↓ Advertise on Defender2 ↓

Home > Puma (Tdci) > Engineering project to reduce weight in a 110
Post Reply  Down to end
Page 1 of 2 12>
Print this entire topic · 
Matt3932



Member Since: 19 Jun 2018
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 35

United Kingdom 
Engineering project to reduce weight in a 110
I'm curious, and I've a little time on my hands, so, I'd like to see how much weight can be removed from my 110 without compromising the on and off road capabilities of the vehicle. Conscious that rotating mass is a significant issue, I've fitted Bowler wheels, I've also looked at:

CF panels (ridiculously expensive)
Fibreglass panels (relatively fragile)
Other Bowler parts (v pretty but v expensive)

In terms of removing stuff, the tow bar could come off (IRO 11kgs?)
The front bumper could be drilled (IRO 2kgs)

Standard puma seats could be changed out for lighter items (IRO 10kgs?)

But these are incremental savings - what are the big ticket items, it has to come down to chassis and axles I'd imagine....I'd appreciate any thoughts/lessons learned before I embark on a series of costly follies!


Post #724097 18th Aug 2018 12:49pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
AMBxx



Member Since: 24 Jul 2016
Location: York
Posts: 985

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
Open top?
Post #724102 18th Aug 2018 1:02pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Matt3932



Member Since: 19 Jun 2018
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 35

United Kingdom 


Already taken the roof off!
Post #724104 18th Aug 2018 1:06pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Paulv8



Member Since: 09 Jun 2013
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 618

1989 Defender 90 V8 Petrol CSW Alpine White
Defenders are NOT really heavy imo V8 90...WIP
Post #724107 18th Aug 2018 1:29pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Matt3932



Member Since: 19 Jun 2018
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 35

United Kingdom 
Granted, all things are relative. Challenger 2 's are really heavy. However, I don't have one of those. I have a Defender!
Post #724110 18th Aug 2018 1:46pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
williamthedog



Member Since: 29 Dec 2012
Location: south wales
Posts: 3441

2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 PU Tamar Blue
Why buy a defender then worry about how much it weighs? It does fairly well as it is.
Post #724122 18th Aug 2018 3:27pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Matt3932



Member Since: 19 Jun 2018
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 35

United Kingdom 
I'm not worried. I'm curious. I'd imagined the envelope has been pushed by the dedicated off road fraternity, and the Wildcat and it's ilk demonstrate what's possible with factory standard engineering. I'd like to know what can be achieved without significant expenditure
Post #724123 18th Aug 2018 3:37pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Harry.O



Member Since: 25 Jul 2014
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 706

United Kingdom 1989 Defender 90 300 Tdi ST Nato Green
You could swap the glass for polycarbonate, swap doors for 2 piece doors, remove any rubber mats, remove any unnecessary seats, ditch the spare wheel and use a TD5 bonnet. Swapping out the cast radius arms to the aftermarket stuff would definitely lose some weight. If using a drop down tailgate you could make a lighter version from alloy and depending on how far you intend to travel, don't brim the fuel tank.

All of the above is fairly cheap to do and not too difficult Thumbs Up 2005 Td5 110 Hardtop
1989 300Tdi 90 Soft top
1992 200Tdi 90 Truck cab with Land Cruiser axles
Post #724129 18th Aug 2018 4:52pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
v8bobber



Member Since: 26 Aug 2012
Location: pembrokeshire
Posts: 437

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Java Black
Buy a 90?
Post #724131 18th Aug 2018 5:10pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Mountain_man



Member Since: 09 Dec 2011
Location: Right side of Offas Dyke
Posts: 756

Wales 
if it is a pre puma one then an alloy bonnet with most of the strengthening frame removed. The inner wings are pretty meaty to and could be substituted easily enough with glass fibre copies. If you are serious about losing weight then bang in an SD1 gearbox and go rear wheel drive only Smile
Post #724132 18th Aug 2018 5:11pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Kit



Member Since: 12 Feb 2016
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 1110

United Kingdom 1993 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Scotia Grey
What a strange subject, I guess wheels and tubular chassis are your best bet 1993 200 Tdi 90 CSW
1956 Series 1 Hard-top
1958 Series 1 Soft-top
Post #724139 18th Aug 2018 5:49pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
gazman



Member Since: 17 Aug 2015
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 652

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 90 Td5 HT Alpine White
Diesel engines are heavy. Change it for a lighter petrol one.

Lightened flywheel, lighter handbrake drum (they are stupidly heavy) remove any engine, steering guards etc. Remove any emmisions stuff and std exhaust for a lightweight system

Get rid of any comforts. Radio heater dash. Think comp safari!! 2014 - current ..... 2003 defender td5 90 (my car)
2009 - current .... 2005 zx10r
Post #724147 18th Aug 2018 6:43pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
zsd-puma



Member Since: 09 Aug 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 2720

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
Matt3932 wrote:
I'm not worried. I'm curious. I'd imagined the envelope has been pushed by the dedicated off road fraternity, and the Wildcat and it's ilk demonstrate what's possible with factory standard engineering. I'd like to know what can be achieved without significant expenditure


There isn't really much factory engineering left in a Bowler Wildcat, they're basically a new car with a few Defender bits and designed to look a bit like a Defender.

On puma's and late TD5's the door skins are steel, you could replace them with the earlier ally ones. Or you could just remove them all along with the roof and windscreen. So it somewhat resembles an US army recon version - how far do you want to go?

You could strip out all the sound insulation, carpets, head lining etc.

Seats could probably be replaced with Series 3 ones. Dash could probably be replaced with some simple brackets.

But as you've alluded to the vast majority of the weight is going to be in the chassis and drive train, most of which is difficult if not impossible to lighten.

Lightening a Defender is a bit like buying a Ferrari and making it suitable for doing parcel deliveries.

Perhaps you could delete your duplicate post in the Maintenance and Modifications section?
Post #724155 18th Aug 2018 7:48pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Kit



Member Since: 12 Feb 2016
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 1110

United Kingdom 1993 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Scotia Grey
Yeah the Wildcat is a fully tubular chassis with independant suspension, the Tomcat is based on a LR chassis with a tubular frame welded onto it 1993 200 Tdi 90 CSW
1956 Series 1 Hard-top
1958 Series 1 Soft-top
Post #724176 18th Aug 2018 10:31pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16879

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Engineering project to reduce weight strength in a 110

Utterly pointless exercise in my opinion. Nothing you can realistically do will make any significant difference to the weight, and it won't have any effect on any aspect of performance except strength and longevity.

What are you actually trying to achieve?
Post #724178 18th Aug 2018 10:49pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Post Reply  Back to top
Page 1 of 2 12>
All times are GMT + 1 Hour

Jump to  
Previous Topic | Next Topic >
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
DEFENDER2.NET RSS Feed - All Forums