Santa buys protection... but what should he buy?

[woolybear]

Got a 1996 90 County which is asking Santa for some underbody protection for christmas. The plan is whatever it can handle offroad without rebuilding suspension or pretending to be a submarine but with protection for steering and front diff etc. It would also be good to still have something that looks reasonably like a standard 90 i.e. no carbon fibre tubular bumpers with swivelling recovery points every 3 inches.

I've had a trawl of the mags, the websites and such reviews as I could find and now looking for any comments, recommendations or warnings about a few ideas.

It's (I think) a standard county trim with fairly solid tubular side steps and I was thinking I should add:

1. A diff guard. They seem to be much of a muchness unless you've got a Salisbury diff (rear axle on 110's only???) so I guess it's go for the cheapest, solid looking galvanised one around. £20'ish + VAT seems about the going rate. Either Famous Four or Paddocks look ok.

2. A steering guard. This seems to come down to steel or aluminium and holes or no holes. Built in recovery points seem a good idea since they'll be tucked away underneath and it looks like you have to lose your JATE rings if you fit most guards. Steel is generally stronger than aluminium, heaviest gauge (8mm?) seems the safest bet and no holes should hopefully let is slide over anything I do hit more readily than the cheese grater look. The Scorpion extreme looks really well made... now just need to find a price online.

3. Reinforced jackable rock sills.These seem to get rated highly but surely lots of lower things need protecting first (fuel tank etc). The scorpion ones with the built in tree slider look the best of the bunch.

4. Maybe a high lift jack. There's what I presume is the standard one in the car (but no bottle jack) but the ones on the web seem to be able to do a bit of recovery stuff too (+ clamping and spreading and other things I don't think I need) which would be handy - got stuck in the slippy mud in our paddock the other day and had to be towed out). A tree strop and some ropes would probably have got me out before my other half got home with her freelander.

5. The scorpion removable tow bar (to replace my somewhat low Dixon Bate drop plate) also looks the dogs bits... a drop plate for the trailer and chassis level shackle for when I get to play.

Any thoughts on what's really useful vs. what's nice but not a priority? Any makes that you'd recommend or steer me away from? Obviously anything steel will get waxoil'ed or similar to within an inch of its life before being fitted.

Cheers for any feedback.

Wooly

[Landy Andy]

Hi and welcome,

Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Most important is tyres , and then protection. My personal advice is be carefull of Scorpion Racing, two reasons, 1 they seem to be in receivership (so could close with your money), and they are not cheep. (I do buy items from them but they are close to me and I deal face to face).

I use QT diff guards and they seem to be well thought of and are of a better design as they give some flange protection (although a bit more difficult to fit)

Southdown 4x4 do some nice protection stuff, top quality, and do a nice towing option, (I am saving my pennies as we speak)

Also look at Fist four off road. The reason that rock/tree sliders are fitted is to protect body damage, most stuff under the landy can look after it's self with a bit of basic protection, but body work is soft expensive to repair, and can loose you lots of money in a resale value way.

P.s. Steel Guards, Ali are cosmetic.

Hope this is of some use Andy

[Eeyore]

For my money, and as said above, I'd look at the tyres first and just drive with care for the while - none of the proctection is necessary (but can be a 'nice to have'.

But if the coin is burning a hole in your pocket, diff guards are good and relatively cheap.
 
Reinforced sills can protect a lot of the Defender body work - there's nothing structural in the sills as standard and the beefy ones can provided some protection for the fuel tank too. But are they necessary? Wouldn't like to say. However Southdown ones are by far the best (but they don't have extended 'tree runners' on 'em)

As for steering guards -  I wouldn't bother with the plate type. Buy a set of Sumo' or 'Dan-bar' reinforced steering bars and just use the stock, Landrover tubular steering gaurd (they're about a fiver from the autojumbles). Contrary to popular belief, it isn't direct impact to the front steering rod that effects the steering - the one to protect is the one behind the axle. So maybe consider a guard for that one. Scorpion used to sell a fairly effective one.

Front recovery? Have a think about an ex-military bumper. You can pick 'em up for about 50 quid and they have a recovery point built in front-dead-centre. They're galvanised, reinforced and cheap as chips compared to some of the bumpers out there (although I will admit to having a deep love of the Devon 4x4 front bumper). Paint it black and it's quite subtle, too. 

Some food for thought!

[extreme90]

dont bother with a steering guard...there crap and more a hinderence that help, after all the dont stop you bending drag links or track rods !
get a set of solid steel steering bars and thats that one sorted...and it still looks std  ;)
i dont use steering guards on my challenge truck, never ( touch wood) done any damage to the front steering gear, i only bend track rods
dan

[crazymac]

Personally...........Avoid Scorpian Racing! I have never heard any particularly nice things about them, and usually the stuff they sell can be found cheaper elsewhere!

Sumo bars are great http://www.sumobars.co.uk/ I have managed to bend mine but they were replaced with no quibble!

Paddocks also do a version which are cheaper http://www.paddockspares.com/pp/DEFENDER/Steering/Heavy_Duty_Steering_Rods_for_all_Defender_inc_ball_joints.html

They also do tree/rock sliders  http://www.paddockspares.com/pp/DEFENDER/Accessories/Tree_Sliders_(pair)_-_Defender_90_-_Galvanised.html

or Guardian http://www.guardianoffroadproducts.co.uk/component/option,com_virtuemart/page,shop.product_details/flypage,shop.flypage/product_id,21/category_id,5/manufacturer_id,0/Itemid,11/

Diffguards can be as expensive as you want, but again paddocks are reasonable http://www.paddockspares.com/pp/DEFENDER/Accessories/Rover_Diff_Guard_-_Galvanised.html

Yes a Highlift jack is handy!

Do yourself a favour and don't get sucked in by glitzy adverts, especially ones that don't display prices!! Get on the internet and do a good search around, there are numerous good suppliers and manufacturers.

[extreme90]

i used to bend sumo bars like they were going out of fashion, tried the paddocks solid steel jobs and still got it on now...ok its bent abit, but its lasted longer than sumos  :roll:

[richo]

I have dan bars on my 110 and they seem to work well.They roll when hitting anything hard .

[tack43]

I agree with HD steering bars got mine from green oval. I have got a rebel steering guard only because I fitted it prior to the steering bars. I've left it on just for the towing points although military jate rings would be fine. DO NOT use a military bumper for recovery (ok for towing on flat only). Ask me how I Know  :oops: Rear recovery, jate rings, NATO hitch or QT does one which has a rotating shackle. Got mine from bearmach as cheaper. Diff Guards. Front I find a clamp on type to be fine, rear QT is THE one IMO as most of the time you willbe going forwards and the slider design is more helpful. Also protects UJ to a certain extent. I've got some rock sliders from uknet wish I had got the tree sliders now. Have you thought about a tank guard? Again got mine from Rebel (TOP TIP: Fit tank guard before rock or tree sliders). If you are likely to do any wading think of a snorkel and axle/gearbox/engine raised breather kit (THEY WILL SAVE major assemblies for damage by water ingress!
Hope this helps but most kit is a matter of personal prefence and opinion and very much depends on what you want to achieveor do with the vehicle.

Rich

[woolybear]

Ok - so solid steel track bars etc and forget the steering guard, beefed up sills at some point and a bolt on diff guard 'cos they're cheap and reasonably effective.

What about tires? Got some standard all terrains on now and thinking about enough on road to get me to/from off roading and the occasional run to work when the day to day car is away for service etc. I haven't started to look at this one in detail yet but it seems to be you either buy tires alone and get a.n.other to fit them or you buy tires and rims together.

Any recommendations for a reasonable all round tire - new to all this but suspect mud and forestry and lanes rather than quarries and rocks is more likely to be my thing. The day job for the defender is hauling things in the paddock, dragging a heavy beam up and down the drive (a mile of potholed gravel) to keep it vaguely level and ensuring I can always make it to work even if it's deeply unpleasant outside.

Something with good mud grip and reasonable on road behaviour would seem to be the order of the day... for the least possible cash obviously.

Woolybear

[crazymac]

Yep, just about right there.

On tyres, the longest lasting would appear to be the BFG Mud terrain, but they are expensive. Other good alternatives are the Cooper Discoverer STT or the Kumho KL71 but you will get as many opinions as choices on tyres!

You really need to balance up your need for "offroad" ability and "onroad" ability. Many Allterrain tyres are great in the mud and you'll be surprised where they will take you! I notice that Insa Turbo have recently brought out another remould, and it is the pattern of the legendary BFG Trac edge! a fantastic tyre.   

[ciganka]

The next item i am getting is a gwyn lewis track rod guard - i fitted a regular steering guard and the first time I took the landy out on the rocks.... i experienced exactly what extreme90 talks about.

The track rod guards are currently 68 quid from LR Centre Ltd and look seriously heavy duty. Looks to me a stronger option than just fitting a tougher bar on its own, although I admit I have never tried dan bars.