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PREPARING YOUR VEHICLE

You will face the eternal dilema of what to take and what to leave behind. Most modern 4x4s are pretty well kitted out for passenger comfort and onboard equipment, but they are rarely fitted with expedition standard equipment as standard.

One note of warning, the more equipment you take the heavier the vehicle will be and the more likely it is that you will damage the suspension or other components in harsh conditions. So taking all those spares can create a self fulfilling prophecy where the extra weight actually causes the original parts to fail.

Passenger areas

Inertia Seat belts are an essential fitment. All cars now have them fitted as standard but if you plan to use an older 4x4 you should get a set fitted and use them at all times.

Washable seat covers may sound like an unnecessary frivolity but after a few weeks in the bush the ingrained sand, mud and other detritus caused by heavy use will make driving more uncomfortable. They are very simple to fit, very cheap to but and weigh next to nothing.

Guages and instruments: make sure that all your warning lights are in good working order. If you do not have an oil temperature gauge, then fit one. Don’t just rely on the water gauge. The oil and water cooling operate saparately and it’s good practice to monitor both.

If you don’t have an inclinometer then consider getting one. In urban conditions they are pretty well redundant but in off-road conditions the surroundings can easily create optical illusions that hide the true gradients and angles of the terrain you are traversing. Don’t just look at the trees to work out an angle of gradient assuming they will always be vertical. In some ares they can have a nasty habit of growing towards the best light rather than just straight up.

A good Fire extinguisher mounted within easy reach of the driver and front passenger is also an essential. It must be able to cope with liquid fuel and electrical fires. Take as big an extinguisher as you can comfortably accommodate in the front of the vehicle. If you only manage to fit a small one you can always carry another in the load area.

Being able to disconnect the battery in a hurry is also an essential facility. You can either carry a 13mm spanner within easy reach, but if your battery is located under the front seat (Land-Rover) you will need to throw your passenger out first. A much simpler way is to fit an isolating switch wired in to the positive feed. These come in many forms and can be a simple key-switch that will disconnect the battery or a more sophisticated switch that will automatically kill the engine too. These also have the added advantage of acting as a security device that will stop the vehicle being started without the key in place.

Load areas

Station Wagons and Hard-Tops: ALWAYS make sure that the passengers and loads are separated by a Load guard or at least a strong net. The last thing you want is to start digging people out from under camping equipment in the event of an accident.

Never store extra fuel inside the vehicle, always carry it on the roof, on exterior racks or in the trailer. If the situation arises where your only option is to carry it inside the load area always cover it with absorbant cotton and wrap it up in a tarpaulin to contain any possible leaks.

TIP: Wrapping things in sheets and blankets can serve multiple purposes, it will prevent clanking a rattling as you drive along, it will stop items damaging other equipment, it can insulate them from the cold as well as the heat and in extremely cold conditions you will have a ready supply of extra blankets to sleep in.

If you intend fitting extra electrical equipment like a fridge/cooler, it is always adviseable to fit regular three pronged plugs and sockets in areas that are not likely to get damaged. The electrical connections supplied with 12v equipment are usually far to fragile to cope with continued use in a harsh environment. Never rely on using a cigar lighter type connection, you will find you are constantly plugging it back in and it will not last the length of your trip

Get an qualified auto electrician to wire in a series of sockets that draw power from an additional long drain battery. This will need to be wired in as a dual circuit and also protects against draining the main vehicle battery.

For really long trips or even if you are planning a number of regular trips it could be worth your while to kit out your load area with a steel frame to accommodate your storage boxes, fridge, water containers etc. You can also fit boxes on sliding rails. This will all make it that much easier to make and break camp on a daily basis without having to unload and reload everything. You will also have the added advantage of knowing exactly where everything is (or at least where it should be!)

TIP: it is a good idea to get Load-Strap eyes or brackets installed in your load area. If you do not always load the vehicle completely you can tie insecure equipment down more easily.

PICK-UPS: Having an open load area on a pick-up can have the added advantage of not restricting your load height. You can then either cover everything with a canopy or roof rails.

Canopies come in two basic types; Glass-fibre/PVC and steel. The Glass Fibre ones are lighter, can be manufactured in a range of designs to suit your purpose, are a lot lighter and keep the load area cooler. The down side is trhat they are not often strong enough to accommodate roof loads.

Steel Canopies are a lot heavier and inferior models are prone to rusting. On the other hand they are usually bolted in place, affording extra security and stability and are strong enough to take roof loads.

TIP: Always fit enclosed load areas with air vents that can be opened and closed at will. You might be surprised to note that air intakes at the front of a canopy actually prevent dust ingress by creating a slightly higher pressure inside the canopy whilst still allowing for air circulation. You can always close them off in wet conditions.

Canvas Canopies: Usually stretched over a frame the canvas hoods might appeal to you but the offer no protection or security of your loads and little protection against the elements in bad conditions.

TIP: Covering your load area with rubber or PVC matting can insulate your loads from road vibrations as well as providing clean standing or seating areas on your overnight stops. The plastic matting with a honeycombe structure also double up as a very useful shower mat.

Roof Racks

You can significantly increase your load capacity with a Roof Rack but there are a few important notes to consider when choosing and fitting one.

Many roof racks are designed to sit in the rain gutter that runs around the roof panel. Your vehicle may not have one which means you will either have to bolt it directly to the body or use clams that wrap around the top of the door apertures. Always make sure that the clams you use are substantial and check the manufacturers’ load capacities.

When fitting a rain gutter type make sure that all the feet fit snuggly in place and that they are positioned over the strongest sections of the body, like door pillars. The better clamps to buy are flared at the base which spread the load slightly and afford a better purchase on the roof.

TIP: always fit a small strip of rubber between the feet and the rain gutter, this will absorb vibration, eliminate rattles and protect your bodywork.

For really heavy roof loads, for carrying extra fuel, water or spare tyres etc, you should consider strengthening the roof rack and provide extra supports. The main areas for adding essential extra support are the front and rear of the vehicle. In the event of a collision the last thing you need is for the whole load to break away and slide forwards.

Fitting ladders can be used as extra support at the rear and at the front you can fit extra supports that either bolt to the door hinges or in the case of Land-Rovers to the windscreen hinge.

NOTE: Some makes of Single and Double-Cab pick-ups have the load area fixed directly to the chassis, separate to the cab area. This allows the vehicle to flex slightly. The downside to this is if you fit a full-length roof rack to cover the load area AND cab, eventually something will break in hard off-road driving conditions. The only solution is to fit two separate racks or a rack that is hinged or pivoted in the middle to accommodate the body flexing.

TIP: Carrying Jerry Cans on the roof; always secure them tightly at the back of the vehicle, on their side with the cap pointing upwards and to the rear. This will protect you from most leaks and if the cap should come loose you will lose the fuel over the back of the vehicle rather than onto the vehicle itself.

When covering your roof load with a tarpaulin you should always use good rope rather than ratchet style straps. As your trip continues the ratchets will get sand and dust into the mechanism and will become ineffective. Ropes can also be used for 101 other things along the way.

Fitting brush-wire to the front of your vehicle is also a useful addition. Two wire ropes are fixed to the top of the roof rack and strung down to the front wings. As you drive through dense vegetation or forested areas these will serve to brush away protruding branches that could damage your windscreen.