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

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mbw

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every time I see that arb on your truck I like it more and more. Truth is, I have never been a big ARB fan....had one on my FJ80 and didn't really care for it but seeing this on your Rover has me changing my mind in a hurry.

I think the newer Summit bar is way nicer looking, with better design, than the older deluxe bar. (ignore ARB saying it wont fit on pre 14 model years.. it was perfect on my 13) The top bar/tube is much larger now, I have big hands and I can't get my fingers all the way around it. The new fog lights are big and work well and the LED indicators are slick. The winch setup is nice also.. you can't really see the control box but its flush with the top of the main part of the bumper. I went with the Xeon Platinum 10-s so that I wouldn't have a manual clutch lever, I just use the remote. Its a nice setup. Naturally you have to buy the insane big arb lights also, but they mount perfectly and are super focused and bright. I don't regret buying the lights.
 

sailor96

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I think the newer Summit bar is way nicer looking, with better design, than the older deluxe bar. (ignore ARB saying it wont fit on pre 14 model years.. it was perfect on my 13) The top bar/tube is much larger now, I have big hands and I can't get my fingers all the way around it. The new fog lights are big and work well and the LED indicators are slick. The winch setup is nice also.. you can't really see the control box but its flush with the top of the main part of the bumper. I went with the Xeon Platinum 10-s so that I wouldn't have a manual clutch lever, I just use the remote. Its a nice setup. Naturally you have to buy the insane big arb lights also, but they mount perfectly and are super focused and bright. I don't regret buying the lights.

Ditto what mbw said-
I went with a comeup winch and baja design lights-
i have the fog lamps installed- profile pic before fog lamps
 

Mcb14230

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Working front to back, here is a rough list of everything I can think of that I have done to affect off-road/camping utility

Tactical Rovers front Bumper
TJM 9,000 pound winch
2 7,000lbs rated swivel hoist ring recovery points
18" Compomotives
275/75R18 BFG K02's
Proud Rhino 2" Strut Spacers
GOE 2 Position (normal and extended) Rods
GOE Emergency Air Large Kit (puts Schrader valves in grille/rear bumper so you can isolate and manually inflate air struts)
Cut Frame Horns
ARB Front Air Locking Diff
Ground Brake Calipers
Relocated EAS harness
Reshaped Fender Liners
Traxide Dual Battery
Under Hood ARB Compressor
Under Hood Noco 8 amp charger with male receptacle mounted in bumper (for shore power)
VisionX Lights on Bumper
Under Hood Victron 15 Amp Solar Charge Controller with Pigtail routed through grille
Kenwood Dual Band HAM radio
Wilson Electronics Cell Phone Amplifier
GAP Diagnostics IIDTool Bluetooth (this thing is indispensable when offroading and LR3/4 IMO)
ARB Fridge Replacing second row center seat
Big Sky Overhead Rifle Rack above second row of seats
Bearmach Attic Shelf Above Cargo area
Emergency release cable for rear hatch (Do this. It is easy, and the factory one will fail at some point)
Tactical Rovers Sliders, Transfer Case and Fuel Tank Skid Plates
Removed Body Flange in rear wheel wells
Relocated heater lines in passenger rear wheel well
Blue Sea Accessory Fuse Bock for various electrical accessories (Tied to House Battery in Traxide System)
Long Range Automotive 29 Gallon auxiliary fuel tank
Tactical Rovers Rear Bumper with Tire Carrier and Jerry Can Holder
ProSpeed Roof Rack

Still Considering:
An awning of some sort
Rhino Hitch
Removing third row of seats and fabbing up cover with access points for space below the load floor (probably wait until my youngest departs for college to do this, though)
Quality antenna for the cell phone amp (the one included is tiny)
CB Radio/Antenna
Some sort of dc/dc or buckboost to improve charging of house battery (charging systems on these trucks are not optimal)
Rear and side facing "work" lights on rack
Warn 12,000 pound winch to replace TJM
Removable rear winch mounted to trailer hitch

Really, the only thing I MIGHT do differently at this point is the aluminum skids to save weight versus the Tactical Rovers stuff. Hope this helps jog some ideas, and happy to answer and questions or comments.
can you tell me which Traxide LR4 dual battery kit you chose? they all state that they are NOT designed for non-Australian models
 

to8nbeyond

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I didn't see anyone mention it but since you have 86k on the mileage, it would be worth finding out in the service records whether or not the water pump and/or the plastic crossover pipe have been replaced. If not, I'm a big believer now in preemptively replacing it. Mine went out at 79k right before a trip. The shop that works on mine recommends them for any LR4 at 80k if they haven't been changed.

Otherwise, congrats. I got mine at 71k and already have 94k on it in just over a year. Took it out to Moab from the east coast last September and can't wait to go back.
 

Rkymtnman

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I didn't see anyone mention it but since you have 86k on the mileage, it would be worth finding out in the service records whether or not the water pump and/or the plastic crossover pipe have been replaced. If not, I'm a big believer now in preemptively replacing it. Mine went out at 79k right before a trip. The shop that works on mine recommends them for any LR4 at 80k if they haven't been changed.

Otherwise, congrats. I got mine at 71k and already have 94k on it in just over a year. Took it out to Moab from the east coast last September and can't wait to go back.

Great thought....out on the western slope now, then home Sunday in time to get to the airport for a Monday morning flight back east. Planning to get a full set of records next weekend when I get the keys for the trailer hitch thing and crossbars on the roof rack. I do notice the faint smell of coolant and will most definitely plan to change the crossover pipe and water pump if they haven’t been done yet. Thanks for mentioning it.

I can’t remember liking a vehicle as much as I am enjoying this thing so far....and I have had a literal armada of vehicles over the years. Was a pleasure to drive up over the passes this morning.

Forgot to mention....we saw an rrs with manufacturer plates on it that was clearly labeled “prototype vehicle” up near Vail Pass. Pretty sweet ride.
 

avslash

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can you tell me which Traxide LR4 dual battery kit you chose? they all state that they are NOT designed for non-Australian models

It was the D3-Du kit.

It has the USI-160 isolator, and the extra pigtail so that you have an Andersen connector coming out of the rear of the truck.
 

RobRover88

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G'day houm_WA & rkymtnman. Welcome to D4 ownership "club" .
Beware of dealing with GOE for ANYTHING!!. I was totally shafted by
them re my order for Compomotive 18"s & their own range of protection
gear. Thank goodness for PayPal's great assistance - I'm o.k. now!
I know GOE's emergency air system works, BUT they have a reputation
for taking payment in advance & not supplying the product. Better to source
the individual components 'Stateside.
Here in Australia APT Offroad make a great range of Sliders & protection plates.
After the GOE order fiasco I've now ordered APT's sliders, air-compressor guard,
air-tank guard & transmission/transfer case guard. They'll fit the gear when I'm
in Brisbane next month (I'm 70 & have some fitness issues).
APT Offroad (aptoffroad.com.au) have some brilliant YouTube videos on fitting
their gear - all are well worth watching!
Regarding rods & spacers - if you are new to the D4 don't rush in too quickly.
According to some Aussie mates here they can & usually do change the handling
& ride that the D4 is famous for. The vehicle is designed very differently to the
average Toyota or Jeep. The OEM suspension works very well as is & only in
extreme conditions are lift mods needed.
I'd suggest simply ordering a full set of 18" Compo's & fit BFG KO2's. They'll get
pretty well everywhere you want to go without needing to modify suspension.
They are worth the cost & save a lot of stuffing around with spacers etc.
I've now got a steel Opposite Lock bullbar, Narva 225 Ultima HID lights,
A steel Kaymar rear bumper with a single swing-out wheel carrier (tough as!!)
and a Brown Davis 110 liter aux. fuel tank. A Safari snorkel & the aforementioned
APT gear to come in next few weeks.
Enjoy your "new" D4. I intend to keep mine for as long as I can drive - naturally
here in Oz it's a diesel. Gas here is very expensive with poor mileage & we need
good fuel economy for our vast outback distances.
 

avslash

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G'day houm_WA & rkymtnman. Welcome to D4 ownership "club" .
Beware of dealing with GOE for ANYTHING!!. I was totally shafted by
them re my order for Compomotive 18"s & their own range of protection
gear. Thank goodness for PayPal's great assistance - I'm o.k. now!
I know GOE's emergency air system works, BUT they have a reputation
for taking payment in advance & not supplying the product. Better to source
the individual components 'Stateside.
Here in Australia APT Offroad make a great range of Sliders & protection plates.
After the GOE order fiasco I've now ordered APT's sliders, air-compressor guard,
air-tank guard & transmission/transfer case guard. They'll fit the gear when I'm
in Brisbane next month (I'm 70 & have some fitness issues).
APT Offroad (aptoffroad.com.au) have some brilliant YouTube videos on fitting
their gear - all are well worth watching!
Regarding rods & spacers - if you are new to the D4 don't rush in too quickly.
According to some Aussie mates here they can & usually do change the handling
& ride that the D4 is famous for. The vehicle is designed very differently to the
average Toyota or Jeep. The OEM suspension works very well as is & only in
extreme conditions are lift mods needed.
I'd suggest simply ordering a full set of 18" Compo's & fit BFG KO2's. They'll get
pretty well everywhere you want to go without needing to modify suspension.
They are worth the cost & save a lot of stuffing around with spacers etc.
I've now got a steel Opposite Lock bullbar, Narva 225 Ultima HID lights,
A steel Kaymar rear bumper with a single swing-out wheel carrier (tough as!!)
and a Brown Davis 110 liter aux. fuel tank. A Safari snorkel & the aforementioned
APT gear to come in next few weeks.
Enjoy your "new" D4. I intend to keep mine for as long as I can drive - naturally
here in Oz it's a diesel. Gas here is very expensive with poor mileage & we need
good fuel economy for our vast outback distances.

Interesting comments about GOE.

I can only speak from my experience. I ordered, and the items showed up about a week and a half later, which I thought was pretty good for coming from Australia.

He is 100% correct about the air kit though. You could absolutely source those components separately put it together yourself.
 

iSurfvilano

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Engineer, Imogene, Black Bear, Poughkeepsie Gulch, Cinnamon, Pearl Pass, Devil's Punchbowl, etc... mine has been through all of those places.

Sliders and skid plates. A must. The compressor is fairly low under the truck and must be protected. Height is the limiting factor in offroading these trucks. A very typical strategy on many obstacles is to just get a front tire up on the obstacle and then drag the rest of the truck over it where you know you have armor to deal with it.

Wheels/Tires. The factory wheels and tires on these are an absolute mall-crawling joke. With proper mods you can run up to about a 33.5" tire on 18" wheels. The requisite mods are well documented here if you search.

Strategy to deal with an air suspension failure. Mine is muli-faceted. I have a IID Tool, a GOE emergency air kit installed, an on-board compressor. the Proud Rhino strut spacers installed and I still carry a spare front and rear air strut and extra air tubing and fittings in my spares kit.

Locker. At least the rear, if not the front and rear.

I'm a bit pressed for time now (daughters dance recital day), but if you are interested, I will try and list out all of the mods I have done to mine later.

Here is mine from several years ago crawling up "the wall" at Poughkeepsie gulch. Pardon my buddy's gooberish commentary.


As she sits now...

View attachment 9545

View attachment 9546

View attachment 9547
Second pic of your rig, looks like you have a plate of some sort where the factory spare goes.... Or am I just looking at it incorrectly?
 

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