Prepping a camel trophy defender 110 for around the world...

[Iain_U1250]

Hi Shayne, just finished reading the whole thread, great job and a really nice Land Rover. Loads of great features and things.

I've just about finished getting mine ready, and was working out the weight etc and I expect I'm pretty close to max GVM. Did you ever get yours weighed?

 

[The Rover Shop]

Yes.. A little embarrassed to say the fat ole girl is right about 8000lbs.. But that was with 45 gallons of fuel and 30 gallons of water.. So she's on the heavy side..)

 

[Iain_U1250]

That's 3600kg in our measures :Wow1: Sounds like she needs to go on a diet :cow::cow:

Do the Camel Land Rovers have heavy duty axles, I know mine would probably bend under that weight, they definitely don't make em like they used to...

I'm trying to keep mine just under 3050kg (6700lbs) - which is pretty difficult when we go out on another long trip like we are planning to start next month, 18,000km - ten week trip across the top end then back through the middle of Australia. We have set ours up pretty similar to yours, 127lt fuel + 3x jerry cans, dual battery, solar panel, 110lt water, UHF, Sat phone, fridge, RTT, 33" tyres etc. We also have a SD roll cage and carry a inflatable boat and outboard. Last trip we were hitting the bumps stops regularly, this time we have air bags in the rear and a set of Koni Raid 90 shocks which we will need on the Ann Beadell highway.

Thanks again for sharing your build up thread, some great ideas and useful tips

 

[Mercedesrover]

Was walking into Bird Creek off the Seward Highway for some fishing when I saw you go by on Wednesday. Yes, you looked heavy!

 

[bobDog]

Yes.. A little embarrassed to say the fat ole girl is right about 8000lbs.. But that was with 45 gallons of fuel and 30 gallons of water.. So she's on the heavy side..)

You know what they say? "Big bottomed women make the world go around" The old girl is doing just what she was built for...right?
bD

 

[The Rover Shop]

Are you talking about my truck or my ex wife..???)

 

[The Rover Shop]

Was walking into Bird Creek off the Seward Highway for some fishing when I saw you go by on Wednesday. Yes, you looked heavy!

Yeah.. Would have been coming back from Homer and on the way to prudhoe bay..been there done that now and off to the Top Of The World Highway.. New suspension installed makes a world of difference in the handling of the extra weight..we were fully loaded with 45 gallons of fuel and 35 gallons of water and it barely makes a difference in her height..

 

[The Rover Shop]

So I was driving across Canada and at one of the fill ups I was still reeling from the sticker shock of paying $2 per liter or $8 per gallon, as we pull out the wife says to me, next time we stop I want you to listen to this noise..going down a fairly steep hill I noticed something feeling funny in the rear end as we crossed an old steel grate bridge, we started going uphil and I was looking for somewhere to pull over and inspect when I felt a Big Bang and I noticed one of our wheels overtaking us, I pointed to it out the window so the wife could enjoy the comedy of it also.. Well this was the next time we stopped, whether we wanted to or not.lol..



So I blocked off the rear brakes and we continued... Then driving through Canada I spy the rear end of a defender on a junk yard, so I pulled in and chatted to the guy and found the mother lode... Over 80 defenders being parted out for scrap.. Found a complete rear Salisbury disc brake rear end and front ventilated disc setup.. So found myself a little spot and did the conversion right there and then.. Thank god I stayed as it needed a lot more to convert than I initially thought...in order to change the rear to discs I needed to also change the rear axle drive flanges and drive axles as disc brake sals axles are shorter, I also had to change the brake lines as they were different, so I thought I may as well change the proportioning valve as I know its different for drum vs discs, this required changing the brake line from the pro portioning valve to the rear brake junction..so I also decided to change the master due to different pressures which required changing the booster which required changing the brake pedal box assy as the bolt patterns are different, doing this meant I had 3brake lines coming out of the master instead of 2 so it meant I had to change all of the front brake lines over, this now eliminated one line going to the right front wheel where it tees off and goes around the front under the radiator and then to the left front caliper..so to complete the upgrade I also converted the front to ventilated discs, initially I thought I could just swap the front hub housings over completely I had to put new style discs on the old hubs as there is a difference in hub depths and to change the spindle would have meant changing the axles and cv joints possibly, I already paid good money for heavy duty front axles to retain the better earlier style cv joints and I couldn't be sure they were compatible.. All in all factory bits were used and nothing needed to be butchered and she brakes great..

 

[AndreasN]

Hi Shayne, where please did you find that junk yard in Canada?
Yesterday you run into my friend Joelle in Montreal who did a photo of your lady and mentioned me as being a crazy Defender fan as well. May I ask what your destinations are in Canada, specially Montreal aerea and if there is any change for a qiuck come together and at least shoot a phote of our two ladies?
Would be great.

regards
Andreas

 

[The Rover Shop]

G'day Andreas... We were actually only in Montreal to go to that pie shop we were at.. We headed out straight after that.. We are now down in Vermont and heading into New Hampshire for a couple of weeks..and then heading up into Maine and possibly Newfoundland etc.. In regards to the defenders he has asked me not to advertise his place as he doesn't want to be inundated with people asking for parts... I am currently trying to work a deal with him and a buddy of mine to go in and purchase a shoot load of spares and parts, so if there is something in particular we may have it soon.. I believe you are doing a defender for Argentina..???

 

[AndreasN]

Understand that he doesn't want to give his location. Yes I want to go down to Argentina and Patagonia. My Defender is already specialy prepared for Canada sofar before I shipped it over last year over. It actually onky need a view modifications, like a back door instead of the tail gate, roof rack with tent and a new suspension system as I am exchanging my 200TDI/automatic drive train (only 30T km) with a Madzda 3.5 SLTI engine to get more power for the 3t kg mammut.
So the current drive train I will put soon in here for sale.
Next week I am driving to Durango Colorado for a LR meeting. But maybe afterwards a short meeting in NH or Maine is possible as it is not so far awaf rom Montreal. Lets see who that would work. Until then all good luck.

 

[The Rover Shop]

I may have a rear door for you in the pile of parts..a meeting up here might be doable... Are you going to the Vermont trophy challenge..???

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Were you on Route 2 in northern Minnesota recently ? Saw a truck that looked like yours pass by while I was buying a pie from an Amish lady on the side of the road.

 

[The Rover Shop]

Yes I was and I think I remember that stand... Almost turned around and came back.. You did a double take and watched us go down the road..

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Well it's too bad you didn't turn around and yea I gave you a wave. You missed some great baked goods. Too bad we didn't meet. Oh we'll, hope you have safe adventures.....