Is the range rover really any good off road

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wolf247

wolf247

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ebbw vale in south wales
Is the range rover really any good off road i ask this as it's my first RR i have had a pajero, shogun, and a disco and they were all great off road they all had diff lock which i think is a must for off roading the RR has'nt got this and i don't think i got TC eather on my model i don't plan to do as much off road like i used to but it would be nice to no its limits and will not having diff lock make it not so good.
i have not had it long and have thought about getting rid as the faults seem to pop up every day but i stand there looking at it and GOD its a nice looking thing and cant part with it i just love all landrovers just the name RANGE ROVER on the bonnet does it for me
what are your thoughts on this :cool:
 
Several LR mags did side by side tests of RR P38 against Defender and found RR was as good if not better in most situations, the only points at which the Defender went ahead was sections where a steeper approach/departure angle was needed, and even that can be fixed if you're not adverse to chopping a little here and there. The RR's not the softlander some would have you think.
 
the locking diff thing can be an issue, but the tc should kick in and help send drive elsewhere. i couldnt pull my mothers neriva on the icey snow as the rr wouldnt grip, the tc didnt help/work so i dunno what was going on. probably a set of snow chains could alleviate this?
 
yes i had this prob last week in the snow i had one wheel spinning i don't no if i got TC a light never came on if it has its not working i ended up side ways in the road and had to get the shovel out this is why i ask about off road
 
Traction control is only fitted on the rear wheels upto 1999, after that it was fitted to all four wheels, the transfer box has a viscous coupling inside which does what a diff lock does when one set of wheels start spinning, it sends the power to the other set, hence you don't need a diff lock. all done by majetricery!!!!!!!!!!
 
wolf247 said:
yes i had this prob last week in the snow i had one wheel spinning i don't no if i got TC a light never came on if it has its not working i ended up side ways in the road and had to get the shovel out this is why i ask about off road
Click to expand...
Even if you didn't notice the TC light you should have heard a single buzz from the dash, if the TC cut in.
 
now thats cool clever buggers mines a 96 and my low range not working at the momment as i found out the same day next on the list to do
so you saying that i can't see why it won't be as good as a disco then
 
wolf247 said:
now thats cool clever buggers mines a 96 and my low range not working at the momment as i found out the same day next on the list to do
so you saying that i can't see why it won't be as good as a disco then
Click to expand...
There's no reason it shouldn't be as good as a standard disco.... the disco's advantage is that there is a wide range of aftermarket upgrade parts and mods available, which simply doesn't really exist for the P38. There are few limited bits around like diff guards and uprated airbags (or you could switch to coils), but they tend to be pricey, so if you want much more than that you need to be handy or be very friendly with someone who is.
 
If you have a three wheels stopped and one rear one spinning, the TC is not working and possibly the viscous not locking up to send the power to the front wheels.

if you have a front one spinning that could be expected if there is not TC on the front.

The TC uses the brakes to slow the spinning wheel, if your brakes are not in good order that would cause a wheel to spin, also if you have been doing alot of hard driving and the TC working alot, it can overheat, basically the brakes over heat, the TC switches off to allow the brakes to cool and it will then come back on.

Either way when the TC is operating, any wheel slip it should show the TC light on the dash console and 'TRACTION' in the display.

there are neumerous things, like everything else in a RR that can cause a fault (broken front half shaft?)

Something for you to think about.

When it's all working it works great, even the pre 99 as mine is, you can still do four wheel drifts in the snow if you boot it, but thats not the idea with TC.

Hope that screw's your mind abit more.
 
i have been thinking of changing to springs but the eas with all its faults is so cool when it works
don't get me wrong im not planing to totaly off road this but i still like the mild stuff
going through water and slow forest stuff

how do i no if half shaft broken
 
The most critical aspect of a 4x4 on ice or snow is the tire choice. Judging by your avatar photo you're running big low profiles = crap traction in snow irrespective of vehicle. What wheel/tires were on the Pajero?

The RR has the Pajero (and just about every other offroader) beaten in almost every measurable aspect of offroading performance that matters - axle articulation, spring rate, app/dep/ramp angles ground clearance.

But put the wrong tires on it and a well driven Renault 4 will leave it sitting.

I've driven most 4x4's off road and I can assure you that in un-modified form the RR (and the P38 model in particular) is up there at the top of the pile in pure natural ability. I work alongside defenders and as said above the only place I see any advantage the defender has is in app/dep angle. I've never seen one get some place I wasn't able to get to with my P38. But then again I'm running 16's with decent tires since I do spend so much time off road.
Come to think of it, I lost another f**kin Scorpion on Friday. Sharp stone through the side wall - third one in the last 6 months :doh:
 
Its nice to have the comfort and luxury and then be able to have a bit of off road fun in comfort and luxury.

I have coils, they were on when i got it, its not that there is anything bad with them, but i am in the process of putting it back to air, i have all the parts just need the time. Just like thingsto be as they are supposed to be, don't mind fixing stuff, but as with most things, service regulary and keep on top of things, its not all bad.

the wife has little legs and has a moan every time she tries to get in, was a probelm when she was 9 months up the duff, sprog has dropped out now, but she still whinges!! put that down to, errr women!

she has little arms as well, which are conveniently placed above her deep pockets, good job i still have my secret stash account, ha ha ha, well she knows about it, but can't whinge when i buy stuff.
 
Just double checked RAVE, to find an interesting point in the TC description. Although I'd always believed and been told all P38's up to '99 had 2 wheel TC and all post '99's had 4 wheel, it suggests that originally the 2 wheel TC was optional on pre-99 cars, before becoming standard with the introduction of the 4 wheel variety.
 
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