Having a nose around I've come across a Manchester off road club that I'm looking to join up-to.

They are organising an event this Saturday and also one towards the end of the month. I cant make this Saturday LINKY

Just wondering if as the weather gets wetter whether Strata Florida would be too much without a snorkel/wading kit fitted as I've read it gets very deep at some points??

Also is anyone else interested as i know a few members are around manc and its a good 3 hour drive there and the same back so a long day and nice to do in convoy.

From what i can see as well a lot of their vehicles are really modded but i've asked if I'd be OK to join as I've got decent M&S tyres and recovery strap that I've used enough times and strong enough recovery points.

Looking to get one of the under body shields that's been floating around as well while i can as may actually help MPG by having a smoother underside

If people want to join or attend please post here as well as letting the organiser know.

IIRC there is a cost as well but it will be something like £4 for the last 3 remaining months and £20 for the day of strata or the early sept one starting at ilkley i think  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

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Strata is a fantastic lane, however, the river can be unpredictable and can soon change from a trickle to really deep and fast flowing.

Just treat her with caution, and if in doubt, turn around.

Have fun! And remember pics!

Also if anyone is interested we (1stoverland) are doing a trip to strata in September, pm me for details or have a look on our site 

Cheers deasy

I'm always happier to turn tail and run rather than risk damage to me or a vehicle  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Well we didn't make it to strata as by the end of Saturday we'd run out of time and light!

It was a dam good weekend though with only a few hiccups. One lane was heavily overgrown with a tree fallen over the gulley it ran in and then just got so narrow trail bikes would have got stuck. Another was a long grass uphill. First Cherokee got up ok and said it got worse as they got near the top. This was also overgrown and caused the 2nd Cherokee and me to have to go round it, possibly causing us to really struggle up as we lost momentum and chewed it up too quickly. this one was abandoned as we would never have got near the top.

There were lots of little narrow lanes that i just managed to squeeze through with just light scratches being scored against the bodywork.

I even traversed some deep puddles on the wayfarer which caused an issue....

Points to note for using the FFRR for offroading/greenlaning

BAD
FFRR is a right fatty when it comes to needing to spread the wieght out. I think 295 width tyres would be the only option...
The diff's, there isn't an option to just lock the ones that are lockable, instead the system(even with DSC off) uses the brakes to lock the wheels up. this is good in theory but stresses the brakes even more when they have been slowing a 2.5+tonne beasty on very steep downhill gradients.
Its very wide! i struggled getting by on some bits and did what has now been termed the 'range rover meerkat' by hanging out the window so i could see my side while guided or unguided for the passenger side sometimes getting through with literally a cm or two each side to spare...
A manual mode to force the car into extended mode for much better clearance
TC/Clutch lock-up is stupid as it only seems to lockup easily in Low Range which is pants when you need to use 1/2 High Range instead for downhill descents.
The DSC could be a little more sensitive/active but im comparing to a brand new D4 so the systems are bound to have improved over the years!
The rear exhaust hangers are pants so im going to beef them up with some cheap box section cut diagonally and holes drilled something like 3-4mm ally should do the job!
The backbox is f'in ridiculous! its too big and heavy for what's needed and pipework with it could have been a single pipe all the way back and performance would have been fine! This is a design thing i guess and one thing i'll look to get rid of i reckon should i keep using it for offroad tasks.
Headlight breather system is and if they have been on at all as soon as cold air hits them condensation forms inside! Totally stupid design that i will look to improve by using the inlet tract to provide a vacuum and keep air circulating but clean.

Good things

The FF is very comfy and can handle a lot
The electronics make life easy when it comes to getting up things, just a light bit of power and the car sorts itself out but pulses and clunks as it does it....
wading ability and setup of the td6 air inlet can save the engine from hydraulic lock as long as a foam filter instead of paper filter is used!
The electronics are mainly well sealed and thought out and the double door seals didn't let any water in.
aircon works great when your back in the car after getting a sweat on moving stuff around outside.
the tailgate lower is great for sitting on when your sorting your boot and load out.
The fanbox(for internal air draw) is good as i easily managed to block this off with a good amount of thick cling film to stop water splashes soaking the filter and getting inside!

Things i Bust/Nearly broke!
Well the rear Drivers side quarter has a 2 line crease where the car slid down a grass hill as i took it too low where there wasn't enough grip to climb back up. Its not that deep and hasn't punctured too much paintwork but will be about £2-300 damage I reckon.
This also cracked the rear light lens so another expense.
The engine nearly died when I went through a long stretch of tunnelled water which being enclosed built up more and more and then pushed along the side of the car behind the headlights and got some sucked in, this was caught by the air filter which strangled the engine as the fine bits of it just clogged up and stopped airflow. Engine saved and it ran just long enough before cutting out to get me out of the water at which point power slowly died over about 10 seconds. Filter off IC and pipework checked for water, engine spun over and caught almost straight away(putting some of this down to the pump as well!)
Mantec under-shield has more scrapes on it now and the Fat Rover is caked in mud from top to tail so polish wash sometime soon me thinks and i'll do the inside myself with the hoover as its mainly dry grass and bits of mud and a good excuse for the leather to have another clean as well with the zymol and gliptone.

I'm going to see about making up my own snorkel seeing as no-one in the business world is interested even when i wave money at them and am happy to guinea pig it.

Im also intending to buy 2-3 more of the under-shields and get them beaten/made into the right shape for a complete underbody slider as the transfer box and its cage is quite vulnerable and I think a smooth underside whilst adding another 30kg of weight would help MPG and be better for offroad tackling.

Im seeing if the sill protectors from RLD can easily be adapted from d3/4 fitment to FF as the plastic sill covers are good but not strong enough to slide over rocks... Tree sliders may be another option but i fear they may not be wide enough with the side curve of the FF factored in.

In all it was great fun and i really enjoyed a weekend of camping and laning with beer and burgers/sausages/bacon all in there is great

The FF did very well IMO and was only let down on the last day by the sliding due to weight/grip ratio being poo and the iffy pump(external one) and the air intake set-up leaking and pulling air from behind the headlight instead of the grille on the wing..

All in it did super and i was very proud of it doing what it did  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

some more pics

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesteroff...otostream/ FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Excellent the sales video & photos at last

PS: In THAT video you do not appear to be in "Offroad" height at the front or is that just the compression taking effect??

Compression mostly gaz

Only once when on a lane did I select road height as it was smooth for miles  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

looks very tight for a Range Rover you did good

Some bits were MUCH MUCH tighter gaz!! FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Just for you Gaz im uploading the rest  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65819956@N03/sets/72157631373790630/

There you go Ladies and Gents.

Still publishing some now and another Video is going to have to go on the tube as its 160mb! FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Sounds like you had fun i would have loved to do that onto no6 Range Rover

Everyone needs a hobby

Great pictures and the car looks good

2 weeks time see what it looks like then Gaz trying to find a rear light before then though to complete it  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

You have more balls than me. I love doing the Strata at different times of the year but only do lanes in my older Classic. Her indoors would kill me if I took the daily on an outing like that. Hats off to you. The Best 4x4 by far, so long as you have deep pockets.