For those that offroad their LR4...a few questions before I pull the trigger

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

avslash

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Posts
1,255
Reaction score
1,101
Location
The Lone Star State
Would love to see pics of this bad boy. This will also be my elk hunting rig. How was the install?

Piece of cake to install. Two screws to remove each grab handle, replace with rack and secure with screws. You could reinstall the handles over the rack plates if you used longer screws, but I chose not too.

It hold 2 long guns, and my solar panel rides on top of it as well.

That is my little 4.5 pound "survival" AR. It is virtually always in the Rover. With the way the roof line works and tinted windows, it is virtually impossible to see even through the untinted windshield.

20190520_191659.jpg
 

mpinco

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2013
Posts
297
Reaction score
113
Location
Colorado
Given that your truck will be an daily driver and that you are not intending to build a rock crawler I would take a more limited and longer time driven approach to making changes. My perspective is a 2011 LR4 with HD intended to tow a camper trailer to a no services campsite and then use the LR4 for whatever plans I have. I have been to Southwest / San Juans and taken it up some of the same trails you mentioned.

The LR4 is a heavy truck as it is unibody on full-frame. Loaded you are pushing 6800 to 7500 lbs. The first thing I did was get rid of the 19/20" wheels, add spacers, found 5 LR3 18" wheels and mounted General Grabber AT2 Load Range E tires. For rocky trails load range E is a minimum. 280/60-18's or 265/65-18's are the best fit. Minor trimming required. The other aspect to consider is reliability. I'm not a believer in rods as they bring a host of issues with them. I've considered underbody protection but realistically I have had no issues as long as you pick your line and drive the trail with an understanding that your truck is 7000lbs. Again, pick your line. In fact I would limit any mods until you learn to drive the LR4 and then figure out what you need. Do you really need to add another 500lbs? Did I mention the truck is heavy? The only underbody protection I would go with at first would be sliders.

Add stuff that makes the trip enjoyable and functional. Much of the armor is just weight. Add interior and communications gear. Consider dual batteries and isolators (the LR4 loves to drain batteries and when they go it is not slow crank, it is dead). Get a GAP tool for diagnostics. I think you see where I'm going. Most of all don't spend a bunch of money without a real need. Enjoy the truck as it is.
 

avslash

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Posts
1,255
Reaction score
1,101
Location
The Lone Star State
Given that your truck will be an daily driver and that you are not intending to build a rock crawler I would take a more limited and longer time driven approach to making changes. My perspective is a 2011 LR4 with HD intended to tow a camper trailer to a no services campsite and then use the LR4 for whatever plans I have. I have been to Southwest / San Juans and taken it up some of the same trails you mentioned.

The LR4 is a heavy truck as it is unibody on full-frame. Loaded you are pushing 6800 to 7500 lbs. The first thing I did was get rid of the 19/20" wheels, add spacers, found 5 LR3 18" wheels and mounted General Grabber AT2 Load Range E tires. For rocky trails load range E is a minimum. 280/60-18's or 265/65-18's are the best fit. Minor trimming required. The other aspect to consider is reliability. I'm not a believer in rods as they bring a host of issues with them. I've considered underbody protection but realistically I have had no issues as long as you pick your line and drive the trail with an understanding that your truck is 7000lbs. Again, pick your line. In fact I would limit any mods until you learn to drive the LR4 and then figure out what you need. Do you really need to add another 500lbs? Did I mention the truck is heavy? The only underbody protection I would go with at first would be sliders.

Add stuff that makes the trip enjoyable and functional. Much of the armor is just weight. Add interior and communications gear. Consider dual batteries and isolators (the LR4 loves to drain batteries and when they go it is not slow crank, it is dead). Get a GAP tool for diagnostics. I think you see where I'm going. Most of all don't spend a bunch of money without a real need. Enjoy the truck as it is.

You make a valid point about learning to drive a modern Rover.

With terrain response, the driving technique is a bit different from traditional off roading rigs

I would tend to describe it as needing to be slower to make changes to driver inputs (especially throttle) so that you give the truck time to determine what it is sensing, and then respond accordingly.

The system works well IMO, but like the touchscreen in the dash, it needs a bit of time to catch up.
 

Rkymtnman

Active Member
Joined
May 8, 2019
Posts
37
Reaction score
21
Location
Colorado
Great point. I have no experience with anything remotely resembling "modern" but am very much looking forward to it. Honestly, that is a huge reason I landed on the LR4. I was going to build up a Lexus GX - or do another LX/LC but preferred something different with more modern systems to play with. We had a RRS for a while and I liked it a lot but it was the wife's.

I home office and my only real "commute" is 2 miles to the gym and the twice a month trip to the airport.

I have a dual band 440/2m setup ready to drop in. Will probably add a CB as well for my non-HAM friends. Certainly an "essential" in my mind....along with all my recovery gear. That stuff is a given.

Still subject to change but current plan is to start with LR3 wheels/spacers, proud rhino strut spacers, tires, sliders, onboard air, rifle rack and the GAP tool and see where that takes me. I had a dual battery set up in my FJ80 for the fridge. I like the peace of mind for sure. We can fab a lot of stuff here in the shop so might get creative with skid plates and a roof rack. Itching to get started.

Should have the deal done and LR4 in the driveway this afternoon.

Thanks for all the input...it really helps.
 
Last edited:

avslash

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Posts
1,255
Reaction score
1,101
Location
The Lone Star State
Great point. I have no experience with anything remotely resembling "modern" but am very much looking forward to it. Honestly, that is a huge reason I landed on the LR4. I was going to build up a Lexus GX - or do another LX/LC but preferred something different with more modern systems to play with. We had a RRS for a while and I liked it a lot but it was the wife's.

I home office and my only real "commute" is 2 miles to the gym and the twice a month trip to the airport.

I have a dual band 440/2m setup ready to drop in. Will probably add a CB as well for my non-HAM friends. Certainly an "essential" in my mind....along with all my recovery gear. That stuff is a given.

Still subject to change but current plan is to start with LR3 wheels/spacers, proud rhino strut spacers, tires, sliders, onboard air, rifle rack and the GAP tool and see where that takes me. I had a dual battery set up in my FJ80 for the fridge. I like the peace of mind for sure. We can fab a lot of stuff here in the shop so might get creative with skid plates and a roof rack. Itching to get started.

Should have the deal done and LR4 in the driveway this afternoon.

Thanks for all the input...it really helps.


Be sure to add the "rods" if you are doing the Proud Rhino spacers.

A brief explanation so you know what you are getting:

Installing the strut top spacers, by themselves, does not alter the ride height of the truck. As such, when you install the spacers the truck will sit at the same height, but, due to the spacers, the pressure in the air bladders will only be at what would be roughly equivalent to what it is in "access" height. The truck will ride like absolute crap in this configuration.

Adding the lift rods compensates for this, and returns the air bladder pressure to roughly equivalent to "normal" setting. The truck will have rebound/damping similar to the factory "normal" suspension setting, but will now sit 2" higher than stock.

Since you will have the GAP tool, the best practice IMO is to install it all and then back a little bit of the height increase out. Factory specs call for a measurement of 466mm front wheel hub centerline to bottom edge of wheel arch molding, and 485mm in the rear. Using this as a baseline, and given that the strut spacers added about 50.8mm, use the GAP tool to adjust the final height to somewhere around 516mm and 535mm front/rear.

You can play with it a bit from there to see what feels best to you, but I would bet you end up within 5mm of those measurements.

You will also be installing some "limit" straps with the spacers to prevent the CV joints from overextending. The instructions that come with them are less than stellar. Post back up for clarification if you need to.
 

Red Lightning

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Posts
61
Reaction score
9
Location
Rocky Mountains
Great point. I have no experience with anything remotely resembling "modern" but am very much looking forward to it. Honestly, that is a huge reason I landed on the LR4. I was going to build up a Lexus GX - or do another LX/LC but preferred something different with more modern systems to play with. We had a RRS for a while and I liked it a lot but it was the wife's.

I home office and my only real "commute" is 2 miles to the gym and the twice a month trip to the airport.

I have a dual band 440/2m setup ready to drop in. Will probably add a CB as well for my non-HAM friends. Certainly an "essential" in my mind....along with all my recovery gear. That stuff is a given.

Still subject to change but current plan is to start with LR3 wheels/spacers, proud rhino strut spacers, tires, sliders, onboard air, rifle rack and the GAP tool and see where that takes me. I had a dual battery set up in my FJ80 for the fridge. I like the peace of mind for sure. We can fab a lot of stuff here in the shop so might get creative with skid plates and a roof rack. Itching to get started.

Should have the deal done and LR4 in the driveway this afternoon.

Thanks for all the input...it really helps.

Rkymtnman - I sent you a PM just now.
 

iSurfvilano

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2016
Posts
652
Reaction score
417
Location
North Beach, FL
Gives it strength along the long axis and makes it drain better. Same with the other side sliders, he put in drain holes in the compressor bump. I also had all of my stuff spray metalized (like galvanizing) So that even if the powder coat is scraped off they won't rust that easily.




I need to go back and clean it up more, I cut it while it was mounted... but I just cut some off the back of the gas skid and it seemed fine. I'd like a little more clearance actually.. and I want to make sure I have a good thick coat of protection now that I cut off the galvanized protection along that edge. I used a 1/4" longer bolt for the skid. The gas skid actually is still a little higher and meets up nicely with the diff skid. Doesn't look awkward or wrong even though the gas skid is 1/4" lower right there.

IMG_20190518_141519-XL.jpg
Oh buddy....you just saved me some time. I already have the asfir rear diff guard and almost put an order in for the TR gas skid (he's sending me a quote now)...I am going to see if Eric can mod it for me before it ships. Good call @mbw
 

Rkymtnman

Active Member
Joined
May 8, 2019
Posts
37
Reaction score
21
Location
Colorado
well....the deal is done. 2013 LR4 LUX with the HD package, 86kmi. It is a 1 owner car serviced religiously at the local JLR dealer it's entire life so I have a complete set of service records. I found it by accident last weekend and managed to make a deal on it before it hit the listings or if would have been gone quickly (as I have seen around here lately). Near as I can tell, it was priced about 4k below market value....which is strange because it was on a dealer lot.

It will be a week or so before I can complete the transaction and pick it up - they are apparently waiting on some title work. I got to see it before it went in to detail which I like because you can get a far better feel for a how a car was maintained when you see it in that state. Pretty stoked and now it is a bit of a waiting game.

Regarding the rods....I saw a "complete kit" on L8's site that includes the spacers, straps and rods. I ASSumed that would be all I need in that regard.
 

ryanjl

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Posts
3,018
Reaction score
1,792
Location
KCMO
2013 is the sweet spot where it still had the V8 but they updated the timing chain guides to the redesigned version that should be problem-free. That said, hopefully the "religious service" included oil changes more frequent than the Land Rover recommended 15k mile intervals.

Welcome!
 

Rkymtnman

Active Member
Joined
May 8, 2019
Posts
37
Reaction score
21
Location
Colorado
2013 is the sweet spot where it still had the V8 but they updated the timing chain guides to the redesigned version that should be problem-free. That said, hopefully the "religious service" included oil changes more frequent than the Land Rover recommended 15k mile intervals.

Welcome!

That is why I jumped pretty quickly. Finding a lower-mileage, well maintained '13 with the HD package was proving to be difficult. The fact that is has gone through the dealer's shop is somewhat comforting....though certainly not the "end all". Some of the things those guys miss leaves me shaking my head at times.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
36,222
Posts
217,569
Members
30,473
Latest member
OnoA
Top