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Thread: *Appropriate* preparation for a 1 month trip

  1. #1
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    *Appropriate* preparation for a 1 month trip

    Hey folks,

    I'm thinking about equipment/prep that'll be required (or not) for a 1 month Broome to Darwin camping trip with the family, incl. the Gibb River Road, and all the regions sights. Driving up to Broome from Perth to start. Probably wont do anything too silly or remote. Last passed the area 16 years ago in a 1973 kombi (no GRR or kids that time though...)

    Had the 2010 Defender 110 for a while now...

    Have: ARB Bullbar, 2.8m rack, ladder, body protection, dual batteries, drawer unit, BFG mud tyres, compressor, recovery gear (maxxtrax, straps, shovel), a little CB radio, an iPhone and RAC cover. Oh, just fitted a Rhino batwing awning too.

    Have not: hi-lift, winch, built-in water or fuel tanks, 2nd spare wheel, GPS. I don't carry any spare parts around

    So whilst thinking, I started falling into some assumptions about what would be required... based probably on what I see around, and what looks desirable - i.e. the 'expedition defender'. However the reality is that this isn't Rhodesia in the 1950's, and after the trip the car will return to it's slightly dull life of trundling around the suburbs full of clutter. Any dangling fruit will have to be removed to get it into Woolies car park

    So i'd like opinions on what is necessary (rather than just desirable) for our independence and a safe trip:

    Generally: The obsession within 4WDing seems to be for acquisitions that result in a storage problem requiring further acquisitions, which in turn increase bulk/ weight of the setup and therefore ever more large cars, engines, trailers, resources etc. Obviously this is all part of the hobby for some (and it is fun), though we try to simplify where we can - camp in tents, not tow anything, and keep weight down (and lowdown) where possible.

    Hi-lift: never used one; seems like a divisive device (can of worms). Relatively low cost, but an awkward store. Was thinking that it would store under the 2nd row seats, wrapped in canvas. $160 for a pair of brackets to mount to the hannibal rack (which would look awesome!, but... ). Or an exhaust jack? I only have the bottle jack the car came with.

    Winch: High $, low likelihood of using? Vanity item? Whereas I wouldn't like to rely on others for our recovery, I also sense that GRR is a bit of a circus in June/ July...? Are hand winches a worthwhile alternative?

    Liquids storage: I can carry 2x 20L jerry cans for diesel, strapped direct to the rack. Is there any reason I really need the $270 jerry can holder?

    I checked out built-in water tanks (approx 60L) but left unconvinced here also - bulky, awkward things that seem to create further filling/ emptying headaches etc, and which would need to be strapped down just the same as jerry cans would?

    2nd spare: I've never used the first (other than to rotate it in). Is it better to get a tyre fixing kit? Happy to put this up on the rack if required, though can see it will sit in the garage gathering dust for years to come. I removed all my locking nuts by the way, which are made of fudge.

    Spares/ tools: I carry usual workshop tools always but no spare parts (except fuses, wire, bulbs, random nuts/bolts etc). What should I (sensibly) not leave without? My experience shows that anything can fall off these things or cause a problem, but its usually just an inconvenience rather than a catastrophe (been towed twice in 8 years).

    Vehicle servicing: Obvs vehicle would need a really good checking over and some preventative/ pre-emptive maintenance. Thoughts? Maybe this is a different thread.

    Cheers all,

    Sam

  2. #2
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    Jees thats a lot of reading

    sorry!

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Samblers View Post
    Jees thats a lot of reading

    sorry!
    it also has paragraphs and headings. easy to read.

  4. #4
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    Probably easiest to provide a comparison of what we did for our Disco3 for a trip across the Simpson Desert and up the Hay River track then back to Alice springs for comparison.

    Tyres - We took a second spare and never came near to using it. We did get a flat tyre which we plugged with a repair kit without taking the wheel off and that got us home. At the time 265/60-18 tyres were not very common which is why we did take 2 spares. I still have a couple of spares on the Defender for remote trips because it gives me a bit of a security blanket

    Winch - You could take a hand winch if you found one at a reasonable price and were prepared to carry the weight but the reality is you probably win't use it.

    Water - Make sure you carry enough to weather any emergency. We have used a 50l footwell tank for washing and taken a couple of plastic jerry cans for drinking/cooking

    Fuel - depending on how far you are going between fuel stops will determine this. A spare Jerry can or two is sufficient in most cases, if they are on the roof empty them into the tank as soon as practical to improve handling. We had a 100L Auxiliary tank on the Disco and I carry a 200l fuel pod on the Defender but we were doing up to 1200KM between fuel stops.

    Hi Lift - I've never owned one, in sandy conditions Maxtracks or a shovel would be more use.

    Preventative maintenance, tools and spares - you are pretty much doing what I do although if travelling with a group a 4 litre container of oil and some poer steering fluid is worth while to have on hand. If solo and not remote good roadside coverage works as well.

    Other stuff - a Sat phone is useful to summon help, failing that go and purchase an EPIRB. They last for 7 years and can be had for about $300.00 GME MT410G PLB - Personal Locator Beacon | Road Tech Marine

    Regards,
    Tote
    Go home, your igloo is on fire....
    2014 Chile Red L494 RRS Autobiography Supercharged
    MY2016 Aintree Green Defender 130 Cab Chassis
    1957 Series 1 107 ute - In pieces

    Assorted Falcons and Jeeps.....

  5. #5
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    A couple of fuel filters are items I never leave home without.
    Also the amalgamation tape ( I think that is what it's called).
    -----
    You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.
    -----

    1999 Disco TD5 ("Bluey")
    1996 Disco 300 TDi ("Slo-Mo")
    1995 P38A 4.6 HSE ("The Limo")
    1966 No 5 Trailer (ARN 173 075) soon to be camper
    -----

  6. #6
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    Hey folks,

    Have: ARB Bullbar, 2.8m rack, ladder, body protection, dual batteries, drawer unit, BFG mud tyres, compressor, recovery gear (maxxtrax, straps, shovel), a little CB radio, an iPhone and RAC cover. Oh, just fitted a Rhino batwing awning too.

    What you have above is a good start, and pretty much what we have, except we’ll have AT tyres

    We’re currently preparing for a 2 year lap of AUS which will include GRR and more remote places.

    My thoughts

    - well serviced defender.
    - tools, one small bag of hand tools, plus a container with fuses, tape, nuts and bolts etc. also have hub nut tube spanner, multi meter and fault code reader
    - spare tyres, just the one spare along with tyre repair kit, have never needed two spares, only ever had one flat which I repaired with plugs
    - water, 64L water tank inside the defer and 20L on roof
    - diesel, OEM tank and 65L sill tank, no jerry cans, 120ish usable
    - winch, have PTO fitted, never been used to recover myself, my old employer had hand winches in cars, not a fun thing to use or store.
    - hi-lift, seem to be a fashion item these days, mines in the garage and have never needed it, won’t be coming on the trip
    - will have full set of filters amd a MAF for our TD5

  7. #7
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    Sounds like you’ve got it covered and the above posts sum it up pretty well. The only real spares I carry are a fuel filter and oil filter. My philosophy is to keep the vehicle as light as possible and as standard as possible - it’s the bolt-on stuff that usually fails.

    I can’t emphasise how important it is to have a well maintained and recently serviced vehicle. If everything is in good order you won’t need spares. Pay particular attention to tyres, shocks, brakes and suspension bushes as these will work hard. Tyres should ideally have 3/4 to 2/3 tread left. If brake pads are more than half worn in any spot replace them and keep the old ones as spares. Shocks should not be too old and a good quality brand - I personally think the standards are fine but now run Bilsteins.

    Also worth doing a spanner check on any nut or bolt you can see. Particularly body bolts and roof racks, which can suffer on corrugations.

    It is also important to keep weight down as much as possible, particularly on the roof. Long range tanks and water tanks or bladders are great but expensive. However, jerry cans on the roof are just fine if you need extra fuel, but keep them as empty as possible.
    Blubags are a handy way of carrying extra water: Home - BluBag Australia

    Don’t bother with a winch. Be sensible and Maxtrax will get you out of most situations anyway. Unless you are going really remote, don’t worry about a second spare - too much weight, especially with a rim. Repair kit definitely worthwhile though. Forget the highlift. The standard Defender jack is pretty good and will do for pretty much anything on a trip like that. Some sort of jacking plate may be handy for any soft ground, but not essential.

    Cheers,
    Jon

  8. #8
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    I would add your local motoring organisation’s top cover and a good amount available on a credit card. Just in case. The RACQ flat bedded my D4 from Birdsville to Brisbane and flew the two of us home. Easily covered many years of membership.

  9. #9
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    Thanks folks - great comments and some really useful suggestions... too much to comment on everything in detail, but so far I have:

    - fully serviced vehicle, paying attention to wear parts, tyres, shock bushes, hoses
    - top level RAC cover
    - sat phone or EPIRB if going remote solo
    - a jacking plate for the jack
    - tyre repair kit
    - jury is still out on need for winching
    - i'm going to go for jerry cans - diesel on roof and water in car. Am working on modifications to my rear setup which allow me strong tie-down points for everything (tie-down hasnt been necessary until now)

    Q's:

    - the 'standard' defender jack is the bottle jack, right?
    - whats 'PTO' in relation to winch?
    - 'MAF' filter?

    Happy to keep listening!

    Cheers, Sam

  10. #10
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    *Appropriate* preparation for a 1 month trip

    Don’t go Jerry Cans for water - use those 10L casks.
    As they empty you can burn / crush them.

    Grab a set of Treds
    Belts, self amalgamating tape
    Cable ties
    Basic tool kit

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