RE: PH in the Defender Challenge

RE: PH in the Defender Challenge

Tuesday 5th May 2015

PH in the Defender Challenge

What's it like to rally a Bowler-prepped Land Rover Defender 90? Dan finds out the hard way



Just how fine is the line between a Land Rover Defender Challenge car being sideways and on its side? As co-driver Quin Evans dusts himself off and stands on what's left of his door while I hang suspended from my harnesses it seems pretty thin. Who'd have guessed, eh? And this is only a shakedown 24 hours ahead of my rallying debut in the DefenderChallenge, running here as part of the Welsh Hill Rally series.

First rule of rallying? Crash on co-driver's side!
First rule of rallying? Crash on co-driver's side!
So. I've familiarised myself with what happens when it goes wrong. A life steeped in off-road competition means Quin is admirably calm about the whole thing too. He recounts going end-over-end down a dune on the Dakar with Race2Recovery driver Tony Harris and instructing him to get on the gas before the wheels hit the ground to prevent a second somersault. Mind. Boggles.

"Better you got it out the way now," seems the general consensus back at service. I'd expected scorn. Instead it seems I've just fast-tracked an important rite of passage.

There's a problem though. A bolt from the hardtop has scored the cage. Scrutineer says no - car's not running tomorrow. Event over before it's begun? Like heck. The Bowler guys don't take no for an answer. Or let little things like no phone signal get in the way of calling in the cavalry. Someone drives to the top of a nearby hill to put a call in and a man obligingly abandons his bank holiday to drive a Defender Challenge car from Cirencester for the Bowler boys to pillage for necessary parts. Incredible.

Midnight oil burned to swap bits to PH Defender
Midnight oil burned to swap bits to PH Defender
I'm utterly undeserving of such effort - see the time lapse of the rebuild here. But by dawn I have a car and, amazingly, the team seem almost grateful to have been presented with a seemingly impossible challenge. This, it seems, is what it's all about. Best get out there and do their efforts justice then.

Hammer time
The liaison to the first stage on the other side of the valley helps me dial into the Defender and tap Quin for advice. We'll be doing two different stages today, repeated in the afternoon. And they're long too - around 20 miles each with at least the same again in liaisons. OK, it's not the Dakar. But if you're looking for value for money in your motorsport hill rallying certainly delivers on wheel time.

Dan ponders how to keep it upright
Dan ponders how to keep it upright
Following one of the other Bowlers to the stage the idea of a Defender 90 as a rally car seems no less incongruous. And yet here I am, surrounded by roll cage, harnessed behind a rally wheel and in my racing suit. If most of my attire is circuit racer my footwear is at least a bit more Land Rover, Alpinestars disco slippers quickly binned in favour of Karrimor hiking boots. A suitable reflection of the finesse required to pedal a rally Land Rover.

For all the rally accoutrements the Defender is still a Defender. The modifications are relatively minor, Bowler adding Bilstein dampers and new springs, bushings and anti-roll bars but keeping the major components standard. Meaning it rattles, shudders and bounces about, the steering is heavy and vague and everything feels, well, agricultural. There are control Kumho tyres, the engine is pushed to a - wait for it - heady 170hp in Stage 1 tune and there's an incredibly manly cranked gearshifter and similarly burly looking transfer selector. But it needs a bungee to hold the centre diff lock engaged and dreams of using the handbrake rally style are scuppered because you can't actually reach it.

Forest tracks are very much like stage rallying
Forest tracks are very much like stage rallying
Not that I'll need to. Seems a short-wheelbase Landie on slippery gravel and mud needs very little encouragement to change direction. Indeed, keeping it upright and pointing forwards seems the greater challenge.

Arm twirling
On the first stage I'm too tense and nervous to exploit this adjustability though. It might not be fast but the Defender is a proper handful. The hardest adjustment is the slowness of the steering and lack of self centring - you may well catch the slide but you need to wind the lock off just as quickly or this happens.

At times it feels like I'm just throwing every last driving technique at situations and hoping something - anything - will stick. Lift off or trail the brakes on corner entry to get the front end in, wind the corrective lock on, bang it down a gear, swap left foot to brake to keep the nose weighted and rear mobile, spool up the turbo at the same time with my right foot so when I release the brake it's tensed to haul me straight, ready with the arm twirling to wind the lock off, bang, clank, graunch ... and that's when it goes right.

Hill rallying gets a bit more down and dirty though
Hill rallying gets a bit more down and dirty though
Unlike stage rallying there are no pace notes, Quin calling things as he sees them and alternating between route card administrator, second pair of eyes, driving coach and general calming voice of experience.

One corner in five it comes together and I get the Defender backing into the corner on the brakes like a hot hatch, the engine is primed and spins up all four wheels to pull the car out in a four-wheel drift daubing the Welsh hillsides in mud and gravel. More often though it's flailing arms and heart in mouth saves, death drops/ditches/trees ever present in my peripheral vision. Yet rarely are we going much faster than 60mph. What must this be like in a stage rally at speeds double that?

Into the rough
Just as I think I'm getting the hang of the forest roads, Quin calls a "hairpin right at second flag!" and I'm looking over my shoulder at what appears to be a vertical wall of rutted clag. No way does the Defender have enough lock to get round there. Doesn't matter. Drop the wheels into the ruts, nail it and hope for the best.

Hooking it into ditches helps speed in corners
Hooking it into ditches helps speed in corners
And here is where hill rallying differs from the stage variety. All of a sudden it's like someone's shouted 'let's off-road!' and you're in proper Landie territory. Albeit tackled at speed. Wheel-sized ditches pound through the Defender's structure, my helmet bangs and clatters against the roll cage and the wheel spins in my hands, playing barely a supporting role in the direction of travel. We slew through two-foot deep ruts, bounce over fallen logs, career down perilously steep hillsides and clatter back out onto another flat-out fire road.

It's alright. Only another six stages to go.

Back at service we arrive at the Bowler pit area to find a line of mud-caked Defenders. Camo-clad legs poke out from under cars, the sound of hammers clanging against bodywork and chassis components rings out and the cheery banter flows despite the foul conditions. Seems the Belgian team have slithered into a tree and bent their bumper. The solution is to tie a rope around it, lash the other end to the chassis of the Bowler Dakar support truck ... and engage reverse.

Upside down Defender? Normal in these parts!
Upside down Defender? Normal in these parts!
Over tea and sugary snacks I chat with some of the other drivers. Richard has driven with Quin numerous times and has a lot of off-road miles under his belt; Brian in contrast has done Caterham Academy and, like me, swapped his racing pumps for wellies. His eyes are nearly as wide as mine. With the support trucks and accompanying moral and mechanical support the Defender Challenge offers a taste of rally raid style endurance events for a relatively modest cost, the FIA-approved cars ready to take you where you want to go above and beyond domestic competition.

We're soon back out for the second stage and I'm a little more comfortable with what the Defender is doing. I'm still struggling to cope with the reactive nature of rally driving though. On track you can analyse and plan your attack on a corner you've hit countless times before; here you're trying to do the same but with the bare minimum of information and constantly varying grip, surface, camber and more. Did I mention the death drops?

The real heroes of hill rallying are the mechanics
The real heroes of hill rallying are the mechanics
Reality check
On the third stage we're caught and passed by another of the Defenders, charging back after a roll. I'm crestfallen but Quin tactfully reminds me to drive my own stage and not get caught up in racing. A reminder he needs to make again on the last stage of the day as I catch glimpse of Richard's lights in the fog ahead of me. In my haste to chase him I half spin on a corner, feet away from a plunge down a raging stream. Boots cooled.

By day two the fear has returned and for the first stage - a repeat of yesterday's second - I'm tense and nervous again. I'm making lots of mistakes but by mid-way through the speed is coming again and I'm relaxing into it. The end is in sight but stage six is a disaster. Spooked by the sight of an upturned Defender my concentration takes a jolt and not long after I'm within a whisker of following suit. "Close," says Quin, tersely. 500 metres before the end we find another Defender on its roof in the middle of the track, crew shaken but OK. Gawd.

Not sure who looks more relieved it's over...
Not sure who looks more relieved it's over...
By the last stage I'm faced with the conflicting need to go quickly and put in a good showing but also bring the car home intact. Frankly I wuss out and cruise it.

The results bring it all home - second to last of the Defenders and 17th out of 26 finishers overall. But the rate of attrition is high - of the 10 Defender Challenge cars three roll, two of those retiring, and another two have significant interactions with the scenery. We pass Quin's brother Dan standing glumly beside the track, his Milner in the trees, and have to bulldoze our way past several other stranded vehicles on the way. There is a sense of achievement in just making it to the end.

But my respect for everyone involved in the sport from drivers to marshals, mechanics, caterers and scrutineers is the biggest revelation. "It's the taking part that counts" is the common platitude for a so-so performance in competitive endeavour. But in hill rallying you get the impression that really is the truth.

Let's off-road - a taste of hill rallying in the Bowler Defender
 

Bowler boys (and girls!) rebuild Dan's Defender (time lapse)


LAND ROVER DEFENDER CHALLENGE BY BOWLER
Engine:
2,198cc, 4-cyl turbodiesel
Transmission: 6-speed manual, four-wheel drive (with diff lock)
Power (hp): 170
Torque (lb ft): 332
0-62mph: 7.9sec
Top speed: >100mph (depending on tyres)
Weight: 1,770kg (approx.)
Price: £50,000 (plus VAT)

















Photos: James Arbuckle/Land Rover, additional shots by Dan

Author
Discussion

Blackpuddin

Original Poster:

16,409 posts

204 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
Gripped!

Dan Trent

1,866 posts

167 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
Blackpuddin said:
Gripped!
...if not entirely sorted!

Dan

Digga

40,204 posts

282 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
PH said:
"It's the taking part that counts" is the common platitude for a so-so performance in competitive endeavour. But in hill rallying you get the impression that really is the truth.
Looked a pretty rough ride.

More like "it's the taking apart that counts".

Blackpuddin

Original Poster:

16,409 posts

204 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
Not sure my back would stand for that sort of a beating.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
Looks like you could have done with one of these:






not so much "a dab of oppo" but the whole "arm (and a half) full"

;-)

Dan Trent

1,866 posts

167 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
Max_Torque said:
Not so much "a dab of oppo" but the whole "arm (and a half) full"

;-)
Ed Cobley who was sixth overall - overall! - and won the Defender Class was using an optional quicker rack which he said helped. Well, until the power assistance broke! To be fair I'm not sure he was using the wheel to steer that much though, all on the pedals!

Cheers,

Dan

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
Dan Trent said:
Ed Cobley who was sixth overall - overall! - and won the Defender Class was using an optional quicker rackbox which he said helped. Well, until the power assistance broke! To be fair I'm not sure he was using the wheel to steer that much though, all on the pedals!

Cheers,

Dan
EFA^^^^ ;-)



(ime, the art of fast landrovering is to avoid any oppo if at all possible, but as they are snappy little things (short, high CofG, very angled leading/trailing arms(lots of roll steer etc) this takes a lot of practice and familiarity. Something Ed has plenty of ;-)




Dan Trent

1,866 posts

167 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
Max_Torque said:
EFA^^^^ ;-)



(ime, the art of fast landrovering is to avoid any oppo if at all possible, but as they are snappy little things (short, high CofG, very angled leading/trailing arms(lots of roll steer etc) this takes a lot of practice and familiarity. Something Ed has plenty of ;-)
You are, as ever, right! Snappy is one word for it too.

Ed (top bloke!) of course has practice and familiarity, not to mention considerable talent. Also industrial quantities of denial, something I found myself rather lacking in. I always knew rally drivers were mentalists (and co-drivers doubly so) but this really opened my eyes. Incredibly friendly mentalists, don't get me wrong!

Dan

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
During the 5 years or so i worked for Prodrive, i had the er, pleasure of sitting next to quite a few world class nutters! It's safe to say, that the one thing you don't need to be a loose surface expert is a vivid sense of imagination laugh

WokkaWokka

698 posts

138 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
That looked like great fun!

cheddar

4,637 posts

173 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
Dan said: "of the 10 Defender Challenge cars three roll, two of those retiring, and another two have significant interactions with the scenery"

Including your topple that's 4 rolls and two other major crashes so 6 of the 10 Defenders had serious incidents, that's a high rate in anyone's book Dan, is it all to do with the tricky steering?

Reardy Mister

13,757 posts

221 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
If I may be so bold: were you in a low grip situation on a Tarmac surface and experienced understeer, you would not have wound on arms-full of extra lock. And yet on the gravel you did which is an easy trap to be drawn into. Typically off road, there is a point where your various efforts to counter understeer cause the tyre to start to plow which often quickly results in grip (or more accurately, a cease in slippage, meaning the car finally follows the direction of the front tyres and that happens to now be quite an acute angle - think of skiing). Once that happens you have waaaay to much lock on and suddenly everything starts to pivot rather rapidly.

As different as off road is, don't accidentally unlearn your Tarmac knowledge.

ETA: and don't forget on the really rough stuff to try and keep your thumbs outside the wheel, especially if the power steering fails.

Edited by Reardy Mister on Tuesday 5th May 21:29

matchmaker

8,462 posts

199 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
quotequote all
I remember the Army rallying Land Rovers back in the lates 1970's on some Scottish stage rallies.

Happyjap

382 posts

108 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
quotequote all
Mr Dan I would most love to see you in an accident, if possible may you talk about this on your TV show? id be great! Many thanks. Hey I Am just a bloke!

DelicaL400

516 posts

110 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
quotequote all
matchmaker said:
I remember the Army rallying Land Rovers back in the lates 1970's on some Scottish stage rallies.
The army still have a rally team, I'm not sure what they are doing this year but they ran on BRC events last year. I remember one of them demolishing a telegraph pole on the Manx a few years ago!

A shame this Bowler Challenge does so many stage rallies, it seems a bit of a waste. Should do a mix of hill rally, BCCC and AWDC rather than racing on tracks you could take a road car down.

Reardy Mister

13,757 posts

221 months

Thursday 7th May 2015
quotequote all
Another huge fan said:
Mr Dan I would most love to see you in an accident
coffee


Happyjap

382 posts

108 months

Thursday 7th May 2015
quotequote all
Reardy Mister said:
coffee
Please excuse my English as it is my second Language, I do not mean to offend and use a tranlator app to assist, I love England & Piston Heads!

Reardy Mister

13,757 posts

221 months

Thursday 7th May 2015
quotequote all
Happyjap said:
Please excuse my English as it is my second Language, I do not mean to offend and use a tranlator app to assist, I love England & Piston Heads!
All good matey thumbup

Dan Trent

1,866 posts

167 months

Thursday 7th May 2015
quotequote all
Reardy Mister said:
If I may be so bold: were you in a low grip situation on a Tarmac surface and experienced understeer, you would not have wound on arms-full of extra lock. And yet on the gravel you did which is an easy trap to be drawn into. Typically off road, there is a point where your various efforts to counter understeer cause the tyre to start to plow which often quickly results in grip (or more accurately, a cease in slippage, meaning the car finally follows the direction of the front tyres and that happens to now be quite an acute angle - think of skiing). Once that happens you have waaaay to much lock on and suddenly everything starts to pivot rather rapidly.

As different as off road is, don't accidentally unlearn your Tarmac knowledge.

ETA: and don't forget on the really rough stuff to try and keep your thumbs outside the wheel, especially if the power steering fails.

Edited by Reardy Mister on Tuesday 5th May 21:29
This all makes complete sense. I suspect the key to successfully rallying a Defender is treating the steering wheel as something to hold onto rather than as your primary means of dictating direction of travel. Shame I was a little slow to realise this but every day is a school day and all that.

And don't worry about HappyJap, the man is a legend and every post is PH gold! Sorry though, the cameras weren't rolling for the crash. But the film crew did a time lapse of the midnight roof/cage swap from the donor car though and this'll be going into the eventual PHTV slot.

Cheers!

Dan

Happyjap

382 posts

108 months

Friday 8th May 2015
quotequote all
Dan Trent said:
This all makes complete sense. I suspect the key to successfully rallying a Defender is treating the steering wheel as something to hold onto rather than as your primary means of dictating direction of travel. Shame I was a little slow to realise this but every day is a school day and all that.

And don't worry about HappyJap, the man is a legend and every post is PH gold! Sorry though, the cameras weren't rolling for the crash. But the film crew did a time lapse of the midnight roof/cage swap from the donor car though and this'll be going into the eventual PHTV slot.

Cheers!

Dan
!

Thank you Mr Dan I look forward to this episode of the Show, you have many fans here in Japan we enjoy your News and Forum chat. Please you and Dave keep up the work! I would give oyou a smiling green man but this is proving difficult!