Thread: Observations from the Sahara

It's funny how the Europeans don't smother their vehicles in a ton of ARB crap yet travel all over the 3rd world without bursting tyres and snapping chassis. Pat

First pic looks like a run down town run about, bet it doesn't overland

Second pic, could be an overlanders, sleeping arrangements don't look much chop

Third pic, the series that has never been off road...another town runabout

Fourth pic...again not a touring defender

Fifth.....it's got a heap of crap hanging off it and doesn't look like it's overland ever

You're on the money Pat....although I've been researching pretty hard of late as I'm setting out up for a 3rd world country overland trip.....your only about cars covered in ARB Crap, suppose I better ditch my Compressor as it the only ARB branded bit I have...all should be good eh??

A quick google search 'overland defender 110' shows me most have lots of fit for purpose accessories

We'll eventually realise why Land Rover has always said you dont need wide tyres. It's just the consumer market that loves the look of wide tyres.

Originally Posted by Beery

We'll eventually realise why Land Rover has always said you dont need wide tyres. It's just the consumer market that loves the look of wide tyres.

Yep, agree...235's are wide enough.

Originally Posted by weeds

First pic looks like a run down town run about, bet it doesn't overland

Second pic, could be an overlanders, sleeping arrangements don't look much chop

Third pic, the series that has never been off road...another town runabout

Fourth pic...again not a touring defender

Fifth.....it's got a heap of crap hanging off it and doesn't look like it's overland ever

You're on the money Pat....although I've been researching pretty hard of late as I'm setting out up for a 3rd world country overland trip.....your only about cars covered in ARB Crap, suppose I better ditch my Compressor as it the only ARB branded bit I have...all should be good eh??

A quick google search 'overland defender 110' shows me most have lots of fit for purpose accessories

These are all just local work trucks except the green series.
The first image can you see the sand dune poking up in the background?
Second was a tourist with a bed in the back.
The green one is in Ouarzazate in the High Atlas Mountains. Pretty stony area off the main drag.
The Blue one is a cop car and the red is a tow truck that i saw in use every day i was there.
The Tourists i saw just nick down from Spain or France for the xmas holidays to play in the desert. They are not living in them while they travel around the world. Did see many with roof tents though . Mainly the James Baroud ones.

Originally Posted by timax

These are all just local work trucks except the green series.
The first image can you see the sand dune poking up in the background?
Second was a tourist with a bed in the back.
The green one is in Ouarzazate in the High Atlas Mountains. Pretty stony area off the main drag.
The Blue one is a cop car and the red is a tow truck that i saw in use every day i was there.
The Tourists i saw just nick down from Spain or France for the xmas holidays to play in the desert. They are not living in them while they travel around the world. Did see many with roof tents though . Mainly the James Baroud ones.

I was repling to Pats post....based on the pics posted I cannot get my head around his comment.

I think some people go for wider tyres thinking they are increasing their footprint, not realising they are just causing a wider wall of sand to build up in front of their tyres, making progress harder. Taller tyres give a longer footprint and that is what counts.

I rode my motorbike across the Sahara (morocco -> Dakar)
Met a bloke in a series 3 who kindly agreed to carry my gear so I could carry a girl pillion

Sahara landy and bikes.jpg

Notice the skinny tyres in the series 2. This was in Morocco down south.