Overland Journal: Discovery I, 5-speed

Scott Brady

Founder
I do like the Trek Outfitters bumper. I would drop that upper hoop a few inches.

DSIfront.JPG


I like the ARB on this truck. It works for me ;)

It is like anything else, there are compromises. The ARB does many things well IMO. Other bumpers are more specialized. Just buy what works best for your needs.
 

Oxcart13

Observer
I'll throw one comment in the mix - I think there are many aftermarket components for Rovers that are over-built for overlanding. I love my Rockware bumpers on the 90 and 110 - well built indeed - but I don't need rockcrawling durability for my trucks. The ARB bumper will not take the abuse of a Rockware or RTE, but does it really have to? In my mind, for overlanding every square inch and every pound matters.
 

BIGdaddy

Expedition Leader
I'll throw one comment in the mix - I think there are many aftermarket components for Rovers that are over-built for overlanding. I love my Rockware bumpers on the 90 and 110 - well built indeed - but I don't need rockcrawling durability for my trucks. The ARB bumper will not take the abuse of a Rockware or RTE, but does it really have to? In my mind, for overlanding every square inch and every pound matters.

good point.
 

JSQ

Adventurer
Thanks Sinhue.

Jack thats a very nice set-up and the function is noticeable in that bumper. I see them all the time on D2 but rarely have seen any D1's with the RTE


Yeah that set-up works, but if I had it to do all over again I'd do it differently.

If I had a nice clean white low miles Disco1 (preferably with an R380) I'd start over knowing what I know now.
That's why I feel a certain investment in Scott's truck. He's coming in the Disco1 so much later than everyone else that I want him to build the perfect truck based on all our mistakes and misguided adventures. I think a number of us are watching him tweak that truck hoping it will be what our trucks should have been.

John and I went through our dream discos on the EE BBS:
http://www2.expeditionexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1125&highlight=difference
 

JSQ

Adventurer
See how knife-edge thin the RTE is on my Disco:

P1070069.JPG

It's just never looked quite right to me.
 

Scott Brady

Founder
I do appreciate the critical review of the modifications.

You are right, I am much later to this game, and there are some real experts out there on the Disco, like Jack, Steve Rupp, Sinuhe, Marc Olivares, etc.

It is also obvious that I am bringing many of my own biases into the build, for example the lack of a roof rack, the ARB bumper, etc. I also do not intend to use this truck in extreme terrain. I have other vehicles for that, which are much better suited for the rough stuff anyways.

This truck is mostly a daily driver, a transport for my mountain bike, and a vehicle that I just really enjoy traveling in, though the trips are shorter than typical and concentrated in the Southwest. I may take it to Baja in November.

In reality, there is not much left I have planned for it.

Actually, this is the last of it:

1. Mantec Snorkel (sitting in the shop right now)
2. Diff. Guards. Still need to decide on these. Looking for Mantec weld-ons
3. 3.90:1 gears with ARBs (ready to go in)
4. HD Axles
5. I will most likely reconfigure the rear storage unit to be only two drawers at the bottom, and then three Pelican cases.
6. Finish 12v house wiring (nearly done)
7. Remove side molding
8. Different lights for the front. Something more classic.
9. New rear driveshaft to eliminate the Rotoflex
10. Maybe a set of 7.5 XZLs. Only because I like the way they look - classic. The 245/75 ATs have been great so far.

That is it. It is easy to just keep going and bolting stuff on it. More gadgets. I did that with the Tacoma, a little too much.
 

garrett

Supporting Sponsor
See how knife-edge thin the RTE is on my Disco:

P1070069.JPG

It's just never looked quite right to me.

Yet this is what makes the RTE bumper clearly better in regards to front approach angles.

You're giving up the more stock front end look by not having all your steering components exposed visually in the front.

I am still undecided on what I will go with when I get my "new" DI this fall/winter.

The ARB has that nice "full" and balanced look, but lacks with approach angles.

I've hit three deer with my ARB with nothing more than some residual deer poo on my bumper.

I also have the say that ARB does an excellent job with their powder coating. It matters to us that travel and live in the Northeast. I hope that RTE has better powder coating than they use to have. For nearly $1,000 my bumper better not start rusting after a season. I have a 9+ year old ARB on one of my trucks with no rust, flaking, etc.
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
I also have the say that ARB does an excellent job with their powder coating. It matters to us that travel and live in the Northeast. I hope that RTE has better powder coating than they use to have. For nearly $1,000 my bumper better not start rusting after a season. I have a 9+ year old ARB on one of my trucks with no rust, flaking, etc.

I suspect that has more to due with the EPA than any process RTE is choosing from. ARB is not subject to our self-imposed chemical limitations
 

Mike_rupp

Adventurer
I suspect that has more to due with the EPA than any process RTE is choosing from. ARB is not subject to our self-imposed chemical limitations

Nope.

I have a Safari Gard front bumper that has been on my truck since 2000 and has lived through 5 Chicago winters and still looks decent except for the few areas where the powder coating was worn off from hitting rocks.

My TJM rear bumper, on the other hand, has bubbling under the powdercoating in an area where no abrasion of the powdercoating took place.

It is as simple as there are good powdercoaters and there are bad powdercoaters.
 

BIGdaddy

Expedition Leader
I do appreciate the critical review of the modifications.

You are right, I am much later to this game, and there are some real experts out there on the Disco, like Jack, Steve Rupp, Sinuhe, Marc Olivares, etc.

It is also obvious that I am bringing many of my own biases into the build, for example the lack of a roof rack, the ARB bumper, etc. I also do not intend to use this truck in extreme terrain. I have other vehicles for that, which are much better suited for the rough stuff anyways.

This truck is mostly a daily driver, a transport for my mountain bike, and a vehicle that I just really enjoy traveling in, though the trips are shorter than typical and concentrated in the Southwest. I may take it to Baja in November.

In reality, there is not much left I have planned for it.

Actually, this is the last of it:

1. Mantec Snorkel (sitting in the shop right now)
2. Diff. Guards. Still need to decide on these. Looking for Mantec weld-ons
3. 3.90:1 gears with ARBs (ready to go in)
4. HD Axles
5. I will most likely reconfigure the rear storage unit to be only two drawers at the bottom, and then three Pelican cases.
6. Finish 12v house wiring (nearly done)
7. Remove side molding
8. Different lights for the front. Something more classic.
9. New rear driveshaft to eliminate the Rotoflex
10. Maybe a set of 7.5 XZLs. Only because I like the way they look - classic. The 245/75 ATs have been great so far.

That is it. It is easy to just keep going and bolting stuff on it. More gadgets. I did that with the Tacoma, a little too much.

thats sounds like a good build, scott. I'm gonna be watching with interest. -B
 

traveltoad

Aaron S
I'll throw one comment in the mix - I think there are many aftermarket components for Rovers that are over-built for overlanding. I love my Rockware bumpers on the 90 and 110 - well built indeed - but I don't need rockcrawling durability for my trucks. The ARB bumper will not take the abuse of a Rockware or RTE, but does it really have to? In my mind, for overlanding every square inch and every pound matters.

Question... if you are "overlanding" routes that you have never traveled in far away lands that you have never seen... how do you anticipate the level of abuse your equipment will need to endure?
 

lwg

Member
The ARB on the front of Bill Burke's D90 has actually struck a black bear in Colorado at highway speeds and still pretty much held up. Can't say the same for the bear.

I am kind of partial to ARB bumpers myself. They have some design issues with the DII version, but that's mainly because of the airbags. I welded my two mounts together, added real D-Ring tabs and converted a non-winch DII ARB to a winch mount and I love the bumper. Winch is now nice and high, very visible. Killer recovery points as well. The big plus to the ARB is that they are relatively light for what they are. Also I would argue that 90% of offroaders never need anymore protection than an ARB will offer. Very rarely does the approach angle become a problem for me. If it does generally speaking I'm on a trail I did not design the truck for.
 

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