A little overwhelming...

StreetsofCompton

Adventurer
A little overwhelming... The Loco build thread

Some of you guys chimed in with great advice on a thread I created about a week and a half ago, on test driving and hopefully buying a LR3. The good news is that I will be the proud owner of an '06 Black/Black HSE, next Wednesday (seller is in Puerto Rico until late weekend). I feel like I've spent a good amount of time on this forum, as well as a few others trying to learn as much as I can about this great vehicle and overlanding/expo in general. But here is where I'm getting hung up. I feel completely overwhelmed by the variety and options to build up my new rig. I have no desire to "keep up with joneses", I just want to make sure that I add the essentials for how I see the LR being used for my family. I'll start a numbered list with all the things to keep in mind/consideration, and I'd love to hear some thoughts on what you seasoned vets think are essentials as opposed to "would be nice to have".

1. The main reason I wanted to get an LR is so that my family(wife and 16mo son) and I can begin going camping, specifically "renegade or backcountry camping". This was something my family didn't do at all when I was a kid, but I've always had a thing for exploring and adventure. I realize you don't need an LR to go camping, but the whole idea of having a vehicle that is as versatile and capable as the LR3, was a huge selling point for me and also my wife. Part of her agreeing to it, was the fact that it has a spacious 3rd row. I see us going on 2-3 day camping trips at the most, at least for the next year.

2. Not only are we new to camping, but "off-roading" as well. This could very well change once I actually have the vehicle, but I don't plan on taking it off-road, just for off-roading sake. The goal is to have to navigate stuff, and get it dirty as part of the exploration and finding a remote place to camp. Rock-crawling as a hobby does not appeal to me.

3. It will be a DD for one of us as well. How important is the self-recovery type stuff, mods "for reliability" as I saw someone(can't remember who or on what forum) say (ie Breather mod for Front differential, dual battery setup, etc). I'm finding it hard to justify spending another 6-10k+ on mods if the stuff isn't vital to a successful camping/mild exploration vehicle. I'd be okay to spend a bit of cash if things truly are necessary, and I just can't tell what those are right now.

4. Upgrading the tires are a given, but even that doesn't feel simple. stock 19's on the truck now, is it really worth trying to find 18's just for a slight improvement in off-road performance and slightly better gas mileage? Reading a bunch on that specific topic, it seemed like more of an issue before better tire options were available for 19's (ie. Cooper Zeon LTZ).

5. Adding rods (johnson, sasquatch, toddco), seems a tad risky to me. It appears there are plenty of people who have added them and had no issues at all, and others who have had severe problems. I'm VERY risk adverse when it comes to changing things up mechanically too much.

6. How would you optimize a daily driver, without compromising the 3rd row & cargo space to setup a "short-term camping/exploration" rig? What are the vital mods and tools?

Thank you in advance for your patience and willingness to help a new guy navigate this stuff.
 
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zelatore

Explorer
Welcome to the club :)

Speaking of clubs, one of the bonuses of owning a Land Rover is the people. I don't know the Atlanta area specifically but you can probably find a good LR club in your area - check them out and see about joining. You'll not only get good help but the people are generally great and can introduce you to a whole new world.

As for mods, I don't really think you'll need a lot based on how you've described your anticipated use. In fact, a lot of mods may well compromise the truck for you.

Rods - I don't think you'll need them unless/until you start pushing the truck harder/further off-road. The truck can do a lot in stock form so definitely
use it stock for a while before doing this even though they are a cheap and easy mod.

Wheels and Tires - the stock 19" wheel is a real PITA. You do definitely want to put a decent AT tire on it for your use but the selection in 19" is almost non-existent. The Cooper Zeon is about it. Aftermarket wheels are hard to come by, so I would suggest keeping your eyes open for a set of stock SE 18" wheels as that will open up a wider range of tire options. Something like the Cooper Discoverer AT/3 or Falken Wildpeak A/T would be a good fit based on your plans. I wouldn't go bigger than 265/65-18. While it is possible I don't think you would benefit from the extra size and you start to get into more mod'ing to make bigger stuff fit. You mentioned gas mileage....be prepared to see a small drop with an AT tire compared to the stock street tires. The A/T will be heavier and have a higher rolling resistance so some loss is inevitable. Sorry to say but you're never going to get great mileage from one of these rigs.

One mod I would look into is a roof rack. It will open up a lot of storage options for you and the downsides are minimal (some have some wind noise, and you'll possibly see a small gas mileage hit due to wind drag). Lots of brands out there- OEM, Urban Offroad, Voyager, BajaRack, Frontrunner, etc

Best mod you can do? Get a Gap Diagnostics IId tool and spend some time playing with it. I don't think you'll need the Bluetooth version as it doesn't sound like you'll be doing a lot of tinkering, so save the money and get the regular version. Not only will it help you troubleshoot and fix random codes that might come up but it will also let you adjust the ride height if you want a little more over stock.

As for recovery gear I'd suggest a good tow strap, a recovery strap, a few shackles, and a set of MaxTrax or similar. With a stock truck I probably wouldn't bother with a hi-lift as there's really no place to use it. After that I'd consider a winch but that will come with the decision of how you want to mount it. There are few winch bumper options and most are expensive. If you do want a winch, I'd consider a hidden mount behind the stock front bumper. Still not cheap, but very clean looking and it preserves the approach angle.

If you find you're playing in rocks very much I'd recommend one particular piece of armor before any other: Tactical Rovers rock sliders. They extend well inboard all the way to the frame rails and offer great protection for the sills and also act as a skid plate. But honestly based on your planned use it doesn't sound like you'll need them. At least not right away.

I'm a big fan of my refrigerator for camping or just going grocery shopping (when I actually take me rig shopping....it's pretty much a trail rig). But they do eat up a lot of space in the back. I've taken a cue from the ExPo LR4 and removed the center 2nd row seat to mount mine there. It's an easy job to do; just unbolt the stock seat and make a plywood panel that you bolt back to the stock locations. Screw a couple eye-bolts into the plywood and ratchet strap the fridge down. There's even a 12v socket in the rear of the center console you can plug into, but I'd recommend upgrading to Anderson powerpoles as they're a much more positive connection. I suppose if you regularly carry more than 4 people it might be a problem, but I really like having the fridge accessible from the front seat for road trips. The wife can just reach back and grab a drink or snack without stopping, and it keeps the back fully open. If/when you get to this we can discuss further.

I know people love their dual batteries but I'm not one of them. Of course, I don't tend to stay base-camped for long...I get bored and have to get out on the trail. If you plan to stay camped in one place for more than a couple days with the fridge running then yes, look into a dual battery set-up. Otherwise I'd suggest getting the highest capacity battery you can in the stock location (JWestpro can give you some suggestions) and picking up one of the small lithium ion jump packs from Amazon. I can leave my rig parked with the fridge running in 80*+ overnight with no worries about restaring the next day. 2 days would probably be fine as well. Maybe 3 but that would be pushing it. The little jumpers are cheap and very small - about the size of a paperback book. On my last trip I used mine to jump start two other rigs that had low batteries with no recharging between; likely could have done another as well - pretty impressive for something so tiny.

Mostly I'd say drive it stock and learn what you like or don't before spending money on mods. If you feel an absolute need to tinker with your new toy, spend the time and money base-lineing all the fluids, front LCA bushigns, ARB bushings, brakes, coolant, battery, etc - the common LR3 wear items. That's a good investment for any vehicle.
 
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Jwestpro

Explorer
Regarding 2nd row seat removal and fridge tie down:

No plywood needed although that sounds nice enough.

There are places you can run a strap through the two outboard seats and then through the handles on the fridge to tie it down. A bulky ratchet version is not at all required but a metal pass through cam type is what I'd suggest. It's low profile but plenty strong.

There are also nice little cargo tie down folding metal loops that you would bolt in wherever there's a bolt. I got several from Atlantic British or Expedition Exchange and use them where other things have been removed, like the 2nd row center seat and recently the 2nd row starboard side seat to tie down my high lift extreme that sits cross wise between the the wheel wells in the "slot" where the cargo cover would have dropped in years ago. (That was clever by them though wasn't it!).

Dual battery all the way man... no point in running down the starter battery for no reason all these years. I'd rather it just be a happy battery as long as possible and I do not like something so simple left to 2, maybe 3 days.... ? The radio by the way draws a huge amount as do all the halogen type lamps inside.

Know what's cool about the rigid versions of traction devices? They can just mount right onto the factory roof rails by bridging across and putting simple bolt into a wedge in the slot, similar to how a Thule or Yakima tower would mount on the track. I have 2 12"x2"x48" fiberglass waffle-boards (in use they are delicate in some ways but better in others, they will be replaced with actual bridging ladders at some point but they have worked fantastically every time in snow, sand, mud and for bridging gaps or ramping a step or simply used for under tire leveling during root tent camping)

I did mine as a quick prototype test and ended up using it for 7+ years now: 2.5 or 3" threaded rods (depends on depth needed), 1" wide x 1/4" thick aluminum stock cut into length that drops into roof rail track, tap out center of this piece for the threaded rod, 6" length of the stock as hold down slat drilled for the rod to pass through, lock washer, wingnut. All parts in stainless or aluminum.

Procedure: place track wedge, set waffle board, thread rod, place hold down slat, washer, wingnut, tighten by hand or careful tool 1/4 extra turn. Have never loosened in years of use over trails or highways many ten thousands of miles.
 

gravelguy

Observer
Don't forget about driver mods. If you have not spent a whole lot of time driving offroad up to this point, spending some time at one of a million offroad driving schools will be worth the money. So many people rush to bolt on expensive, heavy stuff to their vehicle without realizing they don't know what to do when they get out there with it!
 

JackW

Explorer
Welcome to LR3 ownership - they are great vehicles. I have a 2007 HSE along with three other Land Rovers.
The local Land Rover club is Solaros (Southern Land Rover Society) and we meet on the third Wednesday of each month at The Counter restaurant on Mansell Road in Roswell.
Show up around 7:00 PM and get to know some other Rover owners. We have a lot of experience and will be more than happy to help.
Our next club meeting is September 16th.

The 18" wheels are the way to go - lots more tire selection available. Other than that a good recovery strap and some practice is all you'll need for what you want to do.
Rock sliders are really nice to have for serious off rod work but for camping trips in North Georgia and running forest service roads not necessary.

Solaros is having its annual Southern Appalachian Expedition from Sept 11-13 at Windrock ORV park in Oliver Springs, TN (near Oak Ridge and Knoxville).
Its a good camping experience and there will be plenty of empty seats for you to ride along and get some off road experience with our club members.
Some of us have been driving Land Rovers for over 40 years so we can help you learn a lot about driving and these great vehicles.

http://www.sae-solaros.com/index.php/event-info
https://www.facebook.com/SOLAROS
 

LR Max

Local Oaf
My suggestion would be to look at Luke's LR3. The truck you described...is pretty much what he built. Well, his might be a little overbuilt but a good starting point. Overall, I don't really think you need to do anything other than put good tires on. A decent AT should be fine.

Tow strap and 2 shackles. That is really all you need. www.southeastoverland.com Call Steve. Tell him what is up, and he can assist you. Don't go to the store. Its basically a candy shop and you'll buy all of the things (on the other hand, it is nice to buy all of the things). Also the guys that work for Steve are legit too so don't be afraid to talk to them. The gear they sell is quality and you can trust them. Oh and once you get them, make sure the shackles fit onto your stock recovery points. I know this sounds stupid, but trust me, its easier to learn of this issue 3 weeks BEFORE the trip than to discover this issue when you are stuck. This is a bad time.

Speaking of which, when you get the truck, pull out the jack and other equipment like that and make sure it works. The stock jack is actually a great tool and can get you out of a jam. However if it is broken, this is bad. Also if you get a flat, this is bad.

Hop over to the "Southeast" part of this forum. They do a lot of trips like what you are wanting to start off with.

Ignore all the "bling". Dual batteries. Roof Racks. Lights, etc. You don't need all that crap. However you do need a good tent. A walmart tent is fine until the rain comes, then life becomes miserable. Spend the extra $$$ and get some good stuff. Used camping equipment is great, especially if you stick with the name brands. You can find good, used equipment at a decent price.

There is a device out there that is like a small jump box for car batteries. It also doubles as a power bank. I think that would be a good investment as it is dual purpose and can be easily used in other non-4x4 situations. However simply having a healthy battery in the truck will take care of any electrical issues.

There is a thread/article around here about camping with the girlfriend/wife/female unit. Overall, you gotta go the extra length. For those people used to the city life, the woods is terrifying. However if done properly, then it should be fine. Start off by planning an overnight to a designated campsite. Leave out Saturday morning. Do Saturday morning activities (hiking, Helen, GA, drive the wildcat loop, etc) then after lunch, head to camp. Spend plenty of time getting setup and chilling at camp. Prepare a good meal and START EARLY. Because cooking in the woods takes a lot longer. Then next morning, either do breakfast or pack up and hit up somewhere you like.

I'd suggest Dockery Lake. Good compromise between remoteness, but established. Surrounded by awesome places and not too difficult to get to.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/D...2!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0xf4f039fbf92f654a

Off roading. Yeah you just need to get out and do that. SAE is next week and that is super-short term notice. However riding shotgun would be an excellent experience. I know my passenger seat is open. Get a hotel room in town. While you are out with us making bad life decisions (j/k) your wife and baby can go do stuff in Knoxville and the surrounding area. If she likes museums and stuff, the atomic museum is nearby.

Other than that, an LR3 is perfect for the N. GA trails. You do need 4x4 and traction can be a bit scarce at times, but nothing outside the capabilities of a stock LR3. So it all comes down to skills.

Oh one quick thing: make sure your low range works. I know that is stupid, but you'd be surprised how many people wait until the trail head before learning that their 4x4 is broken. This is a bad time.

On that note, check with Steve at southeast overland about 4x4 training. Really, its the best way to get the basics under your belt super quick. Also they can teach you how to use the traction control on your truck. Basically, the way I drive my old Land Rover Series 3 is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from how one needs to drive a LR3. Completely different techniques to work with the truck. Working with your truck through an obstacle vs. fighting it is better.

Lastly, you said you live downtown? I live nearby. Next week if you'd like to grab a brew somewhere and discuss more, I am open to this.

The bottom line is becoming comfortable in the outdoors, in a 4x4, and in a less-than-ideal situation. All too often people get scared or start to freak out or panic. This never helps the situation. So that is what you need to strive for. You'll get stuck. You'll face challenges. You'll get to dead ends. You'll get stuck between a rock and a hard place. You need to be able to step back and say, "Ok. What do I need to do. I have time. I can use this time to come up with a proper solution."

One last thing, always make sure there is gas in the truck. Running out of fuel is a bad time and is easily preventable.
 

Ray_G

Explorer
Congrats on the acquisition!
Don and everyone else have shared much of what I would, and if you want to look at my musings most of them are covered in my winding fashion in my truck's build thread. Based off your application I don't think you need to go too far with mods. If I were making a list:
1) IID tool (along with baselining it from a fluids perspective). This is money well spent, may as well do it up front and change your CCF and such, add 3 flash function, etc. When you do it, you'll know why. Also if you went slightly oversized in tires you could use this to do a little lift without rods.
2) Tires (wheels). Personally I'd search for 18's, they are out there (there is a set in the classifieds here right now I believe). You can get by with 19's of course but in the long run this will be money well spent.
3) Basic recovery gear. (gloves, tow strap, kinetic rope (IMHO used more than a more static rope), tree saver, shackles soft and hard)
4) Maxtrax or other recovery aid. Personally I'd spend the money on the Maxtrax, they are worth it.
5) If you don't go dual battery, get a Micro-start or a quality equivalent and charge it before you go on trips.

Past that, seat covers? Winch, maybe? Seriously you need to do very little to have the LR3 do what you ask, and do it very very well.
r-
Ray
 

zelatore

Explorer
Dual battery all the way man... no point in running down the starter battery for no reason all these years. I'd rather it just be a happy battery as long as possible and I do not like something so simple left to 2, maybe 3 days.... ? The radio by the way draws a huge amount as do all the halogen type lamps inside.

A- I almost never listen to the radio even on the road (well, the HAM radio but that's different), and never in camp. B- halogen lights? Dude...I'm all LED inside! C- I couldn't stand to sit in camp for much more than a day, much less 2 or 3 so it's never been a problem for me. Even with my old battery of questionable age/quality I could leave the fridge on overnight in 90* weather with no worries about starting the next day.

I'd still say he doesn't need to have a dual battery setup ASAP - and I don't think upgrading to a good quality 1st battery would be a waste of money now even if he adds a 2nd later given how much these trucks like electrons. I'd just toss in a MicroStart or similar mini jump-pack and see how things work for his application. He can always do a dual battery later if he wants one.

Another 'easy' option for powering a fridge would be an ArkPac, but they seem like a lot of money for what they are. On the other hand, it's about the easiest way to go and is very portable so it's not tied to a specific vehicle.
 

LR Max

Local Oaf
Micro-start. That is what I'm thinking of. Besides wheeling and generally having a nice way to charge cell phones in the field, its useful outside of this application.

For keeping stuff cool, a normal cooler full of ice is fine for an overnighter. Especially since its starting to cool off in the evenings. This is cheaper than going full stupid with a fancy cooler/fridge.

Yes. Gloves. I wouldn't worry about Mattrax just yet. Normally a handy log off to the side of the trail works too.
 

zelatore

Explorer
Oh, and I'll second LRMax regarding getting some good camping equipment. Good gear can really make the experience much nicer, especially if you're bringing the wife into this cold. One night shivering and cold in a walmart sleeping bag, with a rock jabbing her in the back because you don't have a nice cot or sleeping pad, and rain slowly soaking her clothes from the leaks in the ebay-special $29.99 tent and she may decide this whole camping thing is for the birds.

One sure-fire way to find good camping gear is to go to an outing with your local club. If you're like me, you'll see all the cool stuff everybody else has and become insanely jealous so that when you get home your mastercard will start glowing from the charge-fest. :)
 

Howski

Well-known member
Everything Max and Jack said. You should be able to get around the North GA FS roads in factory configuration unless you actively seek out the very few remaining challenging trails. Keep it simple to begin, go on some trips and figure out what other amenities or gear you may want to add (fridge, Johnson Rods, new wheels/tires, etc.)
 

mpinco

Expedition Leader
First, welcome! Enjoy camping and actually do it vs. think about it.


Now, ignore all the upgrades recommendations until next year, at the earliest. Considering that this is a 06 LR3 I'm thinking there is maintenance to be brought up to date to ensure vehicle reliability. Take out the owners manual, original owner records and create a plan to perform each and every maintenance item BEFORE thinking about upgrades. Spend your money/time on required maintenance vs toys. Know your truck first.
 

StreetsofCompton

Adventurer
Man, I dont even know where to begin. Thanks for a warm welcome and such valuable insight and knowledge from you all. For starters, it seems that the general consensus for what my immediate needs are:
1. 18" wheels and tires - Is there ANY rub at all with the 265/65/18 size? I'm sure asking about tires is asking someone their favorite shoes brand, but any specific tires to consider other than the Cooper Discoverer AT/3 or Falken Wildpeak A/T? And if I'm gonna be searching/buying the 18" wheels, should I be looking for 4 or 5 to have the full size spare handy? Thats another thing, where to keep the full size spare assuming I get one? Without buying the swing out arm (which seems like a nuisance for daily use) or throwing it on top on a rack(weird setup), the only other option is to keep it securely tied down in the rear cargo space yeah?
2. Gap IId tool - Is this the same thing as a Faultmate? If so, what are the pros/cons to each.
3. Recovery tools
4. base-lineing all the fluids, front LCA bushings, ARB bushings, brakes, coolant, battery(yellow-top?)
5. Either opt for a dual-battery setup or the Micro-Start tool.
6. 4x4 training (probably higher on the list than any of this stuff)

zelatore - I'm definitely interested in a roof rack. Do you have one? what do you like/hate about it? I've been eyeballing the FrontRunner Slimline II, due to the versatility, clean look and good price at the moment.

Jwestpro- If the time ever comes to install the 2nd row fridge, I'll circle back to this thread. Thank you!

JackW - Thanks for the plug to Solaros. Unless my current work schedule changes, Wednesday nights are out for me(Railroad seniority nonsense). But I will definitely keep those Wed. nights on the radar in the event I'm available. Would love to meet up with folks who have long-term experience with their LR's.

LRMax - Tons of useful ideas here man. Thanks. Would definitely enjoy meeting up for a brew sometime. I typically work 2nd shift (3p-11p), and currently have off days of Mon/Tue. I highly doubt being able to attend the SAE, as much as I hate to miss the shotgun opportunity. Hopefully by the time another event rolls around, the rig and I will be better suited to jump in. You mentioned not running out of gas, would you find jerry cans, and the proper storage of these to be essential or just more of the "bling" factor?

RayG - I appreciate the list you laid out. Helps my over-analyzing brain keep things more simple.

Can't wait to get around some seasoned campers and see the gear/accessories they're using. I'm all for roughing it, hence going this route and not with a traditional "luxury" camper, but that doesn't mean I don't want high quality gear. Truthfully, the only bling I really want (or at least think I want) is a RTT. My wife has never been crazy about camping, but when I showed her some RTT's, she was really excited and said "yeah I could be okay with that". I've been reading a lot of the pros/cons, really examining if its worth the cost of the tent itself, plus the other negative factors, lower mpg, decreased aerodynamics, etc. But it still seems worth it, if it'll make the wife more willing and comfortable to get out and explore. Any of you guys currently use a RTT, or have in the past and stopped?
 

LR Max

Local Oaf
To throw some more info out there:

1. No. You don't need a jerry can. However before you leave town or somewhere along the way, just make sure you've got a full/near full tank. The range of your LR3 is easily 300 miles. Most of the trails around here are in the 5~10 mile distance. So you'd be fine. I mention it because so many times I've gone on a trail ride and someone is almost out of gas. Its so easily preventable and the stock tank carries enough for a days trip. No jerry can needed. Also they are a pain to use and take up a lot of space.

2. Please...please...please...do not put an Optima battery in your truck. There are other options but overall, a normal battery, in good condition, is fine for your application. I've been running a lead acid battery for the last 4 years. No problems. Good to go.

I echo what others say. Make sure your truck is in good mechanical condition. That helps out a lot on the trail and just normal driving.

RTTs seem to be a pain on DD trucks. Also all that weight up top, things get tippy quick. Also being tippy sucks.

http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/flex-bow-tents/

Good, quality tent that is spacious. I have one and it is magical. Goes up and down pretty quickly and its easy to drag upstairs and throw in the spare closet when not in use. Also great because I can take it in my 2WD hatchback when I want to camp but don't need 4x4. They do come up for sale used from time to time. Once again, good used equipment is fine.
 

99Discovery

Adventurer
Also being tippy sucks.

That's some wise sig-line material right there. Tippy DOES suck! The worst off-road feeling for me. I'm usually in more technical terrain than the OP says he intends to use the LR3 for, so I've avoided racks thus far (despite their cool looks). My d2 is probably going to be fitted with one soon (to carry the canoe I want to get for the kiddos), but in Moab she'll probably only have a shovel/axe and maybe some lights mounted.

My water and heavy loads are going as low as possible!
 

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