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What % of time in 4WD? What % of time in 4WD?
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  #1  
Old 26 Nov 2006
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What % of time in 4WD?
I know this is akin to the length of a piece of string but, assuming you managed to avoid the worst of the rainy seasons, and you were in a 4wd truck with the option to deselect 4WD...
How much time would you guess would NEED to be spent in 4WD on say a trip from Morocco to Cape town, visiting national parks but not deliberatly looking for probs / off piste?

Big generalisations I know, but have a stab.
Steve
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  #2  
Old 26 Nov 2006
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My Guesstiate
This is a really tuff one - somewhere between, 20-60%, time spent in the desrt/sahara will of course give you a figure towqards the top end.

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Chris
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  #3  
Old 26 Nov 2006
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in an underpowered 2.25 series 2A landrover....
less than 1% in the Sahara (Libya, Algeria, Niger, Maroc). 4X4 is engaged in sandy sections when the vehicle is clearly slowing down. At other times its actually better in 2x4.

As for the rest of Africa, on dirt roads in the rainy season in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique - more like 30% - often for directional control.

On rocky stretches of bad, bad, piste such as NW Namibia (Kaokoland, Maroc), low range is useful even if 4x4 isn't needed for the traction.
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  #4  
Old 27 Nov 2006
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2wd
Recently there've been a few 2WD vehicles that drove down (and back up the east side). Meaning that, you don't really need 4WD at all.

Looking back, of the around 30.000 km I did, there where around 600km's I really wouldn't like to start on without 4WD that are difficult to avoid (but some did and got trough nevertheless). You do want ground clearance, large tyres and a sturdy vehicle though.

One of the advantages of 4WD is that you can get slowly trough rough sections. That's less risks and less strain on the vehicle.
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  #5  
Old 27 Nov 2006
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Not much
Hi,
In 7months and 30000 km around west Africa in an Iveco Daily 4x4 in think we spent about 4 days actually in 4wd, but as it's a part time 4wd with no diff between front and back, you have to take it out of 4wd the moment you're on hard ground.
We must have spent another 3 or 4 days with the hubs locked just in case we needed to throw it into 4wd.
We took in the Banc d'Arguin on the way south, but the tar on the way back (boring!!!)
The rest of the time 2wd was fine.
In Mori we convoyed with a 2wd Ford transit and a Citroen van. The tranny had NO trouble in the park, although the guide had him keep up a fair speed; the Citroen struggled.
As Robbert says, 4wd allows you to take it easier, and gives added peace of mind. RWD will do though.

That's not counting the week we spent playing between Erg Chebbi end the Alg border, which wasn't on the route. How essential it was for the trip is more of a psychological question.

Happy planning
Luke
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  #6  
Old 27 Nov 2006
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Iveco?
Luke,
how's the motor in the Iveco? I understand the Santana PS10 has an Iveco diesel motor, and I've been keen on the Santana for simplicity but have found it hard to get reports on the reliability of the Iveco diesel.
cheers,
Richard
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  #7  
Old 28 Nov 2006
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4WD Tech
Hi Richard,
It's brilliant, if a little noisy.
We're off topic here, but have a look in the 4WD Tech forum, there are a few of us who own Dailys.
Try this one: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ighlight=iveco
Or just do a search for Iveco on the HUBB.
Why not just get a Daily? There's more room than in a Santana and it's just as capable.

To be continued on the other forum...
Cheers,
Luke
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  #8  
Old 6 Dec 2006
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Good one
36000 kms. London to Cape town. We used 4wd once in Uganda and for about 8 hours in Botswana. And that was the road from Moremi ....which is real bad. Just keep the speed up and u dont really need to go that much into 4wd.
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  #9  
Old 6 Dec 2006
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Smile 4x4 not needed
You don't need 4x4 for your route.

That said, you do need 4x4 for the little fun excursions off your route!

Sam.
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