Defender Road Manners

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DougLang

Active Member
Posts
131
I have been tidying up my 1986 90 and have fitted a 200tdi, intercooler and messed about with fuel settings and it drives beautifully. I have also fitted heavy duty springs and shocks. I use it mainly on the road but live rurally so need its 4x4 capabilities in muddy fields with the horses and helping out on the local farm. It never gets used where axle articulation is a big issue.

I am keen to improve road manners as this is where it does most of its work and it drives beautifully in a straight line!!!

What can I do to improve the cornering and stop the wallowing I get when flying around the lanes? Thoughts about a rear anti roll bar but can't find any info as there are no mounts on this model. Also bushes... can’t afford Polybush! Cheaper brand/supplier? What do you all recon I can do to improve my fast defender... (0-60 today measured 14 seconds!) (Carefully eye on EGT gauge!!)
 
it's a 4x4 not a fecking race car, make sure your bushes are good. failing that decent dampers. My v8 manages ok as standard
 
Mine's a fecking race car! Any suggestions for budget/value harder bushes? Got new dampers, cellular ones from Britpart... a bit budget I know!
 
It all costs...

Progressive springs, retro fit air suspension, smaller tyres.

heavey duty spings will not be healping the road handling when its not laden.
 
I had similar probs and just adjusted my driving style. lifted disco 1 on 235/85/16's with a LOT of extra weight winch and full bumper and full wrap round 6mm steel back end etc.

Read the road far enough ahead to anticpate corners, gently start an early turn in to the corner and then just wind it in. no sudden steering inputs and it is suprising just how well she will hold the road on at's. often leaving lesser cars behind.:cool:

roundabouts can become quite exiting though:eek::eek:
 
frog hopper said:
I had similar probs and just adjusted my driving style. lifted disco 1 on 235/85/16's with a LOT of extra weight winch and full bumper and full wrap round 6mm steel back end etc.

Read the road far enough ahead to anticpate corners, gently start an early turn in to the corner and then just wind it in. no sudden steering inputs and it is suprising just how well she will hold the road on at's. often leaving lesser cars behind.:cool:

roundabouts can become quite exiting though:eek::eek:
Click to expand...

mate a mine recons i got 2 speeds flat out and all stop never seem to get into any bother standard 90 deepender
 
You will probably find that your 90 is quite fast enough to take to staright to the location of a serious accident .
They were never designed to be a sports car , the cog is too high , they are very short wheelbase, on a suspension system that was never expected to be subjected to rally type driving . Yes you can drive it fast by positioning etc , but anything unexpected will soon show you that there is no margin for error, I just hope that I will not be coming along a country lane that you are travelling JMHO
 
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