Refurbishing a cheap Disco 1

[GreyMudder]

Nice build , I had a few D1's and they are great offroaders,. The D1's are relatively simple. Usually a 4.0 with coil packs, runs great watch for overheating .. the rebuild for a 4.0 is very easy and not that expensive. Axle strong, change out oil in diff on a regular basis, LT230 is built proof input tear seal a leaky issues.

Actually if it does not leak, it means your out of oil...

A nice set of lockers, a small lift , good brakes, and a good baseline and you have a good offroader. Bumper and winch a must some rear body protection as you will smash that rear quarter coming off rocks (bad departure angle) upgrade track rod and keep some spares and go wheel. If your missing some hard to fine parts , a buddy of mine rebuilds these and has tons of parts from donors. PM me and I will put you in touch.. opps I hope I did not violate any board rules here :(

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Nice build , I had a few D1's and they are great offroaders,. The D1's are relatively simple. Usually a 4.0 with coil packs, runs great watch for overheating .. the rebuild for a 4.0 is very easy and not that expensive. Axle strong, change out oil in diff on a regular basis, LT230 is built proof input tear seal a leaky issues.

Actually if it does not leak, it means your out of oil...

A nice set of lockers, a small lift , good brakes, and a good baseline and you have a good offroader. Bumper and winch a must some rear body protection as you will smash that rear quarter coming off rocks (bad departure angle) upgrade track rod and keep some spares and go wheel. If your missing some hard to fine parts , a buddy of mine rebuilds these and has tons of parts from donors. PM me and I will put you in touch.. opps I hope I did not violate any board rules here :(

Sharing info is what it's all about.

 

[GreyMudder]

This is a great build to re purpose a D1.

 

[systemdelete]

Still just driving it daily keeping notes on little stuff to fix between shifts at work. Being “essential” has its ups and downs.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Still just driving it daily keeping notes on little stuff to fix between shifts at work. Being “essential” has its ups and downs.

Still following. I'll have some pic's soon myself. You still liking your new job ?

 

[systemdelete]

Yeah still liking it, the new baby vs mandatory overtime is really slowing progress on projects atm. Ordered new front spring isolators, bilstein shocks, and sway bar endlinks for the front. Next big project is to pull apart all the rear axle suspension and replace with the rest of the poly.


Got a new project in the drive as well taking up some quality time. Stumbled upon a 2003 Audi Allroad, with the 2.7l bi-turbo engine, factory air suspension and Quattro, was essentially free(traded a spare pistol for it) and will handle trips with the kiddos well. It got a timing belt, both water pumps, valve cover gaskets, and cam adjusters last week. Now suspension parts are stacking up for it’s overhaul.

 

[systemdelete]

Spent a few mornings patching my exhaust back together after my cats were stolen in a parking lot on the night of some looting/rioting here.

All ready to go back in for the time being.

 

[systemdelete]

Found a cheap cargo basket locally, but when I picked it up initially it had been adapted to a 1” hitch then adapted back for a 2” receiver with a sleeve. The slop and play in the setup was unbearable, and I couldn’t open the rear cargo door with the basket in place. After cutting and grinding off what I didn’t need I slipped the entire center frame of the basket into a solid 2” receiver extension I lopped one side of off with a bandsaw. This both took the rise out of the assembly while making it more solid installed. As I welded that up I tacked in a few steel plates to hold standard oval trailer lights to make the basket more functional at night since it will cover the rover’s bumper mounted lighting.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Found a cheap cargo basket locally, but when I picked it up initially it had been adapted to a 1” hitch then adapted back for a 2” receiver with a sleeve. The slop and play in the setup was unbearable, and I couldn’t open the rear cargo door with the basket in place. After cutting and grinding off what I didn’t need I slipped the entire center frame of the basket into a solid 2” receiver extension I lopped one side of off with a bandsaw. This both took the rise out of the assembly while making it more solid installed. As I welded that up I tacked in a few steel plates to hold standard oval trailer lights to make the basket more functional at night since it will cover the rover’s bumper mounted lighting

Nice job as always !

 

[systemdelete]

Got one of the spring isolators and one new Bilstein installed after work tonight. If all goes well the other side will be in by the end of the week.

3.5 months from parts arrival to getting to start the install. . .

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Got one of the spring isolators and one new Bilstein installed after work tonight. If all goes well the other side will be in by the end of the week.

3.5 months from parts arrival to getting to start the install. . .

Magic wands just dont "get er done" huh ?
What made you decide on Bilstein shocks ?What does a spring isolator do ?

 

[systemdelete]

Got one of the spring isolators and one new Bilstein installed after work tonight. If all goes well the other side will be in by the end of the week.

3.5 months from parts arrival to getting to start the install. . .

Magic wands just dont "get er done" huh ?
What made you decide on Bilstein shocks ?What does a spring isolator do ?

In a Discovery’s coil sprung front end between the top of the spring and the frame sits a metal ring with 4 bolts to hold the shock tower. I believe it’s “mount ring” in the parts catalog. A “spring isolator” is found in the same position on the Disco 2, and is an upgraded rubber coated mount ring, designed to quiet suspension noise. Only makes a 7mm difference in the spring’s stack height(free lift!) otherwise bolts right in.


Mount ring-top
Spring isolator -bottom

 

[systemdelete]

Got one of the spring isolators and one new Bilstein installed after work tonight. If all goes well the other side will be in by the end of the week.

3.5 months from parts arrival to getting to start the install. . .

What made you decide on Bilstein shocks ?

A great deal of driver feedback is typically determined by tire and shock selection. On my cars I typically install sticky tires and Koni shocks. On my trucks they typically get a BFG all terrain and bilsteins. It gives a reasonable expectation of a good quality outcome from the drivers seat if I’ve done my part as far as alignment and other suspension maintenance.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

In a Discovery’s coil sprung front end between the top of the spring and the frame sits a metal ring with 4 bolts to hold the shock tower. I believe it’s “mount ring” in the parts catalog. A “spring isolator” is found in the same position on the Disco 2, and is an upgraded rubber coated mount ring, designed to quiet suspension noise. Only makes a 7mm difference in the spring’s stack height(free lift!) otherwise bolts right in.


Mount ring-top
Spring isolator -bottom

Thanks, I remember now from when I added my 2" lift. My mount rings were in really good shape do it didn't dawn on me to change them and my ride is quiet and outstandingly good.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

A great deal of driver feedback is typically determined by tire and shock selection. On my cars I typically install sticky tires and Koni shocks. On my trucks they typically get a BFG all terrain and bilsteins. It gives a reasonable expectation of a good quality outcome from the drivers seat if I’ve done my part as far as alignment and other suspension maintenance.

My current shocks are in excellent condition. Lucky8 said I didn't need to use longer shocks with my 2" lift kit so I didn't order any. I feel there isn't enough drop travel with the stock shocks so I want to order 2" longer shocks for that extra drop in the wheel. That's why I asked about the brand type you are using. Lucky8 carries a different brand shock and I dont have the experience enough to decide on a brand. You seem to have good judgement about these issues so I have faith in your choice of shocks, just wanted to hear it from you.

 

[systemdelete]

A great deal of driver feedback is typically determined by tire and shock selection. On my cars I typically install sticky tires and Koni shocks. On my trucks they typically get a BFG all terrain and bilsteins. It gives a reasonable expectation of a good quality outcome from the drivers seat if I’ve done my part as far as alignment and other suspension maintenance.

My current shocks are in excellent condition. Lucky8 said I didn't need to use longer shocks with my 2" lift kit so I didn't order any. I feel there isn't enough drop travel with the stock shocks so I want to order 2" longer shocks for that extra drop in the wheel. That's why I asked about the brand type you are using. Lucky8 carries a different brand shock and I dont have the experience enough to decide on a brand. You seem to have good judgement about these issues so I have faith in your choice of shocks, just wanted to hear it from you.

Well longer shocks can help with lifted suspensions, and heavy duty shocks can help tame unwieldy, large wheel/tire combos, since I’ve kept the tire weight reasonable, and have no lift a set of off the shelf(stock spec) bilsteins should settle the front end down nicely for the next 100k miles.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Well longer shocks can help with lifted suspensions, and heavy duty shocks can help tame unwieldy, large wheel/tire combos, since I’ve kept the tire weight reasonable, and have no lift a set of off the shelf(stock spec) bilsteins should settle the front end down nicely for the next 100k miles.

Did you use the 4100 series Bilsteins ?

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Well longer shocks can help with lifted suspensions, and heavy duty shocks can help tame unwieldy, large wheel/tire combos, since I’ve kept the tire weight reasonable, and have no lift a set of off the shelf(stock spec) bilsteins should settle the front end down nicely for the next 100k miles.

I just want to make sure I have the stock suspension travel that I had before I raised it 2". I dont think I have it currently. I have no plans to rock crawl but there can be sizable obstacles on any fire road in the forests not to mentioned deep ruts in washed out roads.

 

[systemdelete]

It’s a 4600 series bilstein, same length/droop as stock with a slightly heavier valving. Often an OE shock on service packages/towing packages.

 

[systemdelete]

Today I replaced the questionable fuel pump, new airtex pump assembly was less than $80 so was cheaper than spending my time throughly diagnosing the old one. Regulator is good, fuel pump rpm is high as is current draw, so out with the old, in with the new.