Disco on 36x13.5 (36.8x14.5) IROKs

[daddylonglegs]

Just for my record book Team Raider, Could you tell me approx how many kms per year you drive, % on/off road Kms, Type of offroad driving you generally do, How much backspacing your wheels have, and if you have aftermarket rear axles with separate drive flanges?
Thanks, regards Bill.

[ISUZUROVER]

Ben, Nadim. I always apply endurance standards on mods as if they were daily drivers doing the average 20,000km per annum, so my concerns about wheel bearings do not really apply on your vehicle Nadim.
Ever since Rover converted over to grease lubricated wheel bearings on the later Rangey classics and 110 Landeys I noticed a much higher incidence of wheel bearing problems than previous models. Not catastrophic failures, but higher rates of wear, requiring more regular adjustments. I originally blamed this on lubrication which is still part of the reason, but Mal Story from Maxidrive in his catalogue listing the variables on front difflock componentry, makes comment on the "stupid closely spaced wheel bearings" on the later vehicles. Or words to that effect.
I am reasonably sure that Mal would see the negative results of that design feature on more occasions that all of us put together. And that is on vehicles with relatively conservative tyre sizes.
Toyota LandCruisers are not well known for wheel bearing problems, and they have always been grease lubed. that is because they have well spaced bearings, like earlier Landeys and Rangeys.
Bill.

Bill, some of the guys on Pirate seem to have daily driver Disco's on 36's or 37's. I know it is far from optimal strength-wise and I wouldn't do it (I wouldn't own a late model LR anyway). I know a number of people with the grease filled bearings who had failures (often caused by the bearings drying out or getting water inside). All of those who fitted Mal's drive flanged and changed to oil lubrication (as recommended by Mal) never had any bearing failures after that.

[WBDISCO]

I have been running 35x12.5 on my truck for about 7 months now, and haven't had any bearing probs. I do a lot of mud and rock wheeling, and also just got back for a 500 mile trip. I believe the key is keeping grease in and water out. Screw using silicone, use Indian Head by Permatex. It seals up a helluva lot better than silicone. Congrats on the 36s, i was actually thinking of running a some 36" TSLs on my Disco, but i won't body lift the truck, just cut and cut and cut.

Brad