preparing for the big lap

[Genevieve]

hello
i own a D3 HSE 2005. I have had a new engine and transmission put in 1 year ago, with over 20,000$ spent on it.
The reason for this was i blew up on a camping trip, moving forward to now we have decided to take it round Australia. My question is how confident should i be in it. My husband and i have got PTSD surrounding the car and would hate for something else to happen to it and ruin our trip. What are peoples thoughts on the capability of it taking us and our 3 children comfortably around Australia for a year. I guess i am hoping everyone can distill some much needed confidence. We will be aiming to tow an expanda type caravan.

My second question is how do we set the car up so we can be ready for the lap. we have hoped to get this but are their any other essentials that we must have. we don't intend n going crazy 4wding as we are not to confident in our abilities.

it has- electric breaks
-dual batteries
-bull bar driving spot lights.
-
we are thinking of getting-

-roof rack and awning
-snorkel
-draw system and fridge slide

any help would be greatly appreciated135818135819

[Chops]

It sounds like you’ve got it pretty well sorted anyway as far as general “touring” goes.
If your going to be on dirt roads, you may want to consider an air compressor,, ie; if it’s wet, you may want a little more traction by lowering tyre pressures, or it might be really rough or rocky, also good to lower, and of course, sand.
Have a gander at some of the build threads regarding D3/4’s and see what they do with their machines,, this will give you a good idea of how people have set up their rigs etc.

You’d best be getting some experience in too [biggrin] Just sayin’ [bigwhistle] [biggrin] Should organise a couple of trips with others on here. It’s an extremely capable car out of the box, but there’s nothing like doing a couple of trips with others to instil full confidence [biggrin]
As for the motor,,, if it’s all been done properly through the right channels etc, I wouldn’t stress about it at all.

Hope this helps.

[Nankas]

We took our family in a D2 with no mods towing a jayco swan. It was fantastic. if you were to have trouble there are people on the forum who will help and it is part of the adventure. A car breakdown will not ruin a 12 month holiday. Much to the disappointment of my toyota loving friends we got around fine. Did some maintenance in alice with a local forum member.

The d3 is a magnificent touring car, with 3 kids I wouldn’t fill the back with stuff so you can use the 3rd row. Just my thoughts.

[BobD]

Before getting drawers and other heavy stuff check the D3 weight on a weighbridge and add the caravan draw bar weight. With three kids and their stuff you may be over weight without even adding a roof rack and drawers. You need to travel as light as possible and you don't need a lot of stuff at all. Make sure everything you take is actually essential or don't take it!

[LRD414]

Confidence can be elusive but with good preparation there's no reason not to go for it.
You seem well setup already but one thing I'd recommend is reading other threads on here where people have prep'd for similar trips.
I've linked to a few that I found useful below.

I would get the lightest van you feel comfortable living in and with.
My view is the less weight you tow the less stress on the vehicle and less fuel consumed.
Less stress on the vehicle should reduce the likelihood of failures.

The suspension would be worth making sure is in good condition given the vehicle age.

Cheers,
Scott

Thread Links:
Setting up a D4 for a 2.5t Caravan (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/214053-setting-up-d4-2-5t-caravan.html)
Help me build up my D4 for touring! (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/221275-help-me-build-up-my-d4-touring.html)
Advice wanted - D3 mods for trip around Aus (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/189654-advice-wanted-d3-mods-trip-around-aus.html)
Who's taken their d4 to the cape? What mods are must have/ should have? (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/204138-whos-taken-their-d4-cape-what-mods-must-have-should-have-2.html)

[BobD]

Confidence can be elusive but with good preparation there's no reason not to go for it.
You seem well setup already but one thing I'd recommend is reading other threads on here where people have prep'd for similar trips.
I've linked to a few that I found useful below.

I would get the lightest van you feel comfortable living in and with.
My view is the less weight you tow the less stress on the vehicle and less fuel consumed.
Less stress on the vehicle should reduce the likelihood of failures.

The suspension would be worth making sure is in good condition given the vehicle age.

Cheers,
Scott

Thread Links:
Setting up a D4 for a 2.5t Caravan (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/214053-setting-up-d4-2-5t-caravan.html)
Help me build up my D4 for touring! (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/221275-help-me-build-up-my-d4-touring.html)
Advice wanted - D3 mods for trip around Aus (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/189654-advice-wanted-d3-mods-trip-around-aus.html)
Who's taken their d4 to the cape? What mods are must have/ should have? (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/204138-whos-taken-their-d4-cape-what-mods-must-have-should-have-2.html)

Also good to replace wheel bearings if they are old. They are not easy to replace away from a capital city and wheel bearing failure has ruined several people's trips from what I have heard talking to D4 owners in the outback. Never had an issue with mine in multi tens of thousands of km of outback rough road touring but have replaced one in Perth occasionally in the 275000km my D4 has done.

[DiscoMick]

Yeah, as others have said, keep it light and prepare with thorough maintenance before you go.
For example, fit new hoses and belts and carry some of the old ones as spares.
Suspension, brakes, tyres and the cooling system are essentials.
Replace all fluids before you leave.
Get bearings done.
Bushes should be inspected and replaced if worn.
You don't need a monster truck, just a well-prepared vehicle.
D3s are excellent vehicles, if maintained.
No matter what vehicle we own, if a major part fails no dealer is likely to have it in stock, so it will have to be flown in. That includes Toyota's, so don't swallow the Toyota propaganda. LRs can be very reliable.
Finally, don't rush. Stop and poke around. Enjoy.

[Ean Austral]

Most importantly get yourself a code reader of some kind. There are a few options but you will be able to clear faults if / when they arise and even if you don't know how to fix them it will give others on this forum a good idea what the fault is to help out.

You will find it 1 of the most important tools you can carry , proberly the most important tool with these cars.

there is a Essential Spares thread in the Stickys at the top of the D3/D4 home page , have a read thru that and then apply it to your trip.

Cheers Ean

[rocket rod]

New tyres with enough spares.
Load what you can in the van. All your clothes and food will be in there so drawers may not be necessary. Tie down the fridge in the back if you do take it on day trips. Make sure you have a reliable connector for the fridge in the back. See recent posts about this.
Don't put anything on the roof if you can help it, including awning (I assume your van will have some sort of one). Find a tree.
If you're going off road by yourselves, then sat phone or similar.
Have fun and take you time in each place.

[Ean Austral]

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Bugger - I left my code reader in the car.[bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf]

Cheers Ean

[PerthDisco]

Triple check of cooling system.
Being a newish engine the water pump and plastic junction fitting on top of engine are probably OK.

[rar110]

Do it.

Look at EAS struts too. Some good advice above.

We took our 2007 RRV on a 4000km trip from Qld to Victoria last Dec. It now has 271000km. An absolute pleasure to drive. No dramas. But good preparation. I replaced my front EAS struts at 10 yrs before they failed, and glad I did.

[orville]

I have just done the lap with my son and his family. We took plenty of spares but didn't use any of them. I have a D4 towing
a 17' Outback Discovery Pop Top, my son a 2006 2.7L D3 towing a 20' Jayco Expanda
Problems we had with two Disco's and two Jayco vans:
A tyre punctured through the sidewall -
Fridge not working due to poor electrics, dropped out through voltage drop below 11v - ran a pair of wires from the front under the Disco, we didn't have dual batteries.
Tyre wear especially LH Front on both vehicle and Caravan, swap them around.
Broken windscreen - ordered one ahead and had it fitted in Darwin- Sat phone came in handy
Hole in the Compressor cover by a stick on Fraser Island - bought a cover plate in Brisbane after that.
Gearbox shudder in the D3 - changed the oil in a caravan park.
Stripped the thread on a wheel nut putting the wheel on. Couldn't buy another - used a file to fix it.
Punctured my Zodiac when a catfish struggled and put a barb through the tube.
Cupboard door fell off on Gravel road, new screws fixed it.
Drawers in Van came off the slide, longer screws.
Hit by lightning and had to replace SETEC unit.
My son only had a small solar panel, we added an Anderson plug and wired it in parallel to the solar regulator with an external solar blanket. (get one bloody good and light)
We took a 1kva and a 2 KVA generator, used them twice. You only need 1kva but take a 15Amp or better battery charger.
Shower screen falls off on gravel roads, take it off if the road is rough.
Get a Visitor's pass in Brisbane and Sydney so you don't have to fret about tolls.
When you stop for comfort stop fill your tank, no need to have long range tanks just a spare jerry and some way of filling the car (with a filter).
Have fun, we did.

[orville]

I forgot to mention we took far too many clothes, you tend to wash every few days and use the same ones. Take a rain jacket and jumper as the weather is unpredictable.
We used Caravan park or town laundries, and added Canesten Laundry rinse for Hygiene.
The grandkids had intentions of home schooling but that quickly fell away, you might have better luck.
It is always windy! be prepared for wind and rain as well as sun.
We cooked outside most of the time, if you don't have a slide bbq consider a propane burner, easy and light.
Water can be a problem, think about how you manage that.

[Genevieve]

It sounds like you’ve got it pretty well sorted anyway as far as general “touring” goes.
If your going to be on dirt roads, you may want to consider an air compressor,, ie; if it’s wet, you may want a little more traction by lowering tyre pressures, or it might be really rough or rocky, also good to lower, and of course, sand.
Have a gander at some of the build threads regarding D3/4’s and see what they do with their machines,, this will give you a good idea of how people have set up their rigs etc.

You’d best be getting some experience in too [biggrin] Just sayin’ [bigwhistle] [biggrin] Should organise a couple of trips with others on here. It’s an extremely capable car out of the box, but there’s nothing like doing a couple of trips with others to instil full confidence [biggrin]
As for the motor,,, if it’s all been done properly through the right channels etc, I wouldn’t stress about it at all.

Hope this helps.

Tanks so much for your reply.

I do have a compressor and my dad is signing us up to the Landrover club in Sydney so we can do some driver training courses, so hopefully this will instill some confidence in ourselves and the car. Also my dad has done numerous trips across the Simpson desert in his defender so hopefully he can tag along for a little bit:)
Work was completed by a 4wd place in Kotara so it was done thought the correct channels

[Genevieve]

Before getting drawers and other heavy stuff check the D3 weight on a weighbridge and add the caravan draw bar weight. With three kids and their stuff you may be over weight without even adding a roof rack and drawers. You need to travel as light as possible and you don't need a lot of stuff at all. Make sure everything you take is actually essential or don't take it!

we were looking at an Aluminum draw set from MSA and we will definitley check weight thanks heaps.
Do you think roof racks are essential?

[Genevieve]

Confidence can be elusive but with good preparation there's no reason not to go for it.
You seem well setup already but one thing I'd recommend is reading other threads on here where people have prep'd for similar trips.
I've linked to a few that I found useful below.

I would get the lightest van you feel comfortable living in and with.
My view is the less weight you tow the less stress on the vehicle and less fuel consumed.
Less stress on the vehicle should reduce the likelihood of failures.

The suspension would be worth making sure is in good condition given the vehicle age.

Cheers,
Scott

Thread Links:
Setting up a D4 for a 2.5t Caravan (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/214053-setting-up-d4-2-5t-caravan.html)
Help me build up my D4 for touring! (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/221275-help-me-build-up-my-d4-touring.html)
Advice wanted - D3 mods for trip around Aus (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/189654-advice-wanted-d3-mods-trip-around-aus.html)
Who's taken their d4 to the cape? What mods are must have/ should have? (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/204138-whos-taken-their-d4-cape-what-mods-must-have-should-have-2.html)

I am pretty sure suspension was replaced not to long ago but ill have to check. Yes we want to be as light as possible

[Genevieve]

Yeah, as others have said, keep it light and prepare with thorough maintenance before you go.
For example, fit new hoses and belts and carry some of the old ones as spares.
Suspension, brakes, tyres and the cooling system are essentials.
Replace all fluids before you leave.
Get bearings done.
Bushes should be inspected and replaced if worn.
You don't need a monster truck, just a well-prepared vehicle.
D3s are excellent vehicles, if maintained.
No matter what vehicle we own, if a major part fails no dealer is likely to have it in stock, so it will have to be flown in. That includes Toyota's, so don't swallow the Toyota propaganda. LRs can be very reliable.
Finally, don't rush. Stop and poke around. Enjoy.

I am pretty sure they have been changed when motor was redone. but they will definitely be checked before we leave.

[Genevieve]

Most importantly get yourself a code reader of some kind. There are a few options but you will be able to clear faults if / when they arise and even if you don't know how to fix them it will give others on this forum a good idea what the fault is to help out.

You will find it 1 of the most important tools you can carry , proberly the most important tool with these cars.

there is a Essential Spares thread in the Stickys at the top of the D3/D4 home page , have a read thru that and then apply it to your trip.

Cheers Ean

ok great , where do i get one haha

thanks so much

[Genevieve]

Thanks so much for all your replies, it has helped me immensely and now i have somewhere to start.

[Genevieve]

Triple check of cooling system.
Being a newish engine the water pump and plastic junction fitting on top of engine are probably OK.


Cooling system has been replaced:)

[Genevieve]

Do it.

Look at EAS struts too. Some good advice above.

We took our 2007 RRV on a 4000km trip from Qld to Victoria last Dec. It now has 271000km. An absolute pleasure to drive. No dramas. But good preparation. I replaced my front EAS struts at 10 yrs before they failed, and glad I did.


Struts have been replaced and bushes

[orville]

Thanks so much for all your replies, it has helped me immensely and now i have somewhere to start.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/67.jpg. These black clips between the doors break on gravel roads. We replaced them all, some a 2nd time. The middle one is different, take spares.

Struts have been replaced and bushes

[orville]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/67.jpg. These black clips between the doors break on gravel roads. We replaced them all, some a 2nd time. The middle one is different, take spares.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/68.jpg This catch in this handle broke and we couldn't open the cupboard. Used a hacksaw blade then bought a new handle. It actually pushes the pin sideways but I couldn't work it out at the time.

[orville]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/73.jpg. The Disco has this wire on the brake disk to monitor wear. I had one break off on a rough road so the warning brake wear light came on. I took the wheel off and soldered the wires together to trick it. The dealer didn't even pick that when serviced. The ends are still soldered 20000 km later.

[DiscoMick]

we were looking at an Aluminum draw set from MSA and we will definitley check weight thanks heaps.
Do you think roof racks are essential?
Off Road Systems (ORS) also do aluminum drawers.

[BobD]

If you are towing a caravan the car should be pretty well empty apart from the fridge. Why would you want drawers and a roof rack? As I said, you should cull everything that is not essential. Even then you will take far too much stuff!!

[Ean Austral]

ok great , where do i get one haha

thanks so much

This forum quite often runs group buys , the main options are
iid Gap tool - the B.T version seems to be a better choice from what I have read
Nanocom - This also seems to be common - I had 1 for my D2 and was very good
I have a Hawkeye , is nowhere near as common and doesn't do as much as the others do but is adequate for my needs.
Keep your eye on the markets section as they come up for sale when people sell their cars.

you should be able to find them on the net if you want to shop around.

If / when you get 1 , plug it in and get used to how it works, you can even check it any faults are stored in the system.

Cheers Ean

[Ean Austral]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/73.jpg. The Disco has this wire on the brake disk to monitor wear. I had one break off on a rough road so the warning brake wear light came on. I took the wheel off and soldered the wires together to trick it. The dealer didn't even pick that when serviced. The ends are still soldered 20000 km later.

You can bypass them if needed , 1 of mine broke on the Gibb River Road , from memory if you open the outer cover there are 2 thin wires , just separate them and tape them up joined together . it will take the warning message off the message centre on the dash.

Actually they are still like it , when I need to fit new pads I have new sensors that came with the pads so will get around to it then.

Cheers Ean

[orville]

Yes, that is what I did except I soldered them.

[orville]

They light goes on when the continuity is cut so joining the wiring together turns the warning off.

[Ean Austral]

They light goes on when the continuity is cut so joining the wiring together turns the warning off.

I knew it was 1 way or the other,[thumbsupbig] couldn't remember without going and having a closer look. Have edited my post to say so [biggrin][biggrin]

Cheers Ean

[orville]

You can bypass them if needed , 1 of mine broke on the Gibb River Road , from memory if you open the outer cover there are 2 thin wires , just separate them and tape them up joined together . it will take the warning message off the message centre on the dash.

Actually they are still like it , when I need to fit new pads I have new sensors that came with the pads so will get around to it then.

Cheers Ean
Take care when you unplug the old one. The wires are very thin and the plug is difficult to take off. My brother, a mechanic, looked over my shoulder and pulled the plug, broke it so I had to cable tie it!

[Arapiles]

I've got three kids and have done quite a bit of driving with them over the last 10 years, in Europe, Japan and Australia. If you have three kids and are going for a long drive and you have a caravan then I'd strongly suggest not fitting a drawer system so that you can have at least one kid in the third row. This means that everyone gets a window, has lots of leg-room and an air vent and no-one is touching elbows. Depending of course on the ages of the kids, in my experience having kids elbow to elbow for 1000s of ks leads to .... friction.

In our case since it is our youngest (now 10 years old) who usually ends up in the third row she got to test the third rows of the new cars that we were testing. (Actually, her favourite third row was in the Y62 Patrol, but I didn't like the potential fuel cost so that got nixed.)

I've had a look at putting drawers in half the area of the third row, and I've actually seen this done, but I can't see any way of doing it safely for the kid in the third row.

We've been camping a bit and have never needed any more space than what's in the D4, or our prior car, which was a CR-V. Coming from an ultralight bushwalking background I think that a lot of the gear being flogged in places like Rays or BCF is not only about 5 times bulkier and heavier than it needs to be, it's also comparatively expensive. Case in point, I couldn't find a "family" tent locally that I liked, so bought a North Face one from Campsaver for US$400. It weighs just 8kg and being based on a mountaineering dome tent is immeasurably stronger than most of the rubbish being sold in Australia. We were down at Wilsons Prom last year on a beach front site when a storm came in overnight - our tent was fine but the rest of the campground looked like a cyclone had been through.

Similarly, I'd query whether a lot of the stuff that people are kitting their cars out with is really necessary - the D3 is very capable out of the box and I'd suggest that it doesn't really need that much modification. And you have the caravan for carrying stuff in any case.

Edit: And if you have a caravan, why would you put an additional fridge in the car itself? I wouldn't've thought that was necessary.

[trout1105]

Edit: And if you have a caravan, why would you put an additional fridge in the car itself? I wouldn't've thought that was necessary.

If you are restocking the fridge every 2-3 days and you don't require cold drinks or beers then a single fridge would probably be OK But Not ideal.
If you intend to camp for more than 2-3 days at a time you will need the extra refrigeration especially if you have Kids travelling with you.
Most caravan fridges are not that big with a tiny freezer compartment so an extra fridge can be used as a freezer so that you can stock it up at the major towns and save a heap of quids on meat and other freezer goods.
A lot of the 12v-240v fridges now also come with "Dual Zones" so that you can have a freezer section and a fridge section for your cool drinks/beers and are very handy to have especially if you are travelling with kids.

[Genevieve]

If you are towing a caravan the car should be pretty well empty apart from the fridge. Why would you want drawers and a roof rack? As I said, you should cull everything that is not essential. Even then you will take far too much stuff!!


i want to carry my surf board and also the kids ones. i was thinking rails?

[Genevieve]

I've got three kids and have done quite a bit of driving with them over the last 10 years, in Europe, Japan and Australia. If you have three kids and are going for a long drive and you have a caravan then I'd strongly suggest not fitting a drawer system so that you can have at least one kid in the third row. This means that everyone gets a window, has lots of leg-room and an air vent and no-one is touching elbows. Depending of course on the ages of the kids, in my experience having kids elbow to elbow for 1000s of ks leads to .... friction.

In our case since it is our youngest (now 10 years old) who usually ends up in the third row she got to test the third rows of the new cars that we were testing. (Actually, her favourite third row was in the Y62 Patrol, but I didn't like the potential fuel cost so that got nixed.)

I've had a look at putting drawers in half the area of the third row, and I've actually seen this done, but I can't see any way of doing it safely for the kid in the third row.

We've been camping a bit and have never needed any more space than what's in the D4, or our prior car, which was a CR-V. Coming from an ultralight bushwalking background I think that a lot of the gear being flogged in places like Rays or BCF is not only about 5 times bulkier and heavier than it needs to be, it's also comparatively expensive. Case in point, I couldn't find a "family" tent locally that I liked, so bought a North Face one from Campsaver for US$400. It weighs just 8kg and being based on a mountaineering dome tent is immeasurably stronger than most of the rubbish being sold in Australia. We were down at Wilsons Prom last year on a beach front site when a storm came in overnight - our tent was fine but the rest of the campground looked like a cyclone had been through.

Similarly, I'd query whether a lot of the stuff that people are kitting their cars out with is really necessary - the D3 is very capable out of the box and I'd suggest that it doesn't really need that much modification. And you have the caravan for carrying stuff in any case.

Edit: And if you have a caravan, why would you put an additional fridge in the car itself? I wouldn't've thought that was necessary.

we want to carry the fridge so we have extra room to stock up and are able o go out on day trips without van and still keep everything cold. also to store extra food prep. Draws i suppose i though just to keep the back organized, maybe sore tools, fishing gear etc.. i really hate chaos so was hoping to be as organized as i can lol (probably will fail ).

my kids will be 3, 7 and 8. so 2 car seats and eldest in middle. maybe having rear free could be an option but not sure if i can do it. i find the 2nd row in the D3 really spacious and i hope to keep the distances we drive each day to a minimum. On some days it will probably be unaviodable but if world war 3 breaks out in the back we will just stop lol

[LuckyLes]

Gee, I'd hate to be the 8 year old, sandwiched between the 2 littlies in the back seat and not even be able to see out the side. Sounds like a great way to start a lot of arguements.
LuckyLes

[LRD414]

I agree with your thinking to have the car setup for day trips without van, including a small/medium fridge. On a long trip you will inevitably strike wet weather and hot places so while you don’t need an awning, one can be very handy at times. A roof rack storage bag may be handy for extra stuff when travelling around away from van; packed flat when not required. Stackable storage containers beside a fridge slide may be worth looking at for the rear; to both avoid chaos but also be more flexible than a full drawer system, ie to leave some things in camp or even raise a 3rd row seat (if fridge slide is restricted to being over one seat only). A few people run a fridge slide inside a mesh cage to allow better packing above and beside.

Only you’ll know if the second row seating will work for your family. Have you done any long drives with all three sat in that way? Not driving huge distances in a given day will help.

Scott

[trout1105]

Gee, I'd hate to be the 8 year old, sandwiched between the 2 littlies in the back seat and not even be able to see out the side. Sounds like a great way to start a lot of arguements.
LuckyLes

This is a Discovery we are talking about and the view from the middle seat if Much better than the view from the middle seat of the vast majority of other 4WD wagons [thumbsupbig]
Anyway the kids can take turns in the middle seat, Remember Most kids will sleep for a large part of the trip as well [biggrin]

[orville]

we want to carry the fridge so we have extra room to stock up and are able o go out on day trips without van and still keep everything cold. also to store extra food prep. Draws i suppose i though just to keep the back organized, maybe sore tools, fishing gear etc.. i really hate chaos so was hoping to be as organized as i can lol (probably will fail ).

my kids will be 3, 7 and 8. so 2 car seats and eldest in middle. maybe having rear free could be an option but not sure if i can do it. i find the 2nd row in the D3 really spacious and i hope to keep the distances we drive each day to a minimum. On some days it will probably be unaviodable but if world war 3 breaks out in the back we will just stop lol
Genevieve, Email me. I can't reply to your message.

[orville]

My son's children are 3,6 & 8. He used half of the third row as the older two fight. He put an Engel fridge in the back. The 40L lighter model that opens sideways. I have a fridge slide from a previous 4WD but didn't want to drill holes so I just used the tie downs.

[DiscoMick]

we want to carry the fridge so we have extra room to stock up and are able o go out on day trips without van and still keep everything cold. also to store extra food prep. Draws i suppose i though just to keep the back organized, maybe sore tools, fishing gear etc.. i really hate chaos so was hoping to be as organized as i can lol (probably will fail ).

my kids will be 3, 7 and 8. so 2 car seats and eldest in middle. maybe having rear free could be an option but not sure if i can do it. i find the 2nd row in the D3 really spacious and i hope to keep the distances we drive each day to a minimum. On some days it will probably be unaviodable but if world war 3 breaks out in the back we will just stop lol
If you could get the 7 year old out of a car seat and just in a normal seat, maybe with a booster cushion, it would may more space for the 3.
As for drawers, if you fit a single height drawer system it would get a lot of stuff out of sight, but still leave lots of space. If it's aluminum, like the ORS drawer in my Defender, it may not be that heavy.
We have a small 30 litre Evakool on the left which we use either as a fridge or freezer depending on our need. Ours is powered by dual batteries with an 80 watt solar panel on the roof rack.
An arrangement like that may work for you.
Here's our Defender. Despite the fridge, it's surprisingly roomy. I once got 12 bags of goat poo (the ultimate test) in there!
https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/fd29eccf36714d843a74416117edcb6c.jpg

BTW, to simplify planning with clothes I suggest you pack a week's normal clothes for each person and wash weekly and reuse them. Then pack a separate bag for things you may only need occasionally, such as jumpers and raincoats.

[Arapiles]

This is a Discovery we are talking about and the view from the middle seat if Much better than the view from the middle seat of the vast majority of other 4WD wagons [thumbsupbig]
Anyway the kids can take turns in the middle seat, Remember Most kids will sleep for a large part of the trip as well [biggrin]

If the other two kids are in child seats then there won't be much of a view to the sides because child seats are bulky things these days, often with large side wings. And it sounds like they won't be swapping positions, although I'd suggest that maybe the youngest's seat could go in the middle and the 8 year old could have a window? In our case, since booster seats are higher than the standard seat cushion, our youngest could see over her siblings' heads when her child seat was in the middle position.

Re fridges, I've never owned one. We have always got by with eskies and dry food, but if you're going to be in the middle of nowhere maybe you will need one. But mightn't the extra one fit in the caravan?

Most of the set-ups I see with drawers, fridges and awnings are where they're using just the car in remote areas and not towing a caravan - if you have the luxury of a caravan maybe the other stuff won't be necessary?

[hcooper89]

Great thread. We’re heading off this year with a D3, Jayco Outback 22.68-1, 3 kids and 2 dogs. Got some great pointers from this thread on vehicle prep. Thanks all.

[orville]

With the Jayco Outback it probably has an AES 2 door fridge which means it automatically selects the power. If the voltage from the vehicle drops too low (below 11V) it will drop out and search for power. You can hear it clicking. Take the vent off the bottom and check the voltage from the vehicle (I just connected it to a spare Battery). We had 14.3 V going in but it was dropping to 10.6. The vehicle wiring and various connections including the Jayco 12 pin were contributing to the drop. Check the voltage or you will find the fridge doesn't work on 12V.

[pullthrough]

I have a D2 and have done a couple of round Aussie trips towing a Jayco 21.5. All up I was pretty well maxed out on my GVM.

When I purchased my D2 the mockers told me I should have purchased a Toyota ect. Never mind I would have had to spend an additional $30,000 to get the equivalent! Even if the Toyota was better (which I doubt) it still left a lot of change in my pocket to spend on potential repairs.

My experience is look after your vehicle as best you can and then enjoy! You can't stop things from breaking down. All vehicles are prone having issues.

In my case nothing of significance. I just made sure I serviced the vehicle and attended to any potential issue.

One suggestion from me would be to get a heavy duty cooler for the Transmission and additional temperature gauges for the radiator and transmission.

Have fun on your trip.

[rsp]

Hi Genevieve, sounds like a great trip! We have the same vehicle, i.e. a 2005 HSE, but luckily have not had to replace the engine and transmission. We did a similar preparation in 2015, although it was a short trip up the Oodnadatta and Strzelecki tracks.

We bought the bluetooth version of the IIDTool for the trip so that we could read and clear error codes and override suspension faults and off-road speed restrictions. you can override suspension faults as long as the compressor is working. I would get the compressor checked out as we are on our third one (we have done 170k kms). The IIDTool also enables you to update certain ECUs, handy if you have to have one replaced by someone other than an official dealer, but also handy to do things like update the compressor program to reduce the wear and tear an increase it's life. This can be compressor dependent.

We camped so did not have anything to tow and there were only two us only. Even so, to avoid GVM issues we removed the third row of seats and took out two of the next row as well. We fitted a cargo barrier, a set of drawers (not light!), a fridge slide and a fridge. We also carried stuff in the back, eg gas cylinders, portable compressor et al.

Also on the car were:- bullbar, dual battery system, spare wheel carrier, schnorkel, UHF radio, tyre pressure monitor, roof rack. We carried a tyre carcass as well a our spare wheel. We also had a number of 5ltr plastic diesel containers.

Luckily we had no problems other than almost getting bogged outside Dalhousie Springs campsite.

Happy to give you our original UHF radio as we bought a more sophisticated one for the trip. A radio is handy on the road to communicate with other travellers and emergencies.

in looking recently at camper trailers, I came across two that have plastic tubs, so are very much lighter than steel trailers, and they had roof top top tents as well, a kitchen and other goodies. This might be an option, although how many you could fit in the tent is another matter and if you are stuck somewhere where it is raining, it is unlikely ti be as good as a caravan. Happy to talk on the phone if you had any questions.

[hiker]

we want to carry the fridge so we have extra room to stock up and are able o go out on day trips without van and still keep everything cold. also to store extra food prep. l

We used to have a big Waeco frig/freezer - full of 'day stuff'. Took up a lot of space in the D4 - replaced it with a YETI Hopper from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SU9AHEC/ref=abs_brd_tag_dp

This collapsible bag is enough to keep everything at frig temp all day - works a treat, and save a heap of space / power / angst.

[Choppers]

Genevieve, we have a 2010 D4 and spent 15 months doing the lap towing a 3.5t off-road van. Some of the key things for the car that we fitted were a long range fuel tank, rear wheel carrier and uhf. One of the critical things is tyres, particularly if towing and being off-road. We have 18 inch wheels and fitted Bridgestone Duelers a/t LT spec tyres. No punctures on the whole trip which included the flinders, Gibb River road, mereenie loop, Kakadu, etc. Mandatory piece of kit is a tool that can talk to ECU in the event of errors. Useful if something goes wrong, at least you can talk to the car and then mechanic can repair. The other thing we took (and fortunately didn't need) was an air suspension repair kit (basically hoses and valves bought from GOE) that can be manually pumped up in the event of air suspension compressor failure. We also fitted mud flaps (a bit late on the trip) to minimise stone damage. We fitted d1 mud flaps on the front and defender 90 mud flaps on the rear (with some minor Stanley knife modifications). These make a huge diffference.

[Genevieve]

Wow thanks so much everyone who is replying to my thread. Beyond amazing all the help i am getting.
Seems to me i am going to have to get one of these ECU units. where is the best place to get one? Is anyone selling one haha.

Thanks again

[andrew53]

hello
i own a D3 HSE 2005. I have had a new engine and transmission put in 1 year ago, with over 20,000$ spent on it.
The reason for this was i blew up on a camping trip, moving forward to now we have decided to take it round Australia. My question is how confident should i be in it. My husband and i have got PTSD surrounding the car and would hate for something else to happen to it and ruin our trip. What are peoples thoughts on the capability of it taking us and our 3 children comfortably around Australia for a year. I guess i am hoping everyone can distill some much needed confidence. We will be aiming to tow an expanda type caravan.

My second question is how do we set the car up so we can be ready for the lap. we have hoped to get this but are their any other essentials that we must have. we don't intend n going crazy 4wding as we are not to confident in our abilities.

it has- electric breaks
-dual batteries
-bull bar driving spot lights.
-
we are thinking of getting-

-roof rack and awning
-snorkel
-draw system and fridge slide

any help would be greatly appreciated135818135819



Just watch as many tips you can find on You Tube it is all there and go to a couple of caravan clubs to question others about balancing the weight in your van so you distribute the weight correctly. Your car will be very capable for your trip

[PerthDisco]

Wheel alignment check (which will be done if LCAs are changed)

[LRD414]

Seems to me i am going to have to get one of these ECU units. where is the best place to get one?
Generally the best pricing is via UK based LR parts sellers. Try Duckworthparts.co.uk and Island-4x4.co.uk
The most popular unit is the iiD Tool with Bluetooth by Gap.

Scott

[Borninalandy]

My two bobs worth on travelling with 3 kids for a long time. I'd make sure there was a spare seat in the back for most of the long hauls. I'd save the other side for a fridge on a slide.

[tony_d3]

Mate given what you've been through, I would cut your losses and get something more reliable. We went through the same thing with a 2008 D3 bought second hand with 160k on the clock. We thought for a modern 4x4 this was relatively low kms and had full service record. Unfortunately we had 12 months of dramas and suffered PTS with the car and ended up cutting our losses and getting a Toyota Prado and have not looked back. I admit we loved the landcover ride, but could not recover from the random beeps and alarms. Over a 12 month period we had the battery replaced, both computers (the transmission module and the main computer), high pressure fuel pump and the EGR blew (actually burnt through the plastic manifold - like little cigarette burn holes in it). Unfortunately, we had no confidence in the car after all of this and would stress about whether we would make it the 50km to work or not. As recognised in the many posts, landrover scheduled servicing is under servicing. Good luck on your trip.

[orville]

That hasn't been our experience. Perhaps yours had been in a lake.

[Genevieve]

Mate given what you've been through, I would cut your losses and get something more reliable. We went through the same thing with a 2008 D3 bought second hand with 160k on the clock. We thought for a modern 4x4 this was relatively low kms and had full service record. Unfortunately we had 12 months of dramas and suffered PTS with the car and ended up cutting our losses and getting a Toyota Prado and have not looked back. I admit we loved the landcover ride, but could not recover from the random beeps and alarms. Over a 12 month period we had the battery replaced, both computers (the transmission module and the main computer), high pressure fuel pump and the EGR blew (actually burnt through the plastic manifold - like little cigarette burn holes in it). Unfortunately, we had no confidence in the car after all of this and would stress about whether we would make it the 50km to work or not. As recognized in the many posts, landrover scheduled servicing is under servicing. Good luck on your trip.

Wow i thought we had it bad lol. Our computer issues have been very minimal

We are have decided that we are going to take the land rover but have a backup plan if something was to happen.
The amount of work done on it there is no way we could recoup the money, you name it, its been replaced. his was done a year ago and since then we have had minimal problems. The only major thing is the TX valve for the air conditioner is leaking. which is annoying because to replace it we have to get the body removed. So i am getting this done at the end of the month up in Newcastle and while its off they are doing a check in detail that everything is in tip top shape. its a 'before you go check'. while there they are putting roof bars on, snorkel and winch.

We have gone with the option of taking it because if something was to go wrong on the road (and i am sure something will happen) it shouldn't be anything to major (no more then any other car breaking). so hopefully the cost wouldn't be to much. The second reason is that if we were to get another car, we cant afford to get new so we wouldn't know the history of that car anyway. so it could also break. Thirdly we are going to have backup funds, so if the car ****s itself we will have money put aside to use to get another car. but if we make the trip with little hiccups then we have saved that money.

Also this page has actually given me more confidence in the car and also having access to so much knowledge and people willing to help is awesome. We plan to get the car serviced throughout the trip.

[PerthDisco]

That hasn't been our experience. Perhaps yours had been in a lake.

My thoughts exactly. Reversed too far down the boat launch ramp or someone was too aggressive with high pressure washers.

[Greggy]

Cargo barrier to keep luggage from intersecting with small heads in case of an accident. I agree with previous statement that a vehicle breakdown won't wreck a 12 month holiday, and I am sure you will be seeing cities on occasion where you can be separated from your hard earned cash if you discover you desperately need to accessorise. Its a great car out of the box and you will have 12 months to learn from experience what you really do need. Very jealous! :)

[DiscoMick]

Cargo barrier to keep luggage from intersecting with small heads in case of an accident. I agree with previous statement that a vehicle breakdown won't wreck a 12 month holiday, and I am sure you will be seeing cities on occasion where you can be separated from your hard earned cash if you discover you desperately need to accessorise. Its a great car out of the box and you will have 12 months to learn from experience what you really do need. Very jealous! :)A cargo barrier is an excellent idea.

[Arapiles]

A cargo barrier is an excellent idea.

Generally I'd agree - but how do you do that and also use one of the third row seats? I've never been comfortable with having a kid sitting next to a screen (i.e., if there's a cage taking up one half of the third row and a kid using the seat in the other half).

[scarry]

Generally I'd agree - but how do you do that and also use one of the third row seats? I've never been comfortable with having a kid sitting next to a screen (i.e., if there's a cage taking up one half of the third row and a kid using the seat in the other half).

They do supply a glass breaking tool with the barrier,but not an ideal situation.

We never use the third row,so have a cargo barrier in all the time.

FWIW,if the third row is never used,a cargo barrier is an essential accessory,for safety,and ease of packing the vehicle,particularly for touring.

All our LR's have had them.

[danstee@gmail.com]

I'd suggest more than 1 spare tyre if you're going offroad, or at least tyre levers and spare tube if another wheel is difficult. Was handy crossing the Gunbarrel many years ago... Best of luck (jealous)

[Arapiles]

They do supply a glass breaking tool with the barrier,but not an ideal situation.

We never use the third row,so have a cargo barrier in all the time.

FWIW,if the third row is never used,a cargo barrier is an essential accessory,for safety,and ease of packing the vehicle,particularly for touring.

All our LR's have had them.

Legally you can't have someone sitting behind a cargo barrier - which makes obvious sense. What I have seen done though is a cage on half of the rear area (think like a dog cage) and a kid sitting on the other side - but if the car rolls sideways the kid's going to hit the side of the cage/cargo barrier, which is why I never did it. It's also why I'm leery of having a fridge in the back with a kid unless the fridge is really, really well restrained.

[letherm]

What I have seen done though is a cage on half of the rear area (think like a dog cage)

I had a Milford CB fitted and decided that access to the 2nd row of seats from the back and easy removability would be good. I bought a TRAVALL half height CB which is removable in minutes. They are more a dog barrier than a CB and the size of the mesh openings is a fair bit larger. If I went on a trip I definitely would refit the Milford CB as it would be safer. Travall make the rear "cage" as you've described and it is indeed called a dog barrier. It's more a divider that sits at 90 degrees to the CB. The Travall is perfect for light use but is not as strong IMO as the other "genuine" barriers.

Martin

[kreecha]

Before getting drawers and other heavy stuff check the D3 weight on a weighbridge and add the caravan draw bar weight. With three kids and their stuff you may be over weight without even adding a roof rack and drawers. You need to travel as light as possible and you don't need a lot of stuff at all. Make sure everything you take is actually essential or don't take it!

Genevieve, I agree with Bob, check out this info for my '06 HSE. #18 (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/172992-gvm-weight-calculation-post2753037.html#post2753037)

[kreecha]

I am pretty sure they have been changed when motor was redone. but they will definitely be checked before we leave.

Genevieve, these items are being replaced with my D3 engine.
WATER OUTLET, DISCO TDV6
RADIATOR, D3, SPORT TDV6,
PULLEY, IDLER, R/R & D3, TDV6
TIMING BELT KIT,
TIMING BELT KIT, FRONT, TDV6, DAYCO
AIR, OIL, FUEL FILTER
REBUILT 58-3 TORQUE CONVERTER,
ALTERNATOR, DISCO 3, TDV6, DENSO
STARTER MOTOR, DISCO 3, TDV6, SPORT
HOSE, MATRIX, DISCO 3