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jessedacri

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That thing is a disgrace to the Defender name - IFS front and rear? Crazy, when its predecessor is a legendary off road machine. Absolutely no big players worldwide are willing to go against the Wrangler and do front and rear solid axles. Even the bronco looks incredibly tippy off road - it's basically as good as a 4runner.
 

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I've seen a couple around here in NOVA and I gotta say, they look awfully plastic (and this is coming from a guy with the unpainted fenders!).

I know ground clearance is good, the angles are good, and the payload/roof weight is good--so it should be a great overlander--but the wheels/tires and lack of solid axles really hamper it for the more technical stuff.
 

WhereRU_A-A-Ron

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In all seriousness, I have to give the Defender props. It did make it. For what it has going for it; which isn't much, it definitely could've done worse. That said, I imagine anything it did well, the 4Runner did better for significantly less money.
 

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The New Defender had both clearance and articulation problems thanks to independent suspension.

While lack of articulation is a nuisance, and likely not a problem for the Bronco because of their sway bar disconnect, the way the independent suspension's lower wishbone being the first point of contact with rocks, etc. is a proper problem.

Strengthening those components or adding skid plates is not a solution because you can't prevent them from coming in to contact and after banging them over and over again, the weakest link will give in (cause frame damage?).

Solid axles FTW.
 

stylett9

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it was definitely cool to see all the vehicles run the same lines and how they stack up against each other. Honestly everyone knows from a pure off-road perspective the jeep is still king. But depending on real life day to day they are all awesome vehicles that have different things going for them.
 

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The new Defender got it done, but not without a lot of support. Rear lockers would have helped. That said, it placed 4th out of 4. The long wheel base Gladiator was quite good... Tge old Defender was awesome.
 

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That dealer clearly lent TFL a new “Defender” to get a video that demonstrates that the new Land Rover can take a difficult trail, and is capable of keeping up with Jeeps and Toyotas.

So from the outset, that Defender had to get through the trail. If it hadn’t, I doubt the dealer would have allowed TFL to post the video.

Based on press photos, I believe this Defender got a better set of aftermarket tires. Still, it was painful to watch.

When you factor in that new Defender’s price starts at $75,000...you got to be pretty gullible to swallow Land Rover’s Kool-Aid. There’s nothing that Defender did that a Grand Cherokee Trailhawk couldn’t have done with equal amounts of punishment...for a lot less money.
 
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The new Defender got it done, but not without a lot of support. Rear lockers would have helped.
Lockers will give traction to move forward but the impact and the damage to the vehicle is always going to take place because of the independent suspension's lower wishbone which has low clearance.
Jeep Wrangler JL New Defender cr@ps itself versus a Jeep on trail NewDefender.PNG

Oval: Point of impact
Square: Point of failure even if skid plates fitted.
Arrow: Actual ground clearance.

Also note the other scuffs and dents.
 
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bbq4133

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Lockers will give traction to move forward but the impact and the damage to the vehicle is always going to take place because of the independent suspension's lower wishbone wish has low clearance.
Jeep Wrangler JL New Defender cr@ps itself versus a Jeep on trail NewDefender.PNG

Oval: Point of impact
Square: Point of failure even if skid plates fitted.
Arrow: Actual ground clearance.

Also note the other scuffs and dents.
The actual ground clearance thing is very interesting as most folks really praise the New Defender’s “stated” clearance.
 

Windshieldfarmer

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Lockers will give traction to move forward but the impact and the damage to the vehicle is always going to take place because of the independent suspension's lower wishbone wish has low clearance.
Jeep Wrangler JL New Defender cr@ps itself versus a Jeep on trail NewDefender.PNG

Oval: Point of impact
Square: Point of failure even if skid plates fitted.
Arrow: Actual ground clearance.

Also note the other scuffs and dents.

Great illustration - nearly impossible to protect this set up. On our Jeeps the lower shock mounts can be vulnerable - but they are easy to protect...which I have.
 
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The actual ground clearance thing is very interesting as most folks really praise the New Defender’s “stated” clearance.
It's the same BS about the approach angle... the New Defender's got less than half the height of the wheel exposed in the front and the bumper would hit anything taller well before approach angles mattered. In the JL the stock bumper starts well above the lug nut at the highest position.

Also in the JL you have the possibility to get one wheel over a rock or something with even greater clearance but in the Defender that low hanging plastic is always in front of the wheel to say "you have to be this tall... for me to get over".

Overall the new Defender is a shockingly poor design and is worse than a light offroader like the Toyota in that video.

I feel sorry for the folks in the UK... they get the worst... gasoline particulate filters and with Jeeps they get reduced engine choices, no steel bumper from factory, etc. Not sure even if they get the Gladiator..
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