What things do I need to look out for when buying a Defender

[Matt N]

Hello Rover people,

I’m after a tow rig and am looking at a ’94 model Defender 130.

Could you tell me what I should look out for, are there any problem areas I should be wary of?

As for towing a load of say 2800kg, is there any advantage, eg stability, in using a 130 over a 110?

[defender kev]

Are you sure you want a defender 2800kgs is a farken lot of weight for a little 2.5litre 4cyl diesel.They are a great truck but i dont think you would want to tow that sort of weight with one they are slow enough already.

[Matt N]

Yeah I wish you hadn't brought up the subject of engine size becuase that just reconfirms an initial concern which for the moment I'm tyring to ignore.

But a turbo diesel F-truck is way out of my price range, and the Land Rover has so much more character compared to a Nissan or Toyota wagon.

The towing I do will be minimal, but unfortunately the distances will be quite long eg Canberra>>Brisbane>>Canberra. What sort of "ecconomy" could I expect towing that sort of load?

[Maxtd5def]

Watch the tray on a 130, some of them hang over the tow bar, and get clobbered over speed bumps, driveways etc. Its a problem with the big trailers that have handles over the coupling.

Regards
Max P

[modman]

there is a defender 110 in the melb. trading post with a 6.5 gm diesel v8
could make a good tow beastie??

[ISUZUROVER]

I have a mate with a 300Tdi 130 who does lots of towing (big heavy trailer - used to tow a big caravan) AND often runs 36" tyres at the same time with std gearing. He manages to get by with no problems.

But - it would be worth doing a few pump mods and tweaking the boost. Do a search on the disco forum of the landroverenthusiast forum - the mods are fully explained there over about 20 pages.

The basics are:

Move the boost sensor over to the inlet manifold so it senses the actual boost going into the engine.

There are a few pump adjustments that will increase fuelling slightly without increasing smoke.

If you still want more fit a bigger intercooler.

[Strange Rover]

Just make sure you test drive lots of them. Even test drive discos with the 300TDi so that you learn to tell which motors run well and which ones are a bit sluggish (meaning they probably have injector and or pump problems) Once you have driven a few you can tell instantly wether the motor is good or it needs work.

You also need to ckeck for gearbox output shaft wear. There have been a few threads on this here so do a bit of a search but again if you test drive lots of them (110s, 130s and discos) you will learn how much drivetrain backlash is normal. But you should still do a visual check or get a mechanic to do it for you (involves pulling the rear cover plate of the transfer and having a look. Takes about 20 minutes with hand tools)

So if it was me I would test drive every 300TDi that you can get your hands on before you by one because a good one will tow 2800kg no probs. And will probably get about 13L/100km doing it.

Sam

[uninformed]

I have a 98 110 tray back and tow an 8x5 tandem trailer ful of tools, probably 1200kg, six days a week. last tank i got 13l/100kms. most trips are short but always in town AND on the highway. Hill starts are not great i.e revs + slip clutch, or on steeper hills low range start, change to high range on the move( takes a bit but can be done) but once revs are up goes ok, had it up to 125k's with the trailer. i will be changing to 4.11 ring and pinion but this is a personal choice. i have put 100,000 km's since buying (second hand) and had no problems (except for the elecs, ha ha ha ha). make sure you get it serviced as per schedule and have the timing belt checked i think 94 was a bit iffy for timing belt probs but can be fixed. i'm not 100% but i think the longer the wheel base the more stable the tow rig, plus as the 130 is a little heavier the trailer won't drive as much. just as important as the tow vehicle, the trailer must be well designed. i had mine custom made, had the draw made 500mm longer and use a pintel/ ring hitch which bolts straight to the rear cross member. electric brakes fitted to the leading axle. it tows like a dream. As sam said test AS MANY AS POSIBLE. if you haven't drivin landys it will be a shock as they are different to most others( seating position, gear change, hand brake etc) which at first may seem a negative and you won't know if its a good vehicle or not so drive lots get use to them and then look for faults. there should be plenty of good buys about as they don't hold there value. get a landy specialist in your area to do a pre purchase inspection. good luck
cheers, Serg

[Matt N]

Thanks for the tips guys. And the positive towing reports.

Had a look and drive of the '94 130, was quite impressed with it , except for it's oily underbelly (brings back memories of my first 4wd -- a LWB '74 series III)

Was suprised how well it drove for such a large rig.

Uninformed: plans for the trailer are already under way, it will be a custom job with quite a bit of extra length in the drawbar so all should be sweet.

[rick130]

Here's a link to the post Ben was talking about re tweaking the pump
http://www.lrenthusiastforum.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=LR_technical&Number=91564&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=all

I have a 130CC, stock standard engine and it tows big loads (over 2000kg) OK, just have to use 2nd low range for hill starts and double de-clutch into high range on the move.
It isn't as fast as our Patrol 4.2Td,but its not embarrasing either. Just a bit slower, and a bit more gear changing on the hills.

Rick.

[Maggot4x4]

Dodgy Salesmen

[uninformed]

just a note on wheel base, a longer wheel base makes for a more stable tow rig, BUT, makes it harder to reverse the trailer.

[Matt N]

Well, as of today I am now the proud owner of a 130 crew-cab ute. She's was built in Jun '95 has, 144,000 on the clock and is an absolute rocketship
Too bad I have to work this weekend otherwise I'd chuck the camping gear in the back and head bush.

[Gordo]

Too bad I have to work this weekend otherwise I'd chuck the camping gear in the back and head bush.

What... to fix your $shitbox Jeep ??

[Rainbow Warrior]

Hello people,

I’m after a tow rig and am looking at a ’94 model Defender 130.

Could you tell me what I should look out for?

A Nissan?