Preparing a D3 for touring?

The legalities around the GVW is something that most people forget. As mentioned, it doesn't matter what you do to the springs, unless you get it properly engineered & the VIN plate changed you still can't carry more than what the GVW states.

Remember also that you have maximum loadings for both front & rear axles. The kerb weight usually includes the driver & a full tank of fuel.

I know it's nice to take everything, including the kitchen sink but it's always best to go as light as possible. It also reduces the likelyhood of breaking down.

M

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Originally Posted by weeds

my mate has a 100 series and its well and truely overloaded before he even hops in, its set up for touring and has about the same load capicity as a TDV6, he has the following fitted, bullbar, side bar and steps, hydraulic winch, steel roof rack, two awning, solar panel, dual wheel carrier, black widow draw system, 60L custom built fridge, 50L water tank, long range fuel 280L total

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Exactly... Now tell me, just how much of that do you actually NEED to do a trip???

Just looking at that list, you could probably save >300Kg straight away.

M

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Originally Posted by camel_landy

Exactly... Now tell me, just how much of that do you actually NEED to do a trip???

Just looking at that list, you could probably save >300Kg straight away.

M

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Good point....but each to there own

I'm sure we all travel with a few things we don't really need..sometimes its hard to choose between all your favourites

In answer to your original question, Jeff, here's what I have:

ARB bar
9.5xp winch with Dynamica rope
Spot lights (spread not neededue to the excellent spread of the xenons)
Aux battery
Kaymar rear bar and twin carriers
110 litre aux fuel tank
OL rackmaster (frontrunner) roofrack
UHF
Satphone
Raised air intake
cargo barrier.

I have two sets of wheels. The OE rims have Cooper 265/60R18 HP+. The second set are six performance wheels BB6 with 245/70R17 STT's on them.

All up there's a bit of extra weight there, but I don't tow anything. It's nothing the D3 hasn't been able to handle in it's 96000km.

And Joan and I only add a combined 135kg; with our new baby only adding a further 8kg.

I know BigJon reported some rear damper failures, but I don't know how much extra loading those cars had or how they were driven when loaded; which can have significant impact upon the likelihood of mechanical failure.(I bet the story the driver's gave LR was edited slightly over the actual facts!)

I've done what I've done because of the places I go with work and the sort of camping/touring I like to do and intend to do. Mind you, I 'first parade' the vehicle regularly to check for problems and now even check wheel nut torque once a week.

Horses for courses.

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Originally Posted by Jamo

In answer to your original question, Jeff, here's what I have:

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Many thanks - that list was roughly in line with my thinking.

Having done some quick sums based on Internet prices though, I think that little lot, plus the money I've already spent on the 110, puts my idea out of reach. The kids will have to get used to the relative comfort of the Defender for long trips! :D

depends on where you are going touring

buy yourself a trailer with a lockable lid put everything you need inside in plastic boxes probably colour coded red for recovery gear, blu for cmaping white for food and cooking stuff and save worrying about having to load things in your vehicle.

in terms of recovery gear keep it simple and easy to use you probably wont use it anyway, tirfor hand winch, snapum straps, tree protector, towing rope or chain,

in terms of vehicle solid recovery points front and rear

in terms of car a tyre removal system and puncture repair kit and a air compressor inflator of say 70 litre per min a tyre guage and set of stauns for rapid deinflation of tyres.

water containers at least 40 litres in seperate containers

cooking devices 1 wood based bbq for the camping sensation 1 fuelled preferrable coleman dual fuel 3 burner for the quick brew up or whenever you cant have open fires, some dutch ovens and cast iron fry pans from camping store cheap chinese is good enough

some comfortable chairs

some comfortable fold up beds and or swag

an easy to erect tent

People make the mistake of overloading their vehicles with expensive aftermarket gear, this is just an invite to the thieves amongst us to steal from you, its rarely used as most people aren't into off road racing anyway and most palces we go there is already a gravel or graded road or track to travel on.

Get a hand held cb for car to car communication and couple of low watt cb for when people decide to go for those couple of hours walk in the bush. A EPRIM beacon for when your really in the **** is a cheap alternative to a satellite phone or High frequencey radio system.

People go off on GPS systems and laptops but really old fashioned paper maps are just as good and when travelling across places as remote simpson you will bump into fellow travellers

Buy some decent tryes for your trip rather than the around town rubber your Discovery is sold to you off the dealers show room floor.

you can go over board and spends 10 of thousands of dollars after 26 years experience save your money you generally never need it and if you do someone always comes along who can get you out using a strap and their vehicle anyway.

other than that its common sense, caution, and experience

I agree with Cartmn, in general a trailer is the best place to put your extra stuff.

I have diff locks front and rear flash suspension, bullbar winch, and just about everything you can think of in between. none of which gets used unless I get the urge to go and play, at that time all of my near 30K that I have spent on top of the purchase price, on building the disco up is worth it otherwise, AT's a good suspension mod long range tank and a trailer is the way to go ( and a bull bar just for insurance)

Blythe

Yep... I have to agree with most of what Cartm says. The only thing I don't go for is the trailer as they can be more trouble than they're worth when off-road... With some thought & careful planning, you should be able to get everything you need into the vehicle itself. Oh yeah... I use decent, copper bottomed, stainless pots & pans as the cheep ones can be a sod to clean. :)

I had the family of 4 living out of the 110. We had everything we needed including: spares, 160L of fuel, 90L of water 2wks worth of food, camping kit, personal kit (including toys for the kids)... and it all came in under the GVW.

M