My experience is with slightly older Shogans/Pajeros, both in the Gulf and Africa, and although they are very able for short term safaris I have never seen one used for hard core overlanding where I always feel LC and LR rule.

However you have prepared it well, you know the vehicle and I doubt if there will be a problem with parts as Jap spares are endemic in Africa. I personally would stick with the Shogan and although the standard 15" rims would be OK, 7.50/16s would give you a little bit of extra clearance and is a standard sized tyre found all over Africa. My Toyota Surf came with 15" alloys so I fitted 16" steel LC rims without a huge drop in performance - just a little bit slower to pull away that's all.

Your main problem will be one of overloading but the OMEs will help out there. Anyway, when are you planning to go?

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Enzo

our plane tickets are book for th 16th march 2011 so we will be in cape town on the 17th of march.Overloading is a bit a worry but we are pretty good at cutting out all the stuff we are not going to need i'm just treating packing like i did in my army days "KISS" KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID and i think you can't go wrong

Make sure the vehicle gets a C service before you leave - replacing all fluids/oils/coolants/bushes/engine mountings/gearbox mountings/etc that need to be replaced before you ship the vehicle. Check all the UJs/wheel studs etc - basically anything that can go wrong.

Timing belt, flexible joint in your exhaust system/upper and lower wishbones, brake pipes, stater, alternator etc, I can go on and on...

I have had problems with aftermarket electrics such as immobilisers etc - dudt gets in and increases wear and tear - contacts get worn out and things stop working. Look for ways around stuff - like shorting the starter motor etc.

Take some spare relays and the big fuses you find in the engine bay - the ones for the pre-heaters etc - they may be none standard and a spare will take up little space.

If you fitted OME shocks buy some spares: one front and one rear - OME's are good but hard to get outside of SA.

Also how are you shipping the vehicle? Ro-ro will be cheapest but if your kitted up a container will be safest. Make sure the vehicle is strapped down well.

Sorry if I am teaching my grandmother to suck eggs but it never hurts to check.

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Enzo

all your advice is sound it never hurts to hear these things and remind me of the stuff i've forgoten.
A full service will be done before leaveing i'm lucky as in my brother has a fully kitted out work shop on his farm so the truck will get a good going over.
As for the electrics i think i've got most things sorted on it as in ways to get around it i have aready wired in a overide for the glowplug ecu so if need be i just have to connect the wires up to the batt and can pre heat with a push button as for the starter i know how to do it but on the shogun things are a bit tight so i may rig some sort of wiring up there before i leave.And of course i will be taking all the speares i can with in resson.
We are shipping the truck from felixstowe to cape town in a container it is a lot more exspensive but so is replacing all our kit.
Anyway it looks like we are sticking with shogun thanks for all your input it has put my mind at rest.

Sounds like you've got all the mechanical bases covered - time to start enjoying your safari!

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Enzo

Hello Gary,

Again, here, I have had neither of the Land Rover or Shogun.
I myself am proud owner of Land Cruiser.
However, there really is no point in swaping to the Land Rover.
Go with the Shogun,.
You have done so much to it.

'vette

I am entiltled to post what I want. if it is unsuitable the moderator will deal with it. you have basically said the same as me only in more words so wind your neck in and try folowing your own advice and only post relevant stuff instead of personal attacks.

It is well established (in the circles of those that know what they are talking about anyway) that some cars are inherantly more reliable than others, particularly when extreme environmental considerations are taken into account.

it doesn't matter how well you service it, take a morris minor into the desert and you'll have problems. the same goes for one type of 4x4 vs anpther

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

given the amount of work you have done on the shogun I think that is the choice for all the reasons already given. It is one of the more credible off roaders rather than falling into the chelsea tractor sector.

I had suprising trouble getting hold of 7.50x16s in west africa but I think the theory of swapping to this size is sound. I took 2 spares and tubes but still had to buy 2 on route to the Gambia and back.

In my experience it is the non standard stuff that usually fails. manufacturers own stuff has generally been far more comprehensively tested on their own vehicles than any aftermarket product.

It amuses me a great deal to read articles in mags on how to prepare your vehicle for overlanding. usually sponsored by manufacturers of the stuff they purport you need they are full of all kinds of frivolous rubbish. (not including you in this Matt if your reading it, I could spend a lot of money in your shop if only I had it!!!). You won't find any of it on the vehicles of people like Chris Scott or Tom Sheppard or other serious overlanders

The most technical my H60 gets is the electric windows, the only bit to fail in Africa, the electric windows!

The jury is out on aircon. some say it reduces your interaction with your surroundings because you just drive along in air conditioned comfort. It also makes acclimatisation much more lengthy and difficult. on the other hand, when it's 45 in the shade airconditioned comfort has it's attractions!! personally I would rather do without it, my wife and kids might disagree!

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

Hi all,

Having read your post I would take the Shogun.

I would ensure that everything was thoroughly checked and overhauled incl radiator condition. No half measures. As you have already "upgraded" to OME shocks take at least 2 spares - they work hard and can pop unlike the older oil based types used on defenders which are (if OE) bulletprof in my humble experience anyway.

I currently have a 10 year old 160,000 mile Mitsubishi L200 and ran a 110 300tdi for 12 years and several desert trips. My gut feeling is that the Mit is a well engineered vehicle, maybe not so tough in extremis, but I would have no qualms about even a tough desert trip with it, so a gently driven trans africa should be fine.

The key is thorough preparation, followed by sensitive driving. Upgrades come second.

The LR is an unknown quantity and to me any aggro caused by parts problems would be outweighed by more security, relaative comfort (!) and aircon...prepare and take some spares...

Good luck whichever way,

Andrew.

The Shogun is a diesel, yes?
I've got a 2006 diesel Pajero/(Shogun) in Egypt and I'm constantly having problems finding oil and fuel filters. Every one here is petrol.
I've had to convert the fuel filter sender that fits in the bottom of the filter to that of a diesel Hyundai Galloper so I can use one from that instead. Plus I've found the oil filter for the same vehicle just fits straight on without modification.
I just change them more often than required but there's plenty of Hyundais here and virtually no diesel Pajero/Shoguns.

Just a thought.

The shogun is a deasil but my one is a 1997 mk2 so not as moden as yours i'll be taking plenty of filters with me so i don't think that will be a problem

well it all came to a head today found some big rott on the shogun and i've had enough of it so brought a unimog 404 fully kitted out well happy i know it's a petrol and thats going to hurt the wallet wilst in europe but when we get in to africa it won't be so bad + it has solapannels and 4 new tyres xzy's so that has saved me a load of moneyjust hope it dosn't let me down we are due to leave on the 10th of march and i won't get back to england antill the 1 of feb so dosn't leave much time for preping it.

Hi. I have a 404. Great vehicle, very reliable and simple. But I wouldn't want to travel far in it!
All the best,
Matt

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www.mattsavage.com
VIAIR - 12 & 24 volt compressors and systems. Tyre levers, Land Rover parts, Sand Tracks, Allisport Intercoolers, Overland Prep, and much more...

Good to know matt,we are going a long way in it but we have no time scale. we go as long as the money lasts and thats it, so no rush the one thing i am thinking about doing is an lpg convertion because when we are in europe it'll cost less on fuel and its also avalible in south africa and namibia we are now thinking of going down through to jordon and then aross to sudan that way so i don't know if it avalibale in these countys too i need to do some reserch.then when we hit africa fuel prices are much lower and we will switch back to petrol.

most of europe has good supplies of LPG. I last travelled in spain with an LPG vehicle 10 years ago and they had none there, but thats obviously old info, someone else may have more upto date information. In 2008 I couldn't get any on the autobahn ingermany but didn't try in the towns. otherwise everywhere has it, especially eastern europe where some garages only sell lpg!
never seen any in Africa but once you get beyond morrocco petrol is relatively cheap anyway in the countries I have travelled in ( west Africa). the middle is is obviously well cheap for petrol

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014