I am looking to spend more time outdoors camping fishing and hiking this year and am looking for things I should remove or add to make my Disco II a better and more competent vehicle. Was looking at picking up a jeep, but maybe I will just use this truck if I can make sure it will do a good job.

Thanks.

 

A jeep will be less capable generally, honestly. Aggressive tires will help, and a winch is the biggest improvement you can make.

 

Really eh?

After having so many issues with my airbags (getting replaced with springs now) I felt this truck was very unreliable as I have been stuck over a dozen times. I actually get scared of not being on a straight smooth road more than a few miles from home.

Just trying to feel confident and make a few changes to better the truck and be able to use for rough situations.

 

Stuck several times while "light" offroading?

Do you know for sure if your traction control and ABS are in proper working order?

 

I've been stranded once when I blew a diff, luckily I wasn't far from home. If I had been, I could have removed it and ran rear wheel drive. These trucks aren't as unreliable as their reputation says.

 

If you pick up a new Jeep Rubicon with lockers, I say ditch the disco, but if your thinking about buying an older Jeep, I don't know why in any world you'd think a light, narrow wheelbased, leaf sprung tin can, could do better than the Land Rover, you'd be out of your mind. I've never been stranded on a trail with my truck because of mechanical issues, the trick is, don't go out in the wilderness with check engine/abs light on.


Moral of the story: Some mud tires and traction control will take your farther than any open diffed cheapo tin can of a jeep any day. A Jeep will only out shine a Land Rover when larger modifications have taken place.

 

do you have a CDL? are you using it?

 

I didn't mean being stranded by traction control, but by air suspension problems. It seems every time I fixed one problem I would have another, so it got to the point where ever time i took it out I would be nervous that it will drop, so I hardly go anywhere with it anymore, just around the block.

I am having the coil springs put in today so I am excited, as I think after this I should be good to go.

I have a dented fender and smashed bumper cover that i'd like to replace, but aside from that the truck should be good hopefully.

Just wondering if I should take off the mud flaps, or any little things like that. Also I have stock rims. Do I put oversized tires on that or get smaller rims, or?

My main thing is that since I will be doing a lot of things with my wife and kids I am avoiding being stranded, but I want to have a good time, and I know a rover is the best way to do that.

 

That depends upon the terrain. Out here on sand my Jeep ZJ Grand Cherokee has the beating of my Discovery - mainly due to the much lower all up weight. Half the price, too, as well as being more simple and easier/cheaper to fix.

There are times when the Discovery is preferred and others where the Jeep is more appropriate. Mostly the Jeep, to be honest, though.

 

your stock bumpers will prolly keep getting busted. I would replace with steel, when they do. and yes that old sls system was not a product designed to be forgotten about. it requires maintenance just like anything else.
cdl is very helpful and should be you first off road upgrade.
you can roll on 18's if you want. 16's will give you better tire options and prices. base the size of tire on what you want. 32's can be fitted with minor lift and will get you more clearance. you can stay stock height, just keep it in mind while off the road, you don't want to stick a rock in your diff.
you can leave your mud flaps alone. they do good things and if they get in the way, your truck will get rid of them for you. my front ones lasted a trip or two. my rear ones are still there,partially.
if you do not want to maintain a 10-15 year old vehicle, then buy a new jeep, trade it in three years later for another new jeep, trade it in another 3 years, and on and on and on. many many many people do it. they are cute, abundant, and suitable for off road with some upgrades.