Hello over-landers!

Not because I am over the edge adventureous but because my time is running out, I will travel with my Land-Cruiser from East to West through Russia and Mongolia starting in early February 2008 (so far I have been on the road for 18 months - check PanMundo.Com)

I plan to take the route from Japan to Sakhalin and then down to Khabarovsk (alternatively via Valdivostok) and on to Ullan-Ude and into Mongolia. I am in no big hurry, but would like to reach Switzerland by mid April latest.

Some questions:

1) Does anybody have experiences with driving through Russia in winter?
2) What about the road construction sites between Birobidzhan and Chita in winter?
3) What about frozen Diesel? (and what to do against?)
4) And is it possible to drive up to Yakutsk in winter?
5) Will it be possible to drive through Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar-Altay-Biysk)?
6) Is there anybody outthere how will travel in that region at the same time? Or who wants to join in?

I am imagining it to be beautiful - yet somewhat cold. Also I thought that driving in winter might spare me the deep mud wholes I would encounter in spring.

I would appreciate you help!
Cheers from currently Phnom Phen, Cambodia (at 36° C),
Tobias

Most people try to avoid that whole Siberian experience at that time !

We came through from Mongolia to Vlad and are now in South Korea.

I really am not qualified to comment on the exact conditions for when you plan to come through, but the following may help . . .

Japan with your own vehicle is expensive and difficult. Consider coming via South Korea. (very beautiful and easy country to be in, we've been here 6 weeks), You could probably catch a ferry into Korea and you can definately take the DongChun ferry from SokCho to Zarabino (or Vlad).
You will need to buy insurance (approz $100 per month), you will also need to leave deposit for vehicle (they don't accept carnet), this deposit is negoiable ! we ended up leaving $1000 which will be refunded on exit.
If you come via Korea I would strongly recommend utilising Wendy Choi, she is an excellent lady working for shipping agent, speaks good english, efficient, friendly and will help you in every and any way she can. (wendychoi2 "at" gmail.com).

The route (notice I avoid word 'road') to Chita is long and dusty, in winter I guess muddy (very muddy) but I would expect passable. It is a very well used road with literally hundreds of cars passing by the hour coming in from Japan to central Russia. There would also be the option of putting vehicle on the train ???

When you get to UlaanBaatar I highly recommend staying at OASIS Guesthouse. Very friendly traveller place run by Austrian couple (Rene & Sybilla).

Good Luck -

Phil.

www.travel.uklinux.net

[quote=Panmundo-Tobias;152972]Hello over-landers!

?
3) What about frozen Diesel? (and what to do against?)
4) And is it possible to drive up to Yakutsk in winter?


DO NOT try to drive to Yakutsk in winter!! Temperatures there reach -90 F. (-67 C.). You asked on the other thread about winter diesel fuel. Pure Jet A has a cloud point of -46 F. There is a derivative called A50 which clouds at -50 F. A diesel will NOT run at below -46 C. without massive modifications: heated fuel tank, heated fuel lines, heated batteries (not just insulated) and continuous running the whole time you are in the cold temperatures. And you can't do anything about cold-soaking of the transfer case and axles unless you don't stop driving. You will likely break an axle shaft or a U-joint trying to drive at -65 C.
Nobody goes outside at that temperature. It is not fun. On the rare occaisons when it reaches -34 C. in Anchorage I have my wife drive me to work in her car which is stored in a heated garage; not in one of my outdoor diesels, even though they have block heaters and multiple batteries.
Have you ever been in really cold temperatures? The physical hazards and vehicular problems are not linear as temperature drops, they increase exponentially.
There are many little things that will be "out to get you". Just for example: engine mfgs have switched injector pump seals to Viton in order to be resistant to biodiesel. Viton can crack if it gets extremely cold.
I'm sure there are Landcruisers in Yakutsk. And I'm sure they are parked in heated garages when it gets to -60 C. If your engine stops running in those temperatures and you aren't walking distance from a heated place, you will die in a short while if nobody comes along.
I plan to do my Mongolia-Siberia travels in summer.

Charlie

__________________
Unimog U500 w/Unicat

Admittedly my experience in the extreme cold is pretty much limited to motorcycles but:
at -35c, pretty much all plastics/rubbers become brittle, fine if driving, but overnight can be difficult. Diesel engined vehicles are trouble, majority of the scandanavians use electric powered sumpheaters and engine pre-heaters. they use "artic" diesel, even so, below -40c, you are going to have problems without tank and fuel line heating. If you do have any problems, unless you have access to a heated workshop, you're stuck. and stuck to your metalwork if you take you gloves off (yes, i got stuck to my tentpole).

With full preparation, winter adventure can be fun, it can also be dangerous. below -20 I wouldn't venture out unless I had a petrol engined vehicle.
I personally found the -20c on the continent was not too uncomfortable, mainly because the cold air is dry, but as soon as it gets to -30c things change. everything becomes difficult, oil gets too viscous to pour etc.

__________________
Harley Davidsons,
The most effective way of turning petrol into noise without the side-effect of horsepower

Hello overlanders!

Thank you very much for your replies!
I certainly got some valuable information - and one thing is sure: I will look around for some convoy if I head up into Northern-Siberia...

Further-on, I will see what kind of modifications are doable along my way through Vietnam, S/Korea and Japan...

All the best to you all and thanks again!
Tobias, currently Laos at 34 degrees Celisius :-)