Worth it to setup Disco 1 4x4?
#62
05-17-2011, 01:19 PM
So here you go again skirting the issue, proving you are hopeless. You go off balking at the 'lack of power' the 3.9 makes compared to your GM, but only later inform us that the 100% increase in power is because of the 100% increase in displacement. The drivetrain on the GM is designed for that power, and the drivetrain for the LR is designed for the power it produces. Go ahead and throw 1 ton axles under a Disco and see what happens. Not gonna work very well. And for what it's worth, I don't need to upgrade my carriers because they won't break if I use the Disco as it was designed for(trails) and stay out of the mud. But I would need to upgrade them so I can pull your GM out of the mud.
#63
05-17-2011, 02:28 PM
Winching
That's because the truck is designed for the road.
If you've seen one, driven one, and worked on one, and still don't get it, perhaps you never will. Having driven many different vehicles off-road, the Rover is the only one I've ever driven that does it with such ease. The difference is a true off-road suspension (Rovers) tamed for road use, vs. a street suspension (others) adapted for for occasional off-road use.
Individual wheel travel, whole-axle articulation, off-road handling, ease of adaptability, overall sophistication, greater traction potential due to all of the above, need I go on?
Well, ever wonder how a Disco can keep pace with a group like this (see picture) when most of them have lockers and 37" tires, and it's on 32s with open diffs? I honestly can't say but I don't think much of it was driver skill. Proper weight distribution, multilink suspension, balanced articulation, etc. etc. will get you far. If you aren't impressed yet with the Rover's performance, I would venture that you really aren't pushing it that hard.
Why I drive a Rover as my off-road rig? My second choice is an H1, good luck finding one of those for under $30k. A $2k Land Rover and $3-4k of mods will outdo a Hummer in most circumstances any day of the week. Hummers aren't exactly cheap to maintain either. Let's see some videos/pictures of where and how you wheel, you may not actually need any of the modifications you plan to get.
Oh yeah, you may bring up maintenance. They just have a different maintenance schedule from other vehicles. Maintaining a Rover is more of a game, or a hobby. Fixing my full-sized trucks was always a chore. The Rover repairs I've done have not required nearly as much brute force, and I get the impression they are designed with field repairs in mind.
Individual wheel travel, whole-axle articulation, off-road handling, ease of adaptability, overall sophistication, greater traction potential due to all of the above, need I go on?
I hear a lot of people say Land Rovers (Discovery) has incredible off road capability, is better than other trail vehicles like Jeeps and trucks and Toyotas and so on, but what is it that makes it better? What is it that makes this platform the one to invest in instead of something else?
Why I drive a Rover as my off-road rig? My second choice is an H1, good luck finding one of those for under $30k. A $2k Land Rover and $3-4k of mods will outdo a Hummer in most circumstances any day of the week. Hummers aren't exactly cheap to maintain either. Let's see some videos/pictures of where and how you wheel, you may not actually need any of the modifications you plan to get.
Oh yeah, you may bring up maintenance. They just have a different maintenance schedule from other vehicles. Maintaining a Rover is more of a game, or a hobby. Fixing my full-sized trucks was always a chore. The Rover repairs I've done have not required nearly as much brute force, and I get the impression they are designed with field repairs in mind.
#64
05-17-2011, 02:37 PM
Winching
Hey Ben, fact is this............Rovers DO have issues and design flaws that we look at and go "WTF were they thinking". Every vehicle has them, some in different areas, some in the same area, and some flaws in areas you dont even notice untill you push a vehicle to its limits. A rover DOES have weak carrier axle design, they do have head gasket issues, they do have sketchy electrical issues. GM also has drawbacks and things to watch out for, so does hummer, so does Ford etc etc. Does your 3/4 ton GM have a stouter drivetrain? Hellz yes it does, it HAS to be able to use the truck as it was designed to do which is to HAUL HEAVY *** trailers, throw heavy as loads in the bed etc etc. Your truck was built to do a certain job. Your comparing a HD work truck to a Rover that was not meant to do any of those tasks. Also, you do not see full size GM's or Fords in any of the REAL 4x4 challenges/events throughout the world. Camel trophy=Rovers/ Outback Challenge=Rovers, jeeps, etc etc. Fact is that although your GM has done you well on a trail or two doesnt mean its designed to do that job. A rover was meant to do that and WHEN you spend any decent amount of time behind the wheel of a rover you WILL COME TO APRECIATE them more, I swear you will. I have wheeled nothing but 1 ton Blazers and Suburbans, Bronco's, and full size GM pick-ups, I even wheeled my 95 1/2 ton IFS Chevy on 34" LTB's. I will post some pics of the trucks as proof that I'm not full of shi*. I JUST did a trail run with all fullsize trucks on 35", 38" and 42" tires and I appreciated my Disco as I watched them have to do 5 point turns to get up the trail, watch them have to FULL THROTTLE up rocky hill climbs(which is hard on their trucks and drivetrain BTW), I mean these guys were bouncing off their rev limiters to go up what I JUST SMOOTHLY drove up. Anyway, you havnt even logged in any serious time behind the wheel of your Disco yet to even form a good opinion man. ALSO, you drop 6k into a Disco and do it right and I swear that you will be hard pressed to find ANY full size that could hang with you. I'd bet my next check on that.
#65
05-17-2011, 02:39 PM
Winching
#66
05-17-2011, 02:45 PM
Hey Ben, fact is this............Rovers DO have issues and design flaws that we look at and go "WTF were they thinking". Every vehicle has them, some in different areas, some in the same area, and some flaws in areas you dont even notice untill you push a vehicle to its limits. A rover DOES have weak carrier axle design, they do have head gasket issues, they do have sketchy electrical issues. GM also has drawbacks and things to watch out for, so does hummer, so does Ford etc etc. Does your 3/4 ton GM have a stouter drivetrain? Hellz yes it does, it HAS to be able to use the truck as it was designed to do which is to HAUL HEAVY *** trailers, throw heavy as loads in the bed etc etc. Your truck was built to do a certain job. Your comparing a HD work truck to a Rover that was not meant to do any of those tasks. Also, you do not see full size GM's or Fords in any of the REAL 4x4 challenges/events throughout the world. Camel trophy=Rovers/ Outback Challenge=Rovers, jeeps, etc etc. Fact is that although your GM has done you well on a trail or two doesnt mean its designed to do that job. A rover was meant to do that and WHEN you spend any decent amount of time behind the wheel of a rover you WILL COME TO APRECIATE them more, I swear you will. I have wheeled nothing but 1 ton Blazers and Suburbans, Bronco's, and full size GM pick-ups, I even wheeled my 95 1/2 ton IFS Chevy on 34" LTB's. I will post some pics of the trucks as proof that I'm not full of shi*. I JUST did a trail run with all fullsize trucks on 35", 38" and 42" tires and I appreciated my Disco as I watched them have to do 5 point turns to get up the trail, watch them have to FULL THROTTLE up rocky hill climbs(which is hard on their trucks and drivetrain BTW), I mean these guys were bouncing off their rev limiters to go up what I JUST SMOOTHLY drove up. Anyway, you havnt even logged in any serious time behind the wheel of your Disco yet to even form a good opinion man. ALSO, you drop 6k into a Disco and do it right and I swear that you will be hard pressed to find ANY full size that could hang with you. I'd bet my next check on that.
This is why I bought one. Basically my plan is Detroit locker and LSD with 4.11 or 4.14 and thrust bolt housings, 10" travel shocks in the front, 12" in the rear with springs (this will be about a 3 to 4" lift), corrected radius arms, and I might need to do the rear links, swivel ***** up front, maybe not. I'll need a longer front driveshaft because the radius arms are going to push the axle forward after the lift. Then I'll need a few skid plates and probably at least a front bumper. Personally, I need a roof rack because I have 4 people and a dog filling up the inside.
So it adds up and while I absolutely believe it will leave the full sizes way down the trail but it's like tripling the cost of the vehicle, hopeless to recover in resale, and when I look at the Disco... well, there's only a little group of people that are convinced it's worth it and a good portion of them don't have reasonable answers why. At least it's better than a Jeep where you buy a vehicle that is totally worthless to start and when you're done it ends up being 99% after-market if it's any good at all, and still won't fit all my people and my dog.
#67
05-17-2011, 02:45 PM
Yeah I was a bit skeptical honestly coming from my background of Big tired rigs and the fact that everyone in my group has big tires. Big tires do help, but at what cost? thats what ya gotta consider. I Could Hack fenders and lift my disco to toss on some 35"-36" tires but then what good will it be with busted axles etc etc?. A truck on 32's that makes the whole trip in one piece butmaybe gets stucka few more times is still better than a Big tired truck that makes it 4 miles back on the trail an then breaks something everyother obstacle. I rather be pulling cable rather than fixing broken metal on the trail. Now, IF I can build my Disco to handle 35" tires without breaking stuff then I will.
#68
05-17-2011, 02:56 PM
This is why I bought one. Basically my plan is Detroit locker and LSD with 4.11 or 4.14 and thrust bolt housings, 10" travel shocks in the front, 12" in the rear with springs (this will be about a 3 to 4" lift), corrected radius arms, and I might need to do the rear links, swivel ***** up front, maybe not. I'll need a longer front driveshaft because the radius arms are going to push the axle forward after the lift. Then I'll need a few skid plates and probably at least a front bumper. Personally, I need a roof rack because I have 4 people and a dog filling up the inside.
So it adds up and while I absolutely believe it will leave the full sizes way down the trail but it's like tripling the cost of the vehicle, hopeless to recover in resale, and when I look at the Disco... well, there's only a little group of people that are convinced it's worth it and a good portion of them don't have reasonable answers why. At least it's better than a Jeep where you buy a vehicle that is totally worthless to start and when you're done it ends up being 99% after-market if it's any good at all, and still won't fit all my people and my dog.
So it adds up and while I absolutely believe it will leave the full sizes way down the trail but it's like tripling the cost of the vehicle, hopeless to recover in resale, and when I look at the Disco... well, there's only a little group of people that are convinced it's worth it and a good portion of them don't have reasonable answers why. At least it's better than a Jeep where you buy a vehicle that is totally worthless to start and when you're done it ends up being 99% after-market if it's any good at all, and still won't fit all my people and my dog.
You may find that you don't need some of the mods you are looking at, or that having a Disco and the GM are what you need. Then you can enjoy both worlds.
#69
05-17-2011, 02:57 PM
Pro Wrench
Join Date: May 2009
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Wheeling a rover is about finesse and the challenge of taking a vehicle places vehicles weren't meant to go, while not spilling your afternoon tea. If you ever go to a rover event you'll see its a whole different wheeling mentality, its not about building it so strong so you can thrash on it and not break it, its about taking what you have and getting the job done.
#70
05-17-2011, 03:06 PM
This is why I bought one. Basically my plan is Detroit locker and LSD with 4.11 or 4.14 and thrust bolt housings, 10" travel shocks in the front, 12" in the rear with springs (this will be about a 3 to 4" lift), corrected radius arms, and I might need to do the rear links, swivel ***** up front, maybe not. I'll need a longer front driveshaft because the radius arms are going to push the axle forward after the lift. Then I'll need a few skid plates and probably at least a front bumper. Personally, I need a roof rack because I have 4 people and a dog filling up the inside.
So it adds up and while I absolutely believe it will leave the full sizes way down the trail but it's like tripling the cost of the vehicle, hopeless to recover in resale, and when I look at the Disco... well, there's only a little group of people that are convinced it's worth it and a good portion of them don't have reasonable answers why. At least it's better than a Jeep where you buy a vehicle that is totally worthless to start and when you're done it ends up being 99% after-market if it's any good at all, and still won't fit all my people and my dog.
So it adds up and while I absolutely believe it will leave the full sizes way down the trail but it's like tripling the cost of the vehicle, hopeless to recover in resale, and when I look at the Disco... well, there's only a little group of people that are convinced it's worth it and a good portion of them don't have reasonable answers why. At least it's better than a Jeep where you buy a vehicle that is totally worthless to start and when you're done it ends up being 99% after-market if it's any good at all, and still won't fit all my people and my dog.