Thinking about buying an LR4 for Offroading/Overlanding

[DWillyEffect]

I've been looking for an affordable option for off roading that still has a good amount of features. I've kind of honed in on the LR4 as well as the LR3, Discovery 2,L322 Range Rover, and the L320 Range Rover Sport. Outside of Land Rover, I've looked at the Lexus GX460 and GX470. I'm wanting to explore the southeast so I doubt I'll be hitting many rock trails but it will probably be more dirt and mud and maybe some sand in Florida.

I love the look of the Discovery's prior to the current gen, the LR4 is probably my favorite looking Land Rover.

Admittedly, I'm not super knowledgeable of the specifications and technicalities of an LR4 because when they were new, they weren't in my budget. I have a few questions about the capabilities and modifications specifically about the LR4 but I do appreciate insight on the other Land Rover products as well.


-Can you modify the front and rear bumpers/add a winch?

-About the suspension, can you convert it to coil springs instead of airbags? If not, can you modify the air suspension to act as if it always has a 2.5/3 inch lift and go higher when offroad?

-Can you get smaller, 16/17 inch rims to fit a tire with a bigger side wall? What size tire do you recommend?

-How does the traction control work? None of the models I've seen online has rear locking differentials so I'm not sure if it's something I would need to add or not. I've always heard LR's traction control is top notch but I'm curious what owners think about it.

-I've been mainly looking at the older V8 models. Is there any advantages to the newer v6 models(besides what I've heard is a slight mpg gain)?

-Are there still options for roof racks/tents?

 

[ryanjl]

Check this thread:

https://www.landroverworld.org/thre...ew-questions-before-i-pull-the-trigger.40141/

To answer your questions:

-Can you modify the front and rear bumpers/add a winch?

Yes

-About the suspension, can you convert it to coil springs instead of airbags? If not, can you modify the air suspension to act as if it always has a 2.5/3 inch lift and go higher when offroad?

Yes to both, but you don't really want to do either, unless you go full-bore and install strut spacers and rods, and are ready for the accompanying issues.

-Can you get smaller, 16/17 inch rims to fit a tire with a bigger side wall? What size tire do you recommend?

No. Smallest wheels that will fit (without swapping brake calipers and rotors) are 18" wheels.

-How does the traction control work? None of the models I've seen online has rear locking differentials so I'm not sure if it's something I would need to add or not. I've always heard LR's traction control is top notch but I'm curious what owners think about it.

You can google search this.

-I've been mainly looking at the older V8 models. Is there any advantages to the newer v6 models(besides what I've heard is a slight mpg gain)?

Not really any advantage, beyond the updated headlight signatures. If you go with a V6 model, the HD package is a MUST if you want to go off road. Without the HD package on a 14 or newer, you don't get a low range option on the center diff. On 13 and older, the center diff came with low range standard.

-Are there still options for roof racks/tents?

Yes.

 

[avslash]

One counterpoint.

I believe, although I haven't done it myself yet, that it is not necessary to swap the calipers to get to a 17" wheel.

It should require rotors and the rotor carrier brackets.

I could be incorrect, but that is what my reading has led me to believe.

Apologies to Ryan if I am incorrect.

 

[ryanjl]

One counterpoint.

I believe, although I haven't done it myself yet, that it is not necessary to swap the calipers to get to a 17" wheel.

It should require rotors and the rotor carrier brackets.

I could be incorrect, but that is what my reading has led me to believe.

Apologies to Ryan if I am incorrect.

Big if true!

 

[djkaosone]

I believe, although I haven't done it myself yet, that it is not necessary to swap the calipers to get to a 17" wheel.

The rear can be left alone and will fit 17s, but the front will need new rotor brackets, rotor, and calipers to fit 17s. At this point you'll also want to get extended wheel studs.

Also, make sure you're 17s are hub centric with the 5x120 bolt pattern. Luckily, the BMW X5s fit almost perfectly. This is where the extended wheel studs come in.

 

[avslash]

The rear can be left alone and will fit 17s, but the front will need new rotor brackets, rotor, and calipers to fit 17s. At this point you'll also want to get extended wheel studs.

Also, make sure you're 17s are hub centric with the 5x120 bolt pattern. Luckily, the BMW X5s fit almost perfectly. This is where the extended wheel studs come in.

@djkaosone

Have you done it on yours? Just wondering if you are speaking from first-hand knowledge?

Did you just press extended studs into the existing front hubs? Source for the extended studs?

If you did change the front calipers, am I correct in assuming you used an LR3 caliper?

 

[djkaosone]

Have you done it on yours? Just wondering if you are speaking from first-hand knowledge?

Yes, I've done did it.

Did you just press extended studs into the existing front hubs? Source for the extended studs?

Ok, not proud of this and may get some backlash on this, but I'm using 10.9 grade 50mm extended wheel studs from ebay. I've only pressed the fronts in. I haven't had time to do the rears, which requires me to remove the entire rear hub to press out/in the wheel studs. And at that point, I was thinking about doing the wheel bearings too. I can give you more details over PM. At this point in time, I don't want to be criticized for running anything except for oem.

If you did change the front calipers, am I correct in assuming you used an LR3 caliper?

Technically it's the same LR3s and LR4s caliper that you'd find in the 2.7L diesel. Oops, I said too much.

The rear uses the same oem stock caliper. You can get away with the rear stock setup leaving a 3mm gap. Not much, but it'll work. Swapping the rear gave something like a 7mm gap.

Again, if you have questions, PM me.

 

[djkaosone]

Here's the rear clearance with the mod and you can see how shallow the threads on the studs are. I can get about 7 full turns on it. Not ideal...

This is the front setup with tires.

This is the new setup... I got all 6 of the same X5 wheels running 255/70r17 BFG KO2s for under $2k. Yeah, I was being cheap on the tires since they were on sale. Otherwise, I would have gone to 33s or something.

 

[djkaosone]

-Can you modify the front and rear bumpers/add a winch?

Yes, you can add a hidden winch or get a bumper to do it. Here's my post on the hidden winch install, https://www.landroverworld.org/threads/terrafirma-hidden-winch-install.29560/.

-About the suspension, can you convert it to coil springs instead of airbags? If not, can you modify the air suspension to act as if it always has a 2.5/3 inch lift and go higher when offroad?

I seriously looked into this, but lead me to a dead end when your suspension is tied to everything to the vehicle. The LR3s offer a suspension bypass module that allows the air-to-coil conversion. Unfortunately, the LR4s don't have this option. AB said it was too integrated into the system to bypass and they didn't move forward with producing it.

-Can you get smaller, 16/17 inch rims to fit a tire with a bigger side wall? What size tire do you recommend?

Yes, see above.

-How does the traction control work? None of the models I've seen online has rear locking differentials so I'm not sure if it's something I would need to add or not. I've always heard LR's traction control is top notch but I'm curious what owners think about it.

I've been in a situation where I would love to have a rear locker. However, it engages and disengages automatically via computer driven. ONLY the HD models have them. Traction control works by means of switching the traction setting and knowing which setting does what. It's really about experience and apparently I don't have much. Hahaha.

-I've been mainly looking at the older V8 models. Is there any advantages to the newer v6 models(besides what I've heard is a slight mpg gain)?

The only advantage in my opinion is better mpg. Owning a v8 and driven a v6, I can tell you that the torque is much better on the NA v8 and you feel the power vs waiting for the v6 to move the heavy vehicle. It kind of feels like a turbo lag without the turbo. Yes, it's supercharged, but the v8 feels better. The electronics are better 2012 and up.

-Are there still options for roof racks/tents?

If you're going down this route, either get a model with the rear half roof rack rails or none at all. The full rails have no real purpose and have very minimal options. With the half roof rails or none at all, there's quite a few options. I have the Frontrunner Outfitters (FRO) rack, but would love to have the Prospeed. I'm also running a FRO RTT, because it's the lightest one out there at 88 lbs.

 

[avslash]

Interesting. My rear wheel knuckles are currently off getting the rear bearings done.

I wonder if I could source some open ended lug nuts to use with the Compos I have on the truck now if I changed to extended studs

That would save having to break down the rear end again if I went down this road in the future .

Anybody know the lug nut specs for the LR4