rich_959
Member Since: 12 Jan 2009
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 105
  
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| Green-Laning Preparations |
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Hi all,
I've just found a local 4x4 green-laning club and I'd like to give it a try  I'm going to get a sump/underbody protector and some different tyres (seperate post listed in the wheels/tyres section about that). One of the club members gave me a list of things I'll need, and proposed mods to the car. One of which was to have a couple of emergency recovery points fitted to the front and rear of the car.
Can anyone tell me the easiest/best way to do this on a D3? Mine has the multi-height tow bar which I've been told I should remove for green laning, but I do use it quite regularly (albeit just to mount my cycle carrier on the back). I'm not going to go as far as winches etc (yet!) but any other handy hints/tips would be greatly appreciated
Cheers,
Rich.
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 12th Nov 2009 6:06 pm |
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bigcarpchaser
Member Since: 13 Oct 2007
Location: Camberley
Posts: 2270
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Recovery points already there, just take the plastic covers off.
Apart from a sump guard you're fine standard.
Unless you plan anything serious then leave your tow bar on.
Can't say I've had an issue yet with mine.
Laning should be pretty tame and a good introduction to off roading.
Enjoy.
Oh yea, be prepared for your pride and joy to get scratched by bushes/trees etc.
Once you've got one scratch the rest don't seem to matter that much. Welcome "Lola" 
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| 12th Nov 2009 6:10 pm |
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SpiderBaby
D3 Decade
Member Since: 21 Sep 2007
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 1399
  
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Quote:Once you've got one scratch the rest don't seem to matter that much.
I take it you're volunteering to be lead vehicle on January's Orange route Gary....  I see no ships........
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| 12th Nov 2009 6:34 pm |
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RPG
Member Since: 23 Feb 2009
Location: The End of the Earth (West Cornwall)
Posts: 712
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bigcarpchaser wrote:Once you've got one scratch DENT the rest don't seem to matter that much
I got promoted from scratches
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| 12th Nov 2009 6:50 pm |
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WaznotWas
Member Since: 12 Jun 2008
Location: A long way from nowhere!
Posts: 1101
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Unless you plan to do serious green lanes and maybe offroad as well you may want to keep with the normal road tyres (depending what they are and wheel size) as the vehicle is still remarkably capable with them on.
A lot of us have removed good powder coated 19 inch wheels with road tyres and replaced them with normal alloys 18 inch or so with All Terrain or MT tyres for more traction, but it's swings and roundabouts. FORECAST FOR TONIGHT: things have happened out there!!!
The countryside is still OURS!!
Club 3 Musketeers, Club D3C, Club Midland CB, Club Vertex PMR, Club GNVP Sump Plate, Club GNVP Sliders, Club Uncle Ray Spare Wheel Protector, Club Smooth Steering Wheel, Club McStuckie
07 HSE Z Silver, black leather, Black RRS badges,
19" anthracite wheels - off, 18" Silver / General AT2's - on,
300 TDI Disco 1 - Sheltering the lawn!
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| 12th Nov 2009 6:59 pm |
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gilbo
Member Since: 24 Mar 2006
Location: Dorset
Posts: 56
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Put the spare wheel in the back?? You might find it difficult to get at it if you leave it slung underneath and are unfortunate enough to have a puncture - to say nothing of getting filthy doing so?
Gilbo
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| 12th Nov 2009 7:10 pm |
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JF Lux
Member Since: 08 Sep 2007
Location: A little country in Europe
Posts: 3522
 
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gilbo wrote:Put the spare wheel in the back??
or leave it in place as it does (honest...) provide some protection if you slip into a rut etc. (and without damaging the rubber). Horses for courses...
So when you go and buy that extra set of wheels and tyres....make sure you get 6 of them. You will want them...(notice I didn't say "need"...  )
Front plate is worthwhile. I'm also glad I have sill protectors (a.k.a. rock sliders) as well as offroad tyres. Also worth getting a couple of shackles for attaching recovery straps (don't always need a winch). The next American ex-pat that calls it a "truck" is going to find out what 2.7 tons feels like on their foot...
Club "yes, I too have had the EGR's replaced..."
Club "yes, I too have had the compressor replaced..."
Club "yes, I too once had the car at the dealer for a couple of weeks nearly 4 weeks over 4 weeks...5 weeks"
Club "yes, I too have had EPB failure..."
Club "yes, I too get mysterious bings and bongs..."
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| 12th Nov 2009 9:42 pm |
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AndrewS
Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10438
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The goal at the end of the day is not to get any scratches at all. If you think you are going to get scratched stop and sort it. In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
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| 12th Nov 2009 10:10 pm |
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bigcarpchaser
Member Since: 13 Oct 2007
Location: Camberley
Posts: 2270
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AndrewS wrote:The goal at the end of the day is not to get any scratches at all. If you think you are going to get scratched stop and sort it.
Hhhhaaaaaa says the man with a few dings
Admittedly Mr S, you are a tad more adventerous than most
@ Spiderbaby.... I'm game mate!
Would have loved to follow Andrew around on his Welsh jolly but otherwise committed  Welcome "Lola"
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| 13th Nov 2009 1:12 am |
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DG
Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50955
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NeilD wrote:Make sure the spare is a full size and keep it under the car in its normal place. Will prevent the rear bumper from snagging and popping off 
Oh ....Really  ? 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
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| 13th Nov 2009 7:56 am |
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rich_959
Member Since: 12 Jan 2009
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 105
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Many thanks everyone for the responses!
I don't want to get into the realms of spare sets of wheels/tyres so I'll probably stick with the goodyear HP allweather's (19") that are on, or stretch to some Pirelli AT's if the budget allows.
Oh - one other thing.... am I likely to rip off/bend my LR sidesteps? Thought about taking these off, but again, for the small amount of off-roading the car will do, is it worth it? If they do take a 'whack' are they likely to break anything else that they're attached to?
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| 13th Nov 2009 9:09 am |
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NeilD
Member Since: 01 Dec 2008
Location: Sunny Surrey
Posts: 4845
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Rich,
I had side sides and did a years off roading in them, green lanes and pay and play sites. For 6 months they where fine as I did mainly lightweight 'stuff'. However the more I got into it the more 'extreme' I went and thus took the silver trim off one step on a nasty hidden boulder.
After that the next day I got wedged and one slightly bent (same side ). Saying that they do take a heck of a whack before the break / bend / bow - they are pretty tough.
So, they came off and these are now being fitted at the next week. http://www.gnvehicleprotection.co.uk/d3step.htm
They help the short arsed wife  (dont tell her lads!) and the little kids get in an out of the car as they can sand on the bars with grip tape - and the bars then protect the side of the car and also the sills My Youtube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/NeilDisco#p/u/5/Dz4-Q95GQ2c
Photo Sets http://www.flickr.com/photos/16658684@N08/sets/72157625275139752/
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| 13th Nov 2009 9:16 am |
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