Discovery 1 Road trip preparation ?'s

[DiscoDavis]

Just wanted to add threads like this are why ExPo is awesome. Kickass encouragement and solid technical assistance. Hope your trip goes well!

 

[Ray_G]

Great advice. I've had few surprises thus far with it. I drive it about 50 miles a day and it's never let me down. Although, I do recognize the fact that 1999, although it doesn't feel like it, was 17 years ago. Regardless of the make or model, old parts will eventually give way.

I really appreciate the response.

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It's all good, happy the community is of help here. I truly do think that Rovers in general, and D1's in particular (b/c I'm biased) are very robust vehicles that crave to be driven and do love occassional attention. You may well encounter issues, but rarely will they keep you from getting home or to somewhere to fix it fully.

Lots of great suggestions here and any time with a wrench in hand working on the truck in advance of the trip is time getting to know the vehicle better. My wife & kids laugh at how symbiotic I can get with our truck but its a testament to the relationship that I went overseas and during the time away I come back and the truck still responds and does what she was intended to do-that didn't happen without a lot of time maintaining her beforehand even while abusing her a bit offroad doing things like VOT.

Make a list of maintenance items, use some of your preventative replacements as spares, baseline fluids-and take a lot of pictures!
r-
Ray

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

Our '94 did this combined commuter / extended travel duty for years.

Tom (luckyjoe) has the list spot on...though I question "flushing" the trans...I'll admit that I've never had the pan off mine but it does get a fluid drain and refill every other oil change.

Have a Very Close Look at the oil cooler / trans cooler lines.

They will fail and if you don't burn to the ground, you'll at least be immobilised.

Have fun, take photos

 

[mick968]

10 yrs ago we did road trip in my 97 D1 from St.Louis to Moab (with stop in Breckinridge,Co. to flyfish) (at that time I had never driven it more than 50 miles 1 way trip) we were going to attend our first National Landrover Rally. We were poorly informed and more poorly prepared. Honestly had no idea if it would make it out of the St.Louis metro much less through the Rockies and (1300 miles!) what a way to get familiar with your vehicle about halfway there (middle of Kansas) we developed a slight vibration didn't think much of it (turned out to be Rotoflex which completely failed when we were out on trail in Moab)(note -if you still have Roto rear shaft bring spares) the only thing we were prepared(plan) to do was to leave Landrover out there if something happened and fly home needless to say we had great time(learned how to replace Roto on the trail)(with vice grips and sparkplug wrench)(only tools we had!) and the Rover ran great way home and still in action today so my suggestion is load up,do some prep,don't worry and have a great story to tell from your trip!

I found a pic from that first(road) trip out in Moab and the Disco now after many modifications(10 yrs later) plan to drive to National Rally in Moab again this year (trip not as far since we are in Colorado now) the memories it all started with that "Road trip"!

 

[IthrowWrenches]

I found a pic from that first(road) trip out in Moab and the Disco now after many modifications(10 yrs later) plan to drive to National Rally in Moab again this year (trip not as far since we are in Colorado now) the memories it all started with that "Road trip"!

Nice! Great encouragement for our trip ahead. What type of fuel mileage did you get? I'll be at stock height with slightly larger than stock tires. Nothing outrageous.

As for an update on the maintence..

I went to do my brake pads yesterday and couldn't get the pistons on the front calipers to go in enough to get the new pads on. Even tried opening the bleeder to let all of the pressure out and still didn't have any luck. The seals around the pistons were shot and I imagine they were full of crud. The calipers themselves looked awful so, I threw some new ones on today. The brakes are so much better now. Checked my rubber lines heading to the caliper and they look good with no cracking or spots from rubbing.
The rotors are starting to look thin so, I'm going to get some new ones in a couple of weeks and check my wheel bearings when I swap them out.

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[mick968]

Nice! Great encouragement for our trip ahead. What type of fuel mileage did you get? I'll be at stock height with slightly larger than stock tires. Nothing outrageous.

Yeah fuel milage....(why the Jerry can ) again back to our "poorly informed" once past Grand Junction(70-west) we had no idea there were very limited service or fuel opportunities (especially in Utah) we were on fumes when we finally came to station I have to admit that "road trip" was the only time we actually drove it that distance(2000 miles) to the National Rally sites (ever since we have trailered) as our off road bravado and vehicle capability increased so did the difficulty of trails we attempted (and our get back home percentage)

 

[jymmiejamz]

I drove across the country in a Defender 90 which has about a 15 gallon tank. I brought a jerry can, but never even came close to needing it. In the sparsely populated areas there were always signs at each exit indicating how many miles to the next fuel station. I wouldn't bother with the jerry can if doing it again.

 

[mick968]

I drove across the country in a Defender 90 which has about a 15 gallon tank. I brought a jerry can, but never even came close to needing it. In the sparsely populated areas there were always signs at each exit indicating how many miles to the next fuel station. I wouldn't bother with the jerry can if doing it again.

after that first trip (when I added the can) I didn't use it much(especially since we trailered) but it actually comes in handy now where our(cabin) is located in Colorado there isn't much as far(gas station) close nearest is 12 miles open only during day and not on most of my usual routes the next closest is 23 miles (Fairplay) that 5 gallons has come in handy as far as "always signs" not so much on way to Moab after you cross over into Utah a few more now than 10 years ago

 

[sturgillk]

Duck tape, zip ties, JB Weld, and some of that self adhering silicone tape would be a good idea in case you need to kludge something back together. Plus some WD-40, if only for the seat belt bits that will begin to squeak when you're a long ways away from your next stop.

And if the bearings haven't been done in a while, I'd suggest just replacing them anyway. Along with the hub seals. (If you're like me, you'll tear 'em up while you're getting to the bearings anyway.)

And fuses! A whole box of assorted fuses!

 

[fishEH]

If you replace any parts, keep the old ones as spares.
Definitely check your fuel pump and filter if original. I had my fuel pump go out on me in Moab right after filling up after finishing Poison Spider. Ended up replacing the pump in the Radio Shack parking lot. Would have rather been drinking at the bar.

 

[James86004]

We drove our similar 92 Range Rover 7000 miles to Guatemala, Belize, and back this past summer. When we decided to take it, it was sitting in the driveway with blown head gaskets. It got new head gaskets, seals, fuel injectors, hoses, belts, all new ignition components, and a few things I can't think of right now. We had two failures on the trip. A brake hose started leaking on heavy braking, and a great shop in Merida replaced it with a VW hose for $27. The other was a flat tire, good luck finding a 235/85R16 BFG AT in Tabasco. We settled for a Dunlop in the same size. Next time we will start the trip with brand new tires instead of half worn ones.

We brought a spare fuel pump, belts, hoses, fuses, and ignition components. I put a lot of work into it beforehand. I think our friend who came with us in a Toyota was disappointed he didn't get a chance to rescue us.

The only things which have relegated me to the tow truck in 19 years of Rover ownership were a bust radiator hose (on one we were driving home from purchasing), a burst header tank, and a bad fuel pump. I have been able to limp home with blown head gaskets, bad alternators, and disintegrated trailing arm bushings.

Where in Arizona are you going?

 

[mowerman]

I think that's partly true. But, driving 2500+ miles is alot different than the regular commute. It's due for maintenence and I figured while I was spending money on it, it would be a good time to ask for suggestions.

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I agree with not doing much other than maintenance, so I would change the oils, belts and the wheel bearings and that's about it, because you cannot predict when may or may not break other then the bit that breaks will be the bit you don't have. Maybe do the Prop UJs aswell.
You will never (I would guess) be far from a shop selling spares.
I've done 225k miles in mine and nothing has ever broken on a trip.

 

[IthrowWrenches]

I've been slowly getting things accomplished. I threw on new calipers and pads on the front and got some new treads yesterday. Upon further inspection, the rear pads are looking thin so, I'll be replacing those as well this week. Still need a few things but, it's coming together!

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[ltngaines]

Have a lot of Rotella and a tow truck on speed dial.

 

[IthrowWrenches]

Have a lot of Rotella and a tow truck on speed dial.

Don't leave home without it!

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