Range Rover P38 in desert....
 

Hi folks...As my Defender is currently indisposed awaiting a rebuild I find that I have access to a 2000 model year 4.6 Range Rover Vogue with air suspension !! I would like to use it for a 2 week trip to Morocco crossing the Atlas pistes and traversing the usual southern pistes. My question is how would the air suspension cope with the conditions particularly if it was set to the high position for miles at a time for added ground clearance.....the air bags take a long time to pump up now but I will thoroughly prepare the car and ensure all systems are operating properly. Finally what is the unleaded petrol situation south of the Atlas ??

PS I will fit the Defender rims shod with 7.50 XZY's to the RR. Hopefully they will fit - any ideas ??

P38 in UAE
 

P38s were regularly seen offroading in UAE but I know one case where the vehicle was used continually for dune bashing and the air sus.was always a problem.

I think if you are sticking to tracks with moderate amounts of dune bashing you will have a good and comfy rig for the trip.

Maybe someone with more techno savvy than me can recommend a spares kit etc.

rim change
 

hi andrew
unless you use wheel spacer defender rims will not fit a p38....steve/m

P38
 

Hi Andrew,
I know of 2 Discovery II’s that have done a trip as you describe.

Both suffered burst airbags. No big deal 20minutes to change except one brand new bag was faulty. Worth checking your spares!

Also for what ever reason they had a noticeably harsher ride on gravel/stone tracks than coil sprung vehicles.

Hi,

Just to confirm the rims aren't interchangeable between P38 and Defender, P38 run a BMW stud pattern and the defender is different again. Think you can get adaptors to run P38A rims on Defender/Disco I but not the other way around.

As for P38 electrics, its always a game of chance you might have no worries or it could strand you the system is so unpredicatable.

Cheers,

Hi Andrew

LR air suspension wouldnt be my first choice - a coil replacement kit would be the way to go - the p38 is well known for working its compressor hard - it was LRs first 4 corner air sprung vehicle - the compressors are not really up to the job - and suffer from overheating - I would carry a spare.

setting your suspension high will give an even harsher ride and make the compressor work harder - not sure if the xzys will fit v into the p38s arches either - even with the correct rims - the 7.50s will become the bump stops if an air spring goes - better to stick to standard size tyres with steel rims preferebly - though if your not doing large amounts of corrogations the alloys will be ok

A mate of mine used to take his p38 into Mauri - he runs an independant LR Workshop in Poole, Dorset

Give him a bell and tell him what you are doing - he knows LRs inside out and can help you with spares etc

Andy
AL services
Willis Way, Poole
01202 668666