The shocks and springs are really so easy on a Landrover. I was not joking when I compared doing a flat pack IKEA assembly to most stuff... Probably the most difficult part of the whole thing will be undoing the shock mounting nuts (WD40 well in advance). The 12v wiring is also a breeze - just remember fuses or breakers. My main point about doing it all yourself is that it's your vehicle so you will want to do as good a job as possible. Your local mechanic generally doesn't give a toss. This means you as a mechanical novice will 9 times out 0f 10 do a better job. I know there are exceptions - a couple of people on these forums are overland prep guys who I have never heard anything other than praise for, but I cannot say the same for most of the motor mechanic trade in the UK. Really I cannot stress enough that getting in about your own vehicle prep & servicing is so worthwhile. And if you end up in an unlikely pickle you must know someone who is a bit vehicle 'minded' and can help you out of a jam. Other points:
- Propshafts generally do not break at all. Just grease them well and make sure there is not any play in the spider bearing (at the axle end).
- The landrover as it is is actually well set up for wading, with breathers basically at the bonnet line. Any snorkel at any price can be improved or double checked with a bit of silicone. Check water crossings carefully - snorkel or not.
I have no idea of the age and mileage of your Defender,but my minimum spares list would be:

- Radiator top and bottom hoses changed (and take old ones as spare)
- Change all drive belts to new (and take old as spares)
- 1m length of heater hose
- Various jubilee clips
- Roll of Duck tape and electrical tape
- Tube of epoxy "liquid metal"
- All fuel filters (I would consider two fuel filters)
- Air filter
- Oil filter (if I was anticipating an oil change, otherwise wouldn't bother)
- Bulbs
- Fuses
- Some lengths of electric cable
- Some fencing wire (to tie stuff up or back on...)
- few common sized nuts and bolts

If the vehicle is in decent shape and has been otherwise well checked and serviced then that would really be it.
Gil

I would like to add the following to Gil's list as these are most common failures;

- open up the alternator and check brushes and replace if needed, check collector rings and clean and refurbish if necessary (bit of fine sand paper)
- open up starter motor and check brushes and main contact, replace if needed.
-check front and rear break pads/shoes, replace if necessary

some basic mecanical knowledge (slightly beyond IKEA level) is needed.

Cheers,

Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

Fortunately I have managed to squeeze a couple of days in with my local mechanic!

Having religiously read the Haynes manual etc. over quite a period now, I feel much safer in terms of a mechanical grounding. Obviously my practical experience is minimal, but hopefully these couple of days should cheer me up..!

I've looked at ways of cutting costs in order to accommodate a roof tent, and one way has been through altering the suspension set up.

Although I hope not to start another suspension battle, instead of OME Shocks and Springs, I've opted for heavy load terrafirma springs on the rear with twin shocks, and have decided to move the original OEM shocks and springs forward... Is it disastrous to mix and match the shocks and springs like that or a good compromise? Ideally i'd swap all the shocks and springs for terrafirmas but i've been told moving the original springs etc forward is a viable option...please correct me if I'm wrong.

Back to the roof tent, obviously they're a heavy investment whichever way you look, considering we're prepared to spend approximately £750 does anyone have any views on the 'waypoint-tours' 1.2m? They seem considerably cheaper than hannibal or eezi-awn for instance.

I've looked at mounting it on a roof rack but realised it can be done on roof bars instead. Again, is this advisable? or is it worth swapping two roof bars, spending a bit more and purchasing a galvanised roof rack ( Anything like the patriot range is way out of our budget so famousfour or otherwise would be the option.)

Thanks again
Tom

Terrafirma springs on the back will be fine, twin shocks - you dont really neeed them, but whats wrong with shelling out on a bit of bling here and there, and they do firm up the roll a bit.
You can't put your rear springs on the front as they are a different diameter - 110's have 7" springs on the rear and 6" springs on the front.

Roof tent - down to choice and depth of pockets, but my choice would be to buy a good second hand one of a good brand - eezyawn/hannibal etc rather than one of the cheaper chinese imports which go under a host of different brand names - will probably be sturdier and if you want to sell it when you get back you'll get more for it.
I use roof bars to mount my tent, can't imagine why people use big heavy roofracks to be honest - the tents are made so they can mount on roof bars, so no probs there.

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I see no point to install roof rack just for tent. It weights a lot high up. My roof tent is on 3 Mantec roof bars. If you go with bars, put at least 3 (not 2). Less stress and if one breaks (less likely with 3) you still have spare. Thule bars for Defender are way too high and not suitable, IMO. Mantec bars are OK but legs could be wider (from front to back).

"Although I hope not to start another suspension battle, instead of OME Shocks and Springs, I've opted for heavy load terrafirma springs on the rear with twin shocks, and have decided to move the original OEM shocks and springs forward... Is it disastrous to mix and match the shocks and springs like that or a good compromise? Ideally i'd swap all the shocks and springs for terrafirmas but i've been told moving the original springs etc forward is a viable option...please correct me if I'm wrong."



Suspension is a bit of a minefield. You would be forgiven for thinking that fitting expensive aftermarket stuff will amount to an upgrade, but very often it doesn't. Even if the components are of better quality, tuning and combining them to improve on the original setup can be a dark art.

Remember one of the best things about a bog standard Defender is the suspension!

'Heavy duty' sounds good, but with springs what it generally means is HARD and that's not always what you need.

Can I ask what your reasons are for wanting to change the springs and shocks? Are you planning on carrying a lot of weight?

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011

My 110 that i've just finished building (Td5 station wagon) is quite lardy... full external cage, winch, nudgebar etc.

but i've just used standard LR springs (HD 110 fronts, which are the same as standard 90 rears) and the 130 double-spring rears.

Although i did change the dampers to OME ones, as i've had OME suspension on my part 90's, and it IS worth the money.

But my current setup, LR springs and OME dampers, gives a lovely smooth ride, with half the cost!

probably overkill but
If you have the money, I got a spare ECU for 250 pounds and got it mapped as a copy of my orginal engineto my engine, to plug in ,undo earth and power and reconnect, and it will go, only sensor that will stop you dead is if the Crankshaft sensor stops, the ECu will not get any readings!!!
Having experince in Russia, and stans, Diesel is sometimes not very pure outside main centres and will clog fuel filters, Take a tank fuel pump(spare complete)( can be a idea to precut access hole in back of car to save pulling out complete tank and a couple of the main diesel filters, so if you get clogges up with bad fuel it will go
In russia you can buy a steel diesel filter , put in the line and wash it out every so often
I can supply a workshop manual in PFD form for 1999-2002 td5 if you pm me
for 200 pounds a nanocom machine will find any engine problems but again overkill (unless you get stuck!!)
CHeck and renew, brake and clutch master cylinders or carry spares
Stanard springs are ok all depend how much weight you put in, less weight, less problems
Sometimes you can "con " a dealer to Lend you the spares by buying them and getting 85% back when you return them in good condition!!!
People in russia will help you and are so kind but if you have a electronic problem, if you can dianostic it and then talk to some one in Uk they can advise you, very unlikely I know
There are very very little spares for TD5 in russia and non for New Puma engined one
Here are a few links in this link
eastern russia , mongolia , siberia and the road of bones. - Page 2 - Land Rover UK Forums

Does anyone know a reliable/cheap dealer of mantec roof bars?

It seems as people have suggested that they are much more sensible than a roof rack, less heavy too.

Storage wise, having just stripped out the land rover, everything but the driver and passenger seats, we're sticking a mobile storage systems drawer between the rear wheel boxes. For the rest, it's a combination of ammo boxes & army surplus boxes. Where the middle row seats were here will be the fluids, trying to keep the water and diesel cans as close to the centre and as low as possible. Does this sound sensible?

And to stop all of the above flying forward clearly going to put in a dog guard. However, having researched, the only one's I can find fit behind where the middle row of seats were. Are there any prefab ones available that sit behind the front cab cutting off the rest of the vehicle?

Finally, the biggest unknown in our budget right now is the roof tent, we have a pretty good idea of the brand but are desperate to find one second hand for alot less. If not, is it possible to 'borrow' tents from dealers ie Frog's Island for instance?

Thanks again,
Tom

I've been using Halfords roof bars for the last couple of years with no problem, though mine are bolted directly to a roll cage as I have a soft top rather than using gutter fixings - as long as you use three bars, can't see standard ones being an issue.

Keeping fluids in the middle is a good idea, tie everything down with ratchet straps or something though to stop them moving - a guard is a good idea to top stuff coming into the cab, but you will really want to keep everything tied down tight, it's really annoying when everything bangs up and down on rough tracks (as well as dangerous)

What kind of roof tent are you after?

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Hi... Save yourself a ton of hassle and just get a standard Toyota Landcruiser Amazon Diesel.
The '94 - '96 model is bullet proof in its std form.
You can pick these up for the price you have put aside for the mods alone !
Reliability, strength and comfort leave the LR in the dark ages.
Good luck

... .

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Hi Tom -
re the cargo barrier there must be various suppliers for 110 Hardtops, maybe try the LR overland prep folk; Brownchurch, Mantec, Safety Devices etc. Alternatively Milford (Oz) are one of the largest manufacturers of proper rated cargo barriers and they are available in EU. But I am unclear if your Defender is a Hardtop or Station Wagon... I don't know if you have bought suspension, but you might like to investigate the airsprings that people like Matt Savage sell - cheap good alternative to heavy duty springs, and the beauty is the vehicle can ride like standard at home.
Cheers, Gil

timktm - there is even a special thread for the LR Vs LC debate.

I've just read this post with great interest as I've just bought a 110 300Tdi for my new exped vehicle, it'll be driven to Kenya, at least, in about 5 years, so I have some time to get it all sorted.

A couple of my experiences that relate to comments in this thread.
I had the cambelt changed on my 200 Discovery before going to Tunisia in 2004, the water pump was changed at the same time. In the desert 5 months after these items were changed the waterpump failed.

Spot lights are not necessary if all goes to plan, however they are extremely useful if you do get caught out. In many countries other road users don't have any lights on their mopeds, cows, donkey carts, children, etc, and more often than not they'll be on the wrong side of the road, you do not only need them to see the road ahead.

Mate of mine, with me on the 2006/7 trip, dropped behind on a desert piste, his back axle was loose. He had his regular garage change some standard bushes for poly's before leaving for the trip, unfortunately they didn't do the nut up properly on the lower link and it dropped off somewhere. Not an easy sized nut to find.

Same trip another car, 110 1988, shock had been changed for an "after market" brand, unfortunately one of the shocks shed a bottom nut, I had a good selection of spares, all from Land Rovers, none of them fitted. We did manage to force one on in the end, didn't do the trheads much good though.

Following my waterpump experience I always carry one as a spare (the one supplied to replace the failed one under warranty). That said, on both the 2005/6 and 2006/7 trips, both around 4000 miles, I had no issues at all with my Discovery. Last trip we left the UK with 187,000 on the clock, bounced around the dunes, and have now clocked up 221,000, hence the new Defender, that's only got 157,000 on.
www.4x4-travel.co.uk
Kevin

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www.4x4-travel.co.uk

Hi ,
Lots of good advice above, most of which we would endorse .
Before our last Euro tour, 2007, we spoke to mike Creighton who has done two world trips in a Disco. His advice was have the car serviced, make your own internal fixings etc, and dont spend a fortune unnecessarilly. We did just that, and had no problems.Infact we are going to refit the car just the same for next year. We met a couple, who are now friends who had a 110 built by one of these Expert Overland companys. The stuff was so crammed in, they coulnt use half of it !!
Plus if you have made it, you know how to fix it.
Also, more importantly, make sure your partner knows how it all works, cause if you get sick/injured, they will need to still function.
Dont jack up the susp if you have a roof tent and your partner is only 5'4" ! because you will be erecting it on your own !!
Get the car kitted and go camping in UK first, its too late to find things dont work when you have set off.
As well as the good spares list above, Gotts said we needed only 2 things; their phone no. and a credit card. It worked for us, a new alternator to our campsite in Romania in 48hrs ! now thats service.
Sounds like you are in Hampshire, so feel free to e mail us.