Alpine trip

[Snagger]

After going to the top man, I have finally got some leave sorted sot hat I can go on the Atlas Overland Alpine trip this summer. There will be 8 vehicles, including the leader and a team from LRE.

I now have to start putting some miles on the 109 to prove its reliability. The two problems at the moment are the fourth gear sometimes jumping out on over-run (any suggestions welcome) and a small weep from the front crank shaft seal (was replaced during the engine build, but will have to be done again, meaning the strip of the whole timing assembly:rolleyes:).

I also need to start equipping the vehicle.

Fuel is not a problem, with 42 IGal tank capacity. For water, I was planning to use the 20L plastic Jerrycan in one of the side lockers. I was planning to use two 10L steel Jerrycans for engine oil and EP90 in the other locker. We'll be mainly staying at camp sites, so we won't need more water than that.

I now have a pioneer kit with all the brackets, initially planned to be fitted like on Camel 110s, but now most likely to be fitted like on Wolf bonnets.

We'll be using a ground tent (roof tents too expensive at this stage) with two sleeping compartments, one for us and one for the kids. The pop-up type look good, so I'd appreciate any recomendations.

Tools will be stored in purpose made panels at the back of the hard top. The folding seats in row three will be left at home, and I plan to have a pair of Thompson chests on top of the wheel arches in their place. I was planning to use them for food and cooking equipment.

Folding chars and table will be stowed with the tent on the roof rack. I hope to get an awning before we go, though it's not essential.

Clothes and ablutions kit would be stored in stackable boxes in the rear load area. I'll have to think about where to carry the spare parts (wheel bearings, UJs, belts and so on - I'd rather they were low down than in a box on the roof. I might have to carry them internally with one box of clothing (1 change each to be kept dry) and the rest of the clothes in water-tight boxes on the roof.

If anyone has any suggestions of better arrangements and where to get various bits of equipment, please post them - this is a first time experience for us (hence being willing to pay for an organised trip), and all constructive advice based on personal experience would be very welcome.

[Swingletree]

Fourth gear jumping out sounds like the Synchromesh.

Keep water in opaque containers. It stops the sunlight from encouraging bacterial growth.

Do not scrimp on the tent. It will be your home for the duration. If it leaks or has a tendency to bend/snap/leak in the wind and rain you might be a little upset!:D

Gas is the easiest cooking fuel to use but a multi fuel stove is a MULTI FUEL stove if you know what I mean.;)

I use a tarp with an eyelet in each corner, two washing line props and two guy lines and pegs for an awning. It doubles up as a tarp to protect the kit on the roof rack. Tie two eyelets to the roof rack, put the props through the eyelets opposite and keep em stood up with the guy lines and pegs. ;)

As for keeping your kit dry, buy an assortment of "Canoe bags" and use them for all your clothes, they will still squish even when they are sealed and save loads of space. (they even keep kit dry in the jungle!).

Hope that helps.

[mmgemini]

You might like to spend a couple of days reading this post... We lived for six months out of our 110 Defender SW.

http://www.landroveraddict.com/smf/index.php?topic=358612.0

Any questions welcome.

[Snagger]

Thanks for the link, Mike.

That High Lift Jack Mate looks very useful - I bust my LR bottle jack yesterday lifting one rear wheel (unladen!). I have a Jackall, which doesny have the bolt hole through the lifting foot, but I think the unit would still work. I like the idea of reinforcing the battery box lids for use as jacking pads, too - I have lids on both sides like that for access to the front tanks, and will now be making a similar mod.

The chests you have for the rear wheel arches are great. I was considering Thompson chests as a cheaper alternative. I'd love to fit a MSS drawr and wheel arch cheasts, but they're so damned expensive! I think I'll have to get cheaper boxes too.

I already have some of that cargo rail - I'll be fitting 3' lengths along the top outboard edge of the wheel arches and the corners of the floor/wheelarches at the back to allow anything on the top of the wheelarches and the floor to be secured. I need to find a source of ratchet straps - I have four for the roof rack already, but need six more to use with the cargo rail clips like yours.

I'll be sticking to the black plastic MoD Jerrycan for the water just because I already have one, the lockers are already in place, and they're easier to fill, clean and use. Whether I get a second one and carry water on both sides, or carry oil on one side and water on the other I have yet to decide. That would mean carrying oil internally, though, and I'm not that keen to do so.:scratchCh

[Snagger]

Swingle - the tarp is a good idea, being multi functional. It'll be much cheaper, too. Thanks for the canoe bag idea, aswell - I was already considering stuff-sacks (like used on modern sleeping bags), but these sound better. Don't worry, the water can is thick black plastic, made for the purpose.

I hope I can sort the 4th gear with a little more fiddling with the selectors - it only started playing up after the Tdi implant, which also saw me remove the selectors to replace their seals. It's got to be either that selector disturbance or a bad spigot bush allowing the input shaft to wobble and knock out 4th (I checked the bush , but it seemed OK so I left it).

[toppa]

Sounds like a fun trip Snagger..

Mike excellant thead, although i had read it before, i just read it again :D


Cheers

[Swingletree]

I've just been reading Gemini's thread.

I have a newly awakened wanderlust.

(Keep it quiet though, I don't want another Op tour just yet)

[mmgemini]

On our first trip we had the report nailed to the top of a forum.
That report inspired more than one member of that forum to do trips to North Africa.
Other trip repotrs have inspired other people which pleases both of us....
I'm all for driving to Cape Town. Margaret will not hear of it......

If you look close at the ratchet straps you'll see I have had the straps sewn onto the cargo rail clips.....I'm sure that a supplier would do that for you.
I still have spare clips and straps on board though.

Try this place for ratchet straps and recovery straps
www.damarslings.com (http://www.damarslings.com)

Snagger You are aware where that cargo rail comes from I hope....

I've started a new thread on LRA

http://www.landroveraddict.com/smf/index.php?topic=369337.0
It will be ongoing over the next couple of months.

The trip report if you haven't read it is here

http://www.landroveraddict.com/smf/index.php?topic=364099.0

Once again you'll need to spend some time reading it.

[toppa]

I have visions of Snagger poking around the hangers at lutton looking for cargo rails :D


MIke off to start reading your thread now...

Cheers

[bob696]

We did the same trip a couple of years ago and had a great time. You will enjoy I am sure.

Dont forget a fridge/coolbox btw. We found it very usfull to cut down on shopping trips.

I think it was the 2nd day in france that was a bit of a killer as we covered nearly 500 miles.

[mmgemini]

I have visions of Snagger poking around the hangers at lutton looking for cargo rails :D


MIke off to start reading your thread now...

Cheers

Yes me too..... :D :D
I wonder when he's looking if he could find some seat bolts clips...... hint ...hint......

[Snagger]

I am buying my cargo rail from Lanro4x4. Cargo rail for aircraft holds and cabins has had to pass much more stringent ND testing and quality assurance, so getting hold of spare bits is very expensive unless you have a contact at a large aircraft salvage and breakers company. To give you an idea of the cost of aircraft parts, just one windscreen on a 73 costs £120,000 - more than many houses. The pilots at LTN tried all avenues to get hold of a scrap Speed Brake lever (smaller than a RRC handbrake lever and less complicated) to make into a retiring gift for a skipper who was being pensioned off at 65 (he refused to use the speed brakes or allow his FOs to use them, referring to the lever as the "stick of shame") - the cheapest we found for it was $650, plus shipping, import taxes and so on. The six Display Units (7x7' low res, primary colour only TVs) cost £80k each. You just don't get spares from mates in the hangar, at least not without loosing both your jobs and facing prosecution. The cargo rail only cost me a touch over £20 for 12' anyway, and it's brand new, so hasn't been scuffed, bent or walloped by baggage handlers.

[nobber]

have you considered weight?
your self , your other half and the kids , plus chests , parts , liquids , it all adds up.

if the price of fuel is a concearn scrap the engine oil in favour for fuel , you are more likley to use fuel than engine oil.

its cheaper in luxembourge however the added weight might outweigh the cost saving due to poorer mpg.

one litre of water at 4 dagrees weighs 1 kg , id say diesel might be around the same.

[Snagger]

have you considered weight?
your self , your other half and the kids , plus chests , parts , liquids , it all adds up.

if the price of fuel is a concearn scrap the engine oil in favour for fuel , you are more likley to use fuel than engine oil.

its cheaper in luxembourge however the added weight might outweigh the cost saving due to poorer mpg.

one litre of water at 4 dagrees weighs 1 kg , id say diesel might be around the same.
Since I have three fuel tanks already, I'll not be carrying any fuel cans. I have two modified Jerry can holders on the sides, each able to carry one 20L can. One will definitely be for water. The other will likely be for a mix of EP90 and engine oil, using 2x 10L cans, but that's not yet for certain. There is absolutely no way that I'll be doing the trip without spare oils, though.

I am quite aware of the weight issue, but by using a pop-up tent instead of two RTTs, that saves a lot of high up weight and cargo mass. I also plan to use plastic boxes or "canoe bags" to save the weight of metal boxes. Because the vehicle is kept in such good order and because the trip should be relatively mild, I won't need a massive selection of spares either.

[nobber]

i got really greedy in lux with cheap fuel , 12 gallons in the tank , 60 litres in gerry cans in the back and 20 litres of water. it made going up steep hills a bit of a struggle although i do have an underpowered 19j.
luckely half the fuel was used up by the time i got to the swiss alps.

entertainment will be something to look into , my mp3 player was a god send , syphoning new tunage off the laptop when needed.
with kids though an mp3 might not be enough, especially on long motorway journeys.

the only real problem i encountered was my cooling system , it really struggled with the uphill climbs some of which were a good 20 klms long at low speeds due to the gradients(not straight up).

[mmgemini]

Since I have three fuel tanks already, I'll not be carrying any fuel cans. I have two modified Jerry can holders on the sides, each able to carry one 20L can. One will definitely be for water. The other will likely be for a mix of EP90 and engine oil, using 2x 10L cans, but that's not yet for certain. There is absolutely no way that I'll be doing the trip without spare oils, though.

I am quite aware of the weight issue, but by using a pop-up tent instead of two RTTs, that saves a lot of high up weight and cargo mass. I also plan to use plastic boxes or "canoe bags" to save the weight of metal boxes. Because the vehicle is kept in such good order and because the trip should be relatively mild, I won't need a massive selection of spares either.

There's a PM to you.... :p

[KevSull]

A plan that, luckily, we didn't need to implement when we did a 3000 mile trip around Europe in three Caterhams, was to leave a bunch of spares with a trusted friend back home with the intention to have him fed-ex (or possibly reliable equivalent) any required part to our next destination. If you have a fixed route with named campsites this could be a possible 'get out of jail' card.

Also won't mixing EP90 and engine oil result in a can of thick, nasty smelling gunk, or do you have a special sieve that will separate them out again?;)

Wish you hadn't posted this thread, makes me want to do something similar myself again!

[Snagger]

A plan that, luckily, we didn't need to implement when we did a 3000 mile trip around Europe in three Caterhams, was to leave a bunch of spares with a trusted friend back home with the intention to have him fed-ex (or possibly reliable equivalent) any required part to our next destination. If you have a fixed route with named campsites this could be a possible 'get out of jail' card.Not a bad idea.

Also won't mixing EP90 and engine oil result in a can of thick, nasty smelling gunk, or do you have a special sieve that will separate them out again?;)
:D It'll be worse when I add the antifreeze and brake fluid. Seriously, though, I have one 10L steel Jerry can, just like a normal 20L type but half height. I will get another, and that will allow me 10L of 10W40 and another 10L of EP90, both able to fit in one of the Jerrycan side lockers, or I may just carry a plastic 20L water Jerry in each locker and carry the oil in the standard plastic bottles internally.

[Snagger]

There's a PM to you.... :pThanks, Mike. I'll try to give you a call at a sensible time. What's your work pattern like?

[Cannonball Bob]

Nick, this probably sounds egg-suckingly obvious but until you get that 4th gear problem completely squared away, taking the wagon on a long trip where you need to know it's gonna work as advertised, first time, every time, is just asking for trouble. :(

[Snagger]

The gearbox is coming out again this weekend, Bob. I'm fairly confident that I have identified the fault - the primary pinion from the clutch is moving aft under negative torque and pushing the 3rd/4th sunchro back, knocking the detents out. The only thing that couls cause that is a failed circlip on the pinion (the circlip is on the forward side of the pinion's bearing race).

The whole of the gearbox and transfer box will be stripped and rebuilt. I will be replacing all the bearings, and if there is any trace of wear on the primary pinion from its movement in the bearing race, that'll be replaced too (a shame, since it has only covered 7,500 miles).

At the same time, I'll be adressing an engine oil leak that has suddenly worsened - the Tdi has been loosing oil since the rebuild, and I though that it was the front crank seal into the timing case. That seal and the crank timing sprocket have been replaced an the timing case leak cured, but there is now a massive leak from near the back of the engine, either the block/flwheel housing gasket or, more likely, the sealant between the block and the ladder frame, that is now loosing a litre per 100 miles! The transmission has been dripping oil worse than normal for a week - now I know where it's coming from - it's smothered in engine oil that has flowed back from the engine leak.

It's all in hand, though. Even without the gearbox repair, the gearbox won't fail - it's just a nuisance to have it pop out of a gear on the over-run, though at least it's 4th; you don't use that for engine braking down mountain roads - you use the low gears for that and they're fine.

The greatest pressure is to have it all fixed before the 19th of June, as Helena has booked me in for a winching course with the 109 so that I know how to use it safely should I ever need to.