Defender upgrades

[Gruber]

I bought my 61-plate 2.2 90 XS back in September, having wanted a "proper Land Rover" since I was 2 years old. I bought it to scratch an itch, genuinely thinking I'd probably get rid after 6 months or so. In fact, it has grown on me and I'm tempted to spend some money on it and keep it long term.

So... I'm tempted to do the following:

1. replace the front seats with something with better bolsters for lateral support. I've seen the Recaro / Corbeau / bucket type wing-back things (and their eye-watering prices) but I'm thinking something less pseudo-racing seat and just a bit more comfortable and supportive than the standard offering. Any recommendations?

2. brake upgrade. I'm not expecting it to stop on a pin-head, but on the couple of occasions when I've had to exert a little more pressure on the brake pedal than usual, the response hasn't been inspiring of confidence... Again, without going nuts, any suggestions? Is the Tarox stuff any good?

3. perhaps replace the rear sliding windows with something fixed to remove a source of leaks / rattles.

4. a gentle remap - probably at TMD

5. soundproofing - probably just buy some Dynamat and do the floors, transmission tunnel etc myself.

Any thoughts or advice? The seats are the priority, really, just to make it a little more comfortable for longer journeys.

[Silent1]

IMHO trying to make a defender into something comfortable and fast is a pointless endeavour, enjoy it for what it is and upgrade the bits that make it more useful, a remap and bucket seats are really. It a good idea, then again people are obsessed with twisted and icon so what do I know

[Gruber]

Silent1 said:

IMHO trying to make a defender into something comfortable and fast is a pointless endeavour, enjoy it for what it is and upgrade the bits that make it more useful, a remap and bucket seats are really. It a good idea, then again people are obsessed with twisted and icon so what do I know

I have no expectation that it will ever be fast or comfortable. But a little more lateral support from the seats would be nice.

Thanks for your thoughts though.

[SimesJH]

My advice is to fit a smaller steering wheel and MudStuff seat risers. It'll transform the driving position, though your planned seat change may achieve this by itself.

The smaller and thicker 'wheel will give you more leg space and also improves the feel of things. There are many aftermarket offerings to choose from and they're an easy DIY job.

[C Lee Farquar]

Assuming you have reasonable quality pads, the tyres will most likely be the limiting factor when it comes to stopping.

Watch the seat bolster sides if changing seats, many require significant additional dexterity to get in and out.

[Dixy]

I have put a set of Exmoor Trim Elite seats in my 90 and they are excellent, don't put mud rails in they raise it too much, you only need to raise the rear high enough to get over the seam which is simply done. The brakes are fine it is the nut that holds the steering wheel that needs training, but don't ever expect it to stop in the same distance as an Elise.

[anonymous-user]

Do not fit bucket seats.
Mate of mine did, and the only way to get in was to stand up on the door sills, hang off the roof gutter with your hands and lower yourself down and sideways in to the seats.
Exmoor Trim Elites are the answer.
Soundproofing is ok but after three years I can't really tell that mine's got Dynamat on every surface.
Maybe I've just got used to it?
And the brakes are fine out of the box. Maybe just anticipate things a little more?

[SimesJH]

I agree about the brakes. Mine are standard, save for Goodridge brake lines, and they work incredibly well.

I have standard seats and have no issue with them at all, though they're mounted on the seat risers as I mentioned previously.

One change I did make was to fit a high security ignition lock casing from X-Eng. It's an easy DIY job to fit and is another potential deterrent for the TWOCER's.

And talking of X-Eng, I have one of their X-Brakes to replace the standard drum handbrake. I do agree the standard unit, when adjusted correctly, works well, but the X-Eng disc unit is exceptionally good.

[Simond S]

Would fitting front seats from something like a X5 work?

Slightly more lateral support and used will have a suitable patina.

One of the thoughts I have had for when I get one.

[300bhp/ton]

Simond S said:

Would fitting front seats from something like a X5 work?

Slightly more lateral support and used will have a suitable patina.

One of the thoughts I have had for when I get one.

Remember the battery is under the seat. Lift out seat bases make access easy....

[camel_landy]

300bhp/ton said:

Remember the battery is under the seat. Lift out seat bases make access easy....

^^^ Wot he said...

The Defender wasn't built for comfort or speed, I'd keep it standard and if you don't like it, get something else.

M

[300bhp/ton]

Gruber said:

2. brake upgrade. I'm not expecting it to stop on a pin-head, but on the couple of occasions when I've had to exert a little more pressure on the brake pedal than usual, the response hasn't been inspiring of confidence... Again, without going nuts, any suggestions? Is the Tarox stuff any good?

Standard brakes should be fine. My 300Tdi would insta lock all 4 wheels in a straight line at 50mph+ on dry tarmac if I wanted it too (on BFG Trac Edges). Something I did far too often back in my youth.

[hidetheelephants]

C Lee Farquar said:

Assuming you have reasonable quality pads, the tyres will most likely be the limiting factor when it comes to stopping.

Watch the seat bolster sides if changing seats, many require significant additional dexterity to get in and out.

This; if you can't lock your wheels in the dry your brakes aren't working properly.

[Gruber]

I'm grateful for the seating suggestions. Thanks chaps.

If others find their brakes to be fine, I might get mine looked at. I can't believe they're behaving as they should, but I'm very happy to accept the collective wisdom that a properly functioning standard set up is perfectly adequate.

Cheers.

[The Wookie]

Gruber said:

I bought my 61-plate 2.2 90 XS back in September, having wanted a "proper Land Rover" since I was 2 years old. I bought it to scratch an itch, genuinely thinking I'd probably get rid after 6 months or so. In fact, it has grown on me and I'm tempted to spend some money on it and keep it long term.

So... I'm tempted to do the following:

1. replace the front seats with something with better bolsters for lateral support. I've seen the Recaro / Corbeau / bucket type wing-back things (and their eye-watering prices) but I'm thinking something less pseudo-racing seat and just a bit more comfortable and supportive than the standard offering. Any recommendations?

2. brake upgrade. I'm not expecting it to stop on a pin-head, but on the couple of occasions when I've had to exert a little more pressure on the brake pedal than usual, the response hasn't been inspiring of confidence... Again, without going nuts, any suggestions? Is the Tarox stuff any good?

3. perhaps replace the rear sliding windows with something fixed to remove a source of leaks / rattles.

4. a gentle remap - probably at TMD

5. soundproofing - probably just buy some Dynamat and do the floors, transmission tunnel etc myself.

Any thoughts or advice? The seats are the priority, really, just to make it a little more comfortable for longer journeys.

Don't listen to all the nay sayers, Defenders are ste to drive, slow, noisy and uncomfortable and it'll never be a Range Rover (not even a Classic ), but we all bought them because we love them for one reason or another and there's no point putting up with it for the sake of it when they can be improved.

1. The Corbeau seats can be had with flat bases for the Defender so they're no harder to get in and out than a standard seat. The subframes are also designed to lift just over the lip in the body join so you get the extra space of the MUD rails without sitting against the roof. The seats hold you in nicely and are firm in the base but comfortable for longer drives, certainly a big improvement on standard. I fitted a positive battery terminal to the front of the seat box and leave it on a trickle charger. Only 4 bolts to remove the seat so not exactly a hardship if you need to replace the battery.

2. I'm biased but there are plenty of big brake kits out there and the cheap ones are a false economy IMHO. Disc and pad upgrades might improve thermal performance (perhaps useful if towing big trailers up and down hills but that's about it) but they're not going to improve cold bite for road driving. For a standard Defender with normal road use the brakes should be fine so check they have been bled properly and that the pads and calipers are in decent nick. As said, hoses can be upgraded to give them a bit more bite and a firmer pedal.

3. I did this and unless you value being able to open the back windows then it's a good mod. It achieves exactly what you describe, also improves security FWIW and in a car with working A/C I'd describe it as a no brainer unless you carry rear passengers on long journeys.

4. Up to you, upsides and downsides of mapping are well discussed. My Defender has 195bhp from the factory and it's about enough for one!!

5. I dynamatted the rear of mine and the doors and it was an improvement but a bigger improvement came from fitting a Noisekiller kit to the front cab. Mine is a petrol I6 so quieter than the diesel, but it's more than acceptable at motorway speed, in fact wind noise is now dominant.

[Gruber]

The Wookie said:

Don't listen to all the nay sayers, Defenders are ste to drive, slow, noisy and uncomfortable and it'll never be a Range Rover (not even a Classic ), but we all bought them because we love them for one reason or another and there's no point putting up with it for the sake of it when they can be improved.

.

Some useful stuff there - thank you.

[tight fart]

Any one got any tips for fitting a tow bar to a Caterham and improving its off road ability?

[CAPP0]

tight fart said:

Any one got any tips for fitting a tow bar to a Caterham and improving its off road ability?

There is a section in the owner's handbook for my FFRR which says something like "whilst this is a very capable vehicle, the driver should remember that it is not designed to be a sports car and should not be driven like one"….!

[phib]

Gruber said:

I'm grateful for the seating suggestions. Thanks chaps.

If others find their brakes to be fine, I might get mine looked at. I can't believe they're behaving as they should, but I'm very happy to accept the collective wisdom that a properly functioning standard set up is perfectly adequate.

Cheers.

All of what you say makes sense to me, I am in a similar position,wanted to my defender to be a bit more user friendly.

Mine is a bit different in that its a 50th ( 4.0 V8)

So I have done the following so far :

My brakes were rubbish too !! They just warped the disks the whole time so brembo 4 pot caliper upgrade

New standard suspension and Twisted - 1 fast road springs (have tried Bilsteins, Gas etc with standard springs / twisted springs ... just too hard)

Heated seats

Working A/ C

Bluetooth head unit

New general grabber At2's

Smaller steering wheel

All make the thing a pleasure now rather than a chore, much nicer than my classic range rover was but obviously not as nice as a new range rover.

It will now sit comfortably at 85 -90 all day long in comfort and keep up with a new range rover sport around corners
Phib

[StangGT]

tight fart said:

Any one got any tips for fitting a tow bar to a Caterham and improving its off road ability?

http://barbadosrallyclub.com/image-galleries/images/atwell-westfield-hrpix-rb

Westfield rather than a caterham but this should give you a few pointers