nrgserv
Well-Known Member
in short, yes.
if i was in any way hesitant i would minimise the risks involved-
i wouldnt take my 4 year old if i thought i might not get there and back,
i would have some sort of recovery (aa for me),
i would take a toolbox and equipment to get me out the ****. (accept others may struggle with roadside repairs, see opt 2)
i know my disco, and would have no issues setting off the lands end or john'o'groats. inc trailer. (if i knew someone was paying the fuel!)
suew
Well-Known Member
Thats good news then
By the time we start travelling longer distances I will have taken her off roading
and done some of the local stuff like Richmond & Preston.AA are not good for horses from past experience. Green Flag have been brilliant along with the specialist NFU trailer and horse recovery people. They even fixed the Disco and followed me to North Yorkshire County Show once to make sure it didn't break down again.
Will be asking for the best contents of a toolbox and spares which commonly go to take with me. Never know, with your help I might actually know how to use them by then
So to start the list of what I should carry
Fuses (I know how to replace them)
Bulbs & screw driver (and them)
Oil & Water (have them)
Power Steering Fluid (carry that anyway)
I assume I should add a socket set, which I have somewhere. What size does it need to go and down to
And a hammer
Large metal bar (to get the wheel nuts off)
Torch
Step ladder
Jack
Anything else ????????
suew
Well-Known Member
DiscoPol
Well-Known Member
NRG you have pulled, well done sir!!
nrgserv
Well-Known Member
:brushteeth:
suew
Well-Known Member
gemsdad
NOT BOTHERED.
suew
Well-Known Member
yes of course,why not????
I might be gay, just about everyone else on here seems to be
gemsdad
NOT BOTHERED.
I might be gay, just about everyone else on here seems to be
well are you,or aren't you????.
really you only need stuff to change a wheel, fan belt and power steering belts, fuses and light bulbs they should be all you ever need at the roadside.
a bit of preventative maintenance goes a long way , if the belts are changed as preventative maintenance they should last years, same with radiator hoses...stick new ones on and they should last years. go over the vehicle after off roading...clean the mud off radiater ,grease propshaft joints and check fluids...... dont go playing the day before a long tow, playing off road is more likely to break summit or start a break than towing is.
learn what your temp gauge does normally and what the normal noises are. abnormal temp gauge and new noises are the first signs of a problem developing
a bit of preventative maintenance goes a long way , if the belts are changed as preventative maintenance they should last years, same with radiator hoses...stick new ones on and they should last years. go over the vehicle after off roading...clean the mud off radiater ,grease propshaft joints and check fluids...... dont go playing the day before a long tow, playing off road is more likely to break summit or start a break than towing is.
learn what your temp gauge does normally and what the normal noises are. abnormal temp gauge and new noises are the first signs of a problem developing
suew
Well-Known Member
well are you,or aren't you????.
No, but please dont tell anyone, I dont want to be in a minority group
suew
Well-Known Member
Thank you, will get the belts. I know about the power steering one, I tightened it when I was learning to service it. Will have to investigate the fan belt and how to change it. I also know how to put grease on but I dont have the gun, might be one in my dads toolkits, will have a look.
Haven't looked at the radiator stuff but I am sure nrgserv did as he checked it all out.
Am pretty good at noticing new noises and I always watch the gauges so that bit is OK. Although when towing horses I am listening for them more than the car.
Couple of things ... The reason the Shogun has a diff-lock is so it can go off-road at all! Even with it, the suspension characteristics and geometry make it pretty crap off-road without serious fettling and modification ..
Sister tows horses with a Kia Sorento, which is actually a great car for her needs, she doesn't green-lane, she wants car comfort, and it was cheap .. Currently they're trying to trace an electrical fault that occasionally stops the engine .. Otherwise it's been reasonably reliable, but not as reliable as my Disco, but I spend an inordinate amount of time playing and thus fettling my Disco so it's reliable when being used ..
I used to tow a caravan with an S3, 50 mph tops, but it'd hold 45 everywhere, guietly, comfortably and with some style!!! Longest trip Doncaster to Nottingham to Tiverton in Devon and back .. comfy as a comfy thing being particularly comfortable. OK, you could bend the door tops and wave at people without sliding the windows back, but that was character ..
I'd suggest keep what you have, learn more about the maintenance of it and maybe try changing parts before you need to, like wheel, fuel air oil filters etc, brake shoes/pads, and just enjoy it without trying to analyse too much. When you've towed at least a couple of long trips and if you felt bad about it, or had issues, maybe that's when you think about something else, for now I really see no reason to change. Sounds a little like it's 'in your head' that Defenders don't do long mileages - they do, regularly!
Have fun ...
Sister tows horses with a Kia Sorento, which is actually a great car for her needs, she doesn't green-lane, she wants car comfort, and it was cheap .. Currently they're trying to trace an electrical fault that occasionally stops the engine .. Otherwise it's been reasonably reliable, but not as reliable as my Disco, but I spend an inordinate amount of time playing and thus fettling my Disco so it's reliable when being used ..
I used to tow a caravan with an S3, 50 mph tops, but it'd hold 45 everywhere, guietly, comfortably and with some style!!! Longest trip Doncaster to Nottingham to Tiverton in Devon and back .. comfy as a comfy thing being particularly comfortable. OK, you could bend the door tops and wave at people without sliding the windows back, but that was character ..
I'd suggest keep what you have, learn more about the maintenance of it and maybe try changing parts before you need to, like wheel, fuel air oil filters etc, brake shoes/pads, and just enjoy it without trying to analyse too much. When you've towed at least a couple of long trips and if you felt bad about it, or had issues, maybe that's when you think about something else, for now I really see no reason to change. Sounds a little like it's 'in your head' that Defenders don't do long mileages - they do, regularly!
Have fun ...
suew
Well-Known Member
II'd suggest keep what you have, learn more about the maintenance of it and maybe try changing parts before you need to, like wheel, fuel air oil filters etc, brake shoes/pads, and just enjoy it without trying to analyse too much. When you've towed at least a couple of long trips and if you felt bad about it, or had issues, maybe that's when you think about something else, for now I really see no reason to change. Sounds a little like it's 'in your head' that Defenders don't do long mileages - they do, regularly!
Have fun ...
Thanks, its not that I dont think Defenders will do long trips, more the age of her. 21 years old is old for a car these days, I know they last for years but the breakdown people seem to charge more for age. I assume that statistically she is more likely not to arrive
Or perhaps all the statistics show is that old cars are not usually maintained as well as new ones I am really enjoying learning about maintenance, not the hard stuff yet, and I am slowly learning the vocabulary too
I used to think car enthusiasts talked a different language
Thanks, its not that I dont think Defenders will do long trips, more the age of her. 21 years old is old for a car these days, I know they last for years but the breakdown people seem to charge more for age. I assume that statistically she is more likely not to arrive
I am really enjoying learning about maintenance, not the hard stuff yet, and I am slowly learning the vocabulary too
I think you're right, a well maintained vehicle is a well maintained vehicle and is less likely to break down, IMHO, than even a reasonably new one that's not maintained.
Like I say, sis' 56 plate Sorento is off the road being fixed more than my P reg Disco .. and mine gets hammered. Theirs tows the caravan at weekends, or the horse trailers or to take the labs for a walk in the woods etc, but that's it .. no commutes, other car for shopping etc Mine doesn't get used a lot, mileage wise, but also tows a caravan and off-roads very regularly .. and I don't hold back from anything .. I regularly change fluids, filters, brake pads before they absolutely need it etc etc ..
They didn't know they had to check engine oil for level, indeed didn't know where the level was ... it's main dealer serviced once a year, no matter what the mileage ...
