This weekend I went out with a nice bunch of Land Rover guys and headed up to the snow line for a bit of fun for the day. The group consisted of a Series 1 LR, a number of Defender 110s and one 130, a number of Rangies, a Toyota 4 Runner (I won't mention that Brand again) and a 3 day old Nissan Xtrail (which got most places you would not imagine with a bit of help).
This was the first trip into very wet muddy conditions for the D3 and now I'm equipped with Cooper Sure Trac AT rubber I thought I'd get up most things. Nope the D3 couldn't get up this track. The clay base and deep ruts prevented the D3 from getting up the climb using all it's electronics and optioned rear diff lock plus AT tyres (not mud tryes). Without bothering to winch The Defender 130 (aka the "MULE" or "hiline") to the rescue with Simex's and front and rear lockers. The 130 just ambled up the hill and snatched up 5 of us and 2 Rangies got up by themselves.
After cleaning the D3 yesterday I've noticed the front and rear LHS mudflaps are splitting and soon will crack enough to fall off. The plastic they are made of is just not flexible enough for off-roading. Who has also noticed this problem? I won't mention the plastic heat sheild protectors near the rear exhaust pipes which are almost non existent on my D3 now .
My D3 could not get up the track after 6 attempts at the 2 routes. The route on the RHS might have been a chance except for the big rock which prevented a good straight run up at the slope (or slop)
Ready to be towed up by the mighty Defender 130 (Hiline)
The Defender 130 in its glory with war paint on.
The Defender 130 raising a 2 foot bow wave of mud through a long deep puddle.
Chris2011 Discovery 4 (MY12) SDV6 HSE with General Grabber AT's, Traxide Aux Battery system, custom rear drawers and Autosafe half height cargo barrier
Gone - 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE
ARB Bull Bar, Warn 9.5XP Winch, IPF D/Lights, Cooper STT's, LR Raised Air Intake, Traxide aux battery system, custom drawers and half height Autosafe cargo barrier, Mitchell Bros 4x4 tow hitch
18th Jul 2005 3:12 am
freeflytim
Member Since: 18 Feb 2005
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 297
SNOW???
Oh thats right, you're in the wrong side of the world!
My flaps have taken a beating but they are holding up a lot better than expected. My first outing with my local LR club they all said the flaps would not last... but they did.Wa Hoo
-Tim
Chattanooga Tennessee USA
D3 V8HSE7HD
D1 kitted trail truck.
A Hummer is just a Hummer. A Land Rover goes all the way.
18th Jul 2005 4:00 am
BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
The mudflaps are rediculous for off road, more like childrens beach sand spades, that is why LRE do not put them on their vehicles.
18th Jul 2005 6:17 am
simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
Chris,
Thanks for the pictures and report... a little worrying I guess but then I probably will never come up against such extreme conditions in rural England.
By the way... silly question I know... but, did you have the DSC on or off when trying to climb the slime ?
Also it appears that the Defender had VERY knobbly tyres which I'm sure helped a great deal.
Cheers,
-s
18th Jul 2005 9:32 am
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
I'd add to that what settings was the car in, what gear and how long did you keep at it before giving up.
On my LRE day we thought the car was stuck in thick mud on standard Goodyears, but by using M&R in 3rd gear (up a steep hill) with DSC off and keeping at it even when it had come to a stand still the car got itself out. Tips we picked up were play with TR even if the program doesn't seem right, don't give up and try different gears, even if they seem wrong.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
Thanks for the pictures and report... a little worrying I guess but then I probably will never come up against such extreme conditions in rural England.
By the way... silly question I know... but, did you have the DSC on or off when trying to climb the slime ?
Also it appears that the Defender had VERY knobbly tyres which I'm sure helped a great deal.
Cheers,
-s
Guys,
I almost always turn DSC off. I turned it off particularly on this slope. TR was in Mud & Ruts which seemed to be the right choice for what I was going up and I drove in 3rd Low Range using the manual shift.
I didn't think of trying the Rock Crawl or Grass/Gravel/Snow as the conditions were mud & ruts.
There was a really big rock on the RHS of where you see me stopped and with a few people we could have pushed it aside but it was too muddy and I reckon I might have had a chance on the RHS which was not as deeply rutted but had a clay base. The problem was the AT tyres filled with mud and the tyres became slicks. MT might have been a bit better.
If I was on my own and didn't have a rescue truck with big Simexs (very nobby Mud terrains) I would have winched up about 4 metres a from where I couldn't get past and then I would have been able to get going again.
Chris2011 Discovery 4 (MY12) SDV6 HSE with General Grabber AT's, Traxide Aux Battery system, custom rear drawers and Autosafe half height cargo barrier
Gone - 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE
ARB Bull Bar, Warn 9.5XP Winch, IPF D/Lights, Cooper STT's, LR Raised Air Intake, Traxide aux battery system, custom drawers and half height Autosafe cargo barrier, Mitchell Bros 4x4 tow hitch
18th Jul 2005 11:25 am
BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
Often the simplist looking slope such as grass or mud is actually far more difficult to overcome than the so called tuff stuff.
The D3 may well have manouvered up a slope you display, by turning the steering wheel from side to side even gives a bit of side grip temporarily and letting the TC slowly do its work. MT's would be self clearing to a degree, but with nothing underneath the mud only more mud, it is difficult. Not forgetting the 2.7 tonnes.
Pelyma, you say about LRE, don't forget their tracks are carefully graded and most have rubble under the mud. Eventually the TC will bite on a LRE level 1, 2 or Instructor course. Bring your car to Tixover, we have some slopes there that look so easy, but not when you try. These slopes are not LRE slopes.
One thing I have difficulty in teaching when we are in the field is that what looks easy, can often be your downfall.
18th Jul 2005 11:39 am
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
I don't doubt that BN, but what I was getting at was the algorithms that DS3 uses in the TR programs often need time to adapt to the conditions. If a car comes to a halt and then electronically sorts this out it doesn't matter whats under wheels - it didn't have traction and now it does. I wasn't making any comments that the terrain we were driving was as extreme as that in the pictures, just purely that sometimes giving the car time will help. It is nothing like the Defenders I have driven or my old Freelander.
The point I was making about TR program is also valid as just because you were in mud doesn't mean you shouldn't try Rock crawl for instance. The further round the dial you go the more the car will lock up etc so it is always worth a go.
I agree that easy looking situations are often the worse, indeed 2 days into owning mine it was stuck in a grass paddock. Having got used to the car and having driven them offroad with and without instructors more I now know I should have had DSC off and I shouldn't have given up.
I think BN that you will agree the car is very different to a traditional offroader such as the old disco or Defender and it is because of this we all need to experiment with what makes it work, sometimes old dogs learn new tricks!DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
18th Jul 2005 1:07 pm
BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
Pelyma, yes I agree with what you say and the D3 is not fully appreciated as to its capabilities. However the real lesson is when it is at work as apposed to just playing. The Aussie guys were playing, but the terrain was quite severe and deceptive, then you don't always have time for the computer to make its mind up. The LRE guys are very good product sales people, but put them in a Toyota and they would be like anyone else, learning. Put them in the real rough stuff and many would be struggling.
All I am trying, probably very badly is to put over that man and machine don't always work together, man can often be more impatient than a machine.
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I won't mention the plastic heat sheild protectors near the rear exhaust pipes which are almost non existent on my D3 now 
.
not when you try. These slopes are not LRE slopes.
