New style New style - Discovery Owners Club
Transcription
New style New style - Discovery Owners Club
DISCOURSE THE MAGAZINE OF THE DISCOVERY OWNERS CLUB Number 9 - AUTUMN 2002 New style The New L318 Discovery Discover Sth Wales’ Lanes The Major’s Memorial Trial 200Tdi Lighting Upgrade Snooper Radar Detector Review www.discoveryownersclub.com Page 1 - Discourse 9 Legal Stuff Club Web Site For the purposes of this notice, ‘Discovery Owners Club’ and ‘Club’ are interchangeable and assumed to mean the same. The club web site URL is: www.discoveryownersclub.com The site is still developing and any comments, criticisms and suggestions should be directed to Andy Smith at [email protected] Advice Given Any and all advice given in this publication or elsewhere is given in good faith. Whilst every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy and correctness of any advice given, the Discovery Owners Club and anyone acting on its behalf will not be held responsible for any loss or damages incurred as a result of following the advice given. Anyone acting on the advice given does so at their own risk. Club Events Any activities and in particular but not exclusively offroading and green-laning are undertaken solely at the participants’ own risk. All vehicles should be suitably insured and prepared for any activity undertaken. Participation in any Club organised event is on the understanding and acceptance that safety is the responsibility of the participant. Public Liability Insurance The Club has Public Liability Insurance for registered Club events of a non-competitive nature. Cover is provided for full Club members, their spouse or partner and children residing at the same address. Family members as defined in the Club rules travelling in a separate vehicle are also covered. Road traffic accident risks are not covered by the Club’s Public Liability Insurance. It is the responsibility of the member to ensure that they have proper and legal Insurance cover for themselves and the vehicle from leaving home until returning home. Green Lane Events As all Green Lanes are highways as defined by the Highways Act 1980, green-lane driving events require the same degree of insurance, road tax, MOT and driver’s license as normal roads. Yahoo! Club List This is an internet chat room where members can ask questions, raise topics and generally communicate with each other. If you would like to be registered as a member of the list, then please email Andy Smith at [email protected] with your name and membership number and he’ll sort it out for you. Back Issues Two ways for members to obtain Discourse back issues: As printed copies at £2.50 ea together with a self addressed A4 envelope stamped at 41pence, or As a CD-ROM at £2.00 including postage. This would have all back issues. Send your cheque made payable to ‘Discovery Owners Club’ to John Capewell or Mike Duncalf (See Committee Members for details). In This Issue The Major’s Memorial Trial Langley Farm Last Week in September The New L318 Discovery 200Tdi Lighting Upgrade Door Check Straps The Snooper SD715iS The Future of Discourse The Land Rover Experience Life Was a Gas Class of ‘93 Treasure Hunt with a Difference The L318 Chassis Discover South Wales’ Lanes 2002 Abingdon 4x4 Festival Andalucian Adventure 2002/2003 Events List News Release Regional Meets The DOC Shop 4 5 6 7 9 10 10 11 12 12 13 14 15 17 19 20 22 22 23 23 Cover photographs by permission of Land Rover. This issue has been designed and published by MicroArt Tel: 01628 662566, Fax: 01628 607980 Discourse 9 - page 2 Committee Members Chairman - John Capewell 43 Belper Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1BB Tel: 07850 405389, Tel.Work: 01433 622300, Email: [email protected] Vice Chairman - Neil Brownlee 9 Lindisfarne Way, East Hunsbury, Northampton, NN4 0WG Tel: 07768 366 157, Email: [email protected] Club Secretary - Mike Duncalf Beetham Cottage, Over Kellet, Carnforth, LA6 1BS Tel: 01524 732128, Mobile: 0777 939 1977, Email: [email protected] uk Treasurer - Ros Palmer 31 Stanley Street, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, HD6 1SX Tel: 01484 384883, Email: [email protected] Membership Secretary - Lee Jones 73 Tottenham Crescent, Kingstanding, Birmingham, B44 0ST Tel: 0121 603 3632, Tel. Work: 0121 328 0065, Email: [email protected] Events Co-ordinator - Tim Arnold 9 Sunstar Lane, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 5HS Tel: 01323 489003, Mobile: 07801 292024, Email: [email protected] History Officer - Alan Smart The Bales, Cow Lane, Kimpton, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 8NY Tel: 01264 772851, Fax: 01264 773300, Email: [email protected] Club Shop officer - Gerry Summerfield Glenholm, Whitecroft Road, Bream, Gloucestershire, GL15 6LY Tel 01594 560314, Tel. Work: 01446 737470 Member - Jim Law 1 Vulcan Close, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 4LZ Tel: 01227 264747, Mobile: 07944 836 177, Email: [email protected] Newsletter Editors (Designate) - Alan Smart & Nick Brooker Comments, enquiries, articles, photos, etc. to Alan Smart (contact details as above). From the Chairman It’s a hell of a responsibility to be charged with writing the first (interesting) thing that all of you see when you open this issue of Discourse, especially after such a tumultuous summer for DOC! Some members have been feeling very disappointed with what they received from DOC in exchange for the membership fee this summer but I hope that the combined efforts of Alan Smart and Nick Brooker make up for this a little with this issue. Anyone who still feels a little disappointed is always welcome to help us to improve the Club; after all, we do promote ourselves as a Club run by its members for its members. During the coming year, we’re aiming to improve our email communication as well. At last I feel as though we’re moving forward, but we still need more volunteers for Land Rover and other 4x4 events to help to sell DOC merchandise, distribute leaflets, and generally tell everyone what a wonderful bunch of rivet counting anoraks we really are in order to increase membership. Enjoy this ‘New Style’ Discourse. I hope it inspires you to write some stuff for future issues, please...... Page 3 - Discourse 9 Local Section Representitives Central Southern - Gary Tredwell 21 Wick Close, Peachcroft, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 2NQ Tel: 01235 520240, Email: [email protected] Northants - Simon Kay 32 Hobby Close, East Hunsbury, Northants, NN4 0RN Tel: 01604 248756, Mobile: 07887 626063, Email: [email protected] North East - Toni Armitage 11 Aireworth Grove, Stockbridge, Keighley, W Yorks, BD21 4DL Tel: 01535 677490, Mobile: 07958 386933, Email: [email protected] North West - Kim Hollings 15 Knowsley Crescent, Offerton, Stockport, Cheshire, SK1 4JB Tel: 0161 480 7096, Email: [email protected] The Major’s Memorial Trial Alan Smart - Pictures courtesy of MROC This year’s annual event was held over the weekend of 7/8th September at Eastnor Castle. It’s organised by the Midland Rover Owners’ Club (MROC) and to explain what it’s all about, I quote from their programme: The Major’s Trial is an invitation event for the very best of club drivers, and is attracting more and more competitors every year. This is the 32nd year of the competition. The trial we now call “The Major’s” started in 1969. At the National at Eastnor, the ground had been rather dry. During the prize giving, Major Ben HerveyBathhurst (the land owner and MROC’s President) was presenting the prizes when he overheard comments from someone complaining to a fellow competitor that “the trial was too easy and not challenging enough for the best drivers”. North Worcs - Paul Walker 17 Ditchford Close, Hunt End, Redditch, B97 5XT Tel: 01527 404103, Mobile: 07939 411995, Email: [email protected] Sussex - Tim Arnold 9 Sunstar Lane, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 5HS Tel: 01323 489003, Mobile: 07801 292024, Email: [email protected] Wessex - Alan Smart The Bales, Cow Lane, Kimpton, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 8NY Tel: 01264 772851, Fax: 01264 773300 Email: [email protected] See page 22 for details of Events. a team of three drivers is used to decide the winner. However, over the years there has been the addition of a trophy for the best ‘all standard’ team to encourage the dwindling numbers of drivers using unmodified vehicles. In 1998, a Ladies Trophy was introduced. When the Major died in 1997, much thought was given to the event and after talking to his family it was decided to change the name to “The Major’s Memorial Trophy”. The event is run over twenty sections with each team tackling ten sections a day. For those not familiar with trials, here’s a brief outline of what happens. The objective is to complete a course marked over varying terrain. Each section has twelve ‘gates’ between which the competitor must pass without hitting them, deviating from the course or losing forward motion. Mykel Jones in the LPG-powered 90. The Major continued with the prize giving and then ended with a challenge to all clubs. His challenge was to bring their best drivers from each club and return in October to see if the ground was still too easy. He laid out the first trial himself, setting a testing course across varying ground. The aim was for the major to pit himself and his driving experience against the cream of Britain’s Land Rover drivers, having driven all the sections himself. He donated the much-coveted Rose Bowl and the Major’s Trial was born. The MROC have run it ever since, apart from 2001, when Foot and Mouth forced its cancellation. The format has changed over the years and is now a two-day event. The trial is a classless trial, where the total score of Discourse 9 - page 4 David Southcott (SROC) in the mud. The gates are counted down and, if you complete the section you score no penalty points. The person, or team, with the least penalty points over all the sections is deemed the winner. Therefore the maximum penalty an individual could score is 12 x 20 = 240 points! The weather was good and the Eastnor Castle deer park is a delightful place. The terrain is hilly and varied. Sections varied from wooded sections that weaved between trees, loose sections were the dry red clay exposed the rocky limestone below to good old streams and mud holes! John Creed (S&W) in the std class tackles a wooded section. Gary Parnell in his trusty Series I. In all, 38 teams started representing 14 clubs. There were three standard teams and a ladies team. ARC rules define eligibility for standard classes. Cornwall and Devon Team 4 won the coveted Rose Bowl with an incredible 73 penalty points; Mike Smerdon collecting only 12 penalties for the entire weekend including 15 of the 20 sections clear! Southern Rover Owners’ Club were second with 116 penalties and Staffs and Shrops were third with 122. Cornwall and Devon won the Ladies trophy with 241 (24th overall) and the Standard Class was won by MROC 2 with 305 (31st overall). Fantastic weekend, well supported showing trials at its best. If you want to see more and have internet connection, try www.mroc.co.uk and follow the link. Langley Farm Toni Armitage We arrived on the Friday afternoon and, as the rain came down, I wondered what sort of weekend we could expect. As the legs came down on the caravan the phone rang; it was to say Andy Smith would be 30 minutes behind us and we had to save a place. By the time they arrived the tea was made and the DOC area was marked out. I was told it was too big an area, so I brought it in (only to take it out again later). We had the gazebo up and the barbecue lit, when the next members, Robert and Kevin, arrived and happily put up their tents in the area. Another tent joined us and Phil and his family brought their caravan set up within the boundary. Beers and chairs were set out and everyone joined in the evening’s chat, Gary Parnell gets a helping tow. Mykel Jonels gets a helping hand (or ten). everything from what the weather would do to what was the off road course would be like. We all fell into bed tired but wishing Saturday would hurry along so we could go and see what goodies were on offer. It’s hard work cleaning a Camel! Saturday morning arrived to the smell of cooked bacon wafting across the site, along with the whistling of kettles coming to the boil. Landrovers were emptied and made ready to get muddy. Cameras were prepared (thanks to the members for the photos)and I think those who didn’t go around the off road course had as much pleasure in taking photos of their friends who did. Saturday’s Cloggers line up. We stripped down all the loose parts off the vehicle and made ready for our first trip in the mud with our new Camel. Page 5 - Discourse 9 Although the vehicle was prepared to do everything we asked, it was still nerve racking; especially as I had spent all week getting her in pristine condition. I’ve never washed any vehicle as much, and polished her lovingly. With her new tyres gleaming we set off, my stomach was in my mouth, in fact I made the husband drive (if he scratched it then I could do my nut). I just held my breath and shut my eyes! After the drive, the vehicle was only a little muddy as we were asked to go through the mud hole slowly, although our mate behind didn’t agree, and had a bonnet full of mud by the time we all finished. I think every one had a trip around the course over the rest of the day. The one good thing about Langley is that you pay your money and you can go round as many times, as you like and when you like. It’s an organised course though, before you all get worried. A few members visited for the day and called in for a drink; I think Ros and I made the world record for cups of tea or coffee over the weekend. Food was prepared for tea as the chaps preened over their Discoverys and compared mud levels. Over tea we all felt very pleased with the day. The weather had held out and was sunny for most of it, the food was good and the beer was even better after a hard day. Saturday evening was band night in the marquee, and as Ros and I tidy up, the rest of the gang went over to the marquee only to find it packed and too loud. So they returned back to the DOC area where we all listened to the band and had a drink along with more chatter. Sunday brought more of the same weather, off road events and more members visiting for the day. By Sunday evening I was shattered and glad to pack up and go home. Although being tired, I think I can say on behalf of everyone that it was a very good weekend and was enjoyed by every one. Last Week in September Martin Thomas We decided to have the last weekend in September away. I had a chat with David Edge (DOC member) to see if he had a space in his field for us. The plan was to drop the children off with their Dad in Sleaford and then just the two of us to go on to a place called Thorpe St. Peter near Skegness (this being where David lives). We left Rotherham at 5 pm on the Friday and set off down the A1 with our caravan in tow, a 1990 14ft Compass Rallye GTE, for those that are interested. We actually only collected the caravan from the dealer on the 9th. of August about 16 hours before we were due to travel down to Cornwall for two weeks; the reason being that our original van was vandalised in storage the week before and was totally trashed inside, but I digress... About 15 to 20 miles north of Newark is a stretch of road that has the maximum speed limit reduced to 50 mph to reduce accidents. There are lots of cameras about so you have to be careful there! So here we are driving along nice and slow(ish) through the calmed area and BANG! The offside caravan tyre blew out accompanied with lots of smoke, it dropped straight to the rim which made the caravan twitch a few times. It scared the hell out of me, and I guess that the car driver behind is now on medication for heart problems!! Discourse 9 - page 6 The caravan somehow stayed in a relatively straight line as I pulled into a Lay-By that luckily we were just passing. I put this down to a good stabiliser, but more importantly to the size of the Discovery; anything smaller and I am sure we would have been flipped. I had no tools on me (whoops, soon to be rectified) to remove the spare from the underside of the caravan, so out came Green Flag recovery. I’m pleased to say they were with us within the hour. The poor mechanic spent over an hour removing the spare wheel because, not only was it held in place by a ‘U’ bolt that was rusty, but also the bracket had been welded to the cross member (not a good idea). Soon we were back on our way to Sleaford to drop the children off and then ONWARD, to roll in to David’s place at about 10.30 at night, absolutely shattered! We had a very relaxing weekend at David’s and we are glad to say that we will be going again early next year. After we got back home, I inspected the ruined tyre more closely only to discover it to be a remould. I have towed professionally for a number of years and would not dream of running a trailer on remoulds! So why was I running a caravan on them? I won’t be from now on!! The New L318 Discovery Land Rover Land Rover’s legendary 4WD adventurer, enters the third phase of its 13-year history with a new look and a number of significant technical enhancements designed to keep it at the head of the fiercely competitive SUV (sports utility vehicle) market. Indeed, the new Discovery builds on the formidable reputation of its tough forebears with extra weapons in its 4x4 armoury. These include the availability of a locking centre differential to further improve its remarkable ability in extreme off-road conditions, such as over boulders or through shifting desert sand. Unveiling the latest Discovery marks the second new vehicle launch in a matter of months by Land Rover, the British-based company now part of the Ford-owned Premier Automotive Group. Like the all-new Range Rover, launched to considerable critical acclaim at the start of 2002, the new Discovery is instantly recognisable by its dynamic new ‘face’, dominated by stylish and highly efficient twin pocket headlamps and a revised front bumper assembly. There are changes at the rear, too, with enhanced lighting arrangements, and a new wheel collection to further emphasise the visual changes. Changes to the latest Discovery go far deeper than cosmetic alterations. There are also improvements to the vehicle‘s on-road driveability, refinement, quality, reliability and offroad ability. As with the new Range Rover, the latest Discovery is designed to be equally at home on the motorway as it is on the mountainside. Enhancements to the chassis have improved the on-road ride and handling while new colours have given the interior a new ambience. Greater attention to refinement has produced a vehicle that’s quieter than before, while improvements in build quality will enhance the ownership experience. Among the 700 major and detail changes are: • • • • • • • • • A new face, inspired by the new Range Rover Revised rear lights for extra safety New centre Diff-Lock for greater off-road ability Prestigious new interior colours New thicker-style roof bars New front bumper with increased step height Refinement improvements Braking and suspension improvements A new 4.6-litre V8 version, for North America Add these new features to Discovery’s proven attributes such as high and low ratio permanent four-wheel drive system, rear air suspension and the vehicle’s battery of pioneering electronic control systems including Electronic Traction Control and Hill Descent Control, and the new Discovery is well equipped to defend successfully its reputation as ‘the best 4x4 by far’ from the world’s leading 4x4 manufacturer. The latest Discovery continues to be available with Land Rover’s pioneering Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE), which electronically reduces body roll on the road but also improves wheel articulation off-road. The 2003 Discovery is powered either by the proven 4.0litre 136 kW (184 bhp)(185 PS) V8 petrol engine or the 2.5-litre 101 kW (138 bhp)(137 PS) Td5 five-cylinder turbodiesel engine. Page 7 - Discourse 9 The Td5 engine produces up to 340 Nm (250 lb ft) of torque at under 2,000 rpm for on-road driveability and off-road prowess. For North America only, the latest Discovery gets a 162 kW (217 bhp)(220PS) 4.6-litre V8 power unit in place of the 4.0 V8. This move is to suit the unique requirements of that market. The interior features three new trim colours: ‘Tundra’ green, ‘Alpaca’ beige and ‘Land Rover Black’. These colour themes give the interior a new ambience, enhancing the spacious feel of the interior that can seat up to seven occupants. Among other improvements, changes to noise insulation and body mountings improve the refinement of the latest 2003 Discovery. Bob Dover, Land Rover’s managing director, said: “The changes to the 2003 Discovery improve key aspects of the vehicle, from its distinctive styling to its on-and off-road performance. The front-end styling provides an easily identified family resemblance to the new Range Rover while the interior treatments complement its spacious packaging. With the chassis and power train improvements, Land Rover has built on the Discovery’s well-known strengths in road handling and off-road capability to re-assert the model’s class-leading position in the 4x4 marketplace.” Refinement & Enhancements Discovery’s striking new face might be the new model’s most obvious change, but it is far from the most significant. Much of the £24 million invested in the new Discovery has gone into subtle but far reaching refinement and quality improvements. Typical of the attention to detail are the efforts made to reduce radial force variation (RFV) caused by out of balance wheels and tyres. Conventional wheel balancing, no matter how well done, still results in some out of balance vibrations between the wheel and tyre. And it is also rare for the wheel and tyre assemblies at either end of the same axle to be in perfect harmony with one another. Even perfectly balanced assemblies tend to go out of balance once they have been used on a vehicle. To overcome RFV problems, together with Discovery’s wheel and tyre suppliers, Land Rover has developed a new system of balancing not only the tyre to the rim, but also to bed down each wheel and tyre assembly before they reach the production line (including that destined for use as the spare) so that they are in perfect balance with each other not just from the outset but also after the vehicle has been used in anger. Changes to the transfer box, including new mesh patterns on the gears, extra ribbing on the case itself and revised mounting points, have been made to lower NVH (noise, Discourse 9 - page 8 vibration and harshness) intrusion while extensive use of new damping panels has been made to prevent body generated boom. A comprehensive overhaul of all seal fits has been made to reduce wind noise and water ingress while changes in production techniques and tolerances has further improved panel fit. Other NVH issues have been addressed by changes to the air induction system. A second resonator has been added to the system to quieten induction roar. Improvements in the materials used in the interior has minimised squeaks and rattles while quality improvements on the production line has dramatically lowered the level of faults per vehicle. Much of the improvements are down to the adoption of the Ford Product Development System (FPDS), which is a quantifiable quality philosophy and measure used right across all Ford businesses. Improvements in the driving experience are led by changes to the braking system, made following customer feedback. A new master cylinder and revised pad material combine to shorten pedal travel and to give more feel, especially under heavy braking. The availability of a locking centre differential to augment the ETC system reaffirms Discovery’s place at the top of the 4x4 market. Greater emphasis has also been placed on pre-production testing. The new Discovery underwent more exhaustive testing than any previous example of the model, with the vehicle often being ‘real world’ tested alongside the new Range Rover during the latter’s development programme. Special prominence was placed on hot environment testing, reflecting Discovery’s popularity in Gulf and North American markets. Here heat management issues came to the fore, with new heat shields and air deflectors being developed for the vehicle, especially in connection with the availability of the 4.6-litre V8 engine for North America. Equipment enhancements include the availability of park distance control (PDC) while new in car entertainment systems have also been developed. Later this year a DVD player using a roof-mounted screen visible by rear passengers will become available. A stylish new range of alloy wheels and two new body colours allows a degree of personalisation. Read about The L318 Chassis on page 15. More from Land Rover in the next issue: • Drivetrain • Interior • Design & Body 200Tdi Lighting Upgrade Alex Drummond The full beam is more straightforward, the old supply drives the relay, connecting the element to the 30A supply and taking it to the bulb on the new 17A feed. Again, should the relay fail, the element is fed directly from the old supply. At MOT last year, the tester remarked that my headlights seemed a little dim. Well it didn’t take Einstein to work that one out, this is a Disco after all. The reflectors were not too bad for an H-reg and I had tried the blue bulbs, which did actually help. Thus, as shown in the photograph you can see there are four main relays and one additional for the fogs. Each cable has its own fuse and with the relays well out of harms way they should be good for >30,000 operations. Eventually, as I do a lot of driving in the dark (space for another gag here about disco headlights) I fitted some low-level driving/fog lights. To save drilling the dash I wired them to a control relay that latched on if I pulled the main beam and kept them on so long as the sidelights were on. This gave the advantage that if the fog was heavy (as in the Forest of Dean where I do much of my night driving) then I could turn off the main lamps and use the fogs and dim-dip. All was well until one day the fogs mysteriously stopped working. Investigation showed that there was not enough voltage at the headlamp to pull on the 12V control relay. Hmmm. In point of fact there was only 10.2V with the engine off and 11.4 with the engine running. The battery was a healthy 13.8V so the fault clearly lay with the cable. I had two choices here, chase dodgy connections or go the whole hog and upgrade the wiring and go for high power bulbs. Well, I’d fancied trying the 60/80 bulbs that people have raved about but have concerns about simply wiring them into the existing circuit. Partly because as things stood the voltage drop I’d get would make them potentially dangerous and even with full voltage at the bulbs the existing wiring is only really good for about 4A and the 80W need at least 6A So, the upgrade it was. In designing the circuit, a surprising number of considerations have to be taken into account. Original specification has different bulbs on different circuits for reasons of safety. I was not going to compromise this and furthermore, the whole system had to be designed fail-safe. Thus, each element has its own changeover relay, wired up so that in the event of the relay failing the original voltage will pass through. The dip beam relays caused a problem as the vehicle is designed to have so-called dim-dip meaning that it is not possible to drive with sidelights only. To maintain this ‘legal’ aspect I used a 7.5V zener diode and power transistor to control the relay. When the dim-dip is operating the voltage is around 4.5V, and the element is connected to the original supply lead. When the dip beam goes on, the voltage rises to 12V and this now passes through the threshold voltage of the zener diode and turns on the relay. Power to the dip beam now comes from the new 30A supply and is fed to the bulbs on 17A cable. Connecting it up was straight forward. I’d dismantled some spare headlamp connectors and soldered the new 17A cable straight on to them to ensure a reliable connection. The main supply lead comes directly from the bulkhead junction and I took the earth down to the where the other earth connects below the header tank. The result is fantastic. There is now no need to use the driving lights in anything other than fog. The rest of the time I have plenty of light whether on dip or main. And for those of you who think I must be going round blinding everything that approaches, well, I can honestly say that in six months of use, no-one has flashed to complain. I have made sure they are properly aligned and all in all (legality of 80W bulbs aside) I suggest that this upgrade has made the vehicle safer on the roads. Total cost of components around £50 and one days work. A bargain. Circuit diagrams below for those tempted. Each dip beam element is connected as shown in diagram 1 and full beam as shown in diagram 2. ��������� ��������������������� ��������� ��������������������� ������������������� ���������������� ���������������� If anyone wants advice or help then contact me on [email protected] Page 9 - Discourse 9 Door Check Straps If you happen to replace one of these parts, check to see if it’s stamped with ‘R/H’ or ‘L/H’ so you get the correct part for the door you are working on. My 1991 200Tdi Disco had a problem with the leading edge of the drivers’ door, which seemed to be splitting. This was found to be caused by a worn door check strap, allowing the door to open 90 degrees the to body. Shardlow Land Rovers had one in stock at £18, which I went to collect along with a few spare trim fittings. If you own an older Disco that has had a few owners before you it may be worth having a look at the door check straps to check on their condition. A give away sign is if you are parked facing down hill, when you open the door it flies open all the way instead of only part way. When the old part was removed you could see what had happened, the lug at the top (see photo) had bent inwards and cracked the body of the part open. This allowed the two very badly worn bushes to open too far which in turn meant the door opened until it pushed against the back of the bottom hinge. The Snooper SD715iS Roger Spencer This pressure was too much for the door skin and leading edge to stand and they split. It seemed a good idea to check the nearside door as well. This was also showing signs of only being limited in its travel by the bottom hinge. I was lucky that the door had as yet not been damaged. The following Saturday we were at Billing, where I spotted a new check strap in a spares bin on the John Craddock stand. The guy on the till said he didn’t even know what it was and asked for ‘a fiver’, which I was more then happy about. Sunday afternoon saw the door trim off and the new part in place. Alex Drummond Ever considered getting one of those police radar detectors? Great eh? Do whatever speed you want and then when it beeps you can slow down to an appropriate speed. Well think again. For reasons I shall highlight below, if this is your thinking then you will get caught and you’ll deserve what you get. However, if like me you have held a spotlessly clean licence for over 20 years and want to keep it that way it might just be worth a consider. A bit of background first. The police use several different systems for catching speeding motorists. Only some of these use radar, others being somewhat lower tech, like following you in an unmarked car. No electronic gizmo will work out if the guy in the Vauxhall behind you is a copper. Another aspect of this is that if they are using something like LIDAR (laser) then it takes only 0.7 seconds to clock you. You won’t have time to do anything if it’s you they want. Where these devices do come into their own is in the detection of speed cameras. The police have increasingly moved towards making their cameras more obvious, painting them in fluorescent colours and the like; they want you to see them. If like me you do a lot of driving in the dark then this device re-levels the playing field, so to speak, by alerting the driver to a nearby camera, which you might not otherwise see. Each one of the check straps took around 30 to 45 minutes to fit, but you may require a few of the black trim fittings to make sure your door trim panels go back on properly. The only tools needed are a 10mm spanner and screwdrivers for the door pull handle and the small plastic trim around the door release handle. I also used a flat bar to prise the trim panel away from the door. Both doors now stop at half open and when pushed further will stop when they should do, without the bottom hinges coming into contact with the doors leading edge. Discourse 9 - page 10 I’ve found this particularly useful on unfamiliar roads where its occasional chirps help to keep up the concentration. The other time I find it useful is on those long stretches of main road where the speed has been reduced to 50 rather than 60. Late at night on a long journey it is one more aid to maintaining the mental focus. I chose the Snooper SD715iS, which I bought over the Internet (saving over £50). You need a 5-band detector to pick up all the camera types used these days and the 715 seems to be the best value for this. Cheaper ones don’t cover all devices and more expensive ones only increase the range by a small percentage unless you are prepared to pay well above £300. The device is compact and can be mounted in a variety of ways. Mine sits on the instrument console with Velcro. It also comes with suckers and a visor clip. I needed to heat the thermoplastic bracket up to change the angle and it seems to sit quite well there and doesn’t obscure my vision. Obviously it needs to be removed from sight (or taken away) when the vehicle is parked – partly because it would bake in a stationary car on a hot day, and partly because it’s just too tempting for some low-life to nick. This is my biggest gripe in that I would prefer to have it fixed in the car The operation is really simple; plug it in to the cigar lighter, turn it on and that’s it. (A drawback here is that the cable dangles up to the dash and I’m tempted to put a small jack socket somewhere close to it and chop the lead.) As you can see from the picture, it has a rotary on/off and volume switch on the left side. It has a bank of LED’s on the front edge which combine with a series of different sounds to indicate both the range and nature of the hazard. On the top are three buttons. ‘City’, ‘Mute’, and ‘Dark’. Dark mode simply turns off the LED’s if you find them distracting you at night. Mine don’t bother me. City and Mute are useful modes and here’s why. The police are not the only people who are licensed to use radar. Supermarkets have detectors on their automatic doors, petrol stations have car sensors to tell them when to turn on the pump, and traffic lights are increasingly controlled by radar. As a result you will find the thing chirping on all sorts of occasions when it doesn’t seem to need to. ‘City’ mode reduces its sensitivity to certain types of radar so there are less false triggers. In a familiar town I turn it off but in an unfamiliar urban setting it does give advance warning of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, which can be useful. Basically, in town it will bleep a lot. The ‘Mute’ function is useful as it enables you to silence the device until you have passed whatever is currently triggering it. You can also set auto-mute which lets the device bleep a couple of times briefly and then it clicks away to itself quietly until the trigger is passed. On the open road it will chirp past petrol stations and on other odd occasions - including when passing a car with another make of radar detector. It does give advance warning of traffic lights, which is quite handy if there are temporary road works ahead that you don’t know about. Approaching an active speed camera from the rear it sounds off at around 75-100 yards. Approaching the same camera front on and its picked it up over a quarter of a mile away. Traffic lights and pedestrian crossings typically trigger it at around 75-150 yards. I did get a laser pointed at me the other day which is the first time since I got it that it made that sound. I’d just rounded a bend where a long straight lay ahead and the police car was sat in a lay-by over half a mile away clearly shooting anything that appeared on the horizon. No joy for him but it does serve as a reminder that were I speeding I’d not have had a chance to do anything about it. Not only was the hazard around a bend; he was using the ‘instant on’ type of gun, which gives no signal until it points at someone. This would apply to any device, no matter how expensive. All in all, this device has limitations and strengths. It is priced at the economy end of the market and I don’t know if more expensive devices would give better filtering of false triggers, which is where this device could be improved. As for range and detection I find it to be perfectly adequate but then my intention was never to get away with speeding, only to be aware of when the speed might need checking. This it does. For me, covering over 25000 miles per year, much of it in the dark and close to the speed limit, the device has proved its worth. Intelligently used, I believe it can be an aid to road safety. The Future of Discourse Nick Brooker Support us to make Discourse a quality magazine. Discourse is the primary means of communication between the Discovery Owners Club and its members. To compile, publish and print the magazine is only worthwhile if we have enough interesting articles about members’ experiences, technical advice, product features, letters to the editor, advertisements, a members’ for sale and wanted section, information about events and their organisers, Club News, etc. Club membership is growing fast and Discourse needs to develop with this growth. To do this we need your support. Comment on this issue and tell us what you would like to see in the next. Send us your Discovery related experiences or information about any improvements or enhancements you’ve made to your vehicle. Tell us about any Disco parts you’ve got for sale or would like to buy or if you would like to buy advertising space to promote any products. Maybe we can help you design the advertisement. Please contact Alan Smart or myself. Page 11 - Discourse 9 The Land Rover Experience Book Review by Alan Smart Life Was a Gas Stephan Tapp Some of you may remember an article in an earlier issue of Discourse. I wrote about the trials and tribulations of having my 1998 3.9 V8i ES converted to LPG. Well that was over 20 months ago and I have now as you are reading this, changed to a newer Td5. (Sorry Neil, Paul, Garry and other petrol heads for leaving the V8 chapter!!) So I thought you might all be interested in a few facts and figures that I have collected along the way. Here goes... The Discovery was converted and delivered back to me on the 15th June 2000 and up to and including the 19th February 2002 had covered 34,539 not so trouble free miles, but that’s another story some of you are aware of! During this time I have used 13,058.94 litres of LPG costing £5,058.44 and 529.52 litres of unleaded costing £415.93. The Land Rover Experience by Tom Sheppard is THE book for all Land Rover enthusiasts! Not the sort of book you sit down and read from cover to cover, but one you dip into as and when needed. The 200 plus pages are crammed with useful information and clear, informative diagrams. Models covered in the 2nd edition are Defender, P38A Range Rover and the Series 1 Discovery (300 series). There are sections on the theory of traction including a very good chapter on the use of automatics off-road. Just about every off-road driving technique you could imagine is covered in theory and in practice and an explanation about towing and the forces involved. Sounds a bit technical? Well, as someone who has been towing for more than 30 years I learned a lot! There’s a wonderful bit about selecting the right tyres for certain terrains including sand. It lists in great detail tyre fitments and rim sizes. There’s a chapter on recovery including self recovery and details about winches and their usage. Basic expedition requirements are also covered but there’s many specialist books on this very varied topic. Finally there’s a technical section with dimensions, weights and diagrams showing the largest box you can fit in. It’s the sort of book you will find difficult to put down as you flit from one topic to another. My copy is well thumbed and I suspect there’s a third edition on its way to cover the series 2 Discovery and the L322 Range Rover. Discourse 9 - page 12 This has saved (comparing cost of LPG per litre vs petrol per litre) £4,983.39. However, the Discovery in this time has averaged 12.15 miles per gallon on LPG. Now if we compare that to 16 miles per gallon on petrol, that figure is technically reduced by one quarter, so starting with the initial overall saving of £4,983.39 minus a quarter leaves £3,737.54, take away the cost of conversion of £2,115.00 leaves a grand saving of £1,622.54 over 34,539 miles. But of course that is totally insignificant when you realise that LPG has approximately 98% fewer emissions than diesel!! Now for the really shocking statistic... One litre of liquid LPG produces around 240 litres of gaseous LPG; so if we multiply the total amount of litres of LPG as above with 240 we get, are you ready for this? 3,134,145.6 litres of LPG gas that have been burned through it’s engine, yes that’s 3 million, one hundred and thirty four thousand, one hundred and forty five point six!!! Wow. A couple of quick figures to add... Since 15th June 2000 the highest I paid for unleaded was 86.9 pence per litre; lowest was 67.9. The highest I paid for LPG was 46 pence per litre; the lowest was 34 pence per litre. Only once did I have to deviate from my planned route (M1 Leicester) to fill with LPG, and that was only a 12 mile round trip! And finally...Why have I bought a diesel? They hold their prices better for high milers like me!! The Class of ’93 Alan Smart As many regular readers know, we run more than just the Discovery. We also have a Range Rover and a One-Ten, all built and registered in 1993. I thought I’d start a regular bit on the trials and tribulations of running these older vehicles and the problems we encounter in the hope that our experiences may help other members either ward off troubles before they start or get an idea of what’s in store. Here’s a ‘diary’ of what’s happened since March this year. But first, let me introduce our ‘fleet’. The One-Ten CSW is a recent addition and now boasts 120,000 on its 200Tdi. The Discovery is a 200TdiS and is effectively one owner and has now covered 167,000 miles (for more on its history, see Discourse 3). Memsahib’s Range Rover is a 3.9i V8 Vogue we acquired five years ago, is ex-factory, has done 93,000 and has an LPG conversion. MoT time for the Disco in March was a bit eventful this year. I had arranged for the rear brake pipes to be changed as they were definitely looking a bit scabby. Then I got the phone call. The power steering pump had failed. During the warm up drive to get the engine up to temperature for the smut test, the pump’s bearing had failed causing it to lock solid. Of course, the fan belt wanted to carry on and promptly snapped! I suppose I can’t complain at that sort of mileage. Then the water pump sprang a leak shortly afterwards. The One-Ten’s water pump came out in sympathy the next day……. Got seven seats in your Discovery? Ever tried to change a rear light bulb? Forget the handbook; it’s a work of fiction! If you have double-jointed fingers about ten inches long you might be in with a chance. Memsahib has small hands and she could not get the bayonet base out either. In the end it was a case of undo the plastic wing nuts that secure the lamp unit to the body and take the whole lamp cluster out. After that it was easy! Or maybe I should have taken out the jump seat. The Range Rover sounded as if it had an exhaust leak but on only one cylinder. We fitted a stainless steel sports system to it soon after we bought it and threw away the cats! On closer inspection, number 7 (near side rear) was blowing at the joint with the head as both bolts were loose. The original cast iron manifolds use a horseshoe locking washer but these would not fit the new manifolds so we just used spring washers. Maybe Land Rover knows something I don’t! The top one was a doddle. The bottom one was a pig. From beneath you could do about a twelfth of a turn with a ring spanner, then turn the spanner over and do it again! Twenty minutes later… I broke the radio aerial on the One-Ten whilst doing a bit of green lane clearing. What a silly idea to put a rod aerial on an off-road vehicle. (I put an electric one on the Disco and the RR’s is built into the rear side window.) I had a spare electric one but there wasn’t enough clearance under the wing. I bought a rubber aerial but the problem was to run the cable back to the radio meant taking half the dash to pieces. Have you seen how many screws hold a OneTen’s dash together? With a couple of TV type connectors I chopped the ends off under the wing and fitted the TV connectors and, hey presto, all is well again. I was going to use the trailer on the One-Ten for the first time and thought I’d check the socket first. I’m glad I did. I was all wired back to front! So much for LR’s towing kit! The low note horn on the Range Rover had packed up so instead of shouting “GET OUT OF MY WAY” it would issue a feeble “excuse me”. I decided it wasn’t worth doing the rounds of the independents and got one from my local LR dealer having got the part number from my parts book. When I got home and took it out the box it was the high note, contrary to what the box said. A quick phone call and they said they would order a new one, which they did. They ordered it based on the chassis number using LR’s on line parts system. When it arrived it had the wrong connector! Third time lucky. Incidentally, the same is true about washer pumps; some need a converter harness and Classic Range Rovers and early Discoveries share these parts. Whilst on the topic of wrong parts, I’ve been waiting four months for an off-side rear door seal for the One-Ten. Three attempts all yielded a near-side pretending to be an off-side. LR have to put a stop on these parts and do a bin sort right back to the supplier. I hope it turns up before the wet season. Then there was that smell of diesel from the Disco. Every time you stopped, there it was. I checked under the bonnet and all the fuel lines but no sign of a leak. I even sniffed at the filler cap to no avail. Then I noticed these strange spots on the spare wheel cover after a long motorway run. A peer underneath revealed a smear down the tank and immediately knew what to suspect. Out with the rear carpet and removed the hatch in the floor. Page 13 - Discourse 9 The return pipe on the sender unit was in pretty bad shape and was badly corroded. My Waxoyl had not got this far! A new unit soon had it sorted. A perforated feed pipe usually results in poor starting and running. I’m glad that mine was the return pipe. Interestingly, my Jenolite attack on the rear floor three years ago has held the rust at bay. Then the wipers decided to cause grief. They were getting slower and slower and at park they sometimes had a little judder as they hunted on the limit switch. A new motor assembly cured this. Not difficult to fit on a Disco (but the similarly equipped RR would require far more dismantling!). The motor was just plain worn out which must say something about our climate! I hope my One-Ten door seal comes soon…. At 165,800 I finally had to have the original clutch replaced. It was dragging causing reverse to graunch if you didn’t touch a forward gear first. Once it was all on the floor the trouble became apparent. The release mechanism had gone stiff causing it not to fully release. The bearing and diaphragm fingers were very worn but the friction plate was less than half-worn. Not bad considering the amount of heavy towing it’s done. Here’s a tip: the later LR supplied clutch plate for the 200Tdi now only has four cushioning springs instead of the original eight. On fitting the later plate some people have found this causes excessive first motion shaft rattle on tick over. My man recommended the AP plate that has eight springs. Mine is fine but I can’t get used to the lightness of the new one making the OneTen clutch feel very heavy. A couple of days later the One-Ten’s pedal went all floppy. All the clutch fluid had just disappeared. Not a visible leak anywhere. The slave cylinder was shot and the master not a lot better so both were replaced. Problem solved. It’s been an eventful six months and I have no doubt there’s more in store. The Range Rover needs new brake pipes (it’s ABS so I’ll leave well alone) and all its mudflaps replacing. The One-Ten has a weeping swivel. The Disco needs a new thermostat before the winter and the rear screen changing (in the garage I have a later type with high-level brake light). Treasure Hunt with a Difference Vicky Hill For the majority of us that met at The White Hart on 10th August, we thought we knew what we were letting ourselves in for, we’d done the Treasure Hunt earlier in the year and had volunteered to marshal and take photos at strategic points along the route. Little did we know how different it would be. Nick & Eve, Paul & Debbie W, Andy, Chris M, John, Paul J & myself departed to take up our posts, leaving Paul W with Tim, Graham, Chris W & Mikey, puzzled as to why they’d been asked to bring a plastic carrier and a stamp pad, along with a compass, pen and map. Each vehicle left at 10-minute intervals after being given what I can only say resembled an exam paper of directions, questions, grid references and a list of weird and wonderful things to collect. The idea being to drive the route, finding the answers to the questions, taking note of ID’s and marking the paper with the various rubber stamps that were hanging at the grid references, and collecting the items (hence the plastic bag). All appeared to be going well until I arrived at the ford where I was supposed to be videoing everyone going through the stream. Instead of finding a stream, I was confronted by what resembled a fast flowing river. With the help of Chris M whose location was nearby, we decided we’d better check Discourse 9 - page 14 it first. So, standing on the bridge that the treasure hunters were supposed to nose their vehicles under to get at a stamp, Chris lowered a garden fork, (yes! I know it was an unusual item to check water depth with, but I wasn’t going to walk it) to find it almost 3 feet deep. We thought we’d better contact Paul W, the conversation went something like: C: I don’t think anyone will get through the ford; the water is 3 feet deep. P: You’re jesting, I only drove it last night, it was fine. C: You’d better come and look. P: I’m on my way. Paul arrived, surveyed the scene and agreed it was a bit deep, but said there was another track further up stream that we could check out. He set off, leaving Chris and myself trying to retrieve the stamp that had fallen into the water. Half way back up the track, after giving up on the stamp, I got a phone call from a rather distressed sounding Paul: P: Did you get the stamp? V: No P: Forget it then, I’m stuck. V: Where are you? P: In the water. V: We’ll be there in a couple of minutes. Driving down the next track, who do I see walking towards me but Paul, looking to say the least, a bit damp, with his phone and fags in his hand. V: Where’s the Disco? P: Just down there…………..in the water. V: How come you’re so wet? P: I’ve had to climb out of the window. We followed Paul down the track to find a sight that everyone must dread, Donald his Disco, half submerged, in what looked like a lake. It was at this stage he decided to abandon the hunt and summons help. Phone calls were made to all involved, suggesting that if they wanted to come and view his predicament, they were welcome. It was decided that most of the vehicles should stay at the top of the lane and just a couple, Tim’s Discovery and Mikey’s 110 would ferry everyone down. About 20 minutes later, a quiet secluded part of the Worcestershire countryside was filled with wise cracks and manic laughter. Concerned at what Ann, his wife might say, Paul was offered a Viking funeral, with a wreath of water lilies. Tow ropes were connected to Tim’s Disco and Paul waded out and attached the rope to a very forlorn looking Donald, only to find he couldn’t get in, Donald had decided to protect himself by locking the doors and closing the windows……….with the keys still in the ignition. Eventually, after trying several sets of keys the only option was to tow him out unmanned, well a Disco with a mind of its own is not easy to control; not satisfied with going for a swim and locking Paul out, Donald had decided he was going to try a bit of off-roading and halfway out mounted the bank, this proved just a bit too much for Tim’s Disco, Donald had dug his heels (oops! I mean tyres) in and was not moving. Mikey’s 110 was then called into action, another rope was attached between Tim’s and Mikey’s vehicles and the pair of them together managed to get Donald onto dry-ish land. But there was still the problem of getting inside, there wasn’t one decent car thief amongst us but eventually Andy came to the rescue by removing the alpine window, reaching inside and opening the rear door. The dog guard was removed and at last Paul climbed inside and opened the driver’s door. The bonnet was lifted but it was decided to get onto terra firma before attempting any possible repairs. So, Tim towed Donald (with Paul at the wheel) up the track back onto the tarmac road where the rest of the vehicles were parked. There were some very strange stares from passing motorist, I suppose nine Discos and a 110 parked in a country lane, with everyone huddled round one on them must have looked a bit odd. Requests for spanners went out and, led by Nick, the injectors were removed. To shouts of ‘clear the slipway’ Donald was rocked forward, only to find the engine was, not surprisingly, full of water. The repairs were abandoned and he was eventually towed home by Tim. More treasure hunts are planned and I understand Paul is fitting a snorkel, so watch out!! Donald the Disco is now ‘Donald Duck’, Paul is now ‘Captain Nemo’ (Underwater treasure hunts are his speciality). The L318 Chassis Land Rover The new Discovery continues the Land Rover tradition of a wide breadth of capability, combining confident on-road handling with renowned off-road prowess. The key to this ability is the widespread use of some of the most sophisticated electronic chassis control systems in the world. Designed to give outstanding car-like handling attributes in a large vehicle, Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) is unique to the Land Rover Discovery. The system is operated by quick-reacting hydraulic actuators powered by a high pressure pump. The actuators automatically stiffen the suspension guided by an electronic control unit taking information from vehicle-mounted sensors. The result is a reduction in body roll in cornering, giving extra driver confidence and passenger comfort. The ACE valve block controls pressure flow to control up/down force to front and rear anti roll bars ACE functions off-road too. The control unit can detect off-road driving patterns and adjusts the suspension to allow greater articulation giving extra agility. On side slopes the ACE system will lock the suspension for improved confidence. This innovative and intelligent system is a no-compromise approach giving agile on-road handling without compromising off-road performance. Page 15 - Discourse 9 The Discovery can seat up to seven passengers, carry a large payload and tow up to 3500 kg. With this wide variety of load conditions, it is important that the Discovery maintains a level stance. This is achieved with Self-Levelling Suspension that uses air springs in the rear suspension system fed by an electronically controlled compressor. Sensors detect vehicle attitude and adjust the suspension to maintain a level position, regardless of load. Self-levelling avoids having to use stiffer springing, preserving smooth ride comfort. The new 2003 Discovery is fitted with Hill Descent Control (HDC) as standard. HDC was granted the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation in 2001 and is a further example of Land Rover’s innovative approach to off-road driving conditions. First seen on the Land Rover Freelander and also featured on the new Range Rover, HDC supplements normal engine braking while descending steep slopes off-road. Operating only in low range, HDC applies the brakes to slow the vehicle, maintaining maximum control. The ETC system is designed to give outstanding results when driving off-road without the need for control over the centre differential. ETC operates by applying braking to a spinning wheel preventing it from expending all available power and thereby providing traction to wheels that have grip. Ride height Sensormeasures height of rear axle to enable SLS to keep vehicle trim height constant. As with the ACE system, the air suspension has additional functionality reflecting the heritage of the Discovery. Simply by pressing a facia button when off-road, the air suspension raises the body, to provide extra clearance at the rear to increase departure angles. And should the vehicle ground at low speed when off-road, sensors will detect a spinning rear wheel and automatically raise the rear springs to help lift the vehicle out of trouble. A further function allows the rear of the vehicle to be lowered to facilitate hitching of a trailer. Certain versions of the new Discovery are available with coil spring suspension all-round. As well as improving tolerances, the latest changes include a wider variety of spring rates so that reaction to vehicle mass can be optimised across a wider range of specifications. Standard on all models is a four-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS). The system incorporates Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) that adjusts the braking to suit the vehicle load condition optimising the braking effect. For 2003, the all-round disc brakes have been fitted with new pads and the hydraulic system features a revised master cylinder with revised stroke. Coupled with changes to the brake calliper piston and modifications to the ABS control programme, the new brake system has improved sensitivity, pedal travel and feel. Allied to the ABS system, the latest L318 Discovery is fitted with four-wheel Electronic Traction Control (ETC) as standard. The system has dual mode functionality for on-road and off-road environments increasing driver confidence in all conditions. Discourse 9 - page 16 Having a wheel spinning can, under certain extreme circumstances, be undesirable as it means that traction has been broken. For users likely to encounter such conditions, the new 2003 Discovery will be offered with a mechanically locking centre differential operated by a centre-mounted lever. This feature locks the relative movement between the front and rear axles preventing wheel slip and maintaining traction. Perfected by Land Rover over more than 50 years of development, Discovery’s separate chassis offers the strength and rigidity needed for a serious 4x4, but uses the electronic enhancements to provide confident car-like on-road behaviour and ride refinement. Featuring six cross members and no fewer than 14 body mounting points, its stiff construction is the anchor for the dynamic control systems that endow the Discovery with its on-road control and refinement and its off-road ability. For the new 2003 Discovery, the body mounting points use revised materials to improve refinement. Wide track beam axles have lateral location at the rear by a Watts linkage and by a Panhard rod at the front. Vertical location is by radius arms pivoting on low friction bushes. Revised front suspension geometry includes an optimised ride height to improve cornering composure and steering precision. Watts Linkage prevents lateral movement of the rear axle. The front axle uses open yoke universal joints giving accurate steering response and a tight turning circle. The power assisted worm and roller steering has also been revised to enhance feedback and on-road accuracy still further. With acknowledgements to Land Rover for the pictures used. Discover South Wales’ Lanes John Batchelor South East Wales has a marked scarcity of green lanes ‘legal’ for driving. However, there are a few up in the Brecon Beacons that are worth a days wandering for those of you from outside the area; particularly if coupled with a little walking. The routes described below have all been driven in my standard 300Tdi Discovery on Michelin 205/80 R16 XPC tyres without any damage. All lie on the Ordnance Survey 1:25000 Outdoor Leisure map OL12 ‘Brecon Beacons National Park - West & Central Areas’. The Maen Madoc standing stone Start by making your way to the little town of Glyn-Neath on the A465 ‘Heads of the Valleys’ road. From there take the B 4242 road Eastwards to the village of Pontneddfechan. If you fancy some rambling, fork right at the Craig y Dinas pub and continue down to Craig y Dinas rock. From the car park there you can walk for a couple of miles or so North East along or above the Avon Mellte river to its junction with the Avon Hepste. A short way upstream on the Hepste you will find the impressive Sgwd yr Eira waterfall. Returning to the car, those of you who are amateur industrial archaeologists will see the remains of various gunpowder works and silica mills. Take the car back to the fork at the pub and turn right, signposted Ystradfellte. About 2.5 miles up this road there is a parking area and from there you can walk down a track on the right to the Lower and Upper Sgwd Clungwyn waterfalls; again well worth seeing, particularly after heavy rain. A mile or so further up the road another turning on the right allows you to drive down to Porth yr Ogof; a large cave entrance through which flows much of the water in the river Mellte. But enough of this walking. Follow the road on up to Ystradfellte village and turn left (signed Sennybridge) at the pub. In fact, after all that exercise, stop there for a pie and a pint!! Once out of the village the road initially runs through lightly wooded meadows before climbing gently up to open hillside. In about 1.5 miles keep your eyes open for the easily seen road on the right signposted to a picnic area, because about 300 yds beyond on the left is the less easily seen gated entrance to the first of our ‘green lanes’ at OS Ref. 926166. This is part of the old Roman road ‘Sarn Helen’ that ran from Neath in the South up to Brecon and beyond. At this point Sarn Helen is a stone surfaced track which in many places shows clear signs of its original Roman surface. It is listed by Powys County Council as an ‘Unclassified Road’. (Powys covers 1/5th of the area of Wales but has only 1/25th of the population and has over 600 km of UCRs under its control). The track rises gently through a modern forested area before levelling out on the plateau near to the Maen Madoc standing stone (on the left). This has a Latin inscription down one side that is claimed to read “Dervacus filius Justi ic jacit”. It is difficult to read and beyond my O level 40 years ago Latin to translate!!! The road continues in a south westerly direction before descending gently to a ford on the River Neath at 911148. Up to that point it presents no difficulty. However, the exit from the ford is stepped and leads to a fairly steep section of some 20 yds that is also badly stepped. While I am reasonably sure that it could be climbed by a standard Discovery, you would need to be very cautious and have someone outside the vehicle to guide you. Also, if you failed to climb the section you would have a rather buttock clenching reverse back down!!! I have inspected this point both alone and when accompanied by Matthew and Ros Yeoman in their standard Discovery; and on both occasions opted to turn back at that point, so I cannot comment on the difficulty of the road beyond there. If you were to continue, I understand that the road runs on for about five miles before becoming impassable in a Forestry Commission plantation at about 880117. The road continues on the Explorer Sheet 165 as a BOAT down to rejoin the B4242 at 785001 just East of Aberdulais; again I understand it is passable from that bottom end but cannot vouch for it myself. Ford on Sarn Helen at SN 911148 Returning from the ford to the Ystradfellte/Sennybridge road, continue North for a little over a mile to 925184 where Sarn Helen now forks off to the right. Page 17 - Discourse 9 The initial 1.25 miles of the road presents no difficulties, having a fairly smooth stone surface, though lacking much sign of its Roman origins. It follows the contour line of the hillside, dipping a couple of times to minor fords. Then comes a downhill section where much of the road has been worn or washed out. Get out and walk this bit and, if you are on your own without another vehicle, don’t attempt it unless you are happy about your ability to get through. Once started there is nowhere to turn round and I doubt if it is possible to reverse back uphill unaided. Bridge at Blaen-cwm-du. However it is quite possible to get a standard Discovery through, going gently and with a bit of judicious rock moving here and there. You will have to get used to some fairly acute side tilts in a couple of places. As always, plan the route ahead and position the vehicle carefully. Take a few minutes to look at the views to the West, glorious on a fine day. After that the track improves again for another half mile or so, before coming to another similar downhill section. This one however is not as bad, being mostly smaller stones and fewer side slopes. The stones here are fairly rounded and very loose, so you may have to do another bit of ‘gardening’; go slowly to avoid sliding. This drops the road into Blaen-cwm-du where it crosses the stream on an old bridge at 942215. This particular area is very pleasant, being a sheltered valley with good views to the North West. The track continues with a gentle climb out of the valley and follows the contours for another couple of miles. The surface on this section is very good, one could probably drive it in a normal car without great difficulty. Coming to a tarmac road at 959238, continue straight ahead along it for just over .75 miles to the point where it meets the A4215 road at 967248, then carefully go straight across. In a few hundred yards this will take you onto a totally different surface; namely two ruts running through open mountain grassland. There is approximately a mile of this, with ruts of varying depth. Driving it in June and July after a spell of reasonably dry weather we had no problems, but I suspect that in wetter weather it might be necessary to straddle the ruts in a couple of places since my unguarded diffs were occasionally rubbing the grass. Discourse 9 - page 18 The lane crosses a tarmac road at 976261 a couple of hundred yards short of the Brecon Beacons Mountain centre, where you can get a cup of tea and have a look round their exhibitions. Theoretically the road continues on for another mile but, despite its status as an unclassified road, the Brecon Beacons Parks Authority have placed a notice in the middle of the track banning vehicles beyond that point. If you turn right down the tarmac road you will descend to Libanus on the main A470 Merthyr - Brecon road, along which Brecon is only four miles away on your left. Turning right at the roundabout on the edge of Brecon and following the main road into the town, in about a third of a mile you can turn right by the church with a spire at 038283. This road leads almost due South out of Brecon and in about 3 miles at 036235 reaches the famous ‘Gap Road’. Unfortunately, this RUPP has a permanent TRO on it and is only open for vehicles during the months of March, September and 1st to 15th of October. Also, at its South end, someone (rumoured to be the SAS) has blown down the bridge across Nant y Gloesydd at 034181 making the final half mile inaccessible. So if you are there in the right months and tackle it, you have to be aware that you will need to return the same way. I haven’t driven this route but have walked it from the South end up to the ‘Gap’ at the top of Craig Cwm Cynwyn. That section would not be difficult although there are a couple of places where the edge of the track has washed out making for narrow sections and side slopes. Not advisable on your own. I haven’t yet done the section southwards from the Brecon side up to the Gap, so cannot comment on its difficulty. Further East, adjacent to the Talybont Reservoir, lies another interesting UCR. To get to it head East from Brecon on the main A40 trunk road. About 1.75 miles after passing Brecon Barracks there is a left turn signposted Pencelli. This road turns through 270 degrees to pass under the A40 as if you had actually turned right; follow it on through Pencelli to Talybont village and look for the signs for the Talybont reservoir. The lane starts from Ref. 103205 at the Western end of the dam and runs across the dam before turning South West along the shore of the reservoir. West Northerly Section of Sarn Helen. In a little over half a mile it turns away Southwards and begins to climb into the woods. When Mat, Ros and I drove it in early July, the branches here were overhanging the track and we spent quite some time with shears and loppers cutting them back, so if you value your paintwork this is not for you!!! At 104191, the road turns under the old Brecon to Merthyr railway line, which is now used as part of the Taff Trail for walkers and cyclists, and at that point it is narrow due to the collapse of a retaining wall on the uphill side; it is also fairly rough though drivable. We cut our way up a further half mile beyond that point but then decided to call it a day since it was obvious that we would have to continue cutting back branches for some further distance. Emerging from the woods the track forks at 101177. The right hand fork descends WSW back through more woodland to eventually rejoin the tarmac road at 081174. I haven’t travelled that part either by Discovery or foot, so can’t comment on its difficulty. The left fork at 101177 rises steadily South Westerly to the crags of Darren fawr before opening out onto relatively level hillside and continuing across South Westwards to a point 073154, where it beings to drop downwards alongside another plantation. In the past, the open hill section and the first third of a mile beside the plantation were very wet and heavily cut up and at Christmas 2001, a TRO was placed on this section ‘for repairs’. At the time of writing (July 2002), I’m not certain if this has been lifted. Certainly it is not a route to be followed in a solo vehicle. The final mile of the descent to the tarmac at 058144 takes you past the Local Outward Pursuits school at Dol y Gaer. These are just a couple of suggestions for you to explore; I hope you enjoy them. The experts out there will find them easy; for the beginners I can say that I’ve either driven them in a standard Disco or walked them but don’t blame me for any damage you do to your vehicle!! Happy laning. 2002 Abingdon 4x4 Festival April Lamont As we turned onto the former airbase and now the Army’s Dalton barracks, through the blazing sunshine we could see a small village of tents and caravans. Once again we had arrived at Abingdon. Saturday arrived again with a blazing sunrise, the sound of V8’s and the smell of sizzling bacon. I had the chance to talk to a few people who, with great delight, would show me their vehicles. Ranging from Neil Brownlee’s explicit style beast to the most polished and chromed Discovery I’ve ever seen. Thrown into this mix was The Aylesbury Land Rover Fanatics Club with various series vehicles and Hybrids. 9 am saw roll call, Marshalls being given duties and a goody bag of food, bouncy castles inflated, kids quads raring to go and the various stalls fully manned. The Oxfordshire Fire Protection Service had done a sterling job creating water hazards on a very dry course. At 10 am the steady stream of all manner of off-roading vehicles arrived. The DOC provided advisors free of charge to assist the less experienced of drivers and the vehicles began a steady procession around the 2 mile course. As marshalls at the start, we had the opportunity to speak to most people, who without fail, thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of the mammoth course. Drivers ranged from the pensioner in the Vitara with the picnic hamper in the boot and the DOC advisor in the front, to a Barja Buggy. Most enjoyed it so much that they did several laps with a different face in the driving seat on each lap, some people were even changing vehicles. Altogether, 200 vehicles took to the course and being longer this year, it alleviated the queuing problems of last year. In detail, the course was challenging but non-damaging, with all elements of off-roading covered - moguls, steep hill, water splash, cambers, grass land and a very interesting combination water-splash and steep hill. All the harder sections had escape routes so you could decide if you would risk your brand new vehicle or thrash your 30 year old Series II. On hand were St John’s Ambulance in a 110 (who also did 2 circuits, purely for fun) but other than for a request of aspirins were unrequired, a number of recovery vehicles at strategic points and a plethora of marshalls. As far as I am aware, there were no damaged vehicles, other than the odd grounded tow hitch (always happens, we’ve got one). Saturday night saw a social event in the large beer tent and a barbecue for 150 people, catered by the Fire Service. Sunday arrived much like Saturday the V8’s had a bit more gusto - this was the organisers/marshalls play day. We woke up at 8am and, on asking if we could go on the course, with a nod from Gary Tredwell, Finlay was racing back to our Disco and we were off. Page 19 - Discourse 9 Having done a couple of circuits and found some interesting off-course features to play on, we decided to encourage other members tackling various hazards. Most of us took to the top of the steep hill, applauding those who made it, giving those who didn’t some encouragement. Overall it was a very relaxed atmosphere that belied the fervent work going on to keep an event like this going. What an excellent day, for those who missed it, same time same place 27th & 28th September 2003. Yes, both Saturday and Sunday. A big thanks to Gary Tredwell for organising the event and a big slap on the back to all that were involved in it, albeit turning up to drive the course, marshalling or generally assisting. Last but not at all least, it should be remarked that the event is a charity event in conjunction with International Rotary Club of Abingdon and money will be divided between local charities and the International Eradication of Polio. Just to sum up the atmosphere, next to my caravan was a man with a beautiful burgundy Disco, highly polished and chromed, which had developed a gear box problem and had to be towed off the field, I said to him “You must be disappointed not driving the course” he replied “I wouldn’t take this off-roading, I’m just here to take part in the event”. Abingdon really is much more than just off roading. Andalucian Adventure Kim & Jeanette Hollings ‘COME AND PREVIEW THE NEW DISCOVERY’ it said at our local Land Rover dealership. So, one quiet Sunday afternoon I persuaded Jeanette to take up the invitation. Jeanette was less than enthusiastic but, as it was just around the corner, agreed to a quick look. Hollingdrake had a number of vehicles on show with various specifications. While I looked around the cars Jeanette collected all the brochures and freebees for the kids. I have to say that except for the front, the new Discovery doesn’t differ greatly from our series II TD5. Once we had filled out an information form sent to us by Land Rover the date for our adventure was set. We were scheduled to fly out from Gatwick to Seville early on Friday 13th September. (Fortunately I’m not superstitious). Our Land Rover guides were Sarah & Graham who met us at Gatwick where we were treated to our very own check in desk. Having seen the new car, we were just about to leave when a member of staff persuaded me to enter the prize draw for a Weekends Off Road Driving in Spain. Muttering something about mailing lists and junk mail I reluctantly filled out the slip and put it in the entry box. We departed at 7:30 in the morning and after an uneventful flight arrived in Seville at 11:00 local time. A swift coach journey and we were at the hotel Cortijo El Esparragal, a superb 5 star country hotel in the middle of the large Esparragal Estate. After a few formalities, disclaimer forms, checking of driving licences, etc., we were treated to a superb lunch on the terrace before being introduced to our vehicles for the weekend. There were 9 couples on the adventure and each were allocated a vehicle. The following day I am sat at my desk trying to shake off the Monday morning blues when the phone rings... “Mr Hollings?”.... “Yes”.... “This is Clive from Hollingdrake Land Rover. I am please to tell you that you have won a weekend Off Roading in Andalucia, Spain”.... I was gob smacked! The Discoveries to be used were Adventurer spec TD5’s with rear adjustable suspension, aircon (very important), two way radios and additional electric cool boxes had been fitted in the back for snacks and drinks. The only non-standard off road kit was a hefty towing ring fitted instead of a tow bar. Discourse 9 - page 20 Crew vehicles were much more comprehensively equipped; they where both 4 litre V8’s and sported Warn winches, extra lighting, GPS, full length roof racks with spare wheels and recovery equipment. All the vehicles were decked out in silver with Land Rover Experience decals. The first afternoon was spent familiarising ourselves with our Discoveries. We were taken for an Off Road drive through the estate to a purpose built course used by the hotel for corporate events. On route we were instructed on the use of the low ratio box, when to use the Hill Descent Control and when to raise the suspension. At the Off Road area we had to negotiate various obstacles, each of which demonstrated different capabilities of the vehicles. By far the most scary for the uninitiated was the forty five degree side slope followed closely by a very steep humped back bridge. Once everyone had driven around the course and developed huge grins we were taken on a short cross country drive; a bit like UK green lanes but more sand coloured and definitely more dust! That evening we were treated to a horse drawn carriage ride around Seville followed by a top notch gourmet meal. We went to bed that night, tired from a long day but keen to get out on the adventure proper on the following day. Saturday started not too early. After a continental breakfast we loaded our luggage in the back of our respective vehicles, safely restrained by cargo nets as this was going to be a rough trip. We collected our Discoveries, impressively parked in a row outside the hotel front and after a quick radio check we were on our way. The first part of our journey took us around the Esparragal Estate following dirt tracks of various quality. Again, during these first few miles we were re familiarised with the low box, hill descent control and the adjustable suspension. After about 4 or 5 miles we encountered our first major obstacle, a very steep climb of about a third of a mile. The convoy was stopped as each driver was individually instructed on the best technique for making the ascent. Also, members of staff were placed at strategic intervals up the hill to assist in the event of a failed climb. Despite some misgivings everyone made it up the hill safely; the Discovery very ably demonstrating the advantages of traction control. We drove across the estate following a variety of terrains from tight winding dirt tracks to hard sandy roads. The only car related incident was a puncture sustained by our vehicle, quickly changed by the Land Rover Crew. The next obstacle of note was a section of the old Roman road that used to run from Spain to Portugal. This was very badly rutted and was probably the most difficult section to drive, with plenty of cross axle sections and washed out water ways that needed the suspension raising to it’s maximum height. Lunch time saw us at a bull breeding estate at La Calera de Antequerra where we were treated to that traditional Spanish food Paella. Again, everything was first class, the Land Rover crew having organised everything like clockwork. We spent the afternoon driving around this new estate and were taken down some previously unused routes. The Discoverys took everything in their stride; I think some of these sections bothered the drivers more than the capabilities of the vehicles. As the day progressed we were provided with afternoon tea at the Cortijo Campillo olive farm which had in its courtyard a peculiar citrus tree that bore six different types of fruit; the result of some deft grafting by a previous tenant. Again refreshed, we set off in convoy to our final destination of the day, the Hotel Hacienda Benazuza on the outskirts of Seville. This, like the whole adventure was 5 star plus and we were treated to palatial accommodation with all the facilities you would expect from such an establishment. We said a final goodbye to our trusty Discoverys, these were whisked back to the start ready for the next lucky party of ten couples. The Land Rover Adventure was truly superb and although we were cosseted in 5 star comfort all the way, we were in no doubt as to the durability and capabilities of the new Discovery. Thank you to the staff from Land Rover: Graham, Sarah, Wendy, Roger, Colin, Derek, Mick, Mark, Javier and Maria, who worked tirelessly to ensure not only did we have a good time but a safe time as well. I would also like to thank the young lady a Hollingdrake Land Rover for persuading me to enter in the first place. Page 21 - Discourse 9 2002/2003 Events List 2002 1-3 November - Luxury Winter Camping Trip, Orchard Farm Stafforshire. Contact Jim Campbell Tel: 07787 152994, Email: [email protected] 29 November - 2 December Long weekend to Ypres in France Contact [email protected] or Paul Walker 01527 404103 14 December - Northants Christmas Party, The Quays Billing, Contact Simon Kay Advertising in Discourse Advertising space will be available in future issues of Discourse. Advertisements can be whole page, half page and quarter page in either black and white or full colour. The outside back cover will be available with bleed.. Suppliers and dealers wishing to advertise in Discourse should contact Alan Smart for a Rate Card and details of space available. Tel: 01264 772851, Email: [email protected] Contact Nick Brooker on 01628 662566 if you would like help to compose your advertisement. 2003 16 February - Donnington 4x4 show Contact Lee Parkes and Chris Gorvin 22 March - DOC AGM and Annual Social Volunteer needed to book venue and plan social event - Andy Smith making enquiries. 4 May - Gaydon Land Rover Heritage Run Landrover Factory to Solihull - Heritage Motor Centre, 24-26 May - DOC Spring Event Venue and type of event TBA 25 July - Wroughton Nostalgia Show Contact Garry Tredwell 27 September - ABINGDON 4x4 Festival Contact Garry Tredwell News Release James Taylor made Honorary Member Small Ads for DOC Members Members can place small ads for Discovery stuff in DOCnotes and future issues of Discourse for free. Send your ads to John Capewell who’ll be editing DOCnotes. However, if you have a cottage to let or anything else that would bring in some income, then you’ll also be able to advertise in the small ads section but will be expected to make a contribution to the production costs of Discourse. Contact Alan Smart for details of charges. Tel: 01264 772851, Email: [email protected] “I’m very pleased to be able to welcome him officially to the Club as member no.1000 and look forward to a long and productive partnership into the future.” Just 2 years after its initial launch the Discovery Owners Club has appointed James Taylor as its first Honorary Member. James is well known in Land Rover circles for his knowledge and his active support of the marque. John Capewell, Chairman and one of the founding members of the Discovery Owners Club said: “James’s interest in Land Rovers has influenced the Discovery Owners Club on several occasions between its conception and the present day. He was one of the first to stimulate interest in the G-WAC press fleet Discoveries, which led through a long a chain of events to the very first Discovery gathering in 1999 to celebrate 10 years of manufacture, the DOC’s conception. Since then he has supplied us with help and support along the way, especially by giving us access to his records of these and other historic vehicles.” Discourse 9 - page 22 On receiving his honorary membership pack, James commented “I am delighted to be made an honorary member of a club that is so obviously doing so well.” Regional Meets Central Southern Location: When: Time: Contact: Kent Location: When: Time: Contact: Langdale Hall Inn, Worlds End, Beedon, Newbury. Third Wednesday of each month 7:30 pm onwards Garry Tredwell. Tel: 01235 520240, Mobile: 07802 495658 When: Time: Contact: North East Location: When: Time: Contact: Location: The Sportsman PH, Rackham Road, Amberley, West Sussex. Third Wednesday of each month 8:00 pm onwards Tim Arnold. Tel: 01323 489003 Mobile: 07801 292024 Email: [email protected] When: Time: Contact: West of England Location: Awaiting details . Third Wednesday of each month. 7:30 pm onwards Don Hoaglin. Tel: Awaiting details Northampton Location: Sussex Billing Quays, Northampton, (near Billing Aquadrome). First Thursday of each month. 7:30 pm onwards Neil Brownlee. Mobile: 07768 366157 The Wheatsheaf PH, High Street, Winterbourne, South Gloucestershire. Last Friday of each month 8:00 pm onwards Post Vacant. Tel: John Capewell. When: Time: Contact: Wessex Location: When: Time: The Rack & Manger, Crawley, Hampshire (on B3049, midway between Stockbridge and Winchester). Second Wednesday of each month 7:30 pm onwards Contact: Alan Smart. Tel: 01264 772851 The Stansfield Arms, Apperley Bridge, Bradford. Last Friday of each month. 8:00 pm onwards Andy Myers. Tel: 01943 878330 Technical Illustration Technical Authoring North West / Manchester Location: When: Time: Contact: Desk Top Publishing The Railway PH, 1 Avenue Street, Portwood, Stockport, SK1 2BZ Second Wednesday of each month 8:00 pm onwards Kim Hollings. Tel: 0161 480 7096, Mobile: 07831 541245 Product Visualisation Camera Ready Artwork Print Management North Worcs / South Midlands When: Time: Contact: The Gate Hangs Well PH, Evesham Road, Headless Cross, Redditch, Worcs. Second Tuesday of each month 8:00 pm onwards Paul Walker. Tel: 01527 404103, Mobile: 07939 411995, Email: [email protected] �� �� ��� ��� �� �� � �� � �� �� �� ��� Location: �� ����� ��������� ������������������ ������������ ������ ������ ������� ���������� �������� South Staffs / North Birmingham Location: When: Time: Contact: Moxull Hall Hotel, Holly Lane, Wishaw, nr Sutton Coldfield, B76 9PD. Last Thursday of each month 7:30 pm onwards Lee Jones. Tel: 0121 603 3632, Email: [email protected] Tel: 01628 662566 Fax: 01628 607980 Email: [email protected] Page 23 - Discourse 9 Published by MicroArt - 01628 662566 Discourse 9 - page 24 Printed by Hawksworth Graphics - 01889 565234