Off road basic essentials?

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nickp3003

nickp3003

Well-Known Member
Posts
1,399
Location
Bristol
I'm quite new to off roading and looking at preparing my disco 1 for some green lanes and pay n play.
I'd really appreciate some advice on kit to get for it.

I've got at tyres fitted are these ok? ( looking at getting mt next year )
Been looking at a terrafirma steering guard with recovery points, any good?
Wrap around diff gaurds/sliders or the simple round cheap ones?
I've gotta tow ball with pin is this ok for recovery?
And I'll be getting recovery straps and shackles what rating/breaking point should be ok?
Looking at a high lift jack any recommendations?
I'm also gonna take a grinder to the front bumper to cut the bottom half off, And got some box section sills being fitted next week so that's rock sliders sorted:)
Also making sure disco is solid! Done a full service, getting timing belt and all holes welded up :)

Is there anything else I could really do with?

Thanks everyone! I hope to see you all about in the mud soon! Had the disco a month now not driving it much :( and patience is wearing thin! I can't wait to get it done so I can play! :D

Thanks again I've been really pleased with all the advice on here! I Find myself logging in every day now haha :p
 
nickp3003 said:
I'm quite new to off roading and looking at preparing my disco 1 for some green lanes and pay n play.
I'd really appreciate some advice on kit to get for it.

I've got at tyres fitted are these ok? ( looking at getting mt next year )
Been looking at a terrafirma steering guard with recovery points, any good?
Wrap around diff gaurds/sliders or the simple round cheap ones?
I've gotta tow ball with pin is this ok for recovery?
And I'll be getting recovery straps and shackles what rating/breaking point should be ok?
Looking at a high lift jack any recommendations?
I'm also gonna take a grinder to the front bumper to cut the bottom half off, And got some box section sills being fitted next week so that's rock sliders sorted:)
Also making sure disco is solid! Done a full service, getting timing belt and all holes welded up :)

Is there anything else I could really do with?

Thanks everyone! I hope to see you all about in the mud soon! Had the disco a month now not driving it much :( and patience is wearing thin! I can't wait to get it done so I can play! :D

Thanks again I've been really pleased with all the advice on here! I Find myself logging in every day now haha :p
Click to expand...

I ran AT's and the cheap diff guards (still use them) for years. The towball pin is fine, don't use the towball. Better still is a removable towbar with a shackle recovery, or if you don't need a towball, remove it completely then buy and fit Jate rings.

Better than straps are ropes, 24mm diameter minimum and as long as you can afford. 8m is a good length. If you don't have a winch a tree strop isn't necessary, but can be useful to anchor your vehicle in some situations. Shackles, all I've ever used is 3.25 t SWL (Safe Working Load) and never had one snap, whether towing, snatching a vehicle out or winching. For the small extra money nowadays get 5.25 maybe ..

Make sure you go with another vehicle, and that one of you waits so you don't both get stuck in a section .. First rule of recovery is the rescuer doesn't also need rescuing ...

The best thing you can do is just get out there and drive, a lot! people drive differently and 'do' sections in different manners, so it's worth not buying too much to start with until you know what you need to do to get where you want! If it's always muddy, for instance, where you mostly go, then MT's will be a good upgrade, but if it's rocky then a different tread pattern might be better.

Always take a spare set of clothes .. in a waterproof bag, and a set of water wings ... ;)
 
Thanks for that Paul great advice I'm a little limited on money after doing up the disco so only want the bare essentials until next year :) cheaper the better with out compromising quality :)

Thanks for that
 
I found that buying anything from a 4X4 shop strap, shackle wise was way expensive,try a local lifting specialist i got all my stuff from one at a quarter of the price,i even bought extra stuff that had been on hire for next to nothing.
 
200 said:
I found that buying anything from a 4X4 shop strap, shackle wise was way expensive,try a local lifting specialist i got all my stuff from one at a quarter of the price,i even bought extra stuff that had been on hire for next to nothing.
Click to expand...

Nice thanks for that I've found a lifting specialist about 5 miles from me so I'll see what they got :D
 
Allso remember that water sucked into the engine will kill it,
So until you get a snorkle fitted be wairy of water coz some times it hard to avoid

theres loads of threads on snorkeles on here to help you


Remember "one life live it" stickers are not essential :D
 
Spunka said:
Allso remember that water sucked into the engine will kill it,
So until you get a snorkle fitted be wairy of water coz some times it hard to avoid

theres loads of threads on snorkeles on here to help you


Remember "one life live it" stickers are not essential :D
Click to expand...

Haha I know I seen some guy at LR show bath and west 2013 drive his defender 90 with a snorkel attached but.. Not plumbed in :doh: needless to say poor 90 died was pulled out with a lot of people watching and me filming it :D
He did not look happy when he pulled out a soaking wet air filter and threw it on the floor... Felt sorry for him but he should of known better! A snorkel is on my list for next year :)

I think the landyzone stickers are essential though ;) :D
 
decent tyres
decent recovery points front and rear
your own rope and shackles. (24mm nylon). ropes have some give in them and dont shock either vehicle.

Everything else is optional, but obviously drive to the vehicle and driver ability :D

Nowt worse than someone asking to be recovered on a P&P when they dont have their own rope! Why should i get mine all ****ted up! lol
 
mikeh501 said:
decent tyres
decent recovery points front and rear
your own rope and shackles. (24mm nylon). ropes have some give in them and dont shock either vehicle.

Everything else is optional, but obviously drive to the vehicle and driver ability :D

Nowt worse than someone asking to be recovered on a P&P when they dont have their own rope! Why should i get mine all ****ted up! lol
Click to expand...

I don't plan on doing anything too demanding yet but I'm prepared to get stuck so recovery points and ropes are at top of list :)
Thanks to everyone for the breaking points and diameters needed :)
 
If your doing a lot of wading (most particularly if the disco is a v8) a can of WD-40 or any water repelling spray will quite often make the difference between crossing the water and getting stuck. Spray some wd40 around the spark plugs and you should be good, I've heard it's a bit of a weak spot in the design of the rover v8, but a general spray on the electrics is a good idea regardless of petrol or diesel.
 
I'll get a few shackles that are rated, and a can of wd40 thanks for that ;) it's a tdi though so a little more water friendly, :)
 
Jesus poor newbie is gonna be buying stuff thats no good.

First of all a Tow ball fitted correctly is more than fine even for a serious recovery,

Secondly becareful with those removable jobbies some are not all that and usually never stamped to be used on the road if you ever fancy towing something.

Thirdly Buy a rope, DO NOT buy a strop of any ilk Especially from a lifting equipment place until you buy fit and own a winch. Strops are Useless for towing unless your not very stuck.

The link to the rope on ebay is good advice and spydie with rated shackles a rope is more expensive BUT it will repay you with ultra safe extraction from most situations whereas a strop the lifting kind will destroy your motor, any rated equipment. Ropes do break Why....poorly maintained, poor use. They are used in speed competitions as are standard tow balls fitted correctly where you have to extract vehicles from impossible situations as fast as possible.

Poor noobie.........
 
jai_landrover said:
Jesus poor newbie is gonna be buying stuff thats no good.

First of all a Tow ball fitted correctly is more than fine even for a serious recovery,

Secondly becareful with those removable jobbies some are not all that and usually never stamped to be used on the road if you ever fancy towing something.

Thirdly Buy a rope, DO NOT buy a strop of any ilk Especially from a lifting equipment place until you buy fit and own a winch. Strops are Useless for towing unless your not very stuck.

The link to the rope on ebay is good advice and spydie with rated shackles a rope is more expensive BUT it will repay you with ultra safe extraction from most situations whereas a strop the lifting kind will destroy your motor, any rated equipment. Ropes do break Why....poorly maintained, poor use. They are used in speed competitions as are standard tow balls fitted correctly where you have to extract vehicles from impossible situations as fast as possible.

Poor noobie.........
Click to expand...


Thanks for that, the two ball is removable, but I also have a disco I'm breaking with a fixed two ball would this be better then?

Recovery points on steering guard good to use too?

I'm planning on investing near 100 quid on decent recovery gear, best be safe than stuck in a bog with broken straps and ropes :D
 
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