Does anyone use their P38 Offroad

I off road mine quite regularly and have only ever got stuck once when I got cross axled in a particularly dodgy stretch of green lane, so they are pretty good in standard form. The EAS is such a fundamental part of what makes the P38 good that I wouldn't consider getting rid of it. You might as well just buy a Disco if you want coils. I've never had an issue with my EAS whilst offroading - it just makes the car.

As for this constant harping on about the BECM being under the drivers seat, isn't this the case for all LR products? Even the Defenders now have them under the seats don't they and they're about as watertight as a doily.

langley said:

I like P38's for some unknown reason. An having spent my fair share of times in the above, i would rather walk... Plus, 4K for a 1987 ****e box, no thanks.... AN a disco 2, dont even get me started. i dont feel that a 2000+ car should have to be inspected for rust when buying. Not just check the wheel arches etc.. Is the thing falling apart!!!!

Plus, a P38 offroader is different, an eyebrow raising. Nice to stick a couple up at the doubters occasionally.

P38 is an incredibly capable vehicle, with some of its capabilty reduced to allow it to be great around chelsea.. I dont live in chelsea an its a second car.. So, i can reduce the compromise in some areas to up it in others..

Click to expand...

You need to check the P38 for rust, my 96 is as rusty as hell and rusted out brake pipes are a common problem, so common I don't know how LR have not been sued.

Datatek said:

You need to check the P38 for rust, my 96 is as rusty as hell and rusted out brake pipes are a common problem, so common I don't know how LR have not been sued.

Click to expand...

To be fair, on a 1990's car a bit of rust is acceptable an to be honest expected..

But, read a buyers guide on a Disco 2.. They are what, 1999 to 2003+, an it always says check the frame for rust.. Thats not acceptable.. There are now emergine markets for new Discovery frames.. Its unbelievable really..


I dont really want to get rid of the EAS as it makes getting the dog in soooo much easier, but as said. I will be increasing the tyre size to increase diff clearance, alot of areas are becoming quite rutted due to usage to i dont want to drag the diff and ruin the place.

Taking the larger diameter into account, im unsure how to make the EAS work. Yes, i could put Gen3 bags in place with terra firma +2 shocks and moved sensors. But then i would still need to raise the vehicles height in motorway and stock setting (albeit slightly unsure of exact amount) to stop any rubbing issues. All in all, it will be a case of investigation. Until i get the car and put the tyres on it i wont know how much i will need to modify the areas to make it work. But, i guess thats half the fun really.

Datatek said:

You need to check the P38 for rust, my 96 is as rusty as hell and rusted out brake pipes are a common problem, so common I don't know how LR have not been sued.

Click to expand...

I thought one of the plus points of the P38 was that it just didn't rust? I've never seen a rusty one! Where is yours rusting? Brake pipes don't count!!

langley said:

To be fair, on a 1990's car a bit of rust is acceptable an to be honest expected..

But, read a buyers guide on a Disco 2.. They are what, 1999 to 2003+, an it always says check the frame for rust.. Thats not acceptable.. There are now emergine markets for new Discovery frames.. Its unbelievable really..


I dont really want to get rid of the EAS as it makes getting the dog in soooo much easier, but as said. I will be increasing the tyre size to increase diff clearance, alot of areas are becoming quite rutted due to usage to i dont want to drag the diff and ruin the place.

Taking the larger diameter into account, im unsure how to make the EAS work. Yes, i could put Gen3 bags in place with terra firma +2 shocks and moved sensors. But then i would still need to raise the vehicles height in motorway and stock setting (albeit slightly unsure of exact amount) to stop any rubbing issues. All in all, it will be a case of investigation. Until i get the car and put the tyres on it i wont know how much i will need to modify the areas to make it work. But, i guess thats half the fun really.

Click to expand...

If you re-locate the sensors, it will affect ALL height settings not just standard and wadeing.

kooky_guy said:

I thought one of the plus points of the P38 was that it just didn't rust? I've never seen a rusty one! Where is yours rusting? Brake pipes don't count!!

Click to expand...

They can and will rust, main areas ive seen, although not detrimental:

Frame rails
Boot floor
around windows, screen
bottom of doors
Lower tail gate

kooky_guy said:

I thought one of the plus points of the P38 was that it just didn't rust? I've never seen a rusty one! Where is yours rusting? Brake pipes don't count!!

Click to expand...

Chassis, axle ends/hubs various bits at the front, underside at the rear although I haven't looked too closely at that.

langley said:

Im unsure of the dislike of larger tyres. Im looking at larger but not huge. An its for a reason which your a atar actually highlights. To get more clesrance under the diff.

This will protect the vehicle an the ground your travelling over. Which is very important on grean lanes. The larver rubber will also allow lower pressures an hence largerr footprint lower ground pressure an hence not leaving tracker marks lkke so many do. Im also lucky to be not far from being rocky trails. Where the larger tyres at lower pressures will assist mobility and reduce damage.

Im not gunna stick it on 35"rubber. I dont want a monster truck. But im happy to compromise some aspects of the vehicle to achieve my aims of a better offroad capable vehicle.

Click to expand...

It's not a dislike of bigger tyres per se, what you do is up to you it's your car, all we're doing is offering you our take on things.

You say you're from a rocky area so why not fit a good all terrain tyre with a higher ply rating to help prevent punctures, fit some diff guards and learn which side of the car the diffs are on so you can drive around obstacles without hitting them, get some waffle boards to help lift you over the larger stuff.

Safe and competent greenlaning is more about reading the terrain in front of you and driving according to the conditions than bastardising an already competent vehicle with largely unnecessary add ons....

BOOMER said:

It's not a dislike of bigger tyres per se, what you do is up to you it's your car, all we're doing is offering you our take on things.

You say you're from a rocky area so why not fit a good all terrain tyre with a higher ply rating to help prevent punctures, fit some diff guards and learn which side of the car the diffs are on so you can drive around obstacles without hitting them, get some waffle boards to help lift you over the larger stuff.

Safe and competent greenlaning is more about reading the terrain in front of you and driving according to the conditions than bastardising an already competent vehicle with largely unnecessary add ons....

Click to expand...

If there's a fence: I'll sit on your side.

We go off road with our P38 all the time (well, when its was last running!)

It frankly astounds me what it'll do! We towed a horse box and two horses to their winter paddock through a foot of cow slurry... 2 foot of snow... up a steep hill... on 18" rims and road tires!

When it snows at work it'll run rings round the L200's and Hi Lux's we use as works vehicles.

Frostycab said:

We go off road with our P38 all the time (well, when its was last running!)

It frankly astounds me what it'll do! We towed a horse box and two horses to their winter paddock through a foot of cow slurry... 2 foot of snow... up a steep hill... on 18" rims and road tires!

When it goes or works it'll run rings round the L200's and Hi Lux's we use as works vehicles.

Click to expand...

rather have a hilux's reliability though

howardo said:

rather have a hilux's reliability though

Click to expand...

True... we used L200s, Outlanders, Nivaras and Hiluxs

All our trucks get the most unbearable abuse and beating you could imagine! 3 years of pot holed dirt tracks and driven with the enthusiasm specially reserved for other peoples property!

Our L200 is 2 1/2 years old, totally trashed, suspension is shot, on its third rear diff, constantly in to get fixed and all at around 70k! Same story for the Nivara and outlanders.

The Hiluxs go back to the lease company and never fail any of the mechanical checks... they just amaze me how much abuse they can withstand! But when the going gets really bad they just don't have the off road ability of a good old landrover.

just wish there was more off road armoury available for them in the UK no one here makes a snorkel or under body protection its all got to be fabed from other things was looking at a Cherokee snorkel tonight to see if i could get it to fit the p38

mutsnutz said:

just wish there was more off road armoury available for them in the UK no one here makes a snorkel or under body protection its all got to be fabed from other things was looking at a Cherokee snorkel tonight to see if i could get it to fit the p38

Click to expand...

Try the usa. I particular a company called lucky 8 offroad. He runs a beast of a p38.

mutsnutz said:

just wish there was more off road armoury available for them in the UK no one here makes a snorkel or under body protection its all got to be fabed from other things was looking at a Cherokee snorkel tonight to see if i could get it to fit the p38

Click to expand...

Why would you need a snorkel on a vehicle that has a max wading depth of 20 inches? You are asking it to do something it was never designed to do.

wammers said:

Why would you need a snorkel on a vehicle that has a max wading depth of 20 inches? You are asking it to do something it was never designed to do.

Click to expand...

Maybe for sandy conditions rather than for water?

TCubed said:

Maybe for sandy conditions rather than for water?

Click to expand...

How often in this country do you get dry sandy conditions?

wammers said:

Why would you need a snorkel on a vehicle that has a max wading depth of 20 inches? You are asking it to do something it was never designed to do.

Click to expand...

because i can some of my laning involves crossing water so better be safe than sorry and getting shown up by the jap motors :hysterically_laughi:behindsofa:

wammers said:

How often in this country do you get dry sandy conditions?

Click to expand...

quite often down the beach

TCubed said:

Maybe for sandy conditions rather than for water?

Click to expand...

The sand would have to be bloody deep to need a snorkal