Anyone got a Range Rover Classic?

[dave h 2]

When I had my two classic's (not a Classic) the spares guy said never buy one from Worcestershire they are all farmer owned and the acid from the manure rots them out very fast.
There's a bloke down the road from me with an early silver bumper one on a diesel, still drives it at lot locally.

 

[RWD3M]

I had these back in the day. The best was the M reg (1995) 4.2 LSE with the soft dash. That was a lovely machine but I wouldn’t own another, not now.
Fuel costs would make a Russian Ogliarch wince.
Engine repairs are never 2 zeros, always 3. Thousands every time.
The autoboxes (4 speed) in later ones had a viscous coupling for front/rear bias, like Freelander 1, just weaker and more expensive to replace.
Rust was an issue on inner wings. Again the hard stuff to sort out. Tailgates also but they’re easy to swap.
Steering could be problematic. Most of the faults end up in the death wobble and it can be hard to trace, especially if like mine was it is on air.
Even the P38 was little more than a cosmetic facelift and it had many of the problems the Classic had.

The L322 was a real leap forward in terms of reliability and driveability and it’s a nice place to be if you get a decent one. A late 5.0 supercharged one is light years ahead of the Classic and even with that stonking motor it uses less fuel.

To paraphrase Monty Python, Yes, but apart from that.....

 

[Domdom]

To paraphrase Monty Python, Yes, but apart from that.....

What have the Romans ever done for us?
Ah well, they built roads that a Range Rover would thrive on................and then the Engineers arrived

 

[sako243]

Steering could be problematic. Most of the faults end up in the death wobble and it can be hard to trace,

Really? It's not that dissimilar from a Defender in setup and the only cause I've experienced for proper death wobble is the panhard rod bushes.

Radius arm, A frame and other bushes on the suspension end up in a wobble but nothing in comparison to the panhard rod going. The other bushes also tend to result in clunks and clonks when taking up drive. In my experience (and others) only the panhard rod bushes end up in a wobble that make the vehicle undriveable above about 20mph.

I wouldn't have said they're particularly difficult to diagnose either, not many vehicles you can slide yourself under them with a pry bar to check the state of the bushes without having to take anything off.

 

[Domdom]

Really? It's not that dissimilar from a Defender in setup and the only cause I've experienced for proper death wobble is the panhard rod bushes.

Radius arm, A frame and other bushes on the suspension end up in a wobble but nothing in comparison to the panhard rod going. The other bushes also tend to result in clunks and clonks when taking up drive. In my experience (and others) only the panhard rod bushes end up in a wobble that make the vehicle undriveable above about 20mph.

I wouldn't have said they're particularly difficult to diagnose either, not many vehicles you can slide yourself under them with a pry bar to check the state of the bushes without having to take anything off.

Yeah, mine was a very late (M reg) long wheel base with the 4.2. It was OK up to about 60 and then the death wobble set in. You could drive through it if you were brave enough but it was scary. Being on air suspension made it different to diagnose (I've had Deafeners as well) but I ended up replacing every bush which made no difference really. I replaced the panhard rod and also the A frame ball joint which made a noticeable difference. It's quite shocking how much difference that A frame ball joint makes.

So I then polybushed it which just moved the wobble up in terms of speed. All 4 shocks replaced which improved things a lot but still didn't eliminate it. The wheels were not balancing up well so I ended up replacing 2 rims and all 4 tyres with Continental ones. All the while it was getting better and you could say it was no longer the death wobble, but very irritating nonetheless.

Finally I ended up getting the steering box reconditioned which made it almost perfect. There was quite a bit of play around centre but tightening it up made the extreme lock very tight. I took it to a place in Chesham for a full 4 wheel alignment which actually made it a dream to drive after that.

All told it cost me about £2k to get to a point where it drove sweetly, only for the centre diff viscous coupling to seize up and make cornering bad again. Typical Land Rover product, you're only ever in the constant process of repairs.

 

[nickk]

I had a scary wobble on my forward control,to the point where at least one oncoming vehicle waved and pointed with a shocked expression,at that point I’d had it several years/thousands of miles,nothing underneath was at fault,can only think the 9x16” bar grips had worn to a crucial depth,yet still loads of tread,so just fitted a damper to cure it.

 

[willie.macleod]

Swivel preload is critical on RR/Def/Disco/Series - most non LR garages are up to identifying worn bushes, adjusting geometry and the like but may not realise the importance of getting the preload right and in doing so can end up dangerous handling vehicles.

 

[Smallfry]

Normally due to king pins. Depending on what axles and age, you either have a top taper roller bearing, or a fibre bush. Bottoms are all taper rollers ISTR. When they wear, you get the wobble. Suzuki Jimny have the same setup and also suffer from it.

Also big off road tyres are very hard to balance. If you fitter can be bothered, it is possible to minimise the balance weights needed.

I am on my 23rd LR, and I can't say this has ever been a real problem

 

[jmp49]

x3 on the pins. I had a death wobble on the 90 when I first got it, and new railko (fibre) top bushes and lower taper bearings set up properly with a spring balance fixed it (although I did make a ptfe bush to replace the railko in a mid winter need the landie for snow driving situation that got replaced when the replacements arrived). I did the tapers on my classic too when I first got it irrc. Its a easy & cheap job to do properly. If its been really neglected and battered new challice balls are available, as they form the surface the front axle seal runs on, which is why so many RR/LR's leak oil from the front axle ends. They are hard chromed, so a bit like fork stanchions on a bike and get stone chips etc nicking the plating surface over time causing leaks.
I'm most the way through a lhd conversion on my 90 and just swapped the axle from a new to me donor lhd discovery and its gently dribbling onto the floor out the axle ends, so it will need doing before its finished, but this is a good sign, because it meant that at least it had oil in it.
I've also replaced that ball joint that keeps the the rear axle centred on every land/rangerover I've owned, they get wrecked by neglect and being hidden away. Each time steering has felt noticably better.

I also fitted gaiters to both the 90 and my 101, which (when they were on the road, both are currently in bits getting chassis work) I periodically take off and clean behind. Especially as the 101 challice balls are welded the axle casting for strength and not replaceable. You have to be fairly diligant about this, because if sand or debris gets stuck behind the gaiter, it will wreck the ball even worse.
I think to run a older land/range rover you have to find the above interesting. Which is why they get slagged off so much, apart from the rot issues. People just expect everything to be like a "normal" car and aren't prepared for the culture shock of rebuilding swivels and stuff instead of just replacing some steering arms etc.

 

[OJCar]

Swivel preload is critical on RR/Def/Disco/Series

THIS!

Bottom swivel taper bearings on Disco 1
General wear on Series

 

[julianf]

A grand for a project. Doesn't seem anywhere close to as bad as a lot of the adverts (with regards to cost at least)

Seller seems to think the engine is good.

 

[Geoffm]

My parents had range rovers when I was growing up. They replaced a FJ40 land cruiser with a 2 door in 1975. It even went off road as they were members of the 4x4 club. My mother was driving g a 4x4 large SUV around the city before it was trendy. It had a large Warn winch in the front sitting g on 15omm steel channel. Everyone gave way to her, and it actugot used to tow a townie out of the local rubbish dump when they were stuck. Sold with 500,000km on it with some rust to a Rover mechanic at the local agents. I saw it a few years later still on the road. I found some photos when my father passed away of some of our holidays at Lilly and Station near Tekapo, South Island, NZ. This involved fording the McCauley and Godly Rivers which had the water over the bonnet and flowing through the car. Get to the other side and open the door to let the water out. https://www.ruraldelivery.net.nz/posts/Lilybank-Station-2017-04-05-23-04-47Z
I will see if I can fund some photos. It was wild but spectacular country in the 1970s.
Replaced with a couple,e of others that were not as reliable or usable. Sold the last one, a 4.6lHSE around 2010 to geta Lexus, as the RR was to tall for my mother to get into due to cancer in her hip.
The Lexus was more reliable, and the Accountant's choice, but not as interesting.
The RR like a drink, 18-20mpg on a holiday with 5 people and hilly and winding NZ roads.