Especially if you're vertically challenged The End
23rd Jun 2006 10:23 pm
nwoods
Member Since: 03 Apr 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 563
Gareth wrote:
As a matter of interest, what is the ground clearance of an air sprung D3 in off-road, and extended mode?
In Of Road mode I believe the air guys have 10.5" of clearance, with an addiitonal 1.5" in Super Extended mode, which occurs below 3mph when your vehicle is hung up on something (wheel speed, but no lateral movement)
23rd Jun 2006 10:32 pm
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
Super-extended mode? How do we get that then?Steve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
23rd Jun 2006 10:33 pm
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
Slimer wrote:
Especially if you're vertically challenged
That's enough of that.... Steve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
If your D3 goes into extended mode hold your foot on the brake and after a few seconds push the suspension height lever up, lo and behold you get 2 more inches of height, makes it look like your D3 is on steroids The End
23rd Jun 2006 10:39 pm
DG Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50981
I was showing the wife the difference between access and extended modes earlier 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
23rd Jun 2006 10:44 pm
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
Pedant mode - ON Extended is +50mm, manual extra - extended is +35mm /pedant mode - OFF
yer you basically get an extra 85mm once it realises a wheel's in the air for more than 40 seconds or so
23rd Jun 2006 10:44 pm
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
such a cool car...
could have done with this a few weeks ago in a car park in Wilmslow where a buffoon woman (in a 5 series beemer ) blocked me getting out - we were nose to nose (cars that is - I could have smacked her one if it had been real noses) and I had nowhere to go, she had to go backwards but wasn't having it - one tweak up 50mm didn't convince her straight away - may be a 2nd tweak up another 35mm would have done the trick a bit quicker Steve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
23rd Jun 2006 10:50 pm
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
Steve, unfortunately the +50mm beyond extended is only on sensing of loss of suspension load, the extra +35mm can be applied manually after that - innovative use of air suspension though
23rd Jun 2006 11:01 pm
disco4x4au
Member Since: 19 Jan 2006
Location: Perth
Posts: 409
I competed in the the first round of our local 4WD comp here in Western Australia over the weekend - I was the _only_ stock vehicle there - you should have seen the modifieds towering over me
The course was essentially rocky gullies, old waterfalls and the odd dam or two. I ended up doing almost all the course in 'emergency profile' - we placed a block of wood under the car at the first obstacle, let the car down onto it, and the car went into extended profile. Then used the manual select to get up to emergency height.
I had tested this earlier, and I was surprised at the amount of wheel travel I still had at this setting! To the amazement of most of the competitors (and all the spectators, most of whom seemed to be betting we wouldn't make it past the first special stage) we clambered over and through everything. Lost one small plastic panel strip under the front passenger door and scratched the bull-bar - other than that, nothing. The suspension and traction control are nothing short of amazing on these cars!
Oh - we came first in Class A (no manual lockers or tyres over 33"), but more impressively, we beat all but two of the Class B cars (lockers and up to 33" tyres), all but three of the class C cars (lockers and over 33"0 and all but three of the Class D cars/buggies (anything goes).
Not bad for a car less than 7000km old!
Cheers,
Gordonex - 2006 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, with lots of stuff - R.I.P.
ex - 2009 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, had lots of stuff too!
Now - 2010 RRS 3.0 TDV6, rimini red, 18" rims + Cooper LTZ, rear eLocker, Spider tuning box, GOE protection plates and rock sliders, GOE 3way shortened rods.
26th Jun 2006 1:28 am
nwoods
Member Since: 03 Apr 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 563
Gordon, that's an awesome story. I hope you have some photos, sounds like great fun!
Do you feel that being in super extended mode all that critical, or would have normal off road mode been sufficient for most of it?
Do you have the HD version, with locking rear diff?
Regards,
Nathan
26th Jun 2006 1:34 am
disco4x4au
Member Since: 19 Jan 2006
Location: Perth
Posts: 409
Nathan,
I'm waiting for photos at the moment - but I don't think there will be too many. Let me explain.
The name of this round of the competition was "Operation Blackout" - held at night, where competitors' headlamps were taped over, bar a single slit 20mm by 10mm in the centre. Hence you were forced to do the course at less-than walking pace with your spotter out of the vehicle for most of the course. Due to the need for good night vision, flash cameras were discouraged by officials, so there weren't many pics taken. Still, there were a few following us who took one or two ....
I tried the first obstacle (clambering over some rocks) at std offroad height, and while it managed to haul itself over, the scraping noises were a little alarming
So from that point we put it into emergency mode and even climbing the waterfall (rock steps up to the wheel arch and near-vertical!!) the only real point of contact was the rear bumper and under the door sills (where I've fitted steel rock-sliders). The only times I came out of emergency mode were when we were on severe side-angles and in danger of hitting the trees lining the side of the (V shaped) gullies - dropped it down to access mode and squeezed through (the marshalls were a little bemused at the car suddenly losing height!), where other vehicles had to either just sustain the damage or try to 'rock' themselves through
One major handicap was the length of the car - 5 and 6 point turns were required to get through some of the tight 90deg turns between the trees.
Cheers,
Gordonex - 2006 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, with lots of stuff - R.I.P.
ex - 2009 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, had lots of stuff too!
Now - 2010 RRS 3.0 TDV6, rimini red, 18" rims + Cooper LTZ, rear eLocker, Spider tuning box, GOE protection plates and rock sliders, GOE 3way shortened rods.
26th Jun 2006 2:35 am
nwoods
Member Since: 03 Apr 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 563
disco4x4au wrote:
The name of this round of the competition was "Operation Blackout" - held at night, where competitors' headlamps were taped over, bar a single slit 20mm by 10mm in the centre. Hence you were forced to do the course at less-than walking pace with your spotter out of the vehicle for most of the course.
ALLRIGHT Gordon! WooHoo!
I nominate you as Disco3 4x4 Driver of the Year!
I've done my best to prove the D3, but you have made us all proud. I am very happy you are a member of our ranks.
disco4x4au wrote:
the only real point of contact was the rear bumper and under the door sills (where I've fitted steel rock-sliders).
Whoaa!!! Back up a minute, steel rock sliders? We need MORE INFO! I've been trying to get sliders made for quite a while now. We need photos, specs, installation tips, and my God man, more photos. How did you attach to the frame? How did you get past the air tank and compressor assembly? Did you have to remove the gas tank temporarily while fitting them on? How far do they stand out, do they clear the fender flares? Square or round tube? Bolted or welded? Come on man, let us in on the secret, I am dying to know!
Member Since: 19 Jan 2006
Location: Perth
Posts: 409
I'll have them off the car soon, so I'll take pics then, but they're probably not exactly what you're thinking of. These replace the plastic sill under the doors, pressed to fit the curvature of the lower lip of the body-side (similar to the brushed aluminium ones someone showed on a previous thread). But these are 4mm steel and bolt into the body using the pre-existing holes made for the Landrover side-steps and side-bars.
I'd be hesitant to say you can use them as jack points, but they certainly protect the underside of the body when your grinding over some boulder-sized rocks! No bends or dings visible. And you can remove the whole thing and put back the plastic sills when you want - although I'm a lazy , so won't do that too often
.
I also added steel tube (a la a "sidestep" frame) to protect the car when you slide sideways into a bank or rock. Without a doubt they saved my side panels from certain destruction.
Cheers,
Gordonex - 2006 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, with lots of stuff - R.I.P.
ex - 2009 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, had lots of stuff too!
Now - 2010 RRS 3.0 TDV6, rimini red, 18" rims + Cooper LTZ, rear eLocker, Spider tuning box, GOE protection plates and rock sliders, GOE 3way shortened rods.
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| 08MY Discovery 3 (history) 
) blocked me getting out - we were nose to nose (cars that is - I could have smacked her one if it had been real noses) and I had nowhere to go, she had to go backwards but wasn't having it - one tweak up 50mm didn't convince her straight away - may be a 2nd tweak up another 35mm would have done the trick a bit quicker 
, so won't do that too often
