Long Distance Driving

[wardog3187]

I would like to know if anybody within this forum has taken their Series II, IIa, or III on a long distance drive/trip? I do have a 1973 Series III RHD w/Fairey OD and I'll be traveling from Radcliff/Ft. Knox, Kentucky to Frederick, Oklahoma and back (about 900 miles one way/1800 total). Any advice is greatly appreciated in how you prepared your LR for the trip. BTW, this trip will be done in January and every quarter thereafter.

Thanks in advance!

[LaneRover]

Buy some ear plugs

I have driven across country twice in Land Rovers. Once with a completely stock 65' 109 Land Rover and once in a 69' 109 with a Fairey Overdrive. I probably should have prepared a bit more than I did but each time the Rover ran just fine. Basically I changed the oil and checked levels on all the gearboxes.

In the 65' I kept the speed to about 60 (when I could) and with the overdrive in the 69 I drove around 65-70. There were days that were miserable as it was hot enough that the wind felt like a blast furnace.

One thing I found that would be useful is some sort of visor as when the sun is rising or setting it just sits there between the top of the windshield and the horizon. I know a guy who eventually just put a strip of duct tape across the top of his windshield as on the highway there aren't any traffic lights to see or deal with.

Brent

[TeriAnn]

I would like to know if anybody within this forum has taken their Series II, IIa, or III on a long distance drive/trip?

I've driven my Series II between California and New York and about half way up British Columbia to the Mexican border. Not as well traveled as some but if you just narrow it down to the US and Canada I've been around.

Looks like you are planning a medium distance trip. Any of it off road or is it a pavement drive?

My best piece of advice is that the best breakdown is the one you prevented before leaving home. The best place to begin is using the factory owner manual perform a full factory 24 thousand mile maintenance procedure.

The manual covers most all the bases with step by step how-to instructions. Next take Your Land Rover to a shop that has free front in inspections. Bring your manual with the alignment specs bookmarked. They will let you know if any of your tie rod ends need attention and the condition of your alignment. Interestingly enough a Series Land Rover has tighter alignment specs than most modern cars. Having the alignment in spec really transforms the vehicle stability at highway speeds.

Also get your tyres balanced by someone who will clamp it b the lug holes and not the centre hole. The centre hole is not always in the exact centre.

After a full 24 thousand mile maintenance which includes replacing all fluids & hydraulic system rubber you should have no worries about hopping in the LR and driving coast to coast.

[Mercedesrover]

I just got back from my third multi-thousand mile trip in my Series III 88”.

This time it was northern Quebec. We traveled the full length of the James Bay, Route Du Nord and Trans-Taiga roads. We didn’t stop at Brisay either but drove all the way out to Caniapiscau. 4300 miles by the time we got home, 1100 miles of it on gravel. If you’re not familiar with the area, at Caniapiscau we were 460 miles from the nearest town. Here’s a link to some pictures. http://seriestrek.com/jamesbay.html

Change all your oils with a good, quality brand.
Carry spare oil.
Care a good assortment of tools with you.
Make sure your tires are good.
I’d run free-wheeling hubs.
Join the Birmabright Brotherhood. http://www.birmabrightbrotherhood.org/

Don’t be afraid to go. If you do have a break down it’s usually something easy to fix. I cracked a weld on the muffler this trip that was quickly fixed with a muffler clamp I had brought along. I also had a water pump start leaking (My truck is powered by a Mercedes diesel) on my way home but had one of those in stock too. You’re traveling in a populated part of the country so even if you do have trouble, help isn’t far away.

Jim

[jp-]

One thing I found that would be useful is some sort of visor as when the sun is rising or setting it just sits there between the top of the windshield and the horizon. I know a guy who eventually just put a strip of duct tape across the top of his windshield as on the highway there aren't any traffic lights to see or deal with.

Brent

I keep a baseball cap in each Rover for that very reason, works as well as any sunvisor.

[scott]

from waynsville, mo to albuquerque, nm in a '64 iia. bring a jack not a jeff cause if you got a jeff and no jack, jeff will not let you forget you forgot jack

[Terrys]

bring a jack not a jeff cause if you got a jeff and no jack, jeff will not let you forget you forgot jack

Yeah, what he said,..................I think.

[wardog3187]

Thanks!!

Thanks to all that replied with their advise.

I'm currently replacing several items to include the stock springs with parabolic springs and OME shocks. That should smooth out the ride a bit.

The trip will be on pavement/major highways.

Thanks again!

[badvibes]

Holy Run On Sentence Batman!

from waynsville, mo to albuquerque, nm in a '64 iia. bring a jack not a jeff cause if you got a jeff and no jack, jeff will not let you forget you forgot jack

ROTFLMAO!!!

But he's right, I'll never let him forget it. So make sure you have a jack! Seems like a lot of my roadside troubles when on the road are electrical in nature. If you have a points dizzy extra points, condenser, rotor, cap and spark plugs are handy to have. If not all of these at least the points set and condenser. Some people carry a complete spare dizzy, I would too if I could find a good cheap one. Have had to replace a fuel pump on the road also. I no longer have the mechanical pump but a NAPA cheapy electric. Having a spare in the truck when the 1st one died was very convenient. Oil, water, spare belts, hoses are all good. A spare fuel filter is handy. Most of this stuff is not real expensive but when you're 50 miles from town, 15 miles from pavement, and you need a set of points it's nice to have them. When it's Sunday morning in Grants New Mexico and you need a fuel pump it may not be easy to find a parts store that has a fuel pump you can use, that's open, and has a clerk who is willing to try to help you instead of just saying "we don't have that 'cause it's not in the computer." These little forays were anywhere from 300 to 1000 miles in length. The other thing is be prepared to talk to people everywhere you stop. These trucks are people magnets. You're gonna hear a lot of "it's how old?" "you're driving where?" "it's a Land what?" "you're going how far?" It's really a blast. Especially when the women folk in the little backwoods store with the single gas pump out front call you from inside the store on the pay phone outside the store that you're parked near as you check the fluids on the Rover your friend just bought to say come back inside the store we just made a fresh pot of coffee so we can ask you again "it's how old?" "you're driving where?" "it's a Land what?" "you're going how far?"

Jeff

[msggunny]

I'll be traveling from Radcliff/Ft. Knox, Kentucky

Who are you with in Ft Knox?

[wardog3187]

Who are you with in Ft Knox?

I'm currently working with MPRI that has a contract with USAREC (United States Army Recruiting Command).

[wardog3187]

ROTFLMAO!!!

The other thing is be prepared to talk to people everywhere you stop. These trucks are people magnets. You're gonna hear a lot of "it's how old?" "you're driving where?" "it's a Land what?" "you're going how far?"

Jeff

I'm used to all that already as I'm the only one here in Radcliff, KY with a RHD 88. A few days after I brought it home, some guy offered to buy it. A few people thought it was illegal to drive in the US on the right side. My wife and I stopped off at a restraunt and some guy drove up and said, "What year is that "Yoder"? It's a 1973 and a Land Rover, not a "Yoder". Just about all of the Ft. Knox security gate guards know me when I drive up and even a few will come over to the right side to check my ID. Those are only a few that I have trained to do this. Quite a few still need work. A few of those "clowns" think that my LR have power windows and will stand there while I'm looking out my right side over to the next lane and ask the guard there where his co-worker is.

Yes, I'm having the time of my life with my LR!!

[archaeologistjen]

We've driven our 101 Forward Control from Pennsylvania to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and it was a blast. Definately a people magnet. One of the funniest inquiries we fielded along the way was "Where's the base?" A woman in New England couldn't get the idea out of her head that we were somehow undercover military personnel, even though we were dressed in civilian clothes. She repeatedly asked us which military installation we were driving to. I'm a soldier in the US Army Reserve, and I can only imagine how fun it will be some time to drive the 101 or our other military LR onto a post for a training event or weekend drill in uniform...

The big negative was that we were almost in several accidents on the highway because folks rubbernecking to see what we were driving would inadvertantly swerve into our lane...

We're planning to make a repeat journey next spring in the 101, and are planning to bring lots of spares and tools. One thing about a long trip is that you will quickly find out what is just about to die in your vehicle, and will work out all the kinks...

[scott]

you movtivate me man, or more accurate my wife has bailed on me. not our marriage just my plan to have her drag me and my '64 iia swb from albuquerque to 29 palms. now i gotta to drive it out there. jeff you up for an adventure? i still have the jack we bought in tulsa.

[msggunny]

I'm currently working with MPRI that has a contract with USAREC (United States Army Recruiting Command).

Im trying to greas the skids to get back there with the Marine Det, even though we are moving it to Benning soon. Not 100% sure, depends on if i get promoted to Master Sergeant this year or not.

I get the same thing here at Lejeune, the MP's at the gate (not the rent-a-cops you have at Ft Knox) look at the passenger seat expecting some one to be in it and then realise that i am on the other side. After they realise that they are stupid they smile and wave me in.

I constantly get the "Heep wave" from dudes and chicks who dont know better. I have only had 2 people correctly id it and both of them had experience with old series trucks. Everyone else thinks its a Heep or Yoda.