L322 set up for serious touring.

**Homestar** · 6th April 2013, 05:41 PM

Ok, here's the new thread for discussion of what would work and what wouldn't to make the ultimate L322 tourer.

SWMBO now has a taste for doing this more and more, and want the car to be more capable of the sort of stuff we were doing, and more.

The Rangie really shone on the outback tracks we were on - even on the 20's and road tyres, but I was always paranoid about doing a tyre as there were some really rocky and corrugated sections that had to be tip toed over.

So, up for discussion is what sort of mods you would do to make it a more capable tourer?

The electrics are all sorted with a Traxide dual battery kit already fitted. And along with the solar panel I had, kept the fridge and lights working even on extended stays at one site - very happy with the performance of all this. I also have a UHF fitted and is situated in an ideal spot that works well.

Used Memory Maps on my Ipad to log all the tracks we were on, and to use as a moving map - works fine, but not as good as Oziexplorer which a couple of others were running - hoping Ozi get the Ipad version finished soon.

Tyres and rims I have mentioned on another thread but feel free to comment here.

Raised air intake - this is almost a must going forward I think, as the factory air filter hasn't faired too well even on this fairly short excursion. Thoughts so far on this is to fully fabricate one myself as no one seems to be looking at making one commercially. Standing around looking under the bonnet with others from the forum the other night, there were some good suggestions thrown about as to what could work. The biggest thing is finding somewhere for an entirely new air cleaner and housing as there doesn't seem to be any real way of sealing around the existing filter. There is some room on the drivers side behind the headlamp that a vertical style housing may fit in. There is enough room to run a pipe into the engine from there. Thoughts are that maybe an air cleaner housing from a 200 TDi may fit. I have advertised for one in the wanted section if anyone has one...

Bull Bar - we all know the issues we have here, so the only options are to not run one, put the factory one on (ain't gunna happen!) or fit a modified D3 bar and live with the legalities this may bring.

Suspension lift - anyone seen or put some spacers above the airbags on all corners??? Just throwing it out there, I think it would be an easy way to get another inch or two of clearance when needed. I think someone here made mention that they had done this, but can't find any details on it. Not sure at what point the drive shafts and bushes would start to complain when lifting it...

So, any other thoughts, comments or whatever else would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers - Gav

**Disco Muppet** · 6th April 2013, 05:58 PM

4" lift, 37s, guard chops, flares, sliders, scrub bars, full barwork and a straight through exhaust.

**Homestar** · 6th April 2013, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Disco Muppet

4" lift, 37s, guard chops, flares, sliders, scrub bars, full barwork and a straight through exhaust.

I like your thinking! Probably get in a bit of trouble if I did that to it...

**Disco Muppet** · 6th April 2013, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by bacicat

I like your thinking! Probably get in a bit of trouble if I did that to it...

Do it anyway, live dangerously!

On a serious note, can you fit LLAMS to the L322? that would probably be a good idea.
Some good tyres, decent recovery points, maybe a discreet mount for an LED light bar or something would be a good idea, other than that I can't think of anything really besides frontal protection. Maybe one of the factory A bars? I know they're not exactly the bees knees but anything stopping skippy headbutting your radiator is a good thing IMHO.

**Homestar** · 6th April 2013, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by Disco Muppet

Do it anyway, live dangerously!

On a serious note, can you fit LLAMS to the L322? that would probably be a good idea.
Some good tyres, decent recovery points, maybe a discreet mount for an LED light bar or something would be a good idea, other than that I can't think of anything really besides frontal protection. Maybe one of the factory A bars? I know they're not exactly the bees knees but anything stopping skippy headbutting your radiator is a good thing IMHO.

Already got full control of the air suspension so that is taken care of. As mentioned in the first post I was thinking some spacers to get a couple of extra inches beyond what the air springs are good for.

No where to mount decent lighting without a bar, and the factory A bar really REALLY looks bad IMO, so that is not an option...

**Graeme** · 6th April 2013, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by Disco Muppet

can you fit LLAMS to the L322?

Yes. 2007+ with Terrain Response uses the same plug-in kit as D3/D4/RRS but if pre-TR then a hard-wired loom is needed but quite easy to fit. In both cases a longer switch lead is needed (contact me) because the suspension ecu is under the passenger end of the facia.

**Grimace** · 6th April 2013, 08:26 PM

fool or replace the bags to obtain a 2 inch lift, fit some 33s, done!
Have posted this before, it's the only style of L322 I would own

**jsp** · 7th April 2013, 10:18 AM

Raised air intake is a good point, my filter got absolutely chock a block full from that weekend.

I know I didn't do the real hairy stuff but did play in mud and I was amazed how easily the 322 ate up stuff, and don't think its needs to much help apart from good rubber considering I have cheap road tires. It clearly went places the stock D2 with atr's wasn't.

Given I got a nice chunk out of my passenger front door I would be saying sliders or sill plates would be high priority also, and also for a bit of protection long term for stopping mud and crud getting up underneath as that aera took a bit of cleaning.

Also after that weekend away a nice little winch tucked up under the car behind the rear bumper attached to the tow pack somehow would be great also, and would have given peace of mind. This ontop of a front mounted one on a bar if your going wholehog!

I would look at extending the air capacity of the EAS tank and putting a second compressor on it also, and using it for tires etc rather than a standalone compressor for other tasks.

**Homestar** · 7th April 2013, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by jsp

I would look at extending the air capacity of the EAS tank and putting a second compressor on it also, and using it for tires etc rather than a standalone compressor for other tasks.

Be an interesting exercise. The EAS is a bit too smart for its own good sometimes though. Have you seen some of the faults it will throw if you try to tamper with it?

If you try to run the compressor when it doesn't think it should be you get a fault - something like 'compressor running without cause'

If you bleed air from the tank without it saying so, you get something like 'air loss without reason' and it locking the system down. I'm sure there must be a way of fooling it though. Maybe a second tank with a lock out valve of some description so the system doesn't see you stealing air from it...

Also, you would need a pressure reducing valve or something as it runs at a very high pressure.

I'll add it to my list though - I love a challenge.

. It would save a bit of room too as I dragged my compressor around the whole trip - but I did use it a few times...

Cheers - Gav

**jx2mad** · 7th April 2013, 04:29 PM

I changed from 20"rims to 18"rims and fitted normal height tyres. This allows me to air down if needed. With 20"low profile tyres this cant really be done. Jim

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