'on-road' driving tips for 4x4

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T

Tim_Mac

Guest
hi
get ready to laugh, i used to drive a 993cc suzuki alto (ouch!), and
i'm just buying my first 4x4 car this week, a 300 TDi Defender 90.
obviously it will be a whole different kettle of fish for driving in.
there is a wealth of off-road driving tips on the net, but for the
moment i'm more interested in some "on-road" tips, which i can't find
anywhere. i'm hoping someone can post some advice. i have to drive
the defender from the UK home to ireland, without ever having driven a
4x4 before so i'll be going like a granny in the slow lane to begin
with :) i'm a careful and assertive driver who likes to understand
his car to get the best out of it.

so far i gather that the higher centre of gravity means the car has a
sideways rolling effect on corners so i'll have to be careful there
until i get familiar with it. and the same thing for braking, that the
car will do a nose dive before balancing itself (front to rear) and
achieving optimal braking. my old car was so light i could push it on
my own to get it started, so the whole weight difference will be a
factor too, although because the defender is so heavy it will also have
more drag and that might cancel out the extra momentum, from a braking
perspective?

thanks a million to anyone who can fill me in on some basics!
tim.

 


Tim_Mac wrote:
>
> hi
> get ready to laugh, i used to drive a 993cc suzuki alto (ouch!),

Compared to the Defender you will not find any rust on the Suzuki and
you know by now it is very reliable.
It will never let you down so it might be better then any LR ever. Sorry
guys.

> and
> i'm just buying my first 4x4 car this week, a 300 TDi Defender 90.

Good choice. Much more fun/expensive then the Alto discussed before.

> obviously it will be a whole different kettle of fish for driving in.
> there is a wealth of off-road driving tips on the net, but for the
> moment i'm more interested in some "on-road" tips, which i can't find
> anywhere. i'm hoping someone can post some advice. i have to drive
> the defender from the UK home to ireland, without ever having driven a
> 4x4 before so i'll be going like a granny in the slow lane to begin
> with :) i'm a careful and assertive driver who likes to understand
> his car to get the best out of it.
>
> so far i gather that the higher centre of gravity means the car has a
> sideways rolling effect on corners so i'll have to be careful there
> until i get familiar with it. and the same thing for braking, that the
> car will do a nose dive before balancing itself (front to rear) and
> achieving optimal braking.

The LR will not nose dive. There is hardly any suspension..;-)

> my old car was so light i could push it on
> my own to get it started,

Impossible with a LR but either way it just won't start when you really
need it.
Every other moment it does ;-)

> so the whole weight difference will be a
> factor too, although because the defender is so heavy it will also have
> more drag and that might cancel out the extra momentum, from a braking
> perspective?
>
> thanks a million to anyone who can fill me in on some basics!
> tim.

Wish you a very nice driving experience with this great purchase.
Congratulations and join the club.
And as far as your bank account is concerned....my sincere
condolences....;-(

Erik-Jan.
 

"Tim_Mac" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hi
> get ready to laugh, i used to drive a 993cc suzuki alto (ouch!), and
> i'm just buying my first 4x4 car this week, a 300 TDi Defender 90.
> obviously it will be a whole different kettle of fish for driving in.
> there is a wealth of off-road driving tips on the net, but for the
> moment i'm more interested in some "on-road" tips, which i can't find
> anywhere. i'm hoping someone can post some advice. i have to drive
> the defender from the UK home to ireland, without ever having driven a
> 4x4 before so i'll be going like a granny in the slow lane to begin
> with :) i'm a careful and assertive driver who likes to understand
> his car to get the best out of it.
>
> so far i gather that the higher centre of gravity means the car has a
> sideways rolling effect on corners so i'll have to be careful there
> until i get familiar with it. and the same thing for braking, that the
> car will do a nose dive before balancing itself (front to rear) and
> achieving optimal braking. my old car was so light i could push it on
> my own to get it started, so the whole weight difference will be a
> factor too, although because the defender is so heavy it will also have
> more drag and that might cancel out the extra momentum, from a braking
> perspective?
>
> thanks a million to anyone who can fill me in on some basics!
> tim.
The offroad bit is easy peasy nip down the newsagents and get the copy
of Land Rover Enthusiast and there is a nice DVD on the cover. The on road
bit well remember you are not driving a car effectively its a truck so
everything
you do requires a little more time- for your enjoyment allow double the gap
(thats 2 car lengths per 10 mph) you do from the car in front to allow for
the longer braking distances its more than enough and will make driving more
relaxing, cornering is not so bad you will slow down before you get to the
limits of adhesion a transit luton is a far more frightening beast. If you
are going to drive back over to Ireland just follow the heavy goods boys a
safe distance behind mind you.They will slow more than you need to and it
makes for an easy life unless the ferry is due out in which case Captain
Kirk couldn't catch them don't race just keep it rolling.
Derek


 
On 2006-03-20, Erik-Jan Geniets <[email protected]> wrote:

> Compared to the Defender you will not find any rust on the Suzuki and
> you know by now it is very reliable.
> It will never let you down so it might be better then any LR ever. Sorry
> guys.
>
> The LR will not nose dive. There is hardly any suspension..;-)
>
> Impossible with a LR but either way it just won't start when you really
> need it.
> Every other moment it does ;-)

What are you on about Erik? No suspension? Lots of rust? Won't
start? Are you in some kind of parallel universe?

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!
 
On 2006-03-20, Tim_Mac <[email protected]> wrote:

> thanks a million to anyone who can fill me in on some basics!
> tim.

The Defender has long-throw, soft suspension for off-roading, at first
it'll feel like it's going to tip over going round the corners, but
you'd have to be trying very hard indeed to get it to do that.
Braking and swerving at the same time can be un-nerving for the same
reason, so try to avoid it! It's very far from being a sports car.
All 4x4s suffer from this, but the Defender is worse as it has longer
throw, softer suspension than most to allow the axles to move more
when off-roading.

Reversing and parking can be hard at times, if no-one's around, just
feel your way by reversing slowly until you touch something ;-)

When reversing, remember that other drivers will almost invariably
drive up behind you and get in the way, always seems to happen to me.

Measure the height of the truck and write it on a label on the
dashboard to avoid those embarassing moments when you have to reverse
back down the entrance ramp to a car park, it's taller than most 4x4s
so gets caught out more.

The gearbox can take a little getting used to, at first just change
gear gently and pause between the gears for a second or so, once
you're used to it you can whack it between gears quickly, but only
once the gearbox has warmed up.

That's all I can think of for now, off to bed I think!

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!
 


Ian Rawlings wrote:

>
> What are you on about Erik? No suspension? Lots of rust? Won't
> start? Are you in some kind of parallel universe?

Sorry, it was suppossed to be some kind of funny.....
Erik-Jan.
 
Tim_Mac wrote:

> thanks a million to anyone who can fill me in on some basics!

Take the tyre pressure placard and throw it in the bin - IME the
recommended pressures are significantly too soft for decent handling on
road. I'd be looking at 32 PSI or thereabouts in all 4 corners if
lightly laden, possibly even a touch more in the front tyres. That said
the best way to find what suits you is to experiment - start with 30psi
and got up in 2 psi increments until you like the way it handles (but
don't go much over 36 lightly laden or you'll develop tyre wear problems).

--
EMB
 
what a wealth of advice! thanks so much folks.
hopefully in year or two i'll be good enough at the mechanical side of
things to return the favour by actually answering posts instead of
asking questions all the time :)

to get comfortable with the gear box, can i just run up and down
through the gears a few times with the clutch in and the engine idling?
also, pardon my ignorance.. i saw a smaller stick beside the gear
stick, what does it do?

tim.

 
On 2006-03-20, Erik-Jan Geniets <[email protected]> wrote:

> Sorry, it was suppossed to be some kind of funny.....

Ah right, best leave that to the brits ;-)

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!
 
On 2006-03-20, Tim_Mac <[email protected]> wrote:

> to get comfortable with the gear box, can i just run up and down
> through the gears a few times with the clutch in and the engine idling?

That won't help much as gear changing involves more than that, it's
not that big a deal so just hop in and drive it, but take it easy with
the gears at first. It's the same with any car really, I've not
noticed the defender being any worse, other than it seems to be harder
to change gear smoothly when the gearbox is cold.

> also, pardon my ignorance.. i saw a smaller stick beside the gear
> stick, what does it do?

Blimey.. That controls the transfer box and the diff lock, don't
worry about it for now, just make sure it's pulled towards you and
back, at about the 4-5 O'Clock position. Then get a book on driving
the truck off-road and it'll tell you when to use it, along with a
whole host of other useful information.

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!
 
On or around Mon, 20 Mar 2006 16:04:53 +1200, EMB <[email protected]>
enlightened us thusly:

>Tim_Mac wrote:
>
>> thanks a million to anyone who can fill me in on some basics!
>
>Take the tyre pressure placard and throw it in the bin - IME the
>recommended pressures are significantly too soft for decent handling on
>road. I'd be looking at 32 PSI or thereabouts in all 4 corners if
>lightly laden, possibly even a touch more in the front tyres. That said
>the best way to find what suits you is to experiment - start with 30psi
>and got up in 2 psi increments until you like the way it handles (but
>don't go much over 36 lightly laden or you'll develop tyre wear problems).

and, on a 90, you'll get quite a harsh ride.

agree otherwise.

not that I've driven a suzuki alto, but I bet the 90 will out-corner it. You
can fling the coil-sprung LRs about quite impressively, given suitable
tyres; and the leaf-sprung ones corner well but typically lack power to
embarrass hot-hatch types.. Always causes me much amusement to be overtaken
on a straight by joe soap in a vauchall or similar and then catch up with
him and fill his rear-view mirror with LR grille at the next corner.

You *can* roll 'em. but it takes far more effort than you might think, even
on a RR or a disco which have considerably more body roll (ACE models not
inlcuded). Our TDi disco has a nice new set of goodyear GT+4 on it, and by
feck does it hold the road with them on. Suspension is letting the side
down at the moment - the rear springs especially are looking and feeling
tired. There's a plan to renew the springs and brakes and so forth and
generally sort and tart it up.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Soon shall thy arm, unconquered steam! afar Drag the slow barge, or
drive the rapid car; Or on wide-waving wings expanded bear the
flying chariot through the field of air.- Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802)
 
On 20 Mar 2006 00:02:46 -0800, Tim_Mac wrote:

> to get comfortable with the gear box, can i just run up and down
> through the gears a few times with the clutch in and the engine idling?

Well it might give you an idea of where the gears are supposed to be.
B-)

My (limited) experience of 90's is that gear selection is a bit hit and
miss. The lever is very vague and wobbly and you need to put it in the
right place rather than let the gate guide you. It's not like the tight,
positive, gate that modern, cars have. ISTR that finding 3rd only happend
about 50% of the time (this was on narrow roads and tracks on the
Breacons though so 3rd was rarely required).

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



 

"Tim_Mac" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hi
> i'm more interested in some "on-road" tips, which i can't find
> anywhere. i'm hoping someone can post some advice.
> thanks a million to anyone who can fill me in on some basics!
> tim.
>

1. You have a 4wd & automatically have right-of-way before lesser, lighter
cars.
If your landy is looking a bit rough, so much the better- you have nothing
to lose when you push into the oncoming traffic, & the BMW driver on your
right knows it.

2. Roads are now much wider, by virtue of the fact that you no longer need
to worry about things like gutters limiting your progress. You'll be amazed
by your new-found freedom to U-turn wherever convenient, no matter how
narrow the street. As long as it has footpaths to drive on, that is.

3. 'Sporty' car drivers will consider it their duty to pass you, since they
assume your landy must be slow.
If you detect one of these approaching rapidly in your rear view mirror, it
is encumbent on you to thwart them at every opportunity. Smile sweetly when
after 5 miles they finally get opportunity to pass you; if their face is
particularly red, you may give them a cheery wave. And again at the lights.

4. Speed humps are fun.

5. So is minor flooding.


These points are only general in nature. Other contributors to this forum
may care to offer observations more specific to your location. I hope this
is the sort of thing you were looking for. Happy trails!




 
On 20 Mar 2006 10:20 am, Natalie Drest wrote:
> I hope this is the sort of thing you were looking for. Happy trails!

absolutely, this is great advice. also people won't laugh now if i
have to honk at them, the old car made more of a feeble squeek than a
honk, it was embarassing...

 
You will be in in for 10 mins, and it will feel like youve driven her for
years.

Mark

9090

"Tim_Mac" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hi
> get ready to laugh, i used to drive a 993cc suzuki alto (ouch!), and
> i'm just buying my first 4x4 car this week, a 300 TDi Defender 90.
> obviously it will be a whole different kettle of fish for driving in.
> there is a wealth of off-road driving tips on the net, but for the
> moment i'm more interested in some "on-road" tips, which i can't find
> anywhere. i'm hoping someone can post some advice. i have to drive
> the defender from the UK home to ireland, without ever having driven a
> 4x4 before so i'll be going like a granny in the slow lane to begin
> with :) i'm a careful and assertive driver who likes to understand
> his car to get the best out of it.
>
> so far i gather that the higher centre of gravity means the car has a
> sideways rolling effect on corners so i'll have to be careful there
> until i get familiar with it. and the same thing for braking, that the
> car will do a nose dive before balancing itself (front to rear) and
> achieving optimal braking. my old car was so light i could push it on
> my own to get it started, so the whole weight difference will be a
> factor too, although because the defender is so heavy it will also have
> more drag and that might cancel out the extra momentum, from a braking
> perspective?
>
> thanks a million to anyone who can fill me in on some basics!
> tim.
>


 
You will quickly become king of the road. Even white vans defer to a tatty
Landy. I love my old 200 Tdi 90 and even after 165,000 miles the gearbox is
still tight and smooth. Can't say the same about the oil seals though!


 
You will quickly become king of the road. Even white vans defer to a tatty
Landy. I love my old 200 Tdi 90 and even after 165,000 miles the gearbox is
still tight and smooth. Can't say the same about the oil seals though!
And if you rip half a wing off, no problem, nip down to the local engineers
and get some chequer plate for a tenner!




 


Ian Rawlings wrote:
>
> On 2006-03-20, Erik-Jan Geniets <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Sorry, it was suppossed to be some kind of funny.....
>
> Ah right, best leave that to the brits ;-)
>

Guess you do have a point there :)
Erik-Jan.
 
We have a 300tdi 1995 (Dave) and up till april last year I was driving
a piddly ickle vauxhall corsa....You are right, even white van man
defers to the landrover, the other day I was in lane at some traffic
lights with a daimler thingy next to me, who beeped at me when we took
off, he gestured that I was too close!! so I peered down at him and
smiled sweetly..

On road driving in a land rover - you will never go back to a boring
"normal" car again, I find them forgiving, comfy and I feel much safer
and can see much farther on the motorwa now! (even though i cant hear a
bloody thing over 60mph!)

Its not an oil leak, its natural seepage...honest.

 

"Ian Rawlings" wrote > when off-roading.
>
> Measure the height of the truck and write it on a label on the
> dashboard to avoid those embarassing moments when you have to reverse
> back down the entrance ramp to a car park, it's taller than most 4x4s
> so gets caught out more.
>
Yes, good idea, with me it was Terminal 3 car park Heathrow!!!!
Interesting few moments.
And I had phoned them the day before to check the height but they gave me
the entrance height on the ground floor not the height up to the higher
floors (Arrivals) which was a lot less.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK


 
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