All work and no play….well, you know.  It came time to stretch the LR3’s legs and make sure the first couple rounds of modifications were up to task.  Thus, a great excuse to start checking off some bucket list destinations.  First stop was Hole in The Ground located SE of Bend.  Hole in the Ground occurred when magma and water met, and didn’t get along.  Next stop was Fort Rock via BLM and Forest Service roads.  We caught some great sights on the way and introduced several occupants to a side of Oregon they never knew existed.  The LR3 performed flawlessly aside from a little anticipated rubbing.  Time for an ARB front bumper!

Modifying the independent air suspension of the LR3 requires finesse.  Unlike its solid axle predecessor the Discovery II, the LR3 is equipped with air sprung, fully independent suspension.  Merely raising the ride height via height sensor links or modified strut perches will yield the desired clearance off-road.  But, without the proper investment in a full four wheel alignment and suspension calibration, the drivability can be severely sacrificed.  We started by installing 2.5” static height sensor links.  The LR3’s road manners were compromised.  Even with a proper alignment the suspension geometry had been altered enough to make the vehicle darty.  The static links were removed in favor of adjustable links.  We set the links to approximately 1.25” and found the LR3 much more stable following the alignment.  We were lucky to come across an obsolete set of new 18” Redbourne Dukes. Unfortunately, the inner diameter of the Redbournes required we regress to the factory brakes and say goodbye to the Brembos. We opted for our favorite all-around tire, the 10 ply BFG AT KO in 275/65-18.  The front tires rub a little when turning and off-camber.  No worries, our next step will remedy just such a condition……

An ice-chest may suffice for an afternoon BBQ, but when it comes to Overlanding, efficiency is paramount.  There are no convenience stores in the Alvord Desert or Hells Canyon.  Enter the versatile ARB Fridge/Freezer!  We have been using the 50qt ARB Fridge/Freezers for over a year now and consider them no less than essential.  Unlike a cooler, your food and drinks don’t have to compete with ice for space.  You can also set the temperature electronically.  The ARB fridge is even smart enough to turn off if your battery gets too low, a feature we have yet to need since they draw such low wattage.

LR3’s lack a constant hot outlet to keep the fridge running when the vehicle is turned off.  To keep the juice flowing and our food chilled, we installed a dual port marine outlet that remains powered at all times.  The passenger side trim panel offers a perfect, recessed location to plug in the ARB fridge and any other electronics.

Take advantage of special savings on Hella Optilux 4” HID lights for the month of May! Only $115 per HID light! This offer is good while supplies last and only for May, so get yours now. Features:

• Compact 4″ reflector size, internal ballast, and a weight of less than 2lbs. makes for easier mounting with more options than standard HID lamps
• 12V, 35W power usage
• Powerful HID lighting provides exceptional clarity in all driving conditions
• High impact ABS plastic housing with a stamped aluminum reflector and tempered glass lens
• Dimensions : 5.8″ overall diameter x 6.5″ H x 4.8″ D
• 1 year limited warranty

Protect your Discovery 1, Discovery II, Range Rover Classic, and Defender 90 differentials with Rovertym’s weld on differential guards! Made of 3/16’s steel, these sturdy diff guards weld directly onto the axle housings. Special price (while quantities last) of $100 each INSTALLED!

In December 2010 we passed along the news that Overfinch, makers of bespoke aftermarket options for Land Rovers, had gone into bankruptcy. Just ten days after that blog was posted, an announcement was made that Autobrokers, one of Overfinch’s distributors purchased the company. Stateside the Autobrokers name may not be a familiar one, but Autobrokers is the largest distributor of Overfinch products in the UK. The company will continue to offer their line of products, as well as continue to be innovators of new products for the entire range of Land Rovers. For more information on the sale and Autobroker, please read the following link: http://www.am-online.com/news/story/Overfinch-lives-on-after-buyout-from-administration/42903160.

Admittedly, an exhaust system does not enhance the off-road capability of a Land Rover.  However, the MagnaFlow exhaust does add to the overall enjoyment of the vehicle.  The LR3 exhaust tone is a bit more subtle than that of the Supercharged Range Rovers we have fitted with the MagnaFlow systems.  A twist of the key sets notice that yes, there is in fact a 300HP 4.4L V8 nestled below the hood.  Cruising speeds are accompanied by a soothing hum, but not loud enough to impede on conversations.  Wide open throttle awakens the beast as the LR3 errupts into a sonorous display of acceleration.  Overall, the MagnaFlow exhaust is very well balanced and fits the character of the vehicle by not shouting “look at me”.  As with every other MagnaFlow exhaust we have installed, the components were an impeccable fit to the vehicle.  We couldn’t be happier about the fit, finish, and spectrum of tone!

Before                                       After

Columbia Rovers recently installed a stainless steel high-flow MagnaFlow exhaust on a customer’s 2008 Supercharged Range Rover.  Although this wasn’t our first MagnaFlow exhaust to install on a Land Rover, it was our first to install on a 2006+ Supercharged Range Rover Big Body.  We were impressed at how well balanced the tone of the exhaust sounded.  The tone settles into a slight burble upon start-up versus the muted factory system that belied the nearly 400HP under the hood.  The brilliance of the MagnaFlow system isn’t in the burble at idle, nor the soothing tone at cruising speeds, the brilliance is discovered during acceleration and throttling up hills.  For pure symphonic ecstasy, switch the windows down, drop a gear or two, depress the loud pedal, and enjoy the reverberance on the walls of the Vista Ridge Tunnel!

The factory braking system on our project LR3 left much to be desired.  The front rotors were warped from hauling down more heft than the diminutive calipers were built to task.  Considering the upcoming wheel and tire package (larger wheels/tires = increased unsprung weight) exposed a challenge that required a solution. After performing our exclusive Wilwood brake upgrade on our 2006 Range Rover Supercharged Sport we had a set of Brembo front calipers and rotors remaining. The LR3 and Sport share the same build platform and rear brakes, thus the larger Supercharged Sport Brembo front calipers and rotors were a direct bolt on.  The only surprise during this conversion was the compatibility of the factory 18” wheels.  The Brembo 4 piston calipers are substantially wider than the stock LR3 2 piston calipers, but the stock wheels fit snuggly with a handful of millimeters to spare.  The difference in braking efficacy inspires confidence, especially when the LR3 is laden down with expedition gear or towing.

Before                                    After

Columbia Rovers recently became an official distributor of Hella lighting systems (www.myhellalights.com). Hella is a leader in aftermarket off-road lighting for your Land Rover. We currently offer a selection of lights from Hella and can special order anything from their expansive catalog. If there is a specific lighting system you are looking for, please email parts@columbiarovers.com or stop by to check out what’s on our inventory.