| Author | Message | ||
     James M. Reed (Utahdog2003) New Member Username: Utahdog2003 Post Number: 4 Registered: 03-2004 |
after 4 years of foaming at the mouth everytime a mom drove her Disco by in the mall parking lot, I finally took the plunge, sold a kidney on ebay and bought a DiscoII. So now I need some advice. After a few shakedown runs on the beach, I've noticed that the new girl aint quite as adept to handling the soft stuff as my Tacoma. Not bad, mind you, especially considering it feels like I'm wheeling a BMW 5 series, just a little...squooshy! I plan some simple mods, springs, 33s, bumper and winch, and dif upgrades/under carriage armor. Any advice? Products to be wary of? good/bad experience with vendors like SG? RTE? OME? I plan to use the truck for North Geargia, Tennessee, Carolina wheeling every other month or so, and I live near the beach here in Jacksonville, so my Disco will see sand. Please let me know of some experiences you've had! Thanks in advance!! | ||
| Andrew Homan (Andy) Member Username: Andy Post Number: 58 Registered: 01-2004 |
James, Your Toy probably had wider tires than you disco which are much better on sand. I'm in Oregon so I like to go with narrow tires because of all the snow and ice. Also air down it might help increase the tire foot print. 33s are big ask around before you do that. Jon at expedition exchange gave me some good advice. you might want to consider 31s or 32s. unless your taking a major plunge into mods. Also all the companies you mentioned are good from what I've heard. Cheers Andy | ||
| James M. Reed (Utahdog2003) New Member Username: Utahdog2003 Post Number: 10 Registered: 03-2004 |
Yeah I know my old fat tires were the thing for sand. In all honesty I can't see dumping the tires that came on the Disco until they have at least some miles on them. I'm thinking beefed up recovery points, then springs and shocks, then bumper, at which point I think the Disco's strengths and my goals for it will be more obvious at which time I'll jump into tires and a winch, saving the armor and lockers for last. See, wheeling the Toyota was cake, short wb reg cab so the thing had mucho breakover and approach angles, and it didn't weigh a thing so if you were gentle, any rubbing on the soft underbelly just made noise and scratched paint. And lockers were overkill. Now I'm in a truck that weighs close to a ton more, so I'm thinking that just plain physics means if I hit the dif it will do more than scrape, and when I'm in sand, she'll want to wallow. I've gotten some feedback that 33s are big for the Disco. While I'm not a fan of water crossings (nothing increases the pucker factor of wheeling Florida like having water come over the hood) some increased vehicle height is needed. thanks for the post! | ||
| John Brazelton (Florida_rover) Member Username: Florida_rover Post Number: 47 Registered: 07-2003 |
Ditto on the "pucker factor". if you have the money, get a snorkle. The air intake is in the front wheel well on a DII.>JB | ||
| david summers (Texmoto) Member Username: Texmoto Post Number: 118 Registered: 12-2002 |
James, Everyone here will have different opinions, so here is mine. For the most bang for the buck, adding a CDL handle will be the way to go. Not hip on CDL? Do a search. Believe me, it makes a big difference when off roading. | ||
| James M. Reed (Utahdog2003) New Member Username: Utahdog2003 Post Number: 12 Registered: 03-2004 |
Anybody with some company knowlege able to tell me what VINs Rover started putting the CDLs back in? Mine's a 2003, and while I'm not sold as yet on the addition of a handle, It would be good to know if the nub is on the case for the addition of a handle at a later date. Maybe a pic/diagram of the CDL nub? Even though my 2003 should not have it, you never know when you got an old case in a new truck or a newer case made it to the 2003 line towards the end of the years production. I knew a guy in Colorado who had a DiscoII with a rear sunroof. wasn't on the sticker, wasn't on the build sheet for the truck. Just had one sunroof in the back. free! So maybe I got a CDL case? maybe? | ||
| Rick Neff (Lostinboston) Senior Member Username: Lostinboston Post Number: 374 Registered: 06-2003 |
2003's dont have the cdl. They stopped in 01. If you want to look for it, heres a link http://www.expeditionexchange.com/cdl/ younever know with LR. Im running 33's and my truck sees some sand and kicks its ass. i have 285/65/18 BFG AT's. nice and wide which helps in sand. i put in an RTE 3 lift. Little rubbing on the Radius arms but easily fixed byadjusting the steering stops. | ||
| James M. Reed (Utahdog2003) New Member Username: Utahdog2003 Post Number: 14 Registered: 03-2004 |
Rick, thanks for the link! I'm surprised I hadn't seen it before, with all the browsing I've been doing on EEs site (and others). Regarding your RTE 3"...do you wheel with a loaded rig, or just passengers? I have to road trip for wheeling fun, so I'll be burdened with all sorts of camping crap. I have to say...coming from my Tacoma (which had essentially no parts available for it other than crappy add-a-leafs and shocks with pinks booties) to my Disco is a revelation! I told Ho in an email that all the goodies available for Rovers made me decide to sell my Tacoma!...he never responded though...probably decided I was some psycho stalker. Oh well. | ||
| Rick Neff (Lostinboston) Senior Member Username: Lostinboston Post Number: 376 Registered: 06-2003 |
usually just a couple passengers and minimal grear. only day trips. but all the mods add some weight. the 33's will probably rub on the front air dam. I have an SG front with winch. | ||
| Aaron Richardet (Draaronr) Senior Member Username: Draaronr Post Number: 535 Registered: 09-2002 |
If you are in Jacksonville NC not FL then try to make friends with Paul Morgan. He has a nice setup on his D2 for a good daily driver and excellent wheeling. | ||
| James M. Reed (Utahdog2003) New Member Username: Utahdog2003 Post Number: 16 Registered: 03-2004 |
I am in Jax FL. But as I said in the opener of this whole shmeal, I'll be roadtripping for my wheeling pleasure. What organization in NC is he affiliated with? I might look him up the next time I'm in NC. Anybody else in my neck of the woods care to strike up a driveway show-n-tell of their truck and toys? I'll bring the Newcastle! |
