Let me apologize in advance for the number of threads I've made; hopefully it'll stop once everything on my Disco works.

So this September, I will be going on a journey to the off-road beach at Assateague Island, and I'm trying to make sure (as much as I can) that my old Disco won't have to get dragged off the sand. Unfortunately, I'm somewhat new to both off-roading and Land Rovers, and I don't have a great idea what has to be done to get it ready. Any advice would be appreciated.

So far, I've done the following:

Changed the coolant, oil+ filter, diff oil, transfer case oil, and transmission fluid and filter
New MAF sensor
New fuel pump
New spark plugs and wires
New pads and rotors
New belt
Removed transfer case interlock
Enabled CDL
Replaced ABS shuttle valve switches

On my list:
Grease driveshafts
Brake flush
Lubricate transfer case linkage

My problem areas:
To the best of my knowledge, the front driveshaft has not been replaced. It seems to be in good condition, but I don't know if I'm sitting on a time bomb or not.
The tread on the tires is rather worn. However, there's conflicting information about whether deep tread is useful on sand; having never been, I don't know if new tires would be a good idea.
It appears that the crankshaft position sensor is a problem on a lot of vehicles. Mine seems to work, but I don't know if it's worth bringing a spare along.

I'm fairly sure I've missed stuff as well. If a more experienced off-roader could fill in any gaps, I would be very thankful.

 

Driveshaft unfortunately is a unknown but it will start to click from binding before it fails - my thought is if you can afford it replace it.

CPS it a tough call they will act up before failing - but if you want to replace it do it now and keep the old one as a spare, the advantage is you will have driven on it for a few weeks so if you get an iffy one you will know.

I do not tend to do sand or mud - West Coast of Canada we have more rock than sand at lest where you can drive. But your tires should always be in good shape regardless. Traction aids of some sort are a good idea in sand, Maxtraxx or something similar.

Getting stuck in sand you can get to axles really fast.

 

Airing down and smooth throttle input is good advice for any time driving off pavement. Traction aids are a good idea, a shovel is another thing I don't leave home without. Maybe pick up a strap so if you do get stuck just another vehicle is needed to pull yourself out vs relying on the other vehicle to have adequate recovery gear.

 

To check the front drive shaft give it a good wiggle. It shouldn’t move & the U-Joint bearing caps shouldn’t be deformed or showing rust. If any of the above is present = replace it.

It’s a good idea to have a small spare parts bin. The small fishing lure boxes are perfect. I carry a spare CPS, MAF, IAC, purge control valve, relays, bulbs, fuses, and even a brake switch. Fits nicely into the case & it takes up no room at all. I also carry my Nanocom with me in a fully water proof case.

 

So I crawled under it to check the driveshaft. The good news, I guess, is that there's no movement in the double cardan joint and the bearing caps aren't deformed. The bad news... well:

'

Let's just say it has some patina.

 

@Jason Feuerstein they all get that way eventually do all the rubber caps look good ?

 

They all look great, actually. There's wrecker writing on it, so it's not the original drive shaft, but this car has no records, so there's no way to tell how long ago it was replaced.

 

What you mean you enabled cdl ?

 

Looks good to me, just check your fluid levels before each days travel & enjoy your trip!

 

I put the electronic actuator on it so you can actually use it without getting under the vehicle. Figured it was going to be useful for sand, and I didn't want to take apart my center console again.