What to do with a 90

matchmetisse said:

Yes mate youre right spent £400 on my bag o ****e this weekend, and it still looks like a bag o ****e

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know the feeling, i'm just getting mine back on the road after two years out, got to the end of extensive spending to find the fe**ing ignition barrel and wiring is no good.

First thing that I would recommend is that as soon as you get it, learn to drive it!!

Landies are not like a car, and a few hints and tips will help you to understand your new vehicle ... For example it is all about reading the road and knowing what is happening all around you, and only using the brakes to stop!

And before you ask, yes I do give lessons

Elvislives said:

Hi Liamh94,

Was the cam belt change an easy job? Where did you get the new belt from?

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Hi mate, i had mine done at a local garage as there was some other bits and bobs that needed doing!

Cheers for all the advice. I'm not getting notified of comments to the post, so thought it had gone quiet.

I haven't picked it up yet, but I've bought air, fuel and oil filters, new wipers, some 10W40 Delphi oil (is that okay, as it was the only stuff that was suggested on the website for the vehicle) and an alarm with remote start and wait for it......retro fit central locking! It's an ebay one from hawkcaralarm.com, with proximity sensors rather than ultrasonic, because apparently 90's aren't very air tight!

I'm just about to buy a cam belt kit, and found a video somewhere stating that everyone that has defenders changes the engine oil regularly, but forget to change the gearbox oil, so I think I'll get the stuff for that as well.

I was looking at posts about changing to a 200 tdi, but I will wait until the 2.5TD dies first. I may look out for one though, but will look at making it look tidy first. I think I will buy new doors and a new rear door, as they are the only things that are visibly rusting.

Then I will probably change the suspension and get some All Terrain tyres. If I get +2" suspension, what size wheels and tyres should I be looking at, and should I use spacers?

In terms of what I will be using it for.... I am going to stick the mountain bikes on the back of it and drive to a single track mountain bike course at the weekends, and use it to get to work when the weather is bad. At the moment the route is country lanes all the way, and they are the last to be gritted. I will also use it for dragging a massive roller around a paddock, and might try to drive down a few tiny lanes where cars daren't go, but nothing serious in terms of off roading.

That being said, I did read somewhere about joining a trip across the Sahara, but that's wishfull thinking at the moment! Probably need to see if the 90 can be driven 40 miles home first!

Oldseadog, yes, I understand what you are saying. I had an old Suzuki LJ80 many years ago, and if you took you eye off the road when driving in a straight line, when you looked back again you were pretty much heading in the wrong direction. When I test drove the 90 it was similar.

Proximity alarm is a good idea. Added bonus of those is if you have a roof rack, it prevents people getting close enough to rob stuff off it if they aren't trying to swipe the landy itself.

For doors, I'd recommend galvanised and repair original doors with new skins or look at Ashtree Landrover International | Homepage for them.

Get a swing-away wheel carrier too if fitting the wheel on the back especially if you want bigger tyres as the rear door and hinges can't take the strain.


Personally, I wouldn't bother lifting a 90. I think they look perfect with maybe a set of HD springs to raise them a tiny little bit and a set of 33s under them. By the sounds of your intended use, a lift wouldn't be needed in any case. Bigger tyres will make it more than capable for what you want to do I reckon. Unless you really want or need a lift, it's expensive to do properly too in such a way you won't get any of the major side effects by just throwing a set of 2" springs ans shocks under it. There's the bones of a grand under my 110 in suspension with shocks, springs, castor correction arms, cranked trailing arms, adjustable panhard, extended brake-lines and thats with pretty basic shocks which I want to upgrade soon and still want to get different props to finish it off to get it perfect.

If getting new wheels and tyres and want a wider track, get rims with low offset rather than spacers. It'll cost less overall and spacers are abit of a pita with maintenance as they are an extra set of wheel bolts to undo if hubs, discs etc need changing plus they are adding more un-sprung weight which is never a good thing even if it is a 2 tonne tractor

Hi davem-sport,

Some good points there. Thanks. The suspension will be a way off yet, so I will get to know the car first. I was thinking of doing a lift that didn't need the brakes lines changing etc. I will look at the HD springs.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what are 33s?

You don't need the brakelines for a 2" lift most of the time but its nice to have them as they aren't too expensive. It's the new radius arms, panhard and things that are the expensive bit.


33s are 33" tyres such as 33x10.5 or 33x12.5 sizes.

Hi DaveM-Sport,

So what would they be in normal tyre sizes? Goodrich All-Terrains are a good make for Land Rovers aren't they? What is a good size to get, as in 285 x 80 x R16?

33x10.5 and 33x12.5 are "normal Sizes" search them and you will find them, generally they crop up with smaller rim sizes. (15") a 275/85/16 will be a similar height to a 33. the difference is that 33 signifies 33" in height then 10.5" in width, where as 285 would be 285mm width with a profile (height of the tyres exposed sidewall as a percentage of the width) 80, and obviousley rim size.

for your use, i would go for 255/85/16, these are a good size height wise and look very smart without a lift although a little more expensive than more standard sizes. you dont need the extended brake lines for a 2" as already stated, but as well as more space for suspension travel they offer better braking as they dont stretch under pressure. but again probably not for you.

and again, i would really listen to dave m sport about the lift, including wheels and tyres, and if you throw in heavy duty wide angle prop shafts you would be looking at £2k on parts.

I popped springs and shocks on mine when i was a landy newbie, without changing anything else and i made the car un-drivable above 40mph. so i learnt the hard way.

I have done a lot of research into lifting it aswell, and I have decided against it. The tyres on mine are 265/75/16 and they look pretty good. BFG AT tyres are also recommended from me.

Let me know how fitting the alarm goes, I have my eye on one of those on eBay. Security wise you should also have a disklok and clutch claw really.

I would also look at changing the bushes on it, poss for polybushes as they are cheap and make a big difference over old perished bushes. That is my next job.

Bigwill, it sounds as though I was going to do the same as you. I think I will get to know the car better before I try and lift it.

James6546, I'll let you know how the alarm fit goes, and will take a look at what's involved in changing the bushes too.