Thread: Choosing the RIGHT VEHICLE for Overlanding Video - Interesting....

He is wrong about air suspension.

1. Airbags are very tough and unlikely to puncture, not impossible, but unlikely, probably same risk as a broken coil, carry spare airbags is lighter than coils.
2. Hose leak is higher, and this can be repaired with a $10 dollar part which joins the hoses. I used to carry 2 with me in my P38.
3. Air-compressor fails possible, and sensors can be knocked out of sync or busted, the remedy is to install a manual override system which you can pump up with a bike pump if needed.

I'd prefer airbags in my defender than coils.

Originally Posted by 1nando

I don't know if this is true or not and its simply an observation ive made from watching Andrew's videos.
He's used a lot of vehicles over the years that have been provided to him by different manufacturers. This is his second 70 series and i would bet a decent chunk of change that somewhere and at sometime there has been a conversation between himself and a Toyota representative. I believe this is true cause of a few reasons.

The 70 series has a few major flaws he chooses to completely ignore or play down. The wheel track is ridiculous, can be dangerous and in no way would i call this "over engineering" as he describes it. "Over engineering " would have sorted such a huge flaw....but Toyota didnt.
The clutches on the 70 series are just as bad as the pumas if not worse!
The v8 injectors have a reputation for spitting the dummy and arent "over engineered".
The alternator is possibly in the worst possible postion you could possibly design it to be in, again not "over engineered".

Anyway im not trying to Toyota bash as the 70 series also has a lot of good points and Toyota definately builds some very reliable cars.

One thing i found strange was his opinion on Nissan. Whether you love em or hate them the 4.2TD Patrol is probably the toughest 4wd vehicle ever made and driven in Australia. They're so tuff the comp guys love em and nothing has a drive train close to its strength. I felt as though he brushed over it and left it in Toyotas shadow. He speaks more like a man being supported by Toyota than an independent journalist. Its a bit like Pat Callinan; one week the patrol is the best, the next week its the Amarok.....the truth is his opinion on the best vehicle is the one whos manufacturer is paying his bills!

Again no proof just my opinion.

If you watch other vids of his, you will find that he is scathing about the wheel track on the 70 series.

He does not accept vehicles from manufacturers. He is sponsored by BFG, he no doubt gets help from AluKab. Saying that a vehicle manufacturer is paying his bills is untrue, and possibly libellous.

People need to take him in totality. Like him or not, he has vastly more experience than around 90% of contributors here. Why is it so hard for people to simply look, or look away?

Originally Posted by karlz

He is wrong about air suspension.

1. Airbags are very tough and unlikely to puncture, not impossible, but unlikely, probably same risk as a broken coil, carry spare airbags is lighter than coils.
2. Hose leak is higher, and this can be repaired with a $10 dollar part which joins the hoses. I used to carry 2 with me in my P38.
3. Air-compressor fails possible, and sensors can be knocked out of sync or busted, the remedy is to install a manual override system which you can pump up with a bike pump if needed.

I'd prefer airbags in my defender than coils.

Mate you can love air bags AND admit that coils are more reliable. It's not really an arguable point. Broken coil. Never seen a vehicle let down by that but have seen a few Land Rovers let down by air suspension bags and components.

Cheers

Originally Posted by johntins

If you watch other vids of his, you will find that he is scathing about the wheel track on the 70 series.

He does not accept vehicles from manufacturers. He is sponsored by BFG, he no doubt gets help from AluKab. Saying that a vehicle manufacturer is paying his bills is untrue, and possibly libellous.

People need to take him in totality. Like him or not, he has vastly more experience than around 90% of contributors here. Why is it so hard for people to simply look, or look away?

I said it was my opinion, not fact. My opinion is based on what i see. Andrew has always tried different makes and different vehciles. This is his second consecutive troopy and from i can see he has talked about it quiet a bit. To me it sounds like John laws "cash for comments" back in the day.
I agree he has done more travelling than i will ever do in my life time however im still allowed to have an opinion. As for only seeing old toyotas; what a load of sh$t. There are countries in Africa ie Morocco where there is nothing but old land rovers driving around everywhere. If you listen carefuly there is a lot of Toyota propaganda being thrown around in his video.
A man who accepts sponsorships from BFG, Alucab, ARB will also more than likely accommodate some hand outs from a vehcile manufacturer, the idea is not that far fetched.

Originally Posted by johntins

People need to take him in totality. Like him or not, he has vastly more experience than around 90% of contributors here. Why is it so hard for people to simply look, or look away?

It’s a public forum, it encourages member to voice the opinions, views, thoughts, experiences.....don’t look if you are easily offended

We are currently planning our overland trip, it will be either be...ship defender into the bottom of South Africa or into Germany.......I will be in a defender running air suspension and have zero overland experience.........but I reckon we will do just fine.

If I took only his views and suggestion I wouldn’t be going........I reckon tapping into 100’s and 100’s of other people experience gives one a better heads up.

Oh, started to watch the show at the start of this thread, lasted 20min than turned it off.

I did enjoy the footage of driving and the wildlife.

I can take or leave him not that fussed I think he has a pretty good understanding of Land Rovers I'm not sure I agree with him on Toyota's but he is entitled to his opinion.
Regarding air suspension I can contribute, in the 1980s I drove Denning Coaches around the Northern Territory over roads that most Land Rovers on this forum haven't seen apart from the occasional month long foray into the outback and they did it daily.
When the Denning coaches were designed they were run up and down the Stuart Highway from Port Augusta to Alice they were loaded with water bottles to simulate the weight of passengers.
They were pushed till they broke they were then strengthened and then did it all again until they didn't break. One of them hit a creek west of the Olgas so hard it shattered the windscreens.

I have utter confidence in air suspension I have had 16 tonne Denning coaches airborne on dirt roads and they are profoundly durable.
I would personally doubt if there is a modern 4x4 that would be as durable as these things. (bold statement I know) when the 70 series Troopies were released and they were run on the same roads would last 30000ks before the body cracked up that bad that the windows fell out just to give an hint of how rough things were.

BUT I am not sure I would trust Land Rover (or Ford or Tata) to design and put together a durable air suspension system.

For the record there was a Denning coach put across the Simpson in the mid 80s (mid mount detroit with bogey axles)

Originally Posted by ozscott

Mate you can love air bags AND admit that coils are more reliable. It's not really an arguable point. Broken coil. Never seen a vehicle let down by that but have seen a few Land Rovers let down by air suspension bags and components.

Cheers

I travelled through middle of Zaire accompanying a 110. He snapped 3 coils during the crossing. He carried 2 spares and welded up the last one.
I personally haven't seen a broken airbag, nor have I had one. But the electronics and airlines had caused my airbags to fail, hence the reason for installing a manual override.

I never stated that airbags are more reliable than coils, just superior.
Similarly, power assisted brakes and steering are less reliable than those without it, but I'd rather have the assistance.

btw. does air suspension belong in offroad vehichles? Well, most modern day military tanks have some form of air-suspension eg M1 Abrams .