a friend of mine just bought one and was wanting to do some upgrades, small lift and some 33's he is going to try and drive it to where we are wheeling and follow us around not do anything very hard just wants to be able to get around ok. anybody have any suggestions where i can go to get stuff for it. i want to help him get it going. It already has what looks like high pinion 3rd's in it, cross over steering not sure about lockers yet but if anybody has suggestions i am willing to listen. thanks
mid 90's land rover discovery
- Thread starter olejunky
- Start date
rattlecanpaint
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2005
- Location
- Winston Salem
Tell him to brake out his wallet. Them things are expensive as H, E, double hockey sticks to do anything with.
hayhayhay
Member
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2007
- Location
- claremont/hickory
www.roversnorth.com
www.roverunited.com
good luck..quite expensive to modify/fix..like dude man said above
www.roverunited.com
good luck..quite expensive to modify/fix..like dude man said above
Reid
Hasnt Seen Dirt in Years
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Location
- Winston Salem
www.discoweb.com
carolina rovers onwers club .org or something
old man emu. thats about the only people who make offroad parts for it. dont go over 32 inch tires. lol, not like y ou can find a big lift anyway.
carolina rovers onwers club .org or something
old man emu. thats about the only people who make offroad parts for it. dont go over 32 inch tires. lol, not like y ou can find a big lift anyway.
they are not much more to modify than something like a jeep. Its just easy when you modify it like a jeep and gut it.
Talk to Jordan, he is the owner of http://www.rovertym.com/ Add some lockers, bigger tires, a bottle of wine, a log of cheese, and your all set. If you need advise you can also contact Larry at Rover Automotive in Durham. If you want a custom lift I can help you out.
Talk to Jordan, he is the owner of http://www.rovertym.com/ Add some lockers, bigger tires, a bottle of wine, a log of cheese, and your all set. If you need advise you can also contact Larry at Rover Automotive in Durham. If you want a custom lift I can help you out.
wheel naked
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2008
- Location
- Columbia, SC
after my ex totaled his XJ, he got a 96 disco.... ditto the roversnorth.com and rovertym.com suggestion... he lifted it about 3" and crammed 33" mud terrains in there, painted the stock rims black with a chrome lip and it actually looked pretty nice. had a roof rack and front grille guard with two hellas.. it never saw real trails like rausch creek or tellico, but for the everyday backyard woods offroading, it did pretty well! i can't remember it ever getting stuck...of course it was always unnerving whenever it flexed...you always felt like you were going to flop.
Reid
Hasnt Seen Dirt in Years
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Location
- Winston Salem
lol..best place to take your discovery for help is..........
Reid
Hasnt Seen Dirt in Years
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Location
- Winston Salem
carmax.
Reid
Hasnt Seen Dirt in Years
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Location
- Winston Salem
just kidding. the discovery was better than the disco II. at least it had a locking center diff. and bout 3000 feet less sensor harnes....i.e. fewer sensors.
madcowdungbeeetle, i think is the screen name, had a really cool one on dana 60s
madcowdungbeeetle, i think is the screen name, had a really cool one on dana 60s
Macdaddy4738
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2005
LR Max
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2007
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
Check out these two places:
www.roversdownsouth.com
www.tntlr.com
I've done a lot of business with tntlr and they are quick. However rovers down south is a lot cheaper and TONS cheaper than rovers down south. Watch out though, the guys at rovers down south...they can act a little strange sometimes so don't freak out and run away. Go along with the shenanigans, laugh, then get your parts.
Ditto on Larry at Rover Auto. They've got plenty of used parts laying around.
The rovertym suspension is pretty good stuff. Main thing is to get their front diff cover. It is a weld on unit but a good one. The clap-on style diff covers are ungodly worthless. One hit and they fall off the truck. Not to mention the crappier version costs more.
A 2" lift will allow you to easily fit 31s so a 3~4" will allow plenty of room for 33" tires. The stock rims are 16". If you don't want to keep running 16" rims (which I can understand) then check out www.gulfcoastrovers.com.
If the truck is gonna get wheeled, keep an eye out for spare front axle shafts. They can be had used for a reasonable price and having them on hand is nice.
The rear will readily accept a detroit locker. Call up Performance off road center in ATL. Last I checked they had the best price said lockers. At the same time, upgrade the rear axle shafts. www.rovertracks.com offer aftermarket shafts that are pretty cheap. The reason I say that is if you do break a rear axle shaft, it'll kill the locker.
The front axle is a little tricky, either a LSD or air locker because of permenant 4WD.
I'd recommend getting custom rock sliders made (if you can do it, good for you, if not a shop). All the bolt-on rock slider kits out there bolt onto the body. Well the body is made out of aluminum and when the slider takes a hit, it bends the body. Tieing the rock sliders into the frame is crucial. Also having the rock sliders protrude out helps protect the body.
Replace the steering hose lines. These have a nasty habit of springing a leak and causing the truck to catch fire. This is a pain in the rear.
The rover comes stock with cross over steering. However look heavily into a steering stabilizer relocation kit and heavier duty steering links.
The 94~95 models have a nasty habit of puking their cyl. head gaskets. However if you've ever worked on a pushrod V8, thats all this is. Be prepared for this.
The rear driveshaft is connected to the pinion via a rubber thingie called a rotoflex. If it looks old and worn, replace it. Better yet look into a u-joint conversion kit (uses components from an older Range Rover). However simply replacing the rotoflex is usually good enough. On that note, I would recommend getting both driveshafts rebuilt. There is a shop, Carolina Driveline that can take care of you (google that name). Ship them the shafts and they will handle it. The price is right as well. Balancing both shafts is just insurance against blowing up your t-case or pinion bearing.
Check condition of engine fan clutch. Do this by grabbing the fan and then wigglin' it. If it is solid, then its fine. If not then replace.
The engines are weak in these trucks but fairly durable. The transmissions are solid as are the transfer cases. The axles are pretty retarded. Full floating rear with full floating kingpin in the front but still kinda weak. Stick to the ~33" and it'll be fine.
For lighter wheelin' the rovers are pretty awesome. Comfortable but still fairly capable. 3 link rear and radius arms in the front, all the links have decent length to them.
Check front track bar bushings. They have a tendency to go bad and give teh death wobbles. This is sad.
Check all wheel bearings. They are full floating so treat accordingly. However grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions and then wiggle. If the tire moves, wheel bearings need to be replaced. You will need to purchase a special tool to remove the lock nuts. Call one of the rover shops above for said tool.
If you avoid the dealer and buying parts from places like Atlantic British or Rovers North then the price isn't gonna be any worse than a jeep.
There is a little metal clip in the transmission shifter knob that sometimes brakes, causing the transmission to lock into park. To fix this, take a small slotted screwdriver and pry off the top cover. Then grab the silver rod in the middle shifter and pull up (with the brake depressed). You can then shift normally. I tell you this trick because it'll freak you out when your stuck 20 miles back in some trails and the damn thing won't shift. Also the brake light fuse, if burnt, will yield similar symptoms.
If it doesn't have trailer wiring and you want trailer wiring...its a pain in the ass. Plan half a day and a case of beer. Thats all I have to say about that.
I bet that truck hasn't been shifted into 4 wheel low or center diff locked. Tell your buddy to start workin' it to free up the linkage. They get stiff/seized due to lack of use. You can crawl up under there and play with it.
On either side of the transmission on the firewall in the engine compartment are two little "nipple" looking things. These are the drainage pipes for the A/C condenser. The "nipples" get clogged up and then water spills out on the carpet inside. This is annoying. Take a screwdriver and pop them out (this is what the dealership does). The nipple things might have already been removed, but if not, handle it.
Under the passenger seat of 94 and 95 models, there is a little red/brown looking box. At certain intervals this box throws the "check engine" light (or one of the lights), forcing you to bring it into the dealership. To fix this, remove said box from truck (pick your choice of disposal). This box might have already been removed so if you don't see it, be happy. I think the box says, "Emission maintenace reminder" or something. Its behind the glove box on 96' discoveries.
If the window randomly falls down, its the track assembly. Instead of replacing, find a friend with a welder. There is a spot weld that commonly fails and isn't "fixed" on replacement units. Having it welded will be cheaper, easier and a better fix.
Figure out how to replace the cabin filter. Its probably never been replaced and will make the climate control work so much better. I recommend this for any used vehicle.
Overall these are pretty reliable trucks. Its always little shit that breaks. However driving in Uwharrie with the windows up, A/C on recirculate is DA BOMB then asking random people if they have cheap mustard in a jar.
Enjoy.
www.roversdownsouth.com
www.tntlr.com
I've done a lot of business with tntlr and they are quick. However rovers down south is a lot cheaper and TONS cheaper than rovers down south. Watch out though, the guys at rovers down south...they can act a little strange sometimes so don't freak out and run away. Go along with the shenanigans, laugh, then get your parts.
Ditto on Larry at Rover Auto. They've got plenty of used parts laying around.
The rovertym suspension is pretty good stuff. Main thing is to get their front diff cover. It is a weld on unit but a good one. The clap-on style diff covers are ungodly worthless. One hit and they fall off the truck. Not to mention the crappier version costs more.
A 2" lift will allow you to easily fit 31s so a 3~4" will allow plenty of room for 33" tires. The stock rims are 16". If you don't want to keep running 16" rims (which I can understand) then check out www.gulfcoastrovers.com.
If the truck is gonna get wheeled, keep an eye out for spare front axle shafts. They can be had used for a reasonable price and having them on hand is nice.
The rear will readily accept a detroit locker. Call up Performance off road center in ATL. Last I checked they had the best price said lockers. At the same time, upgrade the rear axle shafts. www.rovertracks.com offer aftermarket shafts that are pretty cheap. The reason I say that is if you do break a rear axle shaft, it'll kill the locker.
The front axle is a little tricky, either a LSD or air locker because of permenant 4WD.
I'd recommend getting custom rock sliders made (if you can do it, good for you, if not a shop). All the bolt-on rock slider kits out there bolt onto the body. Well the body is made out of aluminum and when the slider takes a hit, it bends the body. Tieing the rock sliders into the frame is crucial. Also having the rock sliders protrude out helps protect the body.
Replace the steering hose lines. These have a nasty habit of springing a leak and causing the truck to catch fire. This is a pain in the rear.
The rover comes stock with cross over steering. However look heavily into a steering stabilizer relocation kit and heavier duty steering links.
The 94~95 models have a nasty habit of puking their cyl. head gaskets. However if you've ever worked on a pushrod V8, thats all this is. Be prepared for this.
The rear driveshaft is connected to the pinion via a rubber thingie called a rotoflex. If it looks old and worn, replace it. Better yet look into a u-joint conversion kit (uses components from an older Range Rover). However simply replacing the rotoflex is usually good enough. On that note, I would recommend getting both driveshafts rebuilt. There is a shop, Carolina Driveline that can take care of you (google that name). Ship them the shafts and they will handle it. The price is right as well. Balancing both shafts is just insurance against blowing up your t-case or pinion bearing.
Check condition of engine fan clutch. Do this by grabbing the fan and then wigglin' it. If it is solid, then its fine. If not then replace.
The engines are weak in these trucks but fairly durable. The transmissions are solid as are the transfer cases. The axles are pretty retarded. Full floating rear with full floating kingpin in the front but still kinda weak. Stick to the ~33" and it'll be fine.
For lighter wheelin' the rovers are pretty awesome. Comfortable but still fairly capable. 3 link rear and radius arms in the front, all the links have decent length to them.
Check front track bar bushings. They have a tendency to go bad and give teh death wobbles. This is sad.
Check all wheel bearings. They are full floating so treat accordingly. However grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions and then wiggle. If the tire moves, wheel bearings need to be replaced. You will need to purchase a special tool to remove the lock nuts. Call one of the rover shops above for said tool.
If you avoid the dealer and buying parts from places like Atlantic British or Rovers North then the price isn't gonna be any worse than a jeep.
There is a little metal clip in the transmission shifter knob that sometimes brakes, causing the transmission to lock into park. To fix this, take a small slotted screwdriver and pry off the top cover. Then grab the silver rod in the middle shifter and pull up (with the brake depressed). You can then shift normally. I tell you this trick because it'll freak you out when your stuck 20 miles back in some trails and the damn thing won't shift. Also the brake light fuse, if burnt, will yield similar symptoms.
If it doesn't have trailer wiring and you want trailer wiring...its a pain in the ass. Plan half a day and a case of beer. Thats all I have to say about that.
I bet that truck hasn't been shifted into 4 wheel low or center diff locked. Tell your buddy to start workin' it to free up the linkage. They get stiff/seized due to lack of use. You can crawl up under there and play with it.
On either side of the transmission on the firewall in the engine compartment are two little "nipple" looking things. These are the drainage pipes for the A/C condenser. The "nipples" get clogged up and then water spills out on the carpet inside. This is annoying. Take a screwdriver and pop them out (this is what the dealership does). The nipple things might have already been removed, but if not, handle it.
Under the passenger seat of 94 and 95 models, there is a little red/brown looking box. At certain intervals this box throws the "check engine" light (or one of the lights), forcing you to bring it into the dealership. To fix this, remove said box from truck (pick your choice of disposal). This box might have already been removed so if you don't see it, be happy. I think the box says, "Emission maintenace reminder" or something. Its behind the glove box on 96' discoveries.
If the window randomly falls down, its the track assembly. Instead of replacing, find a friend with a welder. There is a spot weld that commonly fails and isn't "fixed" on replacement units. Having it welded will be cheaper, easier and a better fix.
Figure out how to replace the cabin filter. Its probably never been replaced and will make the climate control work so much better. I recommend this for any used vehicle.
Overall these are pretty reliable trucks. Its always little shit that breaks. However driving in Uwharrie with the windows up, A/C on recirculate is DA BOMB then asking random people if they have cheap mustard in a jar.
Enjoy.
thanks for all the help i'm going to shoot for a set of 33's for him later on right now i am going to concentrate on getting everything inspected and ready to follow usup to harlan. you all have provided me plenty of reading material and places to look thanks
y2kcrawler
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2008
- Location
- Lake Wylie, SC
also check www.uhaul.com when you get to harlan.. You will need it on the way back. Cheers man and goodluck with yalls build.
Reid
Hasnt Seen Dirt in Years
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Location
- Winston Salem
LMAO!!!
I have only had one experience with land rovers and i was impressed. we had a group follow us through windrock this winter and those guys were hard on their stuff they looked nice from the outside but i saw many a sparks fly off of rocks because of lack of ground clearance. If you told them to back up and hit it again a little harder they listened, it was a blast. It was like going back to when you first started wheeling and those easy trails took all day but damn they were fun, i had as much fun watching those guys as i did driving that day. Made me want to go buy an old chevy with open diffs and just beat the crap out of it all over again. You almost forget what it was like after you build a buggy, where those mild obstacles aren't even worth stopping to look at anymore. I am excited to help build something new.