And for God's sake, whatever you do stay out of the snow!

 

Joking aside, if you only want to do mild off-roading and you still want a nice road truck, the LR3 is a pretty great choice. But if you really want to wheel it, just buy a D1 or RRC and skip the LR3. They'll never be as nice on the road or on mild trails as an LR3 but you can do far, FAR more with one of those. And since you mentioned you really wanted a Defender, the D1/RRC is basically the same truck only cheaper and more civilized. I still have my LR3 but it's been demoted to moderate stuff. My D1 now handles the fun stuff, and does it SO much easier it's not even funny.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Rokrovr/i...81%29-1280.mp4

(btw, the Jeep Rubicon on 37s behind me in that video was going to follow me...but chickened out after watching me go through. This is between Loon Lake and Wentworth Springs headed west on the Rubicon)

 

Don, are those the Coopers in the snow? If so, how did they do?

 

BTW, Don, if those pics represent what you call "mild" off-roading then I'll take it!!!

....also, I'd like to see what you call "serious" off-roading.

 

That was on the high-end of what an LR3 can handle. Most of those pics were from the Rubicon. Unless something has changed, I'm still the only one foolish enough to drag an LR3 all the way through. I'm sure somebody else will do it eventually, especially now that the trucks are getting so inexpensive that people are more willing to hammer on them, but it won't be me. I've seen the light, and it come in the form of older, simpler, lighter.

The LR3 mostly does the more 'over-landy' type trips these days. Last year it did a week in DV, a week in Mojave, a week in the Sierra. But no crawling. Those were easier trips where comfort and space were more important than outright ability. And doing a week in a group in a dusty environment with an open-top Disco would just suck.

The Coopers did pretty well in the snow, but then again snow is so variable (wet, icy, dry, granular, etc) it's hard to say what tire will do best any given day. The real problem is the outright weight of the truck vs tire size. If there's a bottom it does pretty well, but once you get over a couple feet deep you need to float on top instead of trying to claw down to get grip. That's when the LR3 fails and the lighter trucks with lots of tire win. I did have fun plowing fresh snow though! Take a run, blast ahead until it piles up too deep to push then back out and start again. Got stuck a couple times and had to have my buddy give a pull from behind to get moving again but she made a pretty good plow for a while there.

Heading out to the Sierra again Saturday to play in some fresh snow, but will take the D1 this time since it's just a day trip. Plus the LR3 is still waiting on a replacement strut for the (2nd) one I snapped in February.

 

Come to think of it, L8 should bring their LR3 out and run the 'con with us! They push that thing as hard as anybody!

 

Built Disco or RRC versus stock LR3 (or LR3 modified with rods) and yeah....the built rigs can do more. The tires....I'm sure the Coopers did as well as any mud tire; as you said the LR3's girth was its limitation. I'm just wondering if they will do as well as my recently-sold MT/Rs.

 

Hmmmm.....here is a discussion point I have with friends:

At what point, after certain mods, do the vehicles cease being a RRC or Disco2 or LR3? How much of its DNA has to get changed before it's just not what it was any longer? I feel like once you start changing mechanical components, it's no longer an xyz vehicle.

Example: You take a Disco 2, add a 4" lift, 35" tires, lockers (can you even do that?) and change the gears in the rear end. I say "no longer a Discovery" because it's a different running gear, different diffs, etc.

Take an LR3 and trick the EAS into letting you access Extended Height.....still stock?

Confirmation bias?

What do you guys think? What's the line?

 

Yes that combo is possible and I know a few that are running that or larger.

VIN didn't change so still a model x Land Rover.

Seriously if it has a Rover frame and body it still is to me