Defender is uncontrollable when driving through puddles / standing water

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yamz89

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Good Morning Guys,

Wanted to run an issue by you lot that I'm having. Now I understand these trucks aren't the most sophisticated, but hear me out.

I have a 1991 Defender 90, ex MOD with a 200 TDI conversion. Its got a terrafirma 2" lift kit and fairly new
285/75/16 BFG AT's. Its a pick-up, I carry no weight in it (other than me) and I have been running 30psi all round as that what I was advised.

The truck drives lovely on the road, but the issue is when I'm caught out by standing water or if I hit a medium sized puddle, or if there is a constant long puddle at the side of the road, the truck is all over the road and its a fight to not spin out, crash or hit oncoming traffic. I'm talking speeds of only 30mph onwards. I hit a thin layer of water crossing a bypass at 60mph yesterday and I nearly died, no exaggeration. The truck was snapped sideways and I caught it just in time.

Any thoughts as to what could be causing this, or is this normal behaviour for a Defender?

Cheers
Marc
 
yamz89 said:
Good Morning Guys,

Wanted to run an issue by you lot that I'm having. Now I understand these trucks aren't the most sophisticated, but hear me out.

I have a 1991 Defender 90, ex MOD with a 200 TDI conversion. Its got a terrafirma 2" lift kit and fairly new
285/75/16 BFG AT's. Its a pick-up, I carry no weight in it (other than me) and I have been running 30psi all round as that what I was advised.

The truck drives lovely on the road, but the issue is when I'm caught out by standing water or if I hit a medium sized puddle, or if there is a constant long puddle at the side of the road, the truck is all over the road and its a fight to not spin out, crash or hit oncoming traffic. I'm talking speeds of only 30mph onwards. I hit a thin layer of water crossing a bypass at 60mph yesterday and I nearly died, no exaggeration. The truck was snapped sideways and I caught it just in time.

Any thoughts as to what could be causing this, or is this normal behaviour for a Defender?

Cheers
Marc
Click to expand...
Hi Marc,

I would say this is standard for these you just HAVE to slow down... The power steering is not as powerful as it is on modern cars, the lack of any stability control system doesn't help and you're driving on tyres made for grabbing loose surfaces over dispersing water (tyres act like a pump when it comes to standing water, the more water they can move the more stable they'll be in the wet, that is to say, the chances of aquaplaning and loosing control is reduced). That all being said there are some things you can do to help; fit a strong steering damper as these will try to keep the steering centered or increase the preload on your current system. Check your toe angle should probably be hovering around neutral or slightly toed out but if you have too much toe out it will cause instability in these situations (high speed + water). Lastly (don't laugh) fit a bigger steering wheel, too many people go throwing teeny tiny wheels on these things but there's a good reason the stock wheels always where, right up until they stopped making the defender, massive! Check out the four spoke one from the late 80's models (it's the best one in my opinion.
Take all of this advice with a pinch of salt as I'm not an expert.
Regatds
 
Standard Defender should have no problem driving through puddles at 30 and under, long flooded streach's will pull any vehicle to the side. What sort of tyres do you have ? Worth a check is power steering belt, if loose or well worn water splashing on it will cause it to slip resulting in momentary loss of power assistance.
 
Not a long flooded stretch, more like a long puddle less than a couple of cm's deep. Steering doesn't snatch, the vehicle just moves around wherever it wants to go and the steering wheel stays where it is. Feels like tracking, or I haven't got enough weight in the vehicle, or I'm using the wrong tyre pressures?
 
You have wide tyres on so they are going to be better at aquaplaning. A pick up is going to be lighter and your speed was probably excessive for the conditions and the vehicle. I suspect that's what PC Plod would say if you were unfortunate enough to have an accident. Defenders are great in water, but only slowly.
 
285x75x16's + (relitively) lightweight vehicle + too great a speed for the situation = loss of control.

You have large tyres (larger than standard) plus by your own admission a vehicle that is probably as light as a 90 is going to get so yes you are trying to float over the water hence why you are loosing control. Narrower tyres would probably cut through the water better but at the end of the day it is probably just down to the speed at which you are hitting the water.
 
My 1991 200tdi doesn’t have that problem at all. Can’t say it’s any different to modern cars or my Merc van. If anything it’s probably better. That said it’s got a Terra Firma steering damper Tyres are 235 85 16 cooper STT pro Mud Terrain with 30psi. I wouldn’t worry about hitting standing water at 30mph.
 
yamz89 said:
Any thoughts as to what could be causing this, or is this normal behaviour for a Defender?
Click to expand...
I can't imagine any vehicle manufacturer selling a car which loses control at 30mph driving through puddles. So not normal.
 
I'm pretty much going to agree with the above regarding weight and speed. My 110, runs heavy (winch, guards, roof rack etc) and although I do not feel out of control in standing water i definitely know about it if I hit it too quickly. It will pull the vehicle to one side if only one side hits it, but you will get this in any vehicle. The best advice as said above is drive to the condiritons. By your own admission these are not sophisticated vehicles. They were designed in the mid 60's (range rover classis uses same chassis and suspension setup as the defender), and your was built 30 years ago. Would you be comparing the handling of a triumph herald (designed in the mid 60's) or a mk 2 cavallier (30 year old) to a modern car? The fact land rover did not change the design is more down to stubbornness of both the company and the owners (look at the outrage the new one has caused) than it being the perfect design for the modern era.

Although they are very very capable vehicle they are a product of their time and have to be driven as such. Just because you are a large 4x4 does not mean you do not have to drive to the conditions. As mentioned above buy others there are things you can do to ensure everything is in good condition and it is driving as well as it possibley can (steering and suspension components) but it will never ride and handle like a modern vehicle, that is the reason most of us like them!
 
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