Which mods for off-road and greenlaning??

Hi guys this is my first post in the forum so I'd like to say hi to 1 and all...
I have recently bought a 51 plate defender 90 td5. I am looking to use it as a hobby vehicle for a bit of off-roading and greenlaning, my question is which mods would you guys advise and recommend I have a £1500-2000 budget to get this thing ready, I am a mechanic so the labour side of things isn't really an issue. Just don't want to throw money stuff that isn't needed.
Thanks for your help. Mike.

Decent tyres and a complete mechanical check over and service. Maybe a sump guard a CB radio and a couple of recovery straps and shackles and some mates to go with.

They are well capable vehicles in standard spec

I'd go with big MT tyres on suitable rims a 2" suspension lift and a CB..

as much you can afford as little as needed.

decent tyres are a must as I expertly demonstrated infront of Blackstrat.
decent recovery points front and rear
strong rope/strops, a spade and a high lift jack
as many guards as you feel necessary.

anything else is pretty much extra and of personal choice I have a steering guard, diff guards and a tank guard with removable tow hitch, a 2" spring lift, +5 shocks, +6 brake lines, cb radio, roof lights, recovery beacons, stipple plate door bottoms, general super all grip tyres for muddy stuff and standard road tyres for road, soon to be changed to all terrains, side exit exhaust to get it out the way, winch bumper soon to have winch, bull bars to protect the lights, snorkel, wading breather kit, tweeked pump and plenty of shackles, couple of strops, a 2" thick rope (think its a boat tow rope), hilift jack, folding shovel, wellies, rubber mats including in boot and a couple spare as traction mats.

there's still alot more that I want to do but it's a massively capable machine how it is and how it was as standard. even surprised a £30k V8 90 at yarwell that said I wouldn't get to where he was due to tyres then I popped up next to him.

I have found the best way to find what you need is to go for guards then go playing gently to find your limits and your trucks limits. make sure you have a planned major recovery just incase and you go with people who are willing to drag you out of a hole if need be (thanks Blackstrat you and your mate made the day) p+p sites are good for this as most will be willing to pull you out a rut just for the laugh

other than that have fun

i would start from very basics i.e checking all the axles, shafts, jvs etc etc then maybe look at snorkel, bigger tyres, lift kit (if you feel like it or if you tyres are to big) and underbody protection such as steering, tank and diff guards/skid plates
and among all the above, the most important mod is the driver, start driving on the lanes with few people and get a feeling of how defender does at muddy lanes etc. dont forget to get stuck when there are other cars around you, w/o getting stuck you will never know the limits of your defender (ar any 4x4)

All / mud terrain tyres and rock sliders definitely.
some steering / diff guards optionally
Plenty of capability in a standard lr

Try not to drive your diffs in to rocks without guards tho

cooltide said:

All / mud terrain tyres and rock sliders definitely.
some steering / diff guards optionally
Plenty of capability in a standard lr

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This ^^

Plus some decent recovery points

I personally wouldn't bother with raising the suspension. Mine has snorkel (for expeditioning), tank guards, diff guards and rock sliders. That is pretty much it. I'll probably get a winch at some point as it takes a lot of the worry out of doing stuff on your own.

Oh, and a light bar is pretty useful too.

If you need a winch on a land should you be driving it in the first place?

Just saying like

Next time you're out in the country take a look at what mods the average farmer has on his. Er none...
Personally the only times I've been stuck I have had to be pulled out backwards so a winch on the front would have been useless.
Decent tyres, high lift jack, Jack able sills and get to know yours and your vehicles limitations, until you have don't go alone

Marmaduke said:

Next time you're out in the country take a look at what mods the average farmer has on his. Er none...
Personally the only times I've been stuck I have had to be pulled out backwards so a winch on the front would have been useless.
Decent tyres, high lift jack, Jack able sills and get to know yours and your vehicles limitations, until you have don't go alone

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Just remember your vehicle isn't disposable and you haven't a tractor + driver at the end of the phone to pull you out..

Marmaduke said:

Next time you're out in the country take a look at what mods the average farmer has on his. Er none...
Personally the only times I've been stuck I have had to be pulled out backwards so a winch on the front would have been useless.
Decent tyres, high lift jack, Jack able sills and get to know yours and your vehicles limitations, until you have don't go alone

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were yu glad the guy behind you had a winch on the front tho?


a good service and axle breathers.
reasonable AT tyres

The Mad Hat Man said:

were yu glad the guy behind you had a winch on the front tho?


a good service and axle breathers.
reasonable AT tyres

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Er no, the first time I was out with two mates in my old lightweight and we had to wait for a tractor to pull us out the next morning and the next time the bloke who said he'd got a winch later admitted that it wasn't wired up and I got out with the aid of a high lift jack and a mayhoosive pile of stones as the front two wheels dropped into a bog and sank straight onto the axles

I did however go for a 'bit of a mooch' on the way to Morrisons on Sunday and it turned out to be a bit more rutted than I thought. Looks like I'd been doing a bit of ploughing

blackstrat said:

Just remember your vehicle isn't disposable and you haven't a tractor + driver at the end of the phone to pull you out..

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I agree, I'm just trying to point out that you don't need two grands worth of kit either, experience and knowing when to turn around is more important than all the gear and no idea

Well guys the hobby has grown slightly and I just wanted to say thank you for all you input and advise, never in a million years did I ever think it would turn out like this.... Let's just say I've got the bug!!

Subtle shade of green that

blackstrat said:

I'd go with big MT tyres on suitable rims a 2" suspension lift and a CB..

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You really don't need any of that crap. And certainly not when starting out.

Just drive it .. you'll soon find what you need for where you go and what you do.

If you stick to green-laning, you don't 'need' a lot, but good recovery points and a rope should be carried.

If you go to Pay and Play sites a lot you might still need notalot, depends on terrain.

if you go all over and do lots of different stuff then you might need loads of stuff.

300bhp/ton said:

You really don't need any of that crap. And certainly not when starting out.

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absolutely 100% agree with this - land rovers are bloody capable in standard form and i would argue that if you need all that ****e to drive a lane then you shouldnt be on that lane in the first place as its to damaged already.