Fair enough.

I would expect that if the tires' outside diameters got disparate enough there would be plenty more adverse effects than a gear being held. So maybe this is reasonable.

Glad it's not doing it anymore. Sounds like you need a new tire!

 

I was as skeptical as could be. I remember slightly different tire sizes that could ruin the quadradrive system on jeeps but those are mechanical vs electric.

If you could have been standing over my shoulder while letting the air out of that tire we'd both be shrugging "why not" together but I was as surprised as you would be when it worked.

x4 on tires.

I'm still on the fence for new duratracs in 19" or 18" used wheels that open up more choices.

 

Had similar behavior with trans holding the gear too long when I got mine. Replaced two bald tires up front and the trashed wheel hubs behind them and haven't seen that problem since.

Thanks for the tip on rust... I've got to get a handle on the rear portion of the frame. A vacation to the outer banks this past summer and some deep sand driving did a nice job sanding the paint off the frame.

 

I think I gave you some feedback on the tires.

For the rust, I use a product called "BOESHIELD." I spray that on after I sand and paint over surface rust each spring. We don't have a lot of issues with that here in Western WA but I do it anyway. The product (also called T-9) was developed by The Boeing Company. They know some things.

 

FWIW, each new Tiara yacht comes with a small can of T9 Boesheild in the owner's kit.

Boat owners also know a thing or two about corrosion being that they sort of float in a salt bath 24/7.

Sounds like you've got a handle on most of your punch list. $7900 sounds like a good deal. A buddy of mine in the Atlanta area has been looking for a nice $10K LR3 w/3rd row and hasn't found anything he likes so far. I think he's about to give up and get something generic (Exploder comes to mind).

As for the wheels and tires, you may need some patients to find a set of 18s on CL or the forums but they do turn up. I bought a set from some of the on-line 'refurb' guys but had to get them from 2 different sources to find a full set of 5. The 'refurb' was also complete crap - they painted even the wheels that didn't have any problems but as soon as I installed them the paint started lifting around the lugs and now even hitting the wheels with a hose peels more paint. Since I grind them against rocks anyway it's not a problem but I'd certainly have been PO'ed if I'd bought them for a street truck.

On tires I liked my Duratracs but they didn't prove durable enough for rock use here in the Sierras. In 2 years I cut 2 sidewalls and tore the tread up to the point you could litterally pull chunks off by hand. But they had decent road manners and were pretty good in most off-road situations. If I were looking for another tire in that class right now I'd be looking at the BFG KO2 or the Cooper ST-Maxx, but I don't think either is available for the 19".

 

Rust has been handled with ospho and a coating of rustoleum. If it works on a rustly bare steel trailer dipped in saltwater every weekend for 3 years it should do the trick.

Meeting a guy for a set of 18's with new tires(stupid all season tires) but oh well I need tires. $450 is a good deal and I may just sell off the tires later.

I also got epically stuck last night. I was on a test drive after doing my transmission flush/pan and tried to make a U turn off the side of the road in what I thought was grass... Nope 1' deep muddy soup. The Lr3 did a very admirable job of trying to unstick itself but in off road mode the right side was plugged to the frame. If I had any semblance of decent tires i'd have gotten out though. $85 tow truck got the job done.

All fluids have officially been changed and i've spent way too much time under there this week.

Stuff done.
Transfer case fluid
Transmission service
Engine oil
Both Diffs
Front brake pads/rotors
AC blower motor
dealing with rust (this took time).


Things left
Furniture Clinic leather dye kit for front seats(ordered).. This stuff is amazing(done by interior code) I'll do a separate thread for it before/after.
EAS compressor filter/dryer(ordered)
IIDtool(Spending $600 of a scan tool is going to sting)
Spark plugs(ordered)
Rear pads
Thermostat(just because)
Water pump(just because)
Coolant flush(looks clean couldn't hurt)
New belts
Aggressive tires(I'm thinking 32" with some trimming and a IIDtool lift) I don't want to overstress the EAS though.


I bought a harbor freight universal winch plate for $50 and intend on making that work for a DIY discreet winch mount. If it doesn't bolt up I can weld. I haven't decided on what winch I want but after last night determined to get one.

 

New wheels/street tires fitted. Whoever designed these lug nuts is a sadist.

Whoever tightened my rear lug nuts last(probably crappy midas place) must have used a 500ftlb impact.

Not my first run in with this I had to have the lug nuts cut off of my lexus because the key lock adapter kept shattering after going to midas for a rotation(went through 3 $$$).

Had a pull to the right and some whirring noise I was hoping wasn't a wheel bearing but all is silent and smooth now. Night/day difference vs the mismatched crap that was on there.

 

Survived her first shakedown run of a 1500 mile round trip vacation to Asheville and the smoky mountains. Even did Hurricane Creek trail(legal rocky 6 mile forest road that's killer for some 2 wheel action). Most of it went uncaptured because My wife and I were alone, she was terrified at moments(had to go easy), I went slow because we had a 500 mile trip home, and general laziness.

Wife warmed up to it by the end of the trail and even admitted to having fun.

It was my first time driving off road in the mountains.. The LR3 is sporting not only street tires but what i'd call summer tires and performed heroically. The LR3 just drove over everything without a hiccup. It walked up obstacles that would have left my Grand Cherokee WJ(quadradrive) spinning tires like crazy.

The blank stares of the locals and comments like that truck is too nice to be out here were amusing. My retort asking "i'm looking for starbucks and my Nav took me off course" wen't over like a lead balloon in the small group of locked rigs with mud tires. I found it amusing that one of them was in a $35,000 Rubicon and was looking at my $7,500 land rover like it was a Bentley.


One guy had his camera out during a particularly deep creek crossing followed by a nasty rock climb. The look of "what now land rover boy" was met with an easy crossing and climb(I could see the look of dismay). I couldn't help thinking "I want that video but the only way it will make it on the internet is if I fail.. With the title "Land rover failbus"




This was pretty typical terrain but missed photo ops all around.

 

Looks sweet, but dude!...don't go alone, especially on street tires.

 

Fixed that problem today with a hidden winch mount and a 9000lb winch .

You're right not my brightest moment but it had to be done and I didn't know anyone in the area.

That being said the LR3 just walked over everything in a boring fashion.

Example exchange with my wife.

Me " Spot me through this mud hole"
Boring idle amount of effort
Me "spot me over this rock"
Clears and once again idles it.
Me "Spot me over...."
Her " I'm not getting out there's no point."

I was proud.