Griff
Can you let me know what you took for Rover spares and tools, what you used, and anything you had wished you had brought (to repair the Rover).
Cheers
Tim
Pretty big question Tim! Im going to have to think about it. Truth is, we brought too much. The main reason was the fact that we left the UK so I had a massive tool collection I had to sell/give away or take. I was literally making my toolkit a few hours before we left on the floor of my dads garage.
The basics were:
- 1/2 drive socket set
- 3/8 and 1/4 drive socket set
- ratchet spanner set (8-19mm) *stolen by the Russians during shipping!
- 50cm 1/2 drive breaker bar
- selection of screwdrivers
- chisels/punches
- allen key set (2-8mm)
- 2x 9/16th open ended spanners (for UJ's)
- Tork bit (think its T55) for R380 gearbox filler
- propshaft UJ tool for 1/2 drive
- 2-3 hammers
- files
- hacksaw
- multimeter
- molegrips/pliers/cutters
- rivet gun and rivets
I think that was mostly it. I had a smashed 19mm socket for knocking in the UJ's along with a smashed 1/2 drive extension for drifting in/out bearing races.
Other vital things were:
- loctite
- gasket sealant
- copper grease
- wheel bearing grease
- general grease for UJ's etc in a grease gun (none cartridge so can be filled with grease bought on the road)
- WD40
- radiator stop leak
- chemical metal
- glues/adhesives
Fluids - we got caught out in Morocco in 2008 when the oil coolant pipe came off the engine block and sprayed 6L into the Saharan sand. We were only carrying 2L of engine oil which didn't even register on the stick.
For this reason alone, we carried a full change of 15/40w along with 5L of EP90, 2-3L of coolant and 4L of MTF94 and some screenwash.
Spares are always the big one for anybody. My usual chain of thought is:
Take anything that will completely disable the vehicle
So this includes:
- Wheel bearings
- UJ's & propshaft bolts
- radiator hoses/repair
- brake hoses
- clutch master and slave cylinder
- Alternator
- water pump
- fan/aux belts
- fuel/Oil/Air filter
- wheel nuts
- track rod ends
- steering drop arm ball joint
- selection of electrical wire/connectors
That kind of stuff. But as our trip was a long one and I knew I wouldn't get ANY LR spares on-route I threw in a few other things like:
- replacement wing mirror
- wing mirror glass
- sidelight/indicator/brake lenses (all clear to make replacement easier)
- belt tensioner pulley
- some relays I had hanging around
- spare hub nuts/washers
- spare wheel nuts
- full set of spare brake pads inc. retaining pins etc
- thermostat
- Brake vacuum pump (prone on 300tdi's)
- and some other small not so important land rover related spares.
We didn't use most of it. Only the service items like the filters, belts, brake pads and 2x UJ's. We had some cooling issues early on which turned out to be the viscous fan. we got this welded up in Russia making it fixed. We used some electrical stuff to install some bits in the trailer. Didn't use any of the spare lights stuff I brought or the wing mirror glass etc. My reasoning was that the Police always pull you over to check lights etc and are looking for a bribe. Where do you find a wipac indicator lens for a Defender? I just wanted to make life easier, but it wasn't needed. We just have spares in Australia now instead
Another problem we had was our exhaust shearing off the manifold in Siberia but we got that sorted in 3-4 hours... remarkable. We also had an electric fault I couldn't sort but we found someone who had a look and eventually just bypassed the wiring. that took the best part of a day.
Smashed side window in Siberia was fixed with plexiglass cut by a skilled Russian. smashed headlights and chipped windscreen we still have!
Blown rear shocks was probably the worst. We blew both Koni Heavy Tracks on the road of bones and they got really bad about 3000km from Vladivostok. We couldn't find replacements so bounced our way there. stupid really as it was dangerous but we didn't have much choice (Monday morning quarterbacks can zip it, as shipping is difficult at best taking 2-3 weeks).
What made all this easier was the fact that I know the truck inside out. I have owned it for 6 years and I know what has been replaced, what is worn, what is original etc. So I can fairly confidently say certain things will be fine. I also replaced all bushes/a frame ball joint/shocks/springs, brake pads/discs etc before we left and anything else that needed doing. If you leave with a solid vehicle then it helps narrow down problems later on. The coolant problem I couldn't pin. Its had a new radiator, hoses, thermostat, refreshed coolant before we left so that left the unknowns. Water pump or viscous unit... It was the viscous unit.
Soooo, I would say think about this:
- make your vehicle solid/reliable from the start
- find out about spares available in the countries you are visiting
- take a comprehensive tool kit
- As a minimum take spares that would disable your vehicle
Carrying the above we had about 24 hours total downtime in 8 months on the road which I think is incredible. When you consider the fact we met motorbikes waiting for a week or two for parts, a Land Rover trying to find a rear spring in Mongolia and many others, I think we did well
Tools went in an ammo box in tool rolls and spares were mostly in a 600x400x240mm box. Fluids went in a 600x400x300mm box packed tightly.
Anything I missed?
G
*I wish we had brought spare rear shocks.
