| Author | Message | ||
     Steve Biggs (Steve) New Member Username: Steve Post Number: 1 Registered: 02-2003 |
I just bought a 99 disco, and i'm on a budget. what should I do first to get it trail ready? | ||
| John Cinquegrana (Johnc) Senior Member Username: Johnc Post Number: 371 Registered: 07-2002 |
Remove air dam and modify rear wheel arch to accomodate larger tires... price: only a few bucks. | ||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1054 Registered: 02-2002 |
Steve: Welcome to the fraternity. Your dues are payable now by sending Axel a few $ for Discoweb stickers <grin>. As for your truck, try searching this site as your question has been asked a few times before. Otherwise, try driving it like it is. This will give you an idea of what you NEED to drive the trails you are most likely to spend the majority of time on. Then, get to know a local club, look at how their trucks are setup, then read, read, and read some more to see what is available, from whom, etc. Whatever you do, don't go out and start buying stuff until you know what you NEED. I've had my truck almost two years and have made relatively few mods to the truck, yet it still holds its own on most of the trails I drive. Good luck and check back often. Peace, Paul | ||
| Prescottj (Prescottj) Senior Member Username: Prescottj Post Number: 321 Registered: 12-2002 |
d1 or d2. | ||
| Brent Fox (Bfox) New Member Username: Bfox Post Number: 21 Registered: 10-2002 |
My two cents: waterproof seat covers. I wish I had got them first. | ||
| D. Chapman (1hank1) New Member Username: 1hank1 Post Number: 7 Registered: 02-2003 |
Rear locker and rocker panel protection. Trim the front bumper and ditch the fog lights. | ||
| Greg French (Gregfrench) Member Username: Gregfrench Post Number: 227 Registered: 11-2002 |
I find the roof rack to be the most used mod I have done. I carry a lot of gear...kayaks, bikes, camping gear... for me and my family. I have yet to run out of room. | ||
| Bill Bettridge (Billb) Senior Member Username: Billb Post Number: 662 Registered: 02-2002 |
Just drive it - see what you like/need - no really mods necessary right out of the box (other than maybe removing air dam) Bill | ||
| Ron Brown (Ron) Member Username: Ron Post Number: 99 Registered: 04-2001 |
10mm wrench Ron | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 55 Registered: 02-2003 |
Yes, like Bill said, drive it as it is first. If you have to ask which mods you need, you are not ready to modify. Once you have been offroad a couple of times in the vehicle as is, it will become apparent to you which mods suits your off road driving style.  Click picture to visit the store | ||
| Eric N (Grnrvr) Senior Member Username: Grnrvr Post Number: 1245 Registered: 02-2002 |
I would say that you should cut the air damn off and get some diff gards. Also, I didn't like the stock tires so I went and got a set of 225/75 r16s in a better tread (no cutting or lift needed). Then I drove it for a while to see what else I needed/wanted.. I'll tell you that the mental "want" out weighed the actual "need". Word of warning to you though. Once you start modding your truck (well if you are like me) you will always look at it and want to do more. I have already been kicking myself for some of the choices that I made that I should have done differently. | ||
| Jeffry Scott (Jeffry) Member Username: Jeffry Post Number: 66 Registered: 12-2002 |
I've been in the "modding my truck mode" since I got it, and the first time I took it out with a LR group, the group leader and group mechanic both had bone stock Discos. They could certainly go places I wasn't quite up to. Drive the thing and learn your limits and skills, then grow the truck up from there. (I need to listen to myself ...) | ||
| Steve Biggs (Steve) New Member Username: Steve Post Number: 2 Registered: 02-2003 |
thanks for the advise! happy diggin! Steve | ||
| Blake Luse (Muddyrover) Senior Member Username: Muddyrover Post Number: 693 Registered: 02-2002 |
Cutting the air dam - FREE Diff guards - Not free but great second mod. Rock sliders, Lift, ARB bumper and winch, Tires & Steal wheels. I wish i would have done it in that order myself. That right there would | ||
| Blake Luse (Muddyrover) Senior Member Username: Muddyrover Post Number: 694 Registered: 02-2002 |
oh yeah third or second would be a receiver recovery hitch. | ||
| John Abrams (Jabra2) New Member Username: Jabra2 Post Number: 21 Registered: 02-2003 |
Check out http://www.bordertoborder.com/b2b/equip.html . They've got some great advice here that's helped me out. | ||
| Max Thomason (Lrmax) Member Username: Lrmax Post Number: 100 Registered: 11-2002 |
IMO, as others have said, remove all of the plastic on the front and rear. Just go ahead and pull all of the plastic air dam off as well as the rear endcaps. If you have running boards, take these off too. The truck in this form will serve you well, but I would go ahead and invest in recovery equipment. A 3"x30' tow strap will be good along with about 4~5 shackles. Shackles can be had for a few bucks at Northern tools and equipment or Tractor Supply Co. Go ahead and get a receiver hitch shackle mount for rear recovery. Lastly, get a shovel. A shovel will be very useful for digging out the truck or digging out recovery points that could be buried. Finally, have fun!! Max T. | ||
| Lawrence Tilly (L_tilly) Member Username: L_tilly Post Number: 85 Registered: 02-2002 |
As you're considering your mods, don't forget the most important stage of hitting the trail is returning home. Many mods (locking diffs, larger tires, etc) will help you get further on the trail, but if you still get stuck then they won't do you any good. Bars w/ winches are fantastic recovery items, but are pretty high up the investment ladder (which is why I still don't have one). However, they are not the end-all of recovery. Always try to wheel with at least one other vehicle and make sure you have as much of your own recovery gear as possible (receiver shackle, tow strap and a few extra shackels are a good, cheap minimum). These two points will cover you an amazing amount of times you need a recover. A HiLift or JackAll is a great tool also. Look for them at farm supply stores vs. off-road stores - MUCH cheaper (you can also get competative prices online). And don't go cheap here and get an imitation tool. It doesn't do any good to save twenty bucks and still be stuck when the thing breaks. Although you don't have many points on a stock Disco you can jack with, this thing can be used as a hand-winch in an emergency (you'll need some chain and a few other things as well) and to raise the back of your truck to break suction or get some extra traction (branches, rocks, etc) under your tires. The absolute best modification is yourself. Learn your truck and what it can and cannot do. Ride with experienced drivers with the same model vehicle ( D1 vs. D2 are different) and ask lots of questions. Have an experienced driver ride with you and listen to what they have to say. My first year w/ my Disco it was bone stock (actually even less effective than that), but a couple people in my local Rover club took the time to work with me and the only time I got stuck was when I screwed up a ditch crossing (driver error - not vehicle limit). Lawrence lnctilly@metrocast.net 96 Disco "Beowulf" NH, USA | ||
| Anthony Low (Bones) New Member Username: Bones Post Number: 3 Registered: 03-2003 |
I read that link about most important items vs. non important items. I was wondering just exactly how accurate it is. Does one need to re-do their entire battery and alternator and front spring system to add a winch? Or can they just place it on with a mount with stock parts? | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 1994 Registered: 04-2002 |
You just have to attach the winch's power wires to the battery, no need to redo anything. Heavier springs would be nice but I don't guess you HAVE to have them. | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 466 Registered: 09-2002 |
Recovery gear. By far the most important. Wheeling is no longer fun if you can't get back home. Prepair yourself as if you are going to be alone then never go alone, and don't be teh guy that is stuck and has to borrow recovery equipment. I will loan people recovery gear on the first trip with me but if they don't have it the second time out I won't wheel with them again till they have do have what they need. | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 1997 Registered: 04-2002 |
good advice Brian and Lawrence, I hate moochers. You have to at least have a tow strap if you want to wheel with me more than once (and not some cheap piece of shit either) | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 468 Registered: 09-2002 |
I wheeled with a guy that had no strap...I lt him use mine and it got cut up, I fugured that the next time I wheeled with him he would have a brand new strap that he would trade for the one that his truck destroyed. Guess what? He still didn't have one and all he did was complain about the damage he got last time he wheeled with us. I don't know if he still wheels or not but I doubt it and I know for sure that he doesn't wheel with me. |
