building a expedition ready rig what would you do??

[glbft1]

Seasons greeting to all
Wondering if you had to improve things on a land rover what would you do to upgrade to make these rigs as reliable as possible for long range travel
using the 2.25 engine .
thanks for the ideas
Greg

[crankin]

You said reliable not comfortable, correct?

[KevinNY]

A comfortable working knowledege of how to change an axle,change a bearing, adjust your valves, set your timing and troubleshoot a simple 12V circuit. That and the spares and toolbag to do it will get you pretty much anywhere.

[AU_88]

A comfortable working knowledege of how to change an axle,change a bearing, adjust your valves, set your timing and troubleshoot a simple 12V circuit. That and the spares and toolbag to do it will get you pretty much anywhere.

Agreed

[cousindave]

An uprated alternator,and I suggest a roverdrive if you have alot of pavement ahead of you.

[stomper]

While I can't argue with the above posts, I would have to add a well organized storage system for all of the gear and spares/tools. fixing anything is possible with a good working knowledge. knowing quickly where everything is to fix it is priceless!

Perhaps a bit more information as to where you want to take your rig would bring on some additional thoughts. There are some great resources already out there as to what to bring. "First Overland" by Tim Slessor is a must read for anyone thinking about an expedition, and I really enjoy reading the brownchurch website, which has some great ideas too! http://www.brownchurch.co.uk/

[czenkov]

and I suggest a roverdrive if you have alot of pavement ahead of you.

And parabolic springs if you have a lot of gravel ahead of you - and maybe a pillow to sit on.

[mongoswede]

an axle conversion, 4 wheel disc brakes for easier maintenance, a more modern robust gear box with 5 speeds, aftermarket seats, bigger alternator, custom wiring harness...one with fuses and relays . well oiled stock springs or parabolics with good shocks.

[crankin]

I will also add that you could call a few parts supplier before hand and ask them if they would be able to expedite parts to you in case of emergencies.

Teriann will get in on this I am sure. http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/

[cousindave]

If you really want to know about long range travel with an old land rover check out www.adventureafrica.org (my rig is the white one). Read the blog and check out photos.. pretty cool.

[Momo]

If you are a real spartan, you can do it all with a stock truck and little else.

I know a guy in his early seventies who drives a soft top 109, and quite literally carries little more than a blanket, a piece of foam, and some white bread and water. But most of us are just not that ascetic.

To the current suggestions, I would add dual fuel tanks, a roof rack to free up interior space, a winch and a good set of basic recovery gear, & a strong heater and wiper motors. Well, at least strong as the factory units can be made to work.

But as others have said, the most important thing is to know how to fix broken stuff. All alone. In the Styx.

I know another guy whose gearbox broke somewhere in the Yukon. He hiked to the nearest town, ordered a new one to be sent by Greyhound bus, then hiked back to tear into the truck. He returned to get the gearbox, drug it to camp lashed to a skid made of branches, and made the repair. It was a week or two out of his time but ended up being a great experience.

I agree heartily that organization is key. You can waste a lot of frustrating time looking for a fork, a wrench, a pair dry socks or whatever... as well as packing and unpacking. Try to develop a storage and container system that works for you. Spending hours to make and break camp gets old!

[SafeAirOne]

I think the following video pretty much sums up the MUST-HAVES for "expedition" travel:

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7348071/

[AU_88]

What will you be doing?

[mongoswede]

I think the following video pretty much sums up the MUST-HAVES for "expedition" travel:

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7348071/

In the words od Duran Duran: "Everybody needs tire rotators"

[Lalo88DK]

You don't really need to change anything at all, other than make sure your Series Land Rover is well maintained. today many of us like to improve things, but it is possible to use a standard Series Land Rover. I have seen many "improvements/modifications" putting other parts on Land Rovers under big strain, which in the end resulted in failures and a stranded truck.