What did you do with your Grenadier today?

[TheDocAUS]

My car was left with GrenX today for some work. @Adam-Oz also dropped his car off for some work and we had a chat.

My "customer service car" for the next 3 days is Rohan's fully kitted out GrenX Grenadier.

It has 35 inch tyres and a lift but steers better than my Grenadier with KO2s and the OEM steering damperer. I suspect it has a great deal to do with the Bilstein damperer which it has fitted. It is a based on a Defender damperer with changes to make it fit a Grenadier. Apparently Bilstein are now working on a Grenadier version. The car now steers like a normal car, Bilstein seem to have overcome some of the Grenadier's steering qerks. A pleasure to drive.

It also has Nimbus Suspension, which may help. The car does not roll as much when cornering, even with the higher centre of gravity.

The 35 inch Yokohamas have a less aggressive tread pattern than the KO2's, which may also help.

I need to check with Rohan, but the car seems to have a smaller (not small) turning circle with more range from full left to full right lock, verse a standard Grenadier. The Bilstein damperer looks like it is sitting higher than the OEM damperer, but that maybe the lift. Again I need to ask GrenX.

 

[CRH]

My car was left with GrenX today for some work. @Adam-Oz also dropped his car off for some work and we had a chat.

My "customer service car" for the next 3 days is Rohan's fully kitted out GrenX Grenadier.

It has 35 inch tyres and a lift but steers better than my Grenadier with KO2s and the OEM steering damperer. I suspect it has a great deal to do with the Bilstein damperer which it has fitted. It is a based on a Defender damperer with changes to make it fit a Grenadier. Apparently Bilstein are now working on a Grenadier version. The car now steers like a normal car, Bilstein seem to have overcome some of the Grenadier's steering qerks. A pleasure to drive.

It also has Nimbus Suspension, which may help. The car does not roll as much when cornering, even with the higher centre of gravity.

The 35 inch Yokohamas have a less aggressive tread pattern than the KO2's, which may also help.

That does sound interesting, just a shame it's all the way down under

 

[TheDocAUS]

That does sound interesting, just a shame it's all the way down under

I only had to drive from Sydney to Melbourne yesterday (about 865km), Adam came from Queensland! But he just came back from Tasmania to Melbourne.

EDIT: The Bilstein I assume will be sold in Europe, but the R&D is being done on AU vehicles where most of the modified Defender damperers have been done.

Plus there is a really different style being done by JMACX with INEOS ANZ, but there has been quite for 6 months now.

 

[Adam-Oz]

My car was left with GrenX today for some work. @Adam-Oz also dropped his car off for some work and we had a chat.

My "customer service car" for the next 3 days is Rohan's fully kitted out GrenX Grenadier.

It has 35 inch tyres and a lift but steers better than my Grenadier with KO2s and the OEM steering damperer. I suspect it has a great deal to do with the Bilstein damperer which it has fitted. It is a based on a Defender damperer with changes to make it fit a Grenadier. Apparently Bilstein are now working on a Grenadier version. The car now steers like a normal car, Bilstein seem to have overcome some of the Grenadier's steering qerks. A pleasure to drive.

It also has Nimbus Suspension, which may help. The car does not roll as much when cornering, even with the higher centre of gravity.

The 35 inch Yokohamas have a less aggressive tread pattern than the KO2's, which may also help.

I need to check with Rohan, but the car seems to have a smaller (not small) turning circle with more range from full left to full right lock, verse a standard Grenadier. The Bilstein damperer looks like it is sitting higher than the OEM damperer, but they maybe the lift.

It was a pleasure to catch up and only wish we got to chat a bit more and get more insights from your experience. The improved steering sounds interesting and worth considering the Bilstein steering damper if it improves the steering that much. Certainly be nice to get rid of my INEOS cow bell rattling steering damper. It’s great sharing these experiences of what changes can do to improve our vehicles and I appreciate the shared wisdom of everyone else on this forum like yourself @TheDocAUS

 

[TheDocAUS]

It was a pleasure to catch up and only wish we got to chat a bit more and get more insights from your experience. The improved steering sounds interesting and worth considering the Bilstein steering damper if it improves the steering that much. Certainly be nice to get rid of my INEOS cow bell rattling steering damper. It’s great sharing these experiences of what changes can do to improve our vehicles and I appreciate the shared wisdom of everyone else on this forum like yourself @TheDocAUS

I will be discussing this with Rohan. He made a point about the Bilstein damperer before I drove away.

 

[TheDocAUS]

I also discovered a crack in the rubber trim I installed on my windscreen while at GrenX. I may have wrapped it too tight around the corner of the windscreen on the passenger side - RHD. I applied to heat to shape, but I did something wrong.

I will monitor the driver's side corner in the coming weeks.

 

[landmannnn]

My car was left with GrenX today for some work. @Adam-Oz also dropped his car off for some work and we had a chat.

My "customer service car" for the next 3 days is Rohan's fully kitted out GrenX Grenadier.

It has 35 inch tyres and a lift but steers better than my Grenadier with KO2s and the OEM steering damperer. I suspect it has a great deal to do with the Bilstein damperer which it has fitted. It is a based on a Defender damperer with changes to make it fit a Grenadier. Apparently Bilstein are now working on a Grenadier version. The car now steers like a normal car, Bilstein seem to have overcome some of the Grenadier's steering qerks. A pleasure to drive.

It also has Nimbus Suspension, which may help. The car does not roll as much when cornering, even with the higher centre of gravity.

The 35 inch Yokohamas have a less aggressive tread pattern than the KO2's, which may also help.

I need to check with Rohan, but the car seems to have a smaller (not small) turning circle with more range from full left to full right lock, verse a standard Grenadier. The Bilstein damperer looks like it is sitting higher than the OEM damperer, but they maybe the lift.

That improved steering is exactly what I have found with the Toughdog adjustable damper (set at position 5).

 

[Carolinaride]

https://www.stickermule.com/prancingcamel

Thank you. What is the significance? Just curious.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Part 2 – GrenX Grenadier (AU spec diesel)

I have now driven the car over 300km over the last two days and with the return trip tomorrow that will go over 400km. I have a few more observations (it is not a review):

- a sealed snorkel is fitted. GrenX has three options, but this one is a 3 inch snorkel plumbed through the fender guard with its intake opening facing rearwards (a similar model has a forward facing ram air intake head, with it opening facing forwards). As soon as I got into the car I noticed induction noise with the opening placed so close to the driver’s head (the driver’s window was up and it is a RHD car). I thought it may annoy me, but it was OK and I am getting use to it. It is another matter if the window is wound down – the induction noise is loud and obvious. I like to drive with the window down, so I would choose another model – as I have done. Even in my unmodified car I have heard induction noise from the OEM airbox with the OEM Raised Air Intake fitted (but the OEM setup is quieter);

- a Brown Davis 68 litre aux fuel tank is fitted. The rear muffler is removed when the Brown Davis is fitted, but the car seems no louder than my unmodified AU Spec diesel;

- an adjustable accelerator device is fitted (set at 3), so the dead spot in the diesel when starting from stationary is gone. I will probably fit mine now. This car is more responsive than OEM;

- fuel economy is around 14.8l per 100 kilometres, with my car I could get around 12.8l in this area. The 35 inch tyres will be one reason why. Even when I tried to lower fuel consumption, by easing up on the accelerator for some time (and dropping 15kph under the speed limit), the best I could do was 14.7l. I could not get it to drop any lower. I have not been heavy handed with the accelerator at anytime, so that figure could go higher. It is not my car and I have driven with that in mind;

- engine oil temperature quickly goes to 103C and the common range is up to 108C in most scenarios. My car would be 98C to 103C in comparison. Both cars have roof racks fitted, with similar gear on their roof racks.

 

[Tazzieman]

- fuel economy is around 14.8l per 100 kilometres, with my car I could get around 12.8l in this area. The 35 inch tyres will be one reason why. Even when I tried to lower fuel consumption, by easing up on the accelerator for some time (and dropping 15kph under the speed limit), the best I could do was 14.7l. I could not get it to drop any lower. I have not been heavy handed with the accelerator at anytime, so that figure could go higher. It is not my car and I have driven with that in mind;

Seems high for the diesel? Terrain? Hills?
Cruising on the highway {90-100), mostly level, with a 3/4 roofrack , K02s and some load , I can get 14.6 with the TC on factory setting. And mine's petrol powered.

 

[landmannnn]

Seems high for the diesel? Terrain? Hills?
Cruising on the highway {90-100), mostly level, with a 3/4 roofrack , K02s and some load , I can get 14.6 with the TC on factory setting. And mine's petrol powered.

The 35" tyres vs standard 32" have about 10" greater circumference.

So the fuel consumption is showing 10%+ worse as the vehicle has travelled further than it thinks it has travelled.

 

[LabRat]

Thank you. What is the significance? Just curious.

Who knows. Could be a throwback to the Camel Trophy runs by Land Rover back in the day.

 

[Adam-Oz]

Part 2 – GrenX Grenadier (AU spec diesel)

I have now driven the car over 300km over the last two days and with the return trip tomorrow that will go over 400km. I have a few more observations (it is not a review):

- a sealed snorkel is fitted. GrenX has three options, but this one is a 3 inch snorkel plumbed through the fender guard with its intake opening facing rearwards (a similar model has a forward facing ram air intake head, with it opening facing forwards). As soon as I got into the car I noticed induction noise with the opening placed so close to the driver’s head (the driver’s window was up and it is a RHD car). I thought it may annoy me, but it was OK and I am getting use to it. It is another matter if the window is wound down – the induction noise is loud and obvious. I like to drive with the window down, so I would choose another model – as I have done. Even in my unmodified car I have heard induction noise from the OEM airbox with the OEM Raised Air Intake fitted (but the OEM setup is quieter);

- a Brown Davis 68 litre aux fuel tank is fitted. The rear muffler is removed when the Brown Davis is fitted, but the car seems no louder than my unmodified AU Spec diesel;

- an adjustable accelerator device is fitted (set at 3), so the dead spot in the diesel when starting from stationary is gone. I will probably fit mine now. This car is more responsive than OEM;

- fuel economy is around 14.8l per 100 kilometres, with my car I could get around 12.8l in this area. The 35 inch tyres will be one reason why. Even when I tried to lower fuel consumption, by easing up on the accelerator for some time (and dropping 15kph under the speed limit), the best I could do was 14.7l. I could not get it to drop any lower. I have not been heavy handed with the accelerator at anytime, so that figure could go higher. It is not my car and I have driven with that in mind;

- engine oil temperature quickly goes to 103C and the common range is up to 108C in most scenarios. My car would be 98C to 103C in comparison. Both cars have roof racks fitted, with similar gear on their roof racks.

Great observations.

 

[jscherb]

Who knows. Could be a throwback to the Camel Trophy runs by Land Rover back in the day.

My camels were inspired by the Mahindra Savari. I spend a lot of time in India, and the Savari is my favorite "Jeep" of all time. I like the Savari's camel decals so I drew the camels on my computer, printed them in vinyl on my Cricut Joy cutting machine and installed them on the Grenadier.

 

[landmannnn]

Thank you. What is the significance? Just curious.

The Camel Trophy was an off-road event which focused on getting through remote areas in 4x4s, quite extreme terrain for relatively standard vehicles.

Originally Jeeps were used, but then Land Rover took over joint sponsorship.

Killed off in the 90s due to the ban on tobacco advertising and the eco warriors complaint that it was damaging the habitats of rare newts or similar.

 

[FlyersFan76]

The Camel Trophy was an off-road event which focused on getting through remote areas in 4x4s, quite extreme terrain for relatively standard vehicles.

Originally Jeeps were used, but then Land Rover took over joint sponsorship.

Killed off in the 90s due to the ban on tobacco advertising and the eco warriors complaint that it was damaging the habitats of rare newts or similar.

They got better