Richard Gallant's 2004 Land Rover Discovery II Arctic Ocean Prep
2004 Discovery Prep thread
Photo: 2004 Discovery Prep threadRichard Gallant preps his 2004 Discovery II for an Arctic Ocean overland trip
Owner Richard Gallant documents the gradual preparation of his 2004 Land Rover Discovery II for a planned overland trip to the Arctic Ocean from Vancouver, BC. The thread covers a suspension lift, a head gasket repair, dust sealing work, a DIY rear awning, and ongoing camping and storage setups, spread across several years with gaps for work and COVID disruptions.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Vehicle
- 2004 Land Rover Discovery II
- Suspension
- 2 inch lift using Terrafirma springs and OME shocks
- Fuel range
- About 440-460 km per tank
- Roof rack
- Front Runner cross bars and rack
Parts used
Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Engine 1
- Head gasket
Replaced after it began to fail
Suspension & Steering 2
- Terrafirma lift springsTerrafirma
Fitted as part of a 2 inch lift
In the shops
Steering Damper (Terrafirma) ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $72.00 USD
Steering Damper Assembly (Terrafirma) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $73.75 USD
Shock Absorber Rear | Terrafirma STC3671TFAT ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $58.50 USD - Old Man Emu shocksOME
Fitted alongside the Terrafirma springs for the 2 inch lift
In the shops
Old Man Emu Coil Springs ↗
Paddock Spares· £211.67 GBP
Old Man Emu Rear Coil Springs ↗Paddock Spares· £232.55 GBP
Old Man Emu Front Heavy Duty Coil Springs ↗Paddock Spares· £215.89 GBP
Body & Trim 3
- Marine antenna mount
Used as the rotating pivot for the DIY rear awning
- Irrigation pipe and fittings
Formed the frame of the rear awning with connectors and an elbow
- Tarp
Used as the awning cover material
Electrical 3
- Solar charging system
Built to power a portable battery box for overnight use
- Portable battery box
Light duty power source for nights spent in the truck
In the shops
Battery Box Insert ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $58.99 USD - Voltage gauge and instrument bank
Added to monitor the electrical system
In the shops
Banks iDash Gauge ↗
Flyin' Miata· $529.00 USD
Instruments/Gauges ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
Other 2
- Front Runner roof cross bars
Used as the mounting point for the rear awning and roof rack
- Butane heater
Used under a chair with a windbreak for warmth on cool nights
Photos
38 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from 2004 Discovery Prep thread. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
2004 Discovery Prep thread - Land Rover Forums - Land Rover Enthusiast Forum 6this post at 2004 Discovery Prep thread ↗
2004 Discovery Prep thread - Land Rover Forums - Land Rover Enthusiast Forum 14this post at 2004 Discovery Prep thread ↗
2004 Discovery Prep thread - Land Rover Forums - Land Rover Enthusiast Forum 3this post at 2004 Discovery Prep thread ↗
2004 Discovery Prep thread - Land Rover Forums - Land Rover Enthusiast Forum 9this post at 2004 Discovery Prep thread ↗
2004 Discovery Prep thread - Land Rover Forums - Land Rover Enthusiast Forum 5this post at 2004 Discovery Prep thread ↗
2004 Discovery Prep thread - Land Rover Forums - Land Rover Enthusiast Forum 1this post at 2004 Discovery Prep thread ↗
How it was done
Starting condition
Gallant describes his Discovery II as solid and in good working order with no known issues. It already carried a VHF radio, a full-size spare, basic spare parts, an awning, and roof bars from his existing overlanding setup.
Suspension lift
The first job on his list was fitting a 2 inch lift using Terrafirma springs and OME shocks that he had been given by ACG a year earlier. He later confirmed the post-lift work was complete.
Electrical and camping additions
After the lift, Gallant worked on interior living arrangements, finishing a solar charging system feeding a portable battery box for light use on bad-weather nights, and fitted a voltage gauge and instrument bank.
Rear awning build
He built a DIY rear door awning using a rotating marine antenna mount, irrigation pipe sections, connectors and elbows, an old tarp, and an extendable paint roller handle, mounted to his Front Runner cross bar.
Dust and head gasket work
Gallant repaired the head gaskets and separately noticed excess dust intrusion, old age seals being blamed. He planned a secondary dust trap with a foam filter near the MAF and cloth covers for the air box, though completion of this fix is not confirmed.
Ongoing camp setup
Later updates describe plans for a camp kitchen, fuel can storage, and cold-weather solutions such as a butane heater, a possible spark-catching tarp, or a Chinese diesel parking heater, reflecting continuing, unfinished preparation work.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at 2004 Discovery Prep thread ↗
Worth knowing
- A cheap rotating marine antenna mount works well for a DIY awning arm
- 3/4 inch irrigation pipe stays level without extra support, unlike 1/2 inch