When growing up in the 1970s you could always hear an army Land Rover coming by the high pitching whining noise it made. Was it the tyres they used that made that sound ? I dont remember our Land Rovers doing it in the late 80s. I know we have a few ex-1970s soldiers on here who may have the answer.
It's somewhere in the drive/transmission. I could always hear a mate's series 3 coming because of the whine, particularly when reversing.
Not an ex-squaddie but I had one of their Land Rovers ! It was the mainly the tyres. Good-Year Extra Grip cross plies as I recall. That wretched chevron pattern was most unpleasant over cobbles and the steering wheel would leap around usually bringing elbow into contact with door frame. The 'singing' went away when I swapped to radials. they never looked as good on the bonnet though.
I must be thinking of a different noise then, 'cos I can still hear the whiney shunty noise when S2as & S3s are manoeuvring
Somewhere, but they'll need scanning as they're all analogue. I got married in it actually. Poor bridesmaids had never been so shaken about as on the way to the reception ! It had spent its life in suspended animation at Recklinghausen. Trying to sort that blasted Series 3 gearbox whilst using it as a daily driver did for me in the end. Fuel costs were a factor too. I never did work out how such a tiny orifice could pass so much petrol. 'Petrol' incidentally is what the Flemish call 'paraffin'. I can confirm that spark ignition Rover engines will run on paraffin... Adam is right that the transfer boxes are a bit whiney but that 'woo-woo-woo-woo' sound is mostly the tyres.
I'm with Rich. Having owned a number of Landies, it was always the tyres that sang to me as l insisted on mud pluggers. Must confess though that they sounded better than most on BGT!!!!! Do we know what that is lol? The gear box on the series 2's and 3's also whined but they were like trucks, easy to service and never gave up. Still miss that sound, The new versions are great but not the same. Still no elbow room and still with the flip-up air conditioning. Where else can you get that list of extras, l ask you. Snorkels, roof tents and cat guards!!!!! Not luxury driving l grant you but great fun. Thank god they invented other versions for that. Regards, Nick KenFentonsWar.com
The whining is caused by the gearbox. Tyre noise is a bit different sound. I remember the noise well as I served in Germany in the late 70's. Cheers Paul
Photo of my TA recce troop in about 1996 in Series 3 Land Rovers - you can see the tread clearly on the spare. The REME spanner-benders (in the four-tonner over the road, nicely kitted out with bunks and other luxuries) always told us that the whine was caused by the tyre tread. Whatever the cause, the noise always advertised the impending arrival of a troop on roads - don't remember the whine off-road, but slower speed and soft ground might explain this? - Pete
I remember well the whine, which I am sure was mainly the tyres. Having said that, the gearbox is of a design that does whine due to the cut of the gears. Something common on BMC/Leyland cars of the time and later alleviated by a change in the angle and type of cut .
Was it not due to the fact that they were "Sand" tires that had very little tread .The Army seemed to have a limitless supply of these that they seemed to use up before they started fitting more conventional tyres. They were also on 3 tonners (before they suddenly became 4 tonners)
The whine was a great help when on escape and evasion. The advance noise gave us plenty of time to take cover !
