Defender 90 vs. rubicon.

dae03TJ

New Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Location
Wilmington, NC
ok so a friend and i are having a discussion. We are both jeep owners. I am partial to the land rover defender 90, and he seems to think that a stock rubicon would out perform a stock defender 90. is there any links you can send me so i can see the specs of a stock defender 90.
 
www.google.com

Here is the exterior for a 97. (first hit from google)
Exterior Dimensions & Weight
Soft Top Wagon
Number of Doors 2 2
Curb Weight - Automatic (lb.) No data No data
Curb Weight - Manual (lb.) 3560 3913
Wheelbase (in.) 92.90 92.90
Length (in.) 157.10 157.10
Width (in.) 70.50 70.50
Height (in.) 80.20 80.20
Track Front (in.) 58.50 58.50
Track Rear (in.) 58.50 58.50
Ground Clearance (in.) 9.00 9.00


www.wikipedia.org has some tidbits too.
 
I like the d90's as well and have a great dislike for jeeps...but a rubi unlimited vs a stock d90, there would be no contest...given the same driver.
 
Maybe I'm wrong but aren't the D-90's open F&R? If so then of course a Rubicon will outperform it. New JK Rubicons are locked F&R with ~32" tires from the factory...
 
the landy is a boat anchor unless your trail riding. i drive a disco II, very similar. very not impressive. course the defender would have the advantage of a locking center diff where mine doesnt.
 
didn't the D90s come locked front and rear?

I'm not LR fan, and sure didnt take the time to even google, but I thought they came locked F&R and had a center Diff lock that was selectable from the factory...
 
Im a Jeep lover and a D90 fan as well. Course i own a Jeep cause with a LR you definately have to have money in order to maintain one of those. A rubi Jeep would def. beat the land rover. The only advantage of the land rover is the knarley V8 they put in those things, but the rubi is geared and locked and lighter so it will definately win. I remember reading an article a while back with the LR vs the Mercedes G Wagon, it got smoked by that (then) $90 k vehicle.
 
I say stock to stock they are about the same however the rubicon has lockers and that means game over for the d90. I like the d90, G and rubicon. They are all great 4x4s. The d90 prices are going to get interesting because on January 1, 2009, 1980 D90s can come into the the USA as a 25 year old vehicle.
 
That is interesting to know UZJ100 - i was going to get a D90 b/c they stopped importing them in 95 b/c they didnt have airbags or auto seat belts. I was recently looking last year and even LR D90's with 100k + miles were still around $26k!!! So Definately the Rubi just because you get all that muscle for less :wheel:
 
They're both overpriced :gay:ness

But the TJ would spank that Brit-shit's ass because of the lockers and t-case gearing alone.
 
What's the difference in "tippiness" factor?
Supposedly D90s have a rather low and well-balanced COG, can handle pretty steep inclines w/o concern. Same claim for the Benz G.
A buddy in England swears his D90 is full-time 4wd, and when you engage it locks both teh center and f/r diffs. However his is a retired military, so the setup could be different from normal. I'm still not sure I believe him.

Oh and also to be sure this is Apples/apples, are we talking same production year and only factory "base" options?
 
hard to get year-year on a D90 (at least a US version) and a Rubi....
 
...A buddy in England swears his D90 is full-time 4wd, and when you engage it locks both teh center and f/r diffs. ...

Reckon without, U.S. C.A.F.E., European Landys might be available that way?

Jus a thought. Would be neat, tho, huh!
 
Reckon without, U.S. C.A.F.E., European Landys might be available that way?

Jus a thought. Would be neat, tho, huh!

Once againm thsi was a Brittish military, so no telling.

Oh and yes, for a fair comparison it would have to be Brittish "everyday" D90 vs American Rubi, right? Are the same Rubi options even available there?
 
well if he can use over seas as a camparo then the landy might have it beat. think turbo diesel!!!! and im pretty sure you can get factory lockers in all three diffs. over there.
 
damn all this rover talk. i hate the freakin things and now i want a D90!!!
 
What's the difference in "tippiness" factor?
Supposedly D90s have a rather low and well-balanced COG, can handle pretty steep inclines w/o concern. Same claim for the Benz G.
A buddy in England swears his D90 is full-time 4wd, and when you engage it locks both teh center and f/r diffs. However his is a retired military, so the setup could be different from normal. I'm still not sure I believe him.
Oh and also to be sure this is Apples/apples, are we talking same production year and only factory "base" options?


It's a center "diff" lock. Since it doesn't have a real tcase, it needs it. There is no locking of the axles. 50% of the typical truck drivers out there think that when they lock their hubs and put the tcase into "4lo", both axles are locked...and there isn't much you can do to convince them otherwise.

They both have sway bars but the jeep has a front disconnect as well as a much more powerful engine. Plus the jeep has a longer wheelbase.
The only thing special about the rover really is that it was the rubicon of it's day (except for maybe land cruisers).

The only downside to the rubi is that it would require owning a jeep...
 
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