Modifying a Range Rover

Photo credit: Regis Lefebure / Land Rover North America

What You Need To Create A Rugged Off-Roader

If you own a Range Rover, odds are you believe in going big or going home. While your Range Rover is an incredibly capable off-road vehicle in its’ stock configuration, there are a few things you can do to convert a plain-Jane Range Rover into an off-roading beast.

However, before we get too far, it’s important to understand that there’s a world of difference between modifying a classic Range Rover (94′ or older) and a newer Range Rover. There’s also quite a bit of difference between modification options for the Range Rover and the Discovery/LR3. Available parts for modifying a newer Range Rover (Mark III 2003-2012, Mark IV 2013-present) is somewhat limited.  However, if we’re talking about an older Range Rover (Classic Range Rover 1970-1996, Mark II/P38 1994-2002), ARB and Old Man Emu have a variety of off-road upgrades worth checking out.

Tire Tread Is Key
Tires are the first things that need to be upgraded for serious trail riders — it’s the most basic of modifications, but probably the most important. Deciding which tire to go with will depend on how serious you are about turning your Range Rover into an off-road vehicle, and where you intend to go.

Mud terrain tires can be spectacular in mud pits, wet sand, and other sticky situations. On the other hand:

• Mud tires are loud and rough-riding on paved roads
• The large tread blocks on a mud tire tend to collect and throw whatever is on the ground below the tires…that means your vehicle could be throwing mud and gravel at other cars
• Mud tires tend to wear quickly when used on pavement
• Suffice to say, if you’re planning to use your Range Rover as a daily driver, mud tires are probably not the right choice. All terrain tires – which are capable off-road yet not nearly as aggressive in terms of tread design – will give you decent performance in most conditions, and will work great if most of your off-roading is relatively dry.

Tire Size – You Have Options
While tire tread is important, it’s important to consider tire size as well. If you have the option to upgrade your Range Rover’s stock tire in terms of tread, you may also have the option of replacing the stock tire with a unit that is wider and/or taller.

Choosing a wider tire will give your Range Rover more off-road grip, especially in situations where the soil is particularly loose (like mud and sand). Choosing a taller tire will provide a little extra ground clearance, something that you can’t really have too much of. The question is, how much bigger or taller can you go?

The actual tire size you can mount on your Range Rover depends upon what model you have. Generally speaking:

1. You can increase a tire’s width and/or height by as much as 3 percent without impacting vehicle performance. To put this in real-world terms, you can often increase tire height about one inch, and tire width about 3/10ths of inch (10mm).
2. If you’re willing to make some modifications to your Range Rover (including but not limited to grinding suspension components and trimming away the plastic shields inside the wheel wells), you can increase your tire size considerably. The exact amount varies by vehicle, so it’s a good idea to speak with your local Range Rover dealership or friendly mechanic about tire fitment options.

Use eBay’s great tire finder for hunting down the tires that fit your vehicle.

Custom Options and Upgrades
Again, there aren’t a whole lot of after-market upgrades available for newer Range Rovers. Therefore, you’ll need to work with an off-road shop to have some custom upgrades installed. Some of the more popular options for older Range Rovers include:

• Rugged steel bumpers front and rear provide protection from obstacles as well as solid mounting points for after-market accessories
• Winches and lighting are two popular upgrades that are often attached to the upgraded bumpers
• A safari-style roof rack is a popular upgrade as well, as you can’t have too much space for gear whenever you go off-road
• Stiffer, stronger springs that can accommodate the increased weight of winches, bumpers, and racks
• Upgraded off-road shocks that have shock valve tuning options
• Long-travel suspension customizations, which gives your stately Range Rover the look and feel of a Baja or Dakar race vehicle
• Again, eBay is a great place to hunt for custom and hard-to-find off-road accessories. It’s easy to create an alert system that will search for the part you’re looking for and then email you if/when a part matching your search terms is found.

Last but not least, don’t underestimate the value of putting a good set of tires on an otherwise stock Range Rover. Every Land Rover is designed to travel off-road – a new set of “shoes” can make a world of difference on the trail.

EVOLUTION OF THE RANGE ROVER
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See Range Rover Cars and Trucks for sale on eBay.