Looking at a 2013 LR4 - main areas of concern?

Howski

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Oct 19, 2009
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Alabama
Bluetooth speaker might be your best bet. Also considerably reduces the chances of killing your battery which the 3/4 seems to do often
 

Blue

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Mar 26, 2004
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AZ
I do appreciate the ability to just grab the door handle and have it unlock automatically. And then pressing the little buttons on the door handles to lock is great too. My boys constantly hit the buttons while camping to make it beep beep.
 

p m

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Regarding the keyless ignition... Eventually you'll like it. ;) Not having to fish for the remote in your pocket to lock or unlock the car is something that takes a while to appreciate.
... until your car won't recognize the keys (the reason the PO of our LR4 sued JLR to take it back as a lemon).
... or you forget that the fob is in your board shorts' pocket before you take that dip in a lake.
I can't think of anything good about it.
 

umbertob

Well-known member
Apr 26, 2007
230
11
Altadena, CA
... until your car won't recognize the keys (the reason the PO of our LR4 sued JLR to take it back as a lemon).
... or you forget that the fob is in your board shorts' pocket before you take that dip in a lake.
I can't think of anything good about it.

All that could happen with a keyed remote / fob as well, no? You'll have a lot of valet and car wash attendants running behind you for the fob you forgot in your pocket at first.
 

Blue

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Mar 26, 2004
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AZ
I started in on 1 of your wheels today, Umberto. I’m going to refinish 1 myself and see how it goes before I decide whether or not to send them off to powder coat.

Question: did you have Johnson Rods (or other extension rods) or did you just use an electronic EAS adjustment tool? I’m ordering the Gap Diagnostics IIDTool as well. Ideally I’ll just use the Gap Tool and no rods. I want to be able to ride about an inch/25mm above normal ride height while cruising along on dirt roads without the 35 mph limit on extended height.
 

umbertob

Well-known member
Apr 26, 2007
230
11
Altadena, CA
Hi Blue. I never used rods. I installed a LLAMS height controller instead. I also have an IIDTool, which I am holding on to since the guys at GAP Diagnostc say they will support the new Defender soon, but never used it for suspensions height mods, only calibrations and other diagnostic stuff. The LLAMS module is pretty slick as it allows you to modify EAS height on-the-fly, at the twist of a knob: -30 mm, 0 (standard height), + 30 mm or + 50 mm above (or below) any selected height you are in. So, that would work perfectly for your intended use as you can just flip the switch to + 30 mm while in standard height, and drive at any speed you want without ever touching the stock suspensions button. When you are out of the dirt road, flip the switch back to 0/off, and away you go. Or, flip the switch to + 50 mm while in off-road height to basically achieve extended off-road height manually, without the car needing to become high-centered first. Pretty sure Graeme Small in Australia is still selling the device, which is very easy to install as the box connects to the EAS module - below the driver's side A pillar - with a supplied harness, and the switch can be installed anywhere you want (I installed mine on the sterring column, opposite side of the power steering knob.)

Only disadvantage of the LLAMS is that, if you need to recalibrate your suspensions with another diagnostic tool (such as the IIDTool) for any reason, you need to remove it from the picture as the calibration will fail otherwise. However, LLAMS will supply a null plug to temporarily connect to the box, which will in effect disable the module without the need to unplug harnesses and stuff.

Not sure if this forum allows external links, but here is a thread about the LLAMS height controller on a different forum: https://www.landroverworld.org/threads/llams-height-controller-added.23853/

Manufacturer's web site, they ship directly to the US and offer great customer support: https://llams.com.au/

It's only money, anyway.
 
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Blue

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LOL, you took the time to individually bag each of the 20 lug nuts. I like the way you roll!
 

p m

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Apr 19, 2004
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All that could happen with a keyed remote / fob as well, no? You'll have a lot of valet and car wash attendants running behind you for the fob you forgot in your pocket at first.
I don't like LR3 key/fobs, either. I love me a flat metal piece that I can take swimming with me.
 
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Blue

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Mar 26, 2004
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AZ
Anyone ever seen this swing away spare carrier from Front Runner? Found these pics on Pinterest but can’t find any additional info (even on Front Runner’s site).
 

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Blue

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Mar 26, 2004
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Then there’s this one but at $1500+ plus shipping it’s a bit steep. Might as well go full steel bumper with carrier from Tactical 4X4 for $1800.

I found this one that mounts on your stock bumper for about $1500:

 

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Blue

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Mar 26, 2004
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Well shit, I had no idea! Didn’t come up in google searches. Will reach to L8 for more info.
 

ERover82

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Nov 26, 2011
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Darien Gap
Spending a grand to move your spare tire an arm's length has to hurt. Should have been a factory option with an aux fuel tank or tool box taking the normal location.
 

Blue

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Mar 26, 2004
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I’ve never liked spares under there. Major pain in the ass to get to it. Open an access port, insert device, spinny spinny, lower it down like some cheap stage production, enjoy your dirty, beat up spare wheel and tire. Fuck that. I rotate in my spares. New tires won’t fit down there anyway. Going to search for aux fuel tank options for that area.
 

Blue

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Mar 26, 2004
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AZ
The rear of the LR4 looks unfinished without a wheel up there. It looks quite stupid, actually, with the pointless downward/upward notch.
 

Howski

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Oct 19, 2009
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Alabama
I hate to beat a dead horse regarding timing chains but want to get a little more comfortable with those issues. Have the opportunity to pick up a higher mileage 11’ LR4 for a good deal. Know the current owner who’s had it for the last 50k miles and taken very good care of it, including the shorter oil change intervals. There have been no signs of timing chain noise. I understand negligence in service intervals is a major contributor but didn’t know if problems ever cropped up when the correct intervals are followed. Basically what’s the risk of future issues if there are no signs now and proper maintenance continues
 
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Blue

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Mar 26, 2004
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It seems to me that you'd hear an odd noise if a timing chain problem was imminent. It also seems like it would take flat-out negligence of service intervals to cause the problems. But I could be wrong....I hope I'm right!