Expedition type question

[Grumbleweed]

if an expedition to south africa were planned, is it better to have petrol or diesel- i hear it is hard to get diesel in some countries on the way down there.

question is, if i were to start planning an expedition to there, do i take the SIII 2.25 or the 90 200TDi

[bvudzichena]

Diesel all the way.

You'll be taking quite a bit of stuff with you so you may want to take the LWB.

You will probably never do more then 400 - 500km in any one day so the 2.25 diesel will do the job.

[Grumbleweed]

it is a 2.25 petrol.

i was chatting to a mate that lived in kimberly for a while and he said that diesel is hard to come by and if you can get it not much price difference with the petrol- is he talking ****?

[bvudzichena]

i was chatting to a mate that lived in kimberly for a while and he said that diesel is hard to come by and if you can get it not much price difference with the petrol- is he talking ****?

Yes.

But since you've mentioned the 109 is petrol, you may want to research the couple who drove from Holland to India in a SWB. They got everything they needed into the back of the SWB, so you should be able to get yourself sorted with the 90.

Your biggest problem will be long range diesel tanks. Don't put anything under the left front seat. Use the load bed for something big and then put your shelves on top of the tank. Avoid jerry cans on the roof. They make the truck top heavy.

[Grumbleweed]

dont suppose you have a link for the holland-india thing? google is crap

[bvudzichena]

dont suppose you have a link for the holland-india thing? google is crap

Wish I had. I saw it in LRM a couple of years ago.

You need to stop and plan long and hard as to how to arrange the back of the 90.

Fuel,
Water,
2nd battery,
Spare parts
Food,
Clothing,
Camping equipment

all need to go in there and be within reach when needed.

Then there's the old question of a fridge or an eski...

[K&S]

Diesel is readily available and petrol too. Diesel is about 40 cents dearer than petrol at the moment which is neither here nor there as a concern. Unleaded and leaded petrol is available. There is cheaper diesel available that has a higher sulphur content.

A lot of people here believe diesel is the only way to go (no names mentioned hey Bvudzi and Marc :rolleyes: ) but there are a lot who go everywhere in petrol Landies (me included) as also a ton of V8 Discos and Defenders.

I suppose preference. I would suggest if you're gong into deepest darkest Africa (and no southern Africa is no darkest Africa) then diesel is probably the better option. Just don't go to Bob's country as not much of either is available.

Being a series lover I would opt for the series III but that is an emotive choice of my part :D .

[bvudzichena]

A lot of people here believe diesel is the only way to go (no names mentioned hey Bvudzi and Marc :rolleyes: ) but there are a lot who go everywhere in petrol Landies (me included) as also a ton of V8 Discos and Defenders.


Kev,

My experience is that they water the petrol down "up north" - especially when they see a nice juicy foreigner who they can take for every last penny he or she has. We once had to get an accellerator cable for a VW Combi silver soldered in Beira. The repair cost more than a brand new cable.

[Grumbleweed]

i'm sure thats true, though i am a competent mechanic and will do any repairs myself.

I would rather take the s3 as i think it is better than any coiler when it comes to ruggedness and basic engineering.
I want to fit defender doors all round, parabolics & decarbon shocks, uprate the electrics & alternator, add solar panel, roofrack & rooftent, front difflocker, LPG for europe & i can engineer a camping stove system off that, overdrive, wolf rims, possibly a winch (capstan preferred), H/D radiator, kenlowe/viscous coupling, free whelling front hubs, x-brake, better door seals and HiD lights

I want to keep it as 'series 3' as possible, as getting parts will be easier on a standard car.

[MPi-KMS-72]

i'm sure thats true, though i am a competent mechanic and will do any repairs myself.

I would rather take the s3 as i think it is better than any coiler when it comes to ruggedness and basic engineering...


Right on! :D Good thing you posted that here among friends though...:D

[bvudzichena]

Get yourself a brew, settle in and read this (http://forum.landrovernet.com/showthread.php?t=87427) thread.

Once you've done so, you'll understand some of my comments below.

Oh yes, there's beer waiting when you get to Cape Town.


I want to fit defender doors all round

If I could get '84-'86 lift handle doors with wind down windows, then I'd do this, but I wouldn't waste my time with push button doors. This is very subjective and is only my opinion based on my own experience.


parabolics & decarbon shocks

Parabolics are like marmite. You either love or hate them. My opinion is to rather get heavy duty springs.
DeCarbon's are great for Paris-Dakar or Comp Safari where the vehicle is light and the wheels move up and down a lot. They are useless for long slogs where the vehicle is loaded. Just ask the guys who did Long Way Down...
Get OME foam or Iron Man foam dampers. You won't be sorry.


uprate the electrics & alternator

Now were talking. What advice do you want?


add solar panel

Good move.
Look at bushpower (http://www.bushpower.co.za/) to see how we do it out here.


roofrack & rooftent

Build the solar panel into the roofrack. Hannibal does racks like that. I think Survivor do to.
Brownchurch racks are bullet proof but very heavy.
There is only one tent to buy: Howling Moon. I had a Tourer on my blue Defender. We have the "peasant model" on Olivia.
The peasant model is still better than the best the opposition have.


front difflocker

People who know more about this than me should comment here. I've always been told it's best to have one at the back, but I usually pop one front and back on my own trucks.


LPG for europe & i can engineer a camping stove system off that,

Don't waste your time with the LPG conversion. Europe is a very small part of the trip. LPG cylinder fittings change from country to country and from oil company to oil company in some countries.

My advice is to make a fire.


overdrive

Overdrive or RR diff up front and Defender crown wheel and pinion out back? It's a tough one this. We've decided against the overdrive and decided to rather fiddle with the diff's.


wolf rims

Yes. We have ex military rims on O and they are much stronger than normal rims.


possibly a winch (capstan preferred),

Anything that works off the dog on the front of your engine. There are some heavy duty non capstan units that pop up on ebay every once in a while.
Hydraulic is nice, but pricey.
Rod driven from the PTO is also nice, but those rods can easily break on some of the roads you'll be travelling on - especially if you decide to use the Western Route.


H/D radiator

Yes.


kenlowe/viscous coupling

Remove the propellor fan and fit a Kenlowe.


free whelling front hubs

Go for it.


x-brake

Yes!


better door seals

Grind the "lip" off the door frame and get Defender seals.


HiD lights

No - don't waste your money. Rather use those funds for a second diff locker.
Fit halogens with 90/130 blubs and a couple of spots on the roofrack.

[K&S]

I want to fit defender doors all round, parabolics & decarbon shocks, uprate the electrics & alternator, add solar panel, roofrack & rooftent, front difflocker, LPG for europe & i can engineer a camping stove system off that, overdrive, wolf rims, possibly a winch (capstan preferred), H/D radiator, kenlowe/viscous coupling, free whelling front hubs, x-brake, better door seals and HiD lights



Why a front diff lock as opposed to the rear? Electric fan with over-ride is a great idea. I really wouldn't bother with free wheeling hubs if they're not there already. Some of them can give problems and there has been thousands of pros and cons written about them. Having them on mine and having the experience of them now I'm of the opinion if they hadn't there when I bought it I would not spend the money on them now. I've driven Landies with and without and although I occasionally use mine I wouldn't now go and fit them if they weren't already there.

What is an x-brake?

[MPi-KMS-72]

I can think of only one distinct advantage to the locking hubs and that is if you damage a front end you can turn them to free wheel and go on in 2wd. NOT that that would be the best course of action but sometimes you might need to do that.

Your rear axle is a Salisbury isn't it? I'd put an ARB in that and a Truetrac or Quaife in the front end. That keeps things nice and simple and relatively bullet proof.

[Grumbleweed]

can you get a diff locker in a salisbury? is it a **** to fit?
just thought rather than messing with trying to get the rear diff out, the front one would suffice.

[MPi-KMS-72]

It isn't that difficult really. You could use a Detroit locker whichj would be simple but an ARB would be better with its ability to be selected on or off. I'd also enlarge and extend all breather lines from your axles, transfer case and transmission.

[K&S]

Matt I may have lost your train of thought but surely if you want two wheel drive then the little red knob forward and the little yellow knob up gives you that?

[MPi-KMS-72]

check out this page for 109 ideas:

http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/

since you'll be sitting a lot it might be worth looking into better seats? http://www.hunsakersports.com/images/products/reclining-envy1.jpg

[MPi-KMS-72]

Matt I may have lost your train of thought but surely if you want two wheel drive then the little red knob forward and the little yellow knob up gives you that?


yes well the front diff still turns, sometimes it can be an advantage to be able to isolate it if something goes wrong. We blew up the front locker on my brother's FJ40 one time and were only able to get home because he had locking hubs.

It is a mixed bag though- since the locking hubs also provide another thing to go wrong, they can be fooled with by curious people making for interesting situations too...:eek: And there are the lubrication issues they create.

[bvudzichena]

What is an x-brake?

Disc brake handbrake.

Seriously cool.

Mike and Margaret have one on their truck.

It's on my shipping list (for O and the D2) for when next I'm in the yUK.

[MPi-KMS-72]

can you get a diff locker in a salisbury? is it a **** to fit?
just thought rather than messing with trying to get the rear diff out, the front one would suffice.
I'd rather have it in the rear anyway- remember your rear is decent stuff the sals being what? 24 spline with 1.24" shafts and no CVs or U joints to weaken it. The front end is all 10 spline rover junk and a locker could stress it more, I'd rather have the front open or with a torque biasing differential like a Torsen type than with a true locker.

Of course you could upgrade all axles to custom nearly unbrakable bits but, IF they break you'd be even less likely to find spares.

[MPi-KMS-72]

Disc brake handbrake.

Seriously cool.

Mike and Margaret have one on their truck.

It's on my shipping list (for O and the D2) for when next I'm in the yUK.


They are pretty neat... how much do they cost though?

[bvudzichena]

They are pretty neat... how much do they cost though?

£180.00

http://www.x-eng.co.uk/X-BrakeSeries.asp

[Grumbleweed]

thats my concern- i want to keep it original for ease of repair. i can drop out a rover diff in 5 mins, but a salisbury? i dont know.

thanks for the tip with the shocks- i have decarbon on my 90, what do you recommend for this type of thing? es9000?

[bvudzichena]

Of course you could upgrade all axles to custom nearly unbrakable bits but, IF they break you'd be even less likely to find spares.

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. I'd rather have a halfshaft that's designed to break, break on me than have to replace a crownwheel because the Gorilla Shaft transfered the stress to the next weakest point.

[bvudzichena]

thanks for the tip with the shocks- i have decarbon on my 90, what do you recommend for this type of thing? es9000?

I had ES9000's in my Series 3 SWB. They are good shocks, but not suited for overland work.

Join the overland forum (http://www.overland.co.za) and ask other people who've been there and done it as my advice (and yes, I've done the west route from Morocco to Cape Town and the east route from Kenya down) doesn't seem to be what you want to hear.

[Grumbleweed]

i'm thinking OME? or heavy track shocks.

am i on the right lines?

[MPi-KMS-72]

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. I'd rather have a halfshaft that's designed to break, break on me than have to replace a crownwheel because the Gorilla Shaft transfered the stress to the next weakest point.

Well you are still stuck with tearing apart the front end if a 10 spline front shaft goes to hell which is never much fun. :( They weren't designed to fail they were simply used in an application that could easily exceed their strength.

On the other hand I do agree in that it is akin to polishing a **** anyway I mean you could upgrade to all 24 spline shafts, 4 pin diffs or lockers but it is a lot of $ and a fair # of custom bits They are well proven and probably won't fail but IF they do then what do you do?http://www.seriestrek.com/axles.html

The toyota 3rds are a tempting upgrade for the front end- too bad there is no toyota 4.7 R&P readily available. That conversion wouldn't be bad combined with a Sals rear.

[MPi-KMS-72]

I had ES9000's in my Series 3 SWB. They are good shocks, but not suited for overland work.

Join the overland forum (http://www.overland.co.za) and ask other people who've been there and done it as my advice (and yes, I've done the west route from Morocco to Cape Town and the east route from Kenya down) doesn't seem to be what you want to hear.


Ive seen several ES9000s with the eyes that have failed- have you happened across that? it doesn't inspire confidence at any rate. I ended up going with stock HD units but if I were to do it on my next project it probably would be OMEs.

[Snagger]

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. I'd rather have a halfshaft that's designed to break, break on me than have to replace a crownwheel because the Gorilla Shaft transfered the stress to the next weakest point.Or worse, shear the gearbox layshaft, which is one of the weak spots in the Series transmission.

Kevin, I think you misunderstand Matt because of his use of the term "locking hub" - by that he means FWH, and that if the axle or propshaft are damaged, simple selection of 2wd and FWH disengagement would allow you to continue (conditions permitting) to drive until a suitable repair could be made.

Personally, I'd suggest not fitting FWH as they are the cause of more troubles than they can help against - they can strip splines, seize in the disengaged position or leak, and are known to contribute towards swivel pin wear through oil starvation.

As for the locking diffs, if you are only fitting one, stick it in the back axle as it's far stronger - a locked diff in the front will most likely blow the gripping side's swivel UJ or halfshaft. Don't get the Detroit, especially the one that is locked and only unlocks when on form surfaces - they cause odd driving characteristics, add stress to the axle under normal circumstances, and are not at reliable as ARBs or KAM diffs.

Uprating the transmission would be folly - apart from being a waste of money and making en-route repairs difficult, they would make the gearbox the likely failure point. Locking diffs also mean that by the time you get stuck, you have progressed so far and deep into the mire that winch or tow recoveries are severely complicated. You'll loose drive sooner with open diffs, so you'll be in an easier recovery position. I'd suggest spending the diff-lock money on a second winch for the back end, which is theoreticaly more useful than a front winch anyway.

As far as which vehicle to take, it depends on your route and arrangements. If you're going to be in remote areas but reasonably smooth roads, the 109 will give better camping and stowage, so will be more comfortable. If you plan to use rougher roads but will be using hotels/B&B accomodation, the 90 could be better.

Ultimately, the accessories and kit can be fitted to either. Perhaps the most imprtant consideration should be vehicle reliability and condition?

[Grumbleweed]

was hoping you would add your bit snagger.

i want to use the 109 as i know it backwards, not least IMHO a petrol engine always gives you more signs of a problem than a diesel ever will!

it is also simple engineering, bodgeable to get you to safety and plenty enough power to get into trouble, or out of it

[MPi-KMS-72]

Personally, I'd suggest not fitting FWH as they are the cause of more troubles than they can help against - they can strip splines, seize in the disengaged position or leak, and are known to contribute towards swivel pin wear through oil starvation.



Another consideration is what quality of locking hubs are available now- the old Warn M10 (?) hubs were excellent quality but are now discontinued. Some that have been available more recently have been really crap:
http://pangolin4x4.com/pangolin4x4/reference/lib/fwh/fwh.html
With that consideration alone I think I'd avoid fitting them, mine Fairey hubs went in the bin long ago because of this.


I still think a rear diff lock would be a decent investment. You may get stuck in more inaccessible areas however you'll find you will be able to get through other areas that you'd otherwise need to progress through with a winch or other means.

A Tirfor might be a good investment too- I think I'd get one of them before spending $500 on an X brake- assuming your existing brake works.

Check out the Expedition Portal:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/

[MPi-KMS-72]

i want to use the 109 as i know it backwards, not least IMHO a petrol engine always gives you more signs of a problem than a diesel ever will!

it is also simple engineering, bodgeable to get you to safety and plenty enough power to get into trouble, or out of it


That is good reasoning- The 109 is simple as heck. A lot of people like to put down petrol engines but the 2.25 is one very dependable engine. If you are familiar with your particular 109 and have solved the issues that crop up with 30 some years of use then there is no reason it won't serve you as well today as it did in its heyday.

Heck I had to make ignition points from scratch once to get home but was able to do so- that is reassuring, especially when you contrast it to today's computer controlled vehicles and motors. :p


Some of you fellow series LR lovers should chime in here: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10578
Particularly if you can relate real world overland experience to the thread.

[adrianandkate]

There is some good advice on here.

Agree with Bvud on a number of issue. Wouldn't bother with Defender doors. On the push-button ones, as a matter of interest, the locking mechanism is a nightmare, the protruding handles are easily knocked off, and don't start me on the wind-down windows. When I come to replace (the doors on the Santana) I will be going for ex-mil doors with lift-up handles, sliding windows, and aluminium tops. If your doors are good enough at the moment, I would fit new Series rubbers. I fitted new ones to the SIII 109 and no problems with leaking (not from the doors anyway). They've been on there ten years now.

If your springs are in good condition, leave them alone. I've got one ton heavy duty springs on the SIII and parabolics (as standard) on the Santana. Both sets are heavy duty. If I had to replace either of them, I'd just replace with the same.

I wouldn't buy Wolfs. If you want wider wheels (eg for tubeless tyres) buy a set of Disco rims. Cheap. Mine have been on for ages. (They bolt straight on to a Series III). I've also got a spare set of ex-mil ones, but we got sick of punctures so swapped to the Disco rims.

I like my Brownchurch roofrack. It is solid.

I wouldn't bother with LPG either. Whether you cross to France or Spain (unless you decide to go Italy/North Africa), you will travel through Spain and we have not seen any LPG anywhere. It is around, but not at a lot of places and you will have to plan carefully. Spanish petrol and diesel are around the euro mark at the moment, slightly under for diesel, over for petrol. In Gib, it is 54p a litre for diesel and 63p for petrol, just to give you some comparative idea.

Like Kevin our Series came with (Selectra) FWH. I wouldn't bother either if they weren't on. We have to cut our own gaskets these days, ace fun :rolleyes:.

I would add very little to either of my vehicles for our expeditions. As you've said, you can repair the Series, the bits are replaceable or the repairs are bodgeable, and the more upgraded and bling additions you have, the more likely you are to have to part with your money, :( particularly at customs point/border crossings/on-the-spot insurance, even police fines for speeding in Europe.

You might want to think about bolting sand/bridging ladders across your station wagon windows at the sides, and a shorter one across the back. Don't forget to buy a few padlocks. You can also get grilles to go over your front screen, for when stones hit the front window - either deliberately or otherwise.

We go for the tidy and well-maintained image - but no more. :)

Adrian

[rusty_wingnut]

wider rims - fit 130FC rims. look like standard Land Rover wheels but give great steering lock and help handling.

engine - 2.25 or 200tdi, well either will be fine, both are very reliable and i can't see any reason to choose one from the other.

on the subject of a locker in the rear i'd roll with that idea, definetly a bonus if you're stuck somewhere, one of those pieces of kit you think you may not need, but will help you out more than you think.

[Snagger]

I agree with much of Adrian's posts, but would back Rusty on the wheels - if I'm not mistaken, and I'm by no means sure of this, the Discovery wheels aren't rated for all that much weight, and the heavy load combined with the hammering of rough tracks could cause problems. !30 rims were used on Camel Trophy Defenders and Discoverys for that reason. Wolf rims are still another good alternative.

I have a Brownchurch rack and quite like it. While it's certainly tougher than the aluminium alternatives, it is also much heavier, so handling can be compromised, as will sideslope capabilities. It may also eat into the safe roof carriage weight more than an ali rack. This won't be a problem for me as in the future, I plan to just use it for roof tent mounting, but on my Alpine trip this summer it will be carrying some boxes of kit as I will be using a ground tent on cost grounds.

I'm really flattered by your keeness on my posting, cadfael, but please be aware that I have yet to undertake my first expedition and have done very little off road driving at all, so I am very much a novice. My opinions are just that, based on what I have read or heard elsewhere and just a little logical thought, and should be read with a little circumspection.;)

[alex]

Snaggers just being modest. You can see him fly out of Luton every day . It`s the only 737 with a Brownchurch roofrack rooftent and a snorkel on it!:D

Alex

[Snagger]

You can see him fly out of Luton every day . It`s the only 737 with ... a snorkel on it!:D

Alex
I could have done with one today, and a periscope! That must have been torrential on the ground this morning - the wipers did nothing to clear the screens even at their highest setting; it was like doing 110 on the motorway in heavy rain and spray with no wipers at all!:eek:

[bvudzichena]

I always thought the old D1 steel rims were rubbish until Mmgemini pitched at our home with his Defender.

As I write this, his wheels are on their third trip to Africa and not a problem in sight. Their truck is loaded to the hilt and the rims are doing what they are supposed to.

They are on my ebay search list...

[tony109]

Advice is down to personal opinions but concider the facts ...
FWH do work wonders, and you won't need 4wd for most of the miles you travel. Your not going to neglect them either.. You'll be checking the vehicle every step of the way.
Petrol vs Diesel? Forget the performance figures, keeping the wheels turning is the name of the game. Petrol is a real fire risk especially in the hotter locations, and you'll be burning it at a rate greater than you'd think. Of course, if your not familiar with diesels, then stick to the petrol engine. But I would go for diesel.
Fuel sourcing for a diesel will not be an issue. You'll see many trucks, tractors, generators and general machinery so your covered. The options for a petrol fuel are far fewer
Keep it simple, lean and clean. Keep vehicle weight to a minimum.
I wouldn't fit a roof rack or side mounted jerry can. Spares wheels will finish a rear door off, but we know all this. You can fit Diff locks, LSDiffs and a whole range of extras, but your best bet is to keep it simple, as land rover intended and you'll have no problems.
Oh, Pressed steel wheels would be the wiser option, their not going to crack, just buckle, maybe....

[Snagger]

Advice is down to personal opinions but concider the facts ...
FWH do work wonders, and you won't need 4wd for most of the miles you travel.And what would they be?

There have been plenty of FWH debates on here, and the consensus from the majority who have had them is that they're a waste of money. A minority of users found they made the steering a little lighter, but that will not be noticeable on the sorts of roads encountered on such a trip - there aren't many tight car parks, mini roundabouts and one way systems to negotiate.

The fuel savings are immeasurable, if they even exist. The potential for problems with the FWH is not insignificant, though - there have been plenty of threads on here asking how to fix them or source parts. Some mods are neccessary on an exped, but it's best to avoid complicating mechanical systems.

[K&S]

As a FWH owner (who admittedly hasn't had problems) I agree with Snagger. Use the KISS principle. Keep It Simple Stupid. It's the best principle when you're miles away from help.

[dredger]

Look at this expedition in a series Landrover

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3n30n_land-rover-en-afrique-dma-project

[Marc Lurie]

it is a 2.25 petrol.

i was chatting to a mate that lived in kimberly for a while and he said that diesel is hard to come by and if you can get it not much price difference with the petrol- is he talking ****?


YES.

Diesel is FAR more easily available than petrol. In the unlikely event that diesel isn't available at a specific location, any truck driver will sell you some of his. In 14 years of African travel I have only once been in a position where diesel wasn't available. That was in Manica, Mozambique and the diesel tanker had broken down on its way there.

Obviously, there are certain unfortunate exceptions such as Zimbabwe where there is a shortage of all fuels.

[Marc Lurie]

Diesel is readily available and petrol too. Diesel is about 40 cents dearer than petrol at the moment which is neither here nor there as a concern. Unleaded and leaded petrol is available. There is cheaper diesel available that has a higher sulphur content.

That's only really true of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Namibia Kevin.

In many other countries petrol is difficult to find outside larger centres, and often watered down. That's not to say that the diesel is not tampered with, but at least most diesels will run on almost anything. Most petrols can't.

[tony109]

And what would they be?

There have been plenty of FWH debates on here, and the consensus from the majority who have had them is that they're a waste of money. A minority of users found they made the steering a little lighter, but that will not be noticeable on the sorts of roads encountered on such a trip - there aren't many tight car parks, mini roundabouts and one way systems to negotiate.

The fuel savings are immeasurable, if they even exist. The potential for problems with the FWH is not insignificant, though - there have been plenty of threads on here asking how to fix them or source parts. Some mods are neccessary on an exped, but it's best to avoid complicating mechanical systems.
==================================================

I hope you had a look at dredgers post.. See the land rover used there? It was Fitted with FWHs.. The AVM FWHs fitted to mine are not complicated, but if the worse comes to it you'd simply swap them back for the drive flanges... Not that complicated is it? On my overland trips to Kazan I found FWHs very useful.. 4WD was only seriously needed for a small part of the time. The fuel saving wasn't the real issue but saying you had a serious fault in the front axel, you could disconnect the front wheels.
If your travelling away to these parts of the world, you need to be self sufficient.. if it goes wrong you need to be able to fix it yourself.
So regardless of the "general concensus" I found FWHs a useful addition. And keep it diesel.

[Snagger]

In the 16 years I have driven my 109, the only front axle failure I have had, apart from a slight weep on a hub seal which is hardly a show stopper, was a FWH. I haven't done an expedition yet, and you have done some big ones, so have experience that I lack. However, I am not atypical of prior users of FWH.

As for the diesel issue - it's not a conversion that he's considering, just a factor in the choice of which vehicle he should take.

My leanings would be towards the 109, subject to confidence in its mechanical condition.