Expedition advice

[El Duderino]

While chatting with one of my best mates about catching up in Europe over chrissy the other day, he's told me he's bored n unsatisifed, the travel bug isn't done with him yet, and has a serious need to do a 'trip of a lifetime'...quite the same as me tbh With further enquiry, I learned exactly what he was talking about and was quite shocked/surprised!

It turns out that Joel wants to do a fairly sizeable expedition abroad with a 4x4 as a 'trip of a lifetime', which also happens to be something I want to do secretly. After a few checks to see if he was kidding or being serious, it turns out that he is in fact being very serious and I'm his #1 and only choice to go with him for a number of valid reasons. If I was ever to go for such a trip, he'd be one of my top picks also btw.

We've talked on the phone and emailed about what's involved, that it's going to take a year or 2 max to get everything sorted, get trained up in a few essential skills et-al, build a rig up properly, etc, and he's committed to it 110% if I am.

I realise that this is a random thing for most people to thrust themselves into, and knowing that a good portion of responsibility is going to lay with me because of my skills and experience, but am I crazy for wanting to say yes? I'm 28 n he's 29, neither of us have kids or serious responsibilities, and want to get out and 'live' for a bit and have an experience to share.

We have no idea at this stage of where we'd like to go (well his initial idea was too dangerous), but the spirit for adventure is ripe. What kind of overseas adventures can anybody recommend???

The main rule for the expedition are that it's to be a Discovery 1 (because that's what I want and is the only decent rig in my budget), so any advice for exactly what to look for in a rig and previous experiences is much appreciated. Absolutely ANY advice is welcomed. :)

[camel_landy]

Everyone will have their own opinion on even the smallest of things... Listen to them all and decide on what fits your needs.

The hardest part of an expedition is getting the date in the diary! You always will find an excuse not to go... job, promotion, money, mortgage, etc... Set a date and then it all happens.

My main advise would be to pack light & keep it simple. When you have a practice run at loading the car, unload it, take half of it & throw the rest away.

The other thing I'd stress is to find yourself a copy of the Vehicle Dependent Expedition Guide by Tom Shepherd (http://www.desertwinds.co.uk/). It will got through EVERYTHING you need to know.

Finally, don't let a family, etc... get in the way, just take them with you... That's what I do. ;)

M

[Blknight.aus]

do plenty of rehersal when you work out what you want to take and how you're going to take it.

make sure you have a damn good first aid kit.

be warey that in some places any vehicle fitted with a 2 way radio may be considered to be a military vehicle.

make sure you clothing is layerable for colder weather

watch your spares and consumables, making under body boxes that take up the otherwise useless spaces under and around the vehicle that go unused is the way to go with this (Ie the space in the body work of a diso that above the bodymounted tail lights is a good place to put spare fan belts)

make sure your storage plan gets as much stuff as possable out of sight.

when you hit an area ask about and find out what time busses and other large local transport head the same was as you are and either follow them or stay on their routes so you know roughly how long away help is.

research people whoe done it before on the net and ask them a lot of questions.

[Chops]

You might like to check out the series of both "The long way round" and "The long way down" with Ewen McGregor and Charlie Boorman.

Two top shows, (about 10 1/2 hr episodes each) which they did on motorbikes, but had support 4x4's as well. These shows may give you an insight as to the What/Why's and Wherefores of travelling through different countries etc.

These guys are both loaded to start with ($$ wise), but they claim to have worked on budgets and sponsorship etc, but they seem to have plenty of "back-up" in the form of a team at home (England) to make/get things happening right from the word "Go".

Even with their budget, it took them months of preperation before they could actually head off into their journey.
The 4x4's that they had I think were Mitzu's and did not look very well packed,, but they had loads and loads of camera equipment to pack as well as their own gear, food spares etc.

As C.L. said,, dont let anyone stand in your way of your dream,,, because thats all most of us ever get to do,, dream about it,,, without ever having the chance to make it a realization. I've got my date set,,, :D and it aint changing this time, for anyone or anything,,,

Procrastination and self doubt are the biggest hurdles in life, followed closely by the jealousy of those who would hold you back/down for their own selfish reasons.

Cheers,, see you on Sunday dude,,

[spudboy]

Go for it. At your age, it's a great thing to do, because if you don't do it now and get caught up in the morgtage, kids, work thing, it'll be another 20 years before you're able to do it so easily.

If you have a spare hour or two, read this website: In and Out of Africa - Contents (http://www.url.co.nz/african_trip/)
It is old, but most inspiring. It's what got me thinking that it is possible to do this.

Our kids are just finishing school/uni and I REALLY want to ship my 130 to the UK and drive it down to South Africa.

Will be watching your progress with interest.

Cheers
David

Edit: Here's a site with a Disco going from UK to Sth Africa: http://www.touchstream.co.uk/edventurous/africa/hujambo/index.htm

[Cap]

Have a look at expeditionportal.com web site as theres plenty of info, dedicated to this topic exactly.

[Wortho]

Go for it, i would love to do that. Try PM ing Andyb43 on this site as he and his lovley wife are actually doing just that right now and have been for a while now, his site is http://www.landroveradventure.co.uk/ shows there full build up of there vehicle, country's they have been through and what to do in each one. He is a top bloke and very knowledgeable and i'm sure he would love to share his knowledge with you.

[rijidij]

Download this pdf file. It's a few years old, but there's probably still a lot of relevent info in there >>>>>>>>DESERT EXPEDITIONS (http://www.expeditionswest.com/Desert1.pdf)

Test your storage ideas first. For example, you might think you've got the ultimate idea for water storage, but sometimes the (best ???) idea just doesn't work in reality.

And what better place for a 'test run expedition' than Outback Australia.

Murray

[Andyb43]

I love you too Wortho:banana:

Andy B

www.landroveradventure.co.uk

[LandieMan]

Simple... just do it.

My wife and I and another couple did a similar thing,in the late 90's. It started as a joke, then the map of the world got put on the wall and it very quickly turned into reality. We created a life time of memories for ourselves during the 18 months of our journey and we don't regret a moment of it. If you can do it, then just do it.

I fully support all the advise given above. Another piece of advise would be not to over prepare or pre-plan your route. Equip yourself to be flexible (vehicle, equipment, resources and mentally) as things change quickly both for the better and for the worse, and half the fun of expedition travel is adapting change and challenge.

Also, realise after doing a long trip in any Landy, it is likely your vehicle will become a "member of the family" so be prepared to own it forever :)

Happy travels and if you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.

Cheers, Landieman

[Bush65]

Some friends of mine are doing this - see track on pic.

http://www.exploroz.com/Uploads/Members/72210.625/Blog/7__TN800.jpg

This link (http://www.exploroz.com/Members/72210.625/MyBlog.aspx) to their blog on ExplorOz.

[El Duderino]

Wow, thanks for the fantastic replies everyone! You've made me feel far less of a fruit-loop wanting to do this trip now! :p

I've been checking out the links you have given me, and have been reading the diary of Andy and Karen's adventure...wow have they had an expedition! Their journey has made me a lot more comfortable about a few places and given plenty of pointers for things to do and be wary of. Andy, I'll be in touch with some questions and advice a bit down the track if that's ok. :)

Well I got an email from my mate Joel this morning to say that his visa for France runs out in early march, so he'll be returning to Australia then. I'm moving to Darwin in early february for work, and am staying with a mate there for about a month, then getting my own place there. The timing couldn't be better if we'd tried...Joel was asking about work n what to do when he returns. Through some contacts up there I've got a few possibilities lined up for him already so he's going to be moving to Darwin also. We're going to get a place together to save costs, and will make planning, saving, prep and training a lot easier. We'll also be able to do some smaller trips away up the top end to test out stuff and get some practice in for the main event.

Like a lot of you have mentioned, just commit to it and don't let anything get in the way of making the dream happen. In the space of a week things have gone from a bit of a laugh at "geez that would be awesome" and me thinking he's crazy, to "screw it let's do it" and we're both crazy. Hehehe!

[Disco44]

do plenty of rehersal when you work out what you want to take and how you're going to take it.

make sure you have a damn good first aid kit.

be warey that in some places any vehicle fitted with a 2 way radio may be considered to be a military vehicle.

make sure you clothing is layerable for colder weather

watch your spares and consumables, making under body boxes that take up the otherwise useless spaces under and around the vehicle that go unused is the way to go with this (Ie the space in the body work of a diso that above the bodymounted tail lights is a good place to put spare fan belts)

make sure your storage plan gets as much stuff as possable out of sight.

when you hit an area ask about and find out what time busses and other large local transport head the same was as you are and either follow them or stay on their routes so you know roughly how long away help is.

research people whoe done it before on the net and ask them a lot of questions.
To add to that Dave.Watch where you take photos. Find out where and when you can take them(ask the locals).I know of travellers being arrested and held just because they took photo's ( in one instance ) of a 14 year old boy.
disco44

[samuelclarke]

This should be an interesting thread! It's one of my dreams too...but I'm a fair few years off it yet. Good luck in your planning and preparation!

[dobbo]

I think a couple of months circumnavigating Australia would be a great shakedown trip and will be the best prep work either of you can do to get both the car and occupants ready.

[El Duderino]

I think a couple of months circumnavigating Australia would be a great shakedown trip and will be the best prep work either of you can do to get both the car and occupants ready.

That's our very thinking too. Such a big trip involves a lot more than a few bits fitted to a vehicle, google, and some maps. The vehicle will be our home, transport and means to survive, so correct planning, purchasing and testing is essential.

A good thing is that Joel n I have been close mates since year 9, and have always worked well together, can have a laugh in the face of adversity, and never had a tizz. He's the ideal mate to have on this kind of trip tbh.

Once I buy the vehicle, I'll be on a mission to get it equipped properly, we'll be busy doing some advanced trainingin stuff like communications & navigation, recovery work, 4x4'ing courses, basic language courses, etc. I made mention to him that the one thing I insist on is being ready for any situation, and he's of the same thinking. Nothing is left to chance in case of a problem. Having him as a housemate in Darwin and helping me build up the rig will be great, as I can teach him about mechanics and we can learn the vehicle intimately.

Doing some trial runs up the top-end and surrounding areas with the vehicle and equipment will quickly tell us what changes are necessary. After reading Andy & Karens diary, it seems that the Aussie outback has been the harshest and most problematic leg of the journey, so would want to build up the rig and have the right equipment to withstand this kind of punishment for added peace of mind. :)

[dobbo]

A D1 is a good vehicle for such a trip, a 110 would be more practical IMHO. Either way there are a lot less things to go wrong with the vehicle if there are a lot less mod cons in the vehicle to start off with. A 200tdi, 300tdi or 4BD1 has the advantage of push starting the vehicle and driving it if there was an electrical fire. I met an old bloke a few months ago through a mate, he had an RRC and rewired the entire vehicle himself, it wasn't the best job in the world in fact it looked damn dodgy but he had isolated all the essential wires down one side of the vehicle and the non essential accessory wires down the other, so he could isolated and repair the problem quickly if it broke on route.

[waynep]

Have a look at this, might give you a couple of ideas.

MelbourneToLondon.com (http://melbournetolondon.com/)

( ignore the Land Rover comments, we were only trying to help weren't we )

[El Duderino]

Have a look at this, might give you a couple of ideas.

MelbourneToLondon.com (http://melbournetolondon.com/)

( ignore the Land Rover comments, we were only trying to help weren't we )

Hehehe, yeah you were being cheeky but at least you know that I'm not a 'one-eye'd Jeep owner' yeah! LOL! It serves a few purposes well n I love it, but I'm a Landy-boy at heart coz I learned to drive in mum's one back in the day. :cool:

[Redback]

Go for it, i would love to do that. Try PM ing Andyb43 on this site as he and his lovley wife are actually doing just that right now and have been for a while now, his site is http://www.landroveradventure.co.uk/ shows there full build up of there vehicle, country's they have been through and what to do in each one. He is a top bloke and very knowledgeable and i'm sure he would love to share his knowledge with you.

I'll 2nd this adventure as well, have been reading this myself, this the way I'd like to do my "trip of a lifetime"

Baz.

[El Duderino]

I'll 2nd this adventure as well, have been reading this myself, this the way I'd like to do my "trip of a lifetime"

Baz.

Joel's initial idea was to do the famous Singapore to London route, which I'd dismissed as too dangerous fearing the worst in Pakistan and Iran, but Andy n Karen's adventures have quelled a lot of my concerns. Obviously you'd need to be on your toes in the current circumstances, but things appear a lot safer than I had expected. *whew*

I'm liking a trip similar to them, but in reverse, and less playtime in Australia, other than for testing purposes only.

Just a quick thing worth mentioning...I'm half French n half Aussie (got dual passports/nationality), and Joel's 100% Aussie. From previous experiences of others, are there any particular areas which we might be made to feel unwelcome or be potentially dangerous in particular?

[El Duderino]

A few other things I'm wishing to clarify...

What are the best D1 parts to fit and why? What roof-racks and which roof tents are to be recommended (will be using it far more than Andy & Karen have btw)? Tyre and wheel choices for a trip of cross-continental randomness?? water and fuel storage solutions? There's loads more I can add, but suggestions can lead to many wonderful n practical ideas as you well know. ;)

At this stage I'm liking a similar tent, wanting to got with either GY Mud-Terrains, BF Goodrich Mud-terrains, or the Cooper STT's as rubber of choice, but rim choices are going to dictate. My mate has some gnarly mil-spec steel rims which he's confirmed are available for D1's, and am leaning heavily towards them. Got a few ideas for fuel and water storage, but would LOVE to hear more about what others have done. ANYTHING that's worth sharing, please keep em coming! :D

[spudboy]

For tyres, do a search on Michelin XZL and XZY tyres. The choice of expeditioners all over the world. 7.50R16 is the standard Land Rover size, but you can get them in 235/85 16 if you want something a little wider. You want a size that you can replace in the middle of Africa if you ruin one. BTW I am thinking Defender here - if you go Disco then these sizes will be too big.

The BFGs are much loved by the English, but I like the Michelins.

[El Duderino]

The BFGs are much loved by the English, but I like the Michelins.

I used to be a big fan of BF's for a long time, but their recent manufacturing in China has led to an inferior product from what I've seen and heard from several mates. Michelins are always my 1st pick for tyres as that's all I've ever had on my cars, but they don't make an aggressive enough cut n compound to suit what I feel is necessary for the trip...my gut instinct is going with either the GY Mud Terrains, or the Cooper STT's, both of which have been given sterling reports. ;)

[spudboy]

You can't get much more aggressive than an ZXL!!

Fabulous in mud. Excellent in sand. But, crap on bitumen when it's raining :p

[El Duderino]

You can't get much more aggressive than an ZXL!!

Fabulous in mud. Excellent in sand. But, crap on bitumen when it's raining :p

Seems this bugger missed the recomondations from the boys...oops! Liking the agressive tread, and to hear it's awesome on sand and mud, but it's lack of efficiency on bitumen (especially when it's raining) isn't so good. D'oh!

[cartm58]

biggest piece of advice you can only carry what your vehicle can carry, if your're loading it with extra fuel tanks and water tanks you got less capacity to carry. If your moving every day you want a tent which is easy to erect and dismantle and you will need different tent pegs for different ground roc, sand and dirt.

Your clothing needs to keep dry and seperate form dirty some kayak barrel screw top containers are your friend

Food you can buy along the way but that means eating something dodgy so medical kit must container water purifers and anti crap medicine

Spare parts dont load yourself down with lots of parts stay with the essentials for breakdowns mainly filters for fuel and oil shockers tyre repair kits good jack, air compressor a must air bag for sand mud

For cameras and pass ports and money l would suggest fitting a small secure safe within the vehicle out of site, you can buy them where they are like bank safety deposit boxes and screw to the underside of your seats or flooring.

[Chops]

To add to that Dave.Watch where you take photos. Find out where and when you can take them(ask the locals).I know of travellers being arrested and held just because they took photo's ( in one instance ) of a 14 year old boy.
disco44

To add to this, theres an Australian Govt (?) travel website that has alot of this type of information on what you can and cant do in certain countries,, (You'll see it advertised on TV every now and then).

[El Duderino]

To add to this, theres an Australian Govt (?) travel website that has alot of this type of information on what you can and cant do in certain countries,, (You'll see it advertised on TV every now and then).

I've been looking at this carefully, and some of the recommendations seem to go against some others travel experiences, which has been making me wonder tbh. Safety is my #1 priority, so will be taking what they say with a grain of salt fear not. ;)

As for the idea of a safe...I hadn't initially considered that, but Andy & Karen have done that and it's worked nicely. That is definitely being installed, as are backups of thing on the laptop, usb key, external hd, online, etc. Great work mentioning that btw! :)

[El Duderino]

I'm somewhat concerned about our nationalities travelling in some areas...past history of the French in some Arabic areas isn't great, nor is recent Aussie efforts. To make matters worse, I've got a German name, n the krauts weren't kind to a lot of people. I have 2 diplomatic avenues if things go pear-shaped, but Joel has 1. Looking after my mate is a priority as you understand. Am I being paranoid or should I chill a bit?

[cartm58]

if you know anything about political history you will know that regional politics means that some of low level fighting has been going on around the world since the dawn of time and the only thing we now call it terrorism rather than banditry So if your waiting for the world to be in peace and security before you're travel through the wild and bad lands join a monastery and pray for the second coming to speed up it's arrival

[El Duderino]

[QUOTE=cartm58;1115938]if you know anything about political history you will know that regional politics means that some of low level fighting has been going on around the world since the dawn of time and the only thing we now call it terrorism rather than banditry So if your waiting for the world to be in peace and security before you're travel through the wild and bad lands join a monastery and pray for the second coming to speed up it's arrival[/QUOTE

Hehehe, wicked answer! :cool:

Was just worried about Iran in particular tbh, but Andy & Karen's experience suggests a lot of things contrary to official advice. A part of the trip that could go either way if you know what I mean. ;)

[Redback]

Joel's initial idea was to do the famous Singapore to London route, which I'd dismissed as too dangerous fearing the worst in Pakistan and Iran, but Andy n Karen's adventures have quelled a lot of my concerns. Obviously you'd need to be on your toes in the current circumstances, but things appear a lot safer than I had expected. *whew*

I'm liking a trip similar to them, but in reverse, and less playtime in Australia, other than for testing purposes only.

Just a quick thing worth mentioning...I'm half French n half Aussie (got dual passports/nationality), and Joel's 100% Aussie. From previous experiences of others, are there any particular areas which we might be made to feel unwelcome or be potentially dangerous in particular?


You might get a bit of grief in England if you mention your half French and half Aussie:D;)

Baz.

[dobbo]

You might get a bit of grief in England if you mention your half French and half Aussie:D;)

Baz.

You might get a bit of grief anywhere if you say your half French, France included

[El Duderino]

You might get a bit of grief anywhere if you say your half French, France included

You're closer to the truth than you realise! :p :wasntme:

[El Duderino]

It's been a bloody long time since I've updated this thread...apologies!

Not long ago I bought a mechanically, body and interior-wise mint '96 Discovery 300TDi manual (finally), and have been quietly accumulating parts for it and fitting them. I'm doing the big one-way trip to Darwin in a month, so have been getting busy between trips away!

I'll put up some more pics in the next week or so of progress (been waiting on a few crucial parts to arrive). Building the Disco up for such a trip is quite fun actually, and while we're still doing our homework on exactly where we're headed, my mate is getting rather excited about things also. Actually having the vehicle and getting the project underway has finally made things feel like they are happening! So far I've been busy installing stereo stuff, power outlets n re-routing/re-wiring things. The vehicle is in it's early stages atm, so stay tuned for much more progress! :D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/1271.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/1272.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/1273.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/1274.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/1275.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/1276.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/06/1539.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/1277.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/1101.jpg

[El Duderino]

Btw, ANY recommendations or suggestions for mods/improvements/parts, etc is most welcome! :)

[roverrescue]

Looks like a tidy D1. Have a real close look at all the chassis-to-body mounts particularly near firewall and under sills. That D1 looks like it had a good life but I have had to weld up the seams on a mates '98 road only disco and on my old disco the body mounts took a pounding on desert/cape trips... In many ways the reason I would choose a fender over a disco is from the chassis up? But I like you are going for it!

Other specific checkpoints I can think of,
'96 R380 300tdi combo:

-pull PTO cover and check main shaft wear on the input gear, check gear is cross drilled.
-replace all coolant hoses and turbo hoses especially the 90degree off turbo).
-replace coolant header tank.
-put a coolant level alarm into it.



Vehicle options IME:
-wheels go either disco steelies or 130 fender steelies and run 7.5R16 Miche XZL etc etc (commoness) with quality tubes... discos need the clearance under the diffs.
-front diff gaurd
-50L sill fuel tank gives you a good range, weight down low mid mounted, fair compromise. Make storage under other sill for oils / spares as suggested by Dave.
-rip out rear seats, build cargo barrier and then steel mesh inside the rear compartment windows / glass for security.


Steve

[Michael2]

you could remove the rear door trim, replace it with chequer plate aluminium with holes to fit stuff into the recess (like a snatch strap & glove etc). Then incoroprate a fold gown table on the alloy door liner.

[El Duderino]

Thanks for the replies guys, greatly appreciated so keep them coming! :)

Roverrescue:
I hadn't thought of doing a mesh security-style grille install for the rear, and will definitely be doing that! Seeing as you got me thinking security, a small safe would be a great thing to install also for valuables (passports, SD cards, money, etc).

Steel wheels will be going on at a later stage as the Disco's going to be in Aus for approx another year while I save for the big mission, n used as a daily-driver...was thinking about Rock-Crawler rims, good idea or not?

Underbody armour is one of my primary focuses, I don't want to put anything to chance n insist on making the vehicle as axe-proof as possible. I really want to protect the diffs, steering and fuel tank, so any suggestions/links for the best products would be fantastic. :)

For the under-bonnet hoses, I'm going to be replacing the lot with silicone ones for longetivity...not cheap but well worth it IMO. Header tank is a notorious weak-point, and have had my eye on a stainless unit, but the coolant level alarm is something I've drawn a blank on...only ones I've been able to find are for the TD5's, so if you can point me in the right direction that'd be awesome! :)

I was worried about being too pedantic about certain things, as I have a touch of the OCD's, so thanks for suggesting and reassuring me on these things. :D

Michael:
Cracking suggestion, and funny you should mention that idea...when I was cleaning the Disco the other day I was looking at that panel n had the same awesome idea! It's an area just begging to be used for that, esp as the roof-top tent will be folding out to the rear and acting as an awning over that area. Great minds think alike buddy! I recall seeing a really impressive setup somewhere online (well before I'd bought my Disco), and haven't been able to find it since. Any help with that or links/plans?

[Michael2]

...I recall seeing a really impressive setup somewhere online (well before I'd bought my Disco), and haven't been able to find it since. Any help with that or links/plans?

The easiest way is to remove the original "cardboard" panel, and trace it out onto chequer plate. You can put riv-nuts in to bolt it to the door, or screw it directly to the frame, or put plastic lugs in and screw into those, a bit like the Defender floor panels. The latter would allow you tighten it up a bit and prevent vibration.

Make a cardboard mock up first, and cut the access holes into it. Then stickytape it over the door to be sure that the access holes are big enough to reach into and are not in the way of the wiper motor or door latches.

Once you line up the access hatches use a hole saw to cut each corner, then a jigsaw to join the 4 holes. That will give you nice rounded edges. Put some pinchweld over the cut to make it look neat and avoid sharp edges. The round corners will allow you to use one continuous length without kinking it around corners.

Instead of using chain for the fold down table, you can just use some 6mm electrical wire. Solder an eye terminal on each end, then you can screw or pop rivet the eye terminal to the door liner and the table. The electrical wire won't rattle like chain, and is easy and cheap to fix.

Since you'll have the roof top tent offering shelter, it's likely you may use this area for food preparation. So it might be worthwhile putting in a couple of 12V power outlets on the alloy liner for plugging in a fluro and hanging off the bottom of the tent.

You can also use the rubber "clamp it" fists to attach things like a torch to the liner, so it's easily accessible.

Mesh over the back window (as already suggested) will add to security, as well as allow you to attach other stuff there with ocky straps.

Be sure to file all the cut edges wo a 45degree bevel, to prevent sharp bits of aluminium causing injury or damage down the track.

If you are putting in a fridge slide, make sure the down table won't get in it's way.

[spudboy]

Vehicle options IME:
-wheels go either disco steelies or 130 fender steelies and run 7.5R16 Miche XZL etc etc (commoness) with quality tubes... discos need the clearance under the diffs.

Steve

750R16's will rub on a D1 unless lifted a lot. I've a 2" lift on mine, and with XZL's on, the fronts rub on full lock, and the rears rub when you start articulating.

[roverrescue]

Fair point BUT with a 2" lift all you are getting is some rubbing?
7.5R16 is all I would contemplate for a world expedition... the amount of full articulation they will actually do vs tyre versatility - fair tradeoff.

[spudboy]

Yeah - pretty simply fixed if you are happy to cut some metal body work.

I went back to standard Disco rims/tyres & put the XZLs back on my 130....