Face-lift Disco: converting to 5 seats and cruise control

I am planning on upgrading my 1999 Disco TD5 ES to a post face-lift TD5 ie a
2002 or 2003 model. I've surveyed the small ads and found that there are
virtually no post face-lift models with cruise control and 5 seats.
Apparently Land Rover removed cruise as a standard fitment for ES (it became
an optional extra) and I'm guessing they just stopped making 5 seaters.
Personally I prefer the extra load-space you get with the rear bins instead
of the extra seats. Has anyone tried replacing the seats with Land Rover
sourced bins? Is it just a case of unbolting the seats and fitting the bins
or is the rear interior plastic purpose built for a 7 seater?

Has anyone tried retro-fitting cruise control to a TD5? Can you buy Land
Rover parts and do it yourself? Presumably a dealer would do it for me for a
small fortune.

Any ideas or comments are gratefully received.

Mike

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 10:41:54 +0000 (UTC), "Mike Corrigall"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I am planning on upgrading my 1999 Disco TD5 ES to a post face-lift TD5 ie a
>2002 or 2003 model. I've surveyed the small ads and found that there are
>virtually no post face-lift models with cruise control and 5 seats.
>Apparently Land Rover removed cruise as a standard fitment for ES (it became
>an optional extra) and I'm guessing they just stopped making 5 seaters.
>Personally I prefer the extra load-space you get with the rear bins instead
>of the extra seats. Has anyone tried replacing the seats with Land Rover
>sourced bins? Is it just a case of unbolting the seats and fitting the bins
>or is the rear interior plastic purpose built for a 7 seater?
>
>Has anyone tried retro-fitting cruise control to a TD5? Can you buy Land
>Rover parts and do it yourself? Presumably a dealer would do it for me for a
>small fortune.
>
>Any ideas or comments are gratefully received.
>
>Mike
>

I may be wrong, but ISTR that all TD5's have cruise control within
them, due to the fly-by-wire throttle. All you actually need is the
switchgear and, probably, a software mod.

http://www.lrx.com/forum/messages/17218.html

Oh, here you go... £99 for the all the bits

http://www.famousfour.co.uk/wshop.html


--

Tim Hobbs

'58 Series 2 88" aka "Stig"
'77 101FC Ambulance aka "Burrt"
'03 Volvo V70

My Landies? http://www.seriesii.co.uk
Barcoding? http://www.bartec-systems.com
Tony Luckwill web archive at http://www.luckwill.com

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 10:41:54 +0000 (UTC), Mike Corrigall wrote:

> Apparently Land Rover removed cruise as a standard fitment for ES
> (it became an optional extra)

But a doddle to retro fit. Just done it to my TD5 ES took less than an
hour and the bits (as a kit, www.discoparts.com) =A355 all inc.

> Personally I prefer the extra load-space you get with the rear bins
> instead of the extra seats. Has anyone tried replacing the seats
> with Land Rover sourced bins? Is it just a case of unbolting the
> seats and fitting the bins or is the rear interior plastic purpose
> built for a 7 seater?

Donno, it's something that I might want to do in a few years time so
interested in any ones comments about this. Of course if you have the
rear aircon you can't do much with the LH jump seat as the rear aircon
stuff is in that void. Which is why that seat projects out into the
load space more than the RH one.

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 13:09:42 +0000, Tim Hobbs wrote:

> I may be wrong, but ISTR that all TD5's have cruise control within
> them, due to the fly-by-wire throttle. All you actually need is the
> switchgear and, probably, a software mod.

Just the switch gear and about an hours time for me, no adjustment to
the software. Longest part was cutting the hole in the soft plastic
cover over the back of the steering wheel.

Works a treat, though it is reactive rather than proactive. ie there
is a some change of speed (a few mph) when the gradient changes before
the system notices and corrects it. But that is on the roads around
here that change gradient quite rapidly rather than a relatively flat
motorway with gradual changes. Hum will gradual chnages sneak up on it
even more than rapid ones?

> Oh, here you go... =A399 for the all the bits
>
> http://www.famousfour.co.uk/wshop.html

Flippin eck the switches are around a tenner each from Landrover. How
ever Land Rover do not carry the required fixing bracket for the
steering wheel switch... It's not really just a bit of tin either but
possible to fabricate yourself if you can cut/drill 4mm (approx) thick
steel accurately.

See my previous post: www.discoparts.com TD5 Cruise Control Kit (both
switches (genuine LR), nicely made bracket, 3 screws, detailed
instructions and template for hole in rear steering wheel cover) all
for =A355 all inc.

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 13:09:42 +0000, Tim Hobbs wrote:

> Oh, here you go... =A399 for the all the bits

Ah that price also includes fitting. So not so bad with labour at
=A375/hr... B-)

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Was wondering if this will work on my 2001 Discovery 'E' spec??

Mick

"Dave Liquorice" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 10:41:54 +0000 (UTC), Mike Corrigall wrote:

> Apparently Land Rover removed cruise as a standard fitment for ES
> (it became an optional extra)

But a doddle to retro fit. Just done it to my TD5 ES took less than an
hour and the bits (as a kit, www.discoparts.com) £55 all inc.

> Personally I prefer the extra load-space you get with the rear bins
> instead of the extra seats. Has anyone tried replacing the seats
> with Land Rover sourced bins? Is it just a case of unbolting the
> seats and fitting the bins or is the rear interior plastic purpose
> built for a 7 seater?

Donno, it's something that I might want to do in a few years time so
interested in any ones comments about this. Of course if you have the
rear aircon you can't do much with the LH jump seat as the rear aircon
stuff is in that void. Which is why that seat projects out into the
load space more than the RH one.

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 19:26:52 GMT, Mick wrote:

> Was wondering if this will work on my 2001 Discovery 'E' spec??

I *think* so, provided you have a TD5. The petrol engine isn't "fly by
wire" and needs throttle acuators etc rather than just adding a couple
of switches.

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail