Land Rover Discovery II - Two years in...

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
05/28/2019 at 14:31 • Filed to: Disco Inferno

Time flies when you’re having fun, but also goes slowly? No, that doesn’t make sense to me either. I guess what I’m saying is my trip in 2017 wherein I bought a 2001 Land Rover Discovery II from a shady dealer in downtown Sacramento, which is not a city I live in, and then drove it on a 1800 mile overlanding trip, fell in love, and mailed it home... well it feels like a lifetime ago.

As of writing my last post, I’d just finished re-assembling the Disco following a mild top end rebuild and then took it through the Oklahoma Adventure Trail.

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The intervening year, I am happy to say, has been mostly trouble free.

I did some work on the parking brake, which was promptly undone by the cable stretching, and fixed an error I’d made on the diff locks, so those are working again.

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I also installed new shocks and disconnectable sway bar links.

Took a trip with Brady’s ill fated Suzuki out to the Ouchita National Forest in which I gained some appreciation for having both good tire inflators and tire deflators.

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Then in December we took the plunge to drive to Big Bend National Park in Texas. It was a long, fraught drive with heavy storms on the way in and freezing fog and one very drunk driver on the way back.

Still, this trip was a next level in off-roading difficulty for the old girl, and I am happy to say she did great! With the front sway bar disconnected the front stayed planted, almost distressingly so. I’ve never heard my springs unload before and that metallic twang certainly lets you know you’re getting to your limits.

Aside from a minor butt scoot on the step on Black Gap, the Disco did a great job on the trail. I’m really proud of it.

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So... all sunshine and roses then?

Well no, of course not. Compared to the first year, there is nothing of note, but if we’re listing problems well...

So the “three amigos,” what Discovery owners call the traction control, ABS, and hill descent mode lights when they’re illuminated due to a problem with the ABS system, are back. I thought I’d killed them when I did the shuttle valves back in 2017, but a failing wheel sensor means they’re once again gracing me with their presence. This time all I’ll need to pull the wheel hub to get at and replace the non-replaceable sensor.

As I mentioned earlier, I did the parking brake and it ended up being a nightmare. The parking brake is attached to the rear prop shaft on its way out of the transfer case. Removing the rear drive shaft, and working on a drum brake upside down is... unfun. Then the cable stretched, so I get the privilege of re-doing it. Also it has been broken for so long I tend to leave it on... so that is fun too...

Also while doing the parking brake I had to take out the center console... again. The plastic is starting to crumble and as a result everything is mildly broken. Even the parking brake boot sticks out because the area around it is broken. Fantastic.

Also the clear coat on the roof is officially fucked. My body shop will re-paint it for $850, so that might be a birthday present to myself.

Also the transmission is beginning to show signs of needed service again. Nothing major, but a weird shift here and there and the filter getting near the 2yr/20k service mark means it is almost time to drop the pan again.

Overall

Overall I still really like the Discovery. It drives well enough, looks cool, carries my shit, and does great off-road.

Barring any major incident, the plan for the Disco over the next 12 months is to fix the ABS, again, get it a new set of tires, and replace the running boards with rock rails. Also probably paint the roof. Otherwise, I’ll keep fixing stuff when it breaks and keep driving the wheels off it.

Just look at that sweet flex

DISCUSSION (20)

getFuckedHerb > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/28/2019 at 14:42

How many miles does it have now? How many did you put on this year?

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > getFuckedHerb
05/28/2019 at 14:48

I bought it at 104k and I think is has 120k on it now. Pretty sure that means I drive it more than any of the others!

Your boy, BJR > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/28/2019 at 14:56

I’ve always wanted a Discovery II. Glad to hear yours has treated you well!

BarryDanger > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/28/2019 at 15:11

This makes me feel better about recommending a 80s/90s range rover to a friend. He’s still skeptical.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > BarryDanger
05/28/2019 at 15:21

Oh he should be! Haha. They’re not for everyone for sure. If you’re ok with doing the work yourself and know they’ll need stuff from time to time, they’re good cars from what I can tell.

razorbeamteam > BarryDanger
05/28/2019 at 15:24

The great thing about them is that they look great even when they’re immobile.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > BarryDanger
05/28/2019 at 16:03

I could write a book on what to look out for

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/28/2019 at 16:04

Have you done any research on the speed sensor? What it takes to replace?

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
05/28/2019 at 17:40

A little. Allegedly you can only replace the wheel hub as an assembly . Looks like if you pull the rotor and caliper it should expose the sensor. Not sure how it is attached, but I would guess pop-rivet. I was planning on pulling it apart and seeing whats what. Any specific advice?

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/28/2019 at 18:13

Two years?!

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
05/28/2019 at 18:16

A little over even. It seems like it has been both much longer and much shorter. Really need to finish that video.........

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/28/2019 at 18:26

Hub!? No no no. You can get the sensor on its own. But it comes with 20ft of wire that you're supposed to run into the cabin and under the dash, then pin it directly to the ABS control module. The sensor just bolts to the hub. Real easy. The wiring is the hard part.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
05/28/2019 at 19:47

Oh... that explains the AB video I just watched (on mute because work). Why wouldn’t it use the connector in the engine bay?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/28/2019 at 21:55

Wiring harness issues and signal transmission quality issues. So they just give you a whole new harness. I’ve done a bunch. I think left front is pins 5 and 6, right front is pins 7 and 8. But I could be wrong

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
05/28/2019 at 22:24

Heh fair enough. Cross that bridge etc etc...

adamftw > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/29/2019 at 06:51

I miss my D1 dearly. Instead of having a shop repaint the roof, get it wrapped or just spray it yourself in good ole’ #overland white. Looks pretty cool IMO. Keep on keeping on.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/29/2019 at 16:57

This makes me happy :), if I had known you were going to install disconnects I could have sent you a pair of rear ones I have lying around for cheap.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
05/29/2019 at 19:39

I just did the fronts. I didn’t think anyone made ones for the rear (that weren’t a pain anyway)

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/29/2019 at 20:33

Yeah you're right, mine are for the front. It's been a couple of years since I have looked at them. My bad.

ToninNC > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/30/2019 at 01:26

Good for you taking on a LR D II that age , and then through all the rough and tumble places you’ve been. I own an ‘01 model myself since it was new. Only has 97k miles on it, has never been off-road, at least not on purpose, and the same three dash lights you mention are always lit up on mine, too. But it is a tank, and while in traffic, I just dare impatient drivers to hit me. No one has yet. It gets noticed and as there aren’t so many around these days. It looks, feels and is a Land Rover and that’s why I like it. Despite the 11 mpg. Drive on.