Preparing a D3 TDV6 for a 12 month trip around Oz with 3 young kids

Thought I better give an update on the D3 in preperation for our shake down 2 week trip into the Flinders Ranges.

The car now sports the following.

Rhino Pioneer rack + shovel holder + custom made Maxtrax anchors
Rijidij rear wheel carrier + rear light on extendable pole
Mitch hitch
Longranger auxiliary tank
traxide u160 dual battery with rear 12v and anderson plug for trailer
custom made single draw unit (140mm high) + fridge slide
GME UHF
ARB front bar
Apline head unit + reverse camera
redarc brake controller
Runva 12000 winch
replacement for silly OEM wheel wrench
Bridgstone D697 tyres
Linear in car LED module
fan for rear passanger
Nexus 7" tablet builtup as oziexplorer and turn by turn GPS + RAM mount
12v extension sockets to charge kids DVD players, phones etc


I think we are almost ready to go!

Have you considered the auto transmission steel pan conversion and accompanying ATF oil flush? You have not mentioned doing this in earlier posts, and you will be towing and you are over 100k. As mentioned in other posts Fuchs oil for the ATF is available and is approx $15 per litre, not up on current steel pan pricing though.

Ryall

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Originally Posted by TDV6

Have you considered the auto transmission steel pan conversion and accompanying ATF oil flush? You have not mentioned doing this in earlier posts, and you will be towing and you are over 100k. As mentioned in other posts Fuchs oil for the ATF is available and is approx $15 per litre, not up on current steel pan pricing though.

Ryall

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I paid just under 1k for 2 conversion kits and 20l of oil from ZF

sorry..forgot to mention these bits as well...

2.5kg fire extinguisher
snorkel
auto trans flush + steel pan

the last item yet to be done is the cam and fuel pump belts, water pump etc, but thats due next service.

I am super jealous. The vehicle sounds well kitted out and what a trip to do!!

I'd seriously consider adding Rods (or llams) if you're planning any trips offload - rods at around $150 are the cheapest lift kit available and will stop that annoying bong sound in offload height when you reach 50kmph.

Enjoy...:-)

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Originally Posted by SimmAus

I'd seriously consider adding Rods (or llams) if you're planning any trips offload - rods at around $150 are the cheapest lift kit available and will stop that annoying bong sound in offload height when you reach 50kmph.

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Its not just the annoying bong but the frequent use of the compressor to get back up to off-road height after it lowers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IvanR

Given that the Tanami is the only track that really requires extra fuel, I would suggest that extra jerrys (4 off) carried on the camper is a far cheaper option to the long range tank.

Ivan

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Good point Ivan - what's your understanding of fuel consumption on the Tanami? Going to Broome that way next April :-)

The Tanami changes regularly and there is no way to know what it will be like without calling ahead. I did the Canning stock route 2 months ago which exits onto the Tanami near wolf creek. One of the couples in our party said they had driven the Tanami the year before and it was the worst road they had ever driven.

We exited the CSR to find the Tanami like a bowling green and sat on 90km/h no worries at all, we were overtaken by many many people doing in excess of 120km/h

The wife and I did the lap with 2 dogs and a 2 ton ATV caravan a couple of years ago. 31,000ks in 5 1/2 months. Free camping most of the way. Car now done 300K.

Sat phone a definite as well as a comprehensive 1st aid kit with 2 of you knowing how to use it.

We always traveled with an extra 40lt of diesel as twice towns we pulled into had the sole petrol station closed due to pump issues. Tom Price was one place (parts and service from Port Hedland), the extra fuel meant we could get to the next town.

We had a 90 fridge in the van with a dicky freezer so used the 45 Lt in the car as a freezer.

Also hunt down in country towns for their depot fuel stations, usually off the main drag but cheaper.

A fly mesh room was great to relax in when the fly's came to visit, made eating and relaxing more pleasurable, just hung it from the caravan awning. Put split lead fishing weights around the bottom edge to hold in down in the breezes.

Also get the top car coverage from RACQ or equivalent.

Useful tip to help keep cool on hot days in the van when no air con. Spray the fly screens on the windward side with water and the breeze as an evaporative effect. Help with 42 regs at Winjana Gorge WA.

Now looking to do it again someday BUT slower.

Enjoy

Have a great trip.

We did a 3month trip too into the red centre towing an off road camper trailer (cub brumby) recently.

Best bit of advice i received is just get out there and do it. It sounds like you've gone through the logical steps and if you're starting on the East coast anything you're missing is never far away.

One thing I would never go off the beaten track without is a sat phone. Give it a good test and you'll then be travelling with peace of mind. If something goes seriously wrong, backup is only a phone call away

Enjoy :)