to add roof rails for a ski rack.

I was shocked to find out that JLR will not allow ANY load on the roof of a Defender V8 while it is moving. The specific dealer note says "Defender V8 models have no dynamic roof loading capacity. Static roof load allows for up to 661 lbs". That is absurd.

So if I buy a $130K Defender for skiing I cannot put a ski rack or sky box on top of it without voiding or putting in question my warranty?

I am sure many of you just bought the rails and installed them, but I've been fighting JLR on a leaking windshield issue on a Disco5 for six years and this type of "unapproved use" on the Defender would likely void warranties for leaking windshields, sunroofs, etc.

I suspect the dynamic load is not allowed, because the 0-60mph acceleration or the top speed of the V8 could possibly stress the frame too much depending on what is on the roof. It seems to me there would be other ways of solving this.

I am now contemplating down-sizing to a 6 cylinder just so I can legally have a ski rack... Ugh.

I know this has been discussed before, but it seems to me that JLR should make this limitation clearer to those considering a V8 in their marketing material.

 

My 2 cents? Install your roof rack on the V8, and be reasonable / don’t floor it when it’s loaded.

Also… dude. Give up the disco 5 leaky windshield fight and go to a nice independent mechanic. Life is too short.

 

The frame or body of the vehicle will not be overstressed. The rack, its mounts or whatever you're using to secure the load might well be. But Porsche allows racks on their 911 turbos. And nobody is suffering anxiety attacks despite the fact that the acceleration and cornering forces would likely make a LR engineer's eyes water.

Despite the fact that the V8 Defender is impressively fast for what it is, I don't think it's an issue of anything coming apart. I believe it has much more to do with the also impressive height of the Defender for a vehicle as fast as it is and the corresponding change in driving dynamics that a heavy roof load would bring. And all of that in these litigious United States...

A P400 is also quite quick. The only thing really missing vs the V8 IMO is the sound. And for going really quick I have my Porsches.

 

Forget the V8 and save $30k for ski trips in your "almost as fast" P400 110..

 

^This. Before the Defender I drove an X5 M50i. The P400 is plenty quick, especially in sport mode and I'm a far safer and less aggressive driver than I was with the X5 V8.

 

I own a 2022 Defender 90 and a 2021 AMG GLE 63s coupe with 700hp and I have never felt the Defender needed more power on or off road.
Marketing to car guys is all the V8 is, Land Rover knows the tools that want a faster Defender will just wreck out and blame Land Rover because they put 400lbs. of crap on the top of an already very high center of gravity SUV.

 

The Insider went through this. I believe the reason was all around getting it re-certified with transportation authorities with the additional weight of the V8 + payload. Has nothing to do with the other driving dynamics mentioned.

 

Funny thing is when I removed the very heavy factory roof rack from my 90 the Defender, it now feels like a car cruising through the canyons rather than a top heavy SUV on a very soft suspension..
Center of gravity weight distribution is everything when traversing or cornering... I bought my Defender 90 to get out of trouble not to get into it..

The real world..

 

I bought a new Defender 110 X P400 -- I was set on the v8, but the "no roof rack" forced me to test drive the six cylinder. The only reason I was going into an eight was to get the Carpathian Edition matte styling and I didn't want to wait for a custom order. I am not towing anything too crazy, so I really don't need the v8, but I also drive a Tesla Plaid and nobody really *needs* a 1000 hp car

All that said, it does seem like JLR should get something certified for the v8 roof even if it is only 100 lbs. I'll need to find that Insider write-up to better understand why.

 

One perspective would be just put the rails and rack on the V8. Several on here and elsewhere seem to have done it without issue. When you do so, just be careful of the bolts that need heat to be removed to release the thread locker on the bolts .. that's the only thing you could screw up. Seems best to use a bolt induction heater -- Watch this - there are a few other vids about it too

Nothing "illegal" about it.