2014 Range Rover Supercharged offload friendly mods?

[as-of-now]

Hi all, I'm a long time lurker but have usually relied on the search feature to answer questions. However, I've run into one question I'm having trouble finding the answer to.

Is anyone here aware of any offload friendly mods for a 2014 Range Rover Supercharged?

I understand there is a 1.5" lift offered here http://johnsonrods.com/johnson_rods_3_003.htm

Does anyone here know what tire sizes would be possible to run with a setup like this, or about other complementary upgrades? Any info anyone has, or thoughts of where to look would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

 

[as-of-now]

for clarification I've checked our Rangerovers.net and there's a bit of info about peoples opinion of offloading an L405, I haven't found links to manufacturers actually making offload accessories for the L405 (other than the johnson rods). Any feedback is welcome. Perhaps I'm not looking in the right place?

 

[EricTyrrell]

The reason there aren't any accessories is they aren't off-road vehicles anymore. They're status icons, handbags, derivative images of the past; and that's how they're used and thus there's no market for off-road accessories.

 

[EricTyrrell]

That said, if you're going to actually off-road it, congratulations. The most important "accessory" is tires. Give it the best tires suited for the type of terrain it'll traverse.

 

[soflorovers]

The reason there aren't any accessories is they aren't off-road vehicles anymore. They're status icons, handbags, derivative images of the past; and that's how they're used and thus there's no market for off-road accessories.

I'm gonna disagree with that statement. Most of what we've seen for the LR3/LR4 platform has been developed once the vehicles became obtainable in the second-hand market. Give the aftermarket a few years. Furthermore, you can't make these statements when LR allows you to spec a center and rear locker on their vehicles, which is something you couldn't do with an NAS Defender (Did I just commit Rover sacrilege by not putting it on a pedestal?!?). Finally, see below a photo of my DD below after a day at my local shooting range and off road trails (2016 RRS 5.0 - Center and Rear locker).

 

[soflorovers]

Hi all, I'm a long time lurker but have usually relied on the search feature to answer questions. However, I've run into one question I'm having trouble finding the answer to.

Is anyone here aware of any offload friendly mods for a 2014 Range Rover Supercharged?

I understand there is a 1.5" lift offered here http://johnsonrods.com/johnson_rods_3_003.htm

Does anyone here know what tire sizes would be possible to run with a setup like this, or about other complementary upgrades? Any info anyone has, or thoughts of where to look would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

If you have Instagram, follow "Rockymountainrover". He has the answer to most of your questions.

 

[EricTyrrell]

Defender, and others, were off-road vehicles from day 1, not year 10 of obsolescence.

Off-road vehicles do not use or ship with 20" wheels at minimum.

Off-road vehicles do not place debilitating components in low vulnerable locations.

It's a very limited and expensive platform. Put good tires on it, know its limits, and hope for the best.

 

[soflorovers]

Defender, and others, were off-road vehicles from day 1, not year 10 of obsolescence.

Off-road vehicles do not use or ship with 20" wheels at minimum.

Off-road vehicles do not place debilitating components in low vulnerable locations.

It's a very limited and expensive platform. Put good tires on it, know its limits, and hope for the best.

The sport actually ships with a 19" inch wheel if you go for a diesel/V6.

I don't know what components you're referring to. If you're referring to the coolers in the front bumper, that's an issue that many vehicles have. Even the later G wagon Professional series vehicles have radiators in the bumper and require special metal front bumpers with cutouts to get around the cooling limitations.

I understand your anger, and I really do think LR is straying a bit from their roots, but to call these new vehicles "limited" is a bit harsh. Yeah, it's harder to fit a 35" tire on these new platforms, but that's besides the point of an LR. ********, CT vehicles used pizza cutters.

 

[EricTyrrell]

Call it anger, but those are the facts.

There are no off-road 19" or 20" tires for Rovers. They wont fit or have insufficient side-wall.

Radiators are one issue. Vulnerable electrical and air components are scattered all over the bottom of these things. Of course it's "an issue that many vehicles have". They're built like cars now.

Rovers are the ultimate in comfort and capability on mild dirt roads. Not rocky roads, literal off-road, or anywhere body damage is a consideration.

 

[DiscoNels]

I would CALL the guys at Lucky 8 and see what they have to say. They seem to be toying around with the new vehicles lately and have done some really great stuff with the new platforms. Just because it's not listed on their website doesn't mean they're not working on developing new products. https://www.lucky8llc.com/

 

[El Solis]

Join the Northern California Land Rover Club (NCLR) if you haven’t already. There Trail Tailor is a member/vendor who is up in Redding. He just got done making bits for a RRS for one of our members. Pretty sure it was sliders, bumpers, winch mounts, etc. There are pics of the build.

Norcalrovers.org

 

[99Discovery]

19" wheels are the main reason my L322 is limited to 4 rated trails or less. After that, it's lack of mountain points for sliders. Sadly, if there *were* mounting locations for sliders, the L322 would be a far superior platform to the LR3/LR4 due to it's wheelbase and I actually prefer the mcpherson strut-style front suspension over the a-arms as far as clearance is concerned.

My l322 is the best vehicle I've ever off-roaded (within it's limits), but Eric is more right than wrong. 19 and 20" wheels are pathetic for any sort of serious off-road work and the amount of money required to put a modern Rover over the "hump" to 6+ rated trails is ridiculous. When all you need on a Disco 2 is a 2" OME lift and the CDL modification (granted, you have to keep the buick from pooping a liner or spitting a headgasket, but that's a different topic for another day...)

I say wheel that L405! Keep meticulous notes for those of us that will pick them up when they are 10-15 years old. That said, watch that bubbly front bumper. Even in off-road height, it is at grave risk of getting ripped/damaged on technical trails...

 

[Victory_Overland]

I say keep to the "overland" configuration and do it in comfort. You can probably drive around the nation in seven directions to include Canada on +4 rated trails or less and be the happiest and most comfortable family within 100 miles. Buy some KM2 at factory size (I don't know what that is, I'm an LR3 guy), nice roof rack, great tent, underbody protection, fridge/freezer, and removable drawer kit and run that beast around the nation.

You'll find more people willing to help with your configurations here than those who won't. I believe it is more about using the vehicle for what it is designed and best suited for. Any vehicle that requires being modified to be put on a specific trail rating was not designed for that trail rating in the first place. Sure my LR3 can go many more places now that I made the appropriate modifications to it................that does not mean however that it is now some superstar and I can run those areas without risk of serious damage to body and driveline/suspension components.

Personally, I like seeing that you are out there getting it dirty and have the will to expand the box on where you can take it. Go in a different direction than most and let the big fab guys figure out the off-road protection through test and evaluation. I haven't seen anyone on here do interior off-road/overland configurations for the newer vehicles which may be something you can kick off.

Give it time, sliders will get figured out, bumpers, and other protections as well. Win the tire battle first and then I say configure yourself a nice overland travel kit for the back and the roof and hit those thousands of miles of trails while you wait for the big mods to come out!

Rover on my friend, Rover on!

 

[3240]

Here's my sport with a 6" lift and 37's. It's been like this for 20,000 miles now and I've had zero problems. I take this truck to Moab about three times per year and it's a blast.





Anyone who doesn't believe that these new Rovers are capable right from the factory is mistaken. Yes, I wish I could fit 18's on the truck but the brakes are just too large. Here are some pictures of my Sport when it was stock with the exception of a good set of tires. These pictures are on Poison Spider in Moab.

 

[99Discovery]

L322 doesn't have sub-frame components like the LR and RRS series. It's a pure unibody. At this point, sliders aren't "going to get figured out". The L322 platform is 15 years old (first rig was an 2003) and not a single 3rd party bumper, slider, or recovery mounts have been released for it.

You could get a bull bar from the factory, and for awhile you could get a hidden winch mount (but it only works on the BMW engined units ('03-05). I've heard you can modify an ARB LR3 front bumper to mount, but it looks funny and doesn't improve approach angle. In fact, the transmission oil cooler is disconcertingly low and close to the passenger wheel so that you can't even really fab up an off-road bumper to improve approach angle without exposing the cooler.

I love my L322 and think everyone should own one. They are AMAZING at chewing up corrugated trails. It's awesome within it's constraints, but they don't take to modifications well at all, even compared to the LR3/LR4/RRS. You have the Johnson Rods and a software lift: that's about it.

3240's lifted Range Rover Sport is phenomenal, but you can't do that with an L322 since there isn't a suspension sub-frame to drop and install a lift with. With a Range Rover L322 you are stuck with what you get. It's awesome at what it is, but it can't be improved upon. Many have tried throughout it's 15 year run, and nobody has released anything but promises. That is very telling.

The best off-road modification for an L322??? Spend $5,000 and get yourself a Disco 1 or 2 for the technical terrain, and just enjoy the L322 for what it is.

That's what I've done. I own both, and while I look for reasons to off-road my Rangie, it's all trivial/easy trails where the bulk of the journey is the highway. If it's anything 4-rated and higher? I take the Disco.