Preparing for the long road ahead

Land Rover Daddy

Well-known member
Apr 12, 2019
54
3
Crystal River FL
I'm planning for a long road trip in the Discovery 1 and I'm seeking input on what spares and tools to bring.

I usually just bring a big tool box, but space will be at a premium and I'll need to reduce the size and weight of my tools

I generally trust the truck, or I wouldn't be taking it, but what spares would y'all recommend I carry?
At least the Disco was sold in the US, but it's not like the parts stores have spares on the shelf for these anymore...

Thanks!
 

robbyb20

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2019
227
34
Seattle
I always have the following:
6-15mm sockets
6-15mm wrench
long ratchet (that accepts the 15mm socket for the belt tensioner)
long extension for ratchet
fan clutch tool remover (I beleive 36mm) and a
rubber mallet (to tap the fan clutch to remove).

May also want a 24mm (for crank pulley), spark plug remover socket, long piece of rope that can fit into spark plug hole so you can tighten up the crank pulley if you end up needing to take it off for some reason
allen key set/ones that fit your ratchet

I also carry an array of hose fasteners and bolts/nuts
gaskets (exhaust manifold/Y pipe)
right stuff gasket sealer
full set of fuses
wires of varrying gauges (larger gauges, not rewiring off the batter)
wire crimp tool
wire connectors.

I always have an extra alternator as I still have something eating them on long trips.

On my last drive (2200 miles), i had to change out my driver side y pipe gasket, change my alternator and reconnect/fix some wires going to my central locking door unit in my driver side door. Lost more time driving in to Portland from the coast to pick up a camera battery charger than I did on repairs.
 

pdxrovermech

Well-known member
Jul 3, 2009
1,807
57
Portland, OR
I think "what would leave me totally fucked if i was in the middle of nowhere?". So Alternator, Starter (if auto), Water Pump, Fuel Pump, Serp Belt. Then any tools needed to change those. I'll take my chances with anything else breaking as long as I can limp my rig back to somewhere with cell coverage.
 

4Runner

Well-known member
May 24, 2007
660
110
Boise Idaho
Not sure of what year it is but a crank sensor and the wrenches for that if it’s a GEMS. I take an entire distributor assembly with coil and wires. Or at least most of those parts minus the distributor itself if it’s a 14CUX. I also bring a meter and scanner of some sort if I am really dropping off the edge of the earth.
 

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
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La Jolla, CA
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So Alternator, Starter (if auto), Water Pump, Fuel Pump, Serp Belt.
Well. If you go down that route, add power steering pump, and a shorter belt to bypass the A/C compressor.
I think carrying a diode assembly and voltage regulator/brushes for an alternator, and starter repair kit, can save a lot of weight.
It is also time to think of which tools are really essential and which aren't.
 

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
562
Seattle
I always keep a spare brake switch in the truck. It's cheap, it's light, it's small, so no reason not to. When I drove my D1 on the 600-mile Washington Backcountry Discovery Route I took most of the stuff mentioned here (choices informed using the same logic that @pdxrovermech poses) and ended up needing to replace the fuel pump partway through. Turned out the real culprit was the fuel pump wiring harness, which is a quick, easy, and relatively cheap component to replace pre-emptively if yours is still the factory original.
 

p m

Administrator
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Apr 19, 2004
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Food for thought: if your tensioner pulley spins freely when you spin it (which probably applies to 95% of vehicles here), the bearing is almost dry.
And that bearing will leave you stranded on a serpentine-belt truck.
 

Blueboy

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,205
459
Back in the USA; Rockwood, PA
How many miles on the Rover?
How well do you maintain it?
What are you considering a long road trip?
Based on what has been mentioned possibly replace the parts most likely to fail which would leave you stranded before leaving.
 

DiscoHasBeen

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2016
1,171
262
Indy
How many miles on the Rover?
How well do you maintain it?
What are you considering a long road trip?
Based on what has been mentioned possibly replace the parts most likely to fail which would leave you stranded before leaving.
Good advice there. If over 100k and they haven't been serviced I'd replace the fuel pump, serpentine belt/ tensioners, and ujoints. You can drive a fair distance with a bad alternator, a starter usually gives you some warning it's failing, but those three items will leave you on the side of the road.
 
Last edited:

Land Rover Daddy

Well-known member
Apr 12, 2019
54
3
Crystal River FL
Question

Does anyone know if the serpentine belt can be run omitting the A/C compressor?
I haven't had a chance to look to see if this even looks possible, I've been too busy improving the interior.
If its possible, would anyone know a part number for the belt? I'd like to carry one as a spare on the off chance that the compressor locks up...

Thanks!
 

LRDONE

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2020
336
116
Michigan
Question

Does anyone know if the serpentine belt can be run omitting the A/C compressor?
I haven't had a chance to look to see if this even looks possible, I've been too busy improving the interior.
If its possible, would anyone know a part number for the belt? I'd like to carry one as a spare on the off chance that the compressor locks up...

Thanks!
Not sure on belt size however if you remove your current belt and route a string around all of your pulley's bypassing the compressor, you'll have the best luck sizing one up at the local parts store.
 

p m

Administrator
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Apr 19, 2004
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La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
It is a good advise to measure the belt length before going to the store, but before you do this, (IIRC) you need to change the orientation of the tensioner pulley arm. I have never tried this, but apparently there are two ways to mount it, for this exact reason (with or without A/C).
 

pdXDisco97

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2011
277
36
Oregon
Can anyone help me locate JUST the fuel pump?
I dont want to carry an entire spare assembly.
I bought a fuel pump for a '96 Impala (based on a Dweb thread...) with no assembly, just the pump, 8 years ago and have had no issues.

 
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