Zen and the Art of Overlanding Maintenance

[Trolly Fan]

Zen and the art of Overlanding maintenance.

Once a year, sometimes more than once, we go somewhere far, with some difficult terrain in between.
This year’s July trip was a little ambitious. I have not written a trip report, but have had a tough and troublesome year so far, and no energy or time for trip reports.

We drove day 1 to Kama Rhino Sanctuary, then Khubu Island, then Planet Baobab, then onto Khwai and Moremi,
Then through Savuti to Muchenje (Chobe), then into Caprivi, Nkasa Rapura Reserve, then into Khaudum (for 4 days, 2 at the Northern camp, and 2 at Sikereti).

However, more useful to members of this forum than a 'show and tell', I think could be the long term maintenance issues I picked up after the latest trip.
The punishment given to overlanding vehicles in my opinion is a lot. Going to Moegatle, or At se Gat or even a riverbed with boulders may result in scratches and bumps. But overlanding leads to, persistent hammering, shocks working overtime, high temps, strain ain all moving parts, and dust, everywhere.
Having gone more or less the same route for three years running (except longer this time), the cumulative repair work required was presumably piling up as the damage on the previous trips were relatively little. So, some of this you can say were in the making over some time.

Okay, first a few nice photos of pretty places, then I will get onto the nasty post trip stuff.

Driving in Khaudum:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBTNEW_-d50

[Trolly Fan]

...and now for the nasty stuff

In no particular order...
- Basically, lots of bushes gone (trailing arms and sway bar links)
- Tie rod ends worn.
- My alumminium radiator was made 5 years ago, and I was told I should get at least 10 years from it. Only once back did it start to leak.
Small leak, bit none-the less, disappointing that it had to get fixed this soon.
- Calipers - the slide pins jam up from old rubber seals gone, starts to let water in and rust
- Calipers (again) - cylinder ware, then start to leak break fluid and allow corrosion in
- Shocks leak oil and need to be replaced (at least just one of them for now)
- One engine mounting (typically left side for the inline 6 engines), completely snapped in half.

Oh, and my CTek stopped working on the first day of the trip.
Fortunately, I could bypass it so that the alternator charged both batteries while driving, and split the batteries again when not driving.
At least this was also fixable.

Sway bar bushes mangled:

The Caliper cylinder that pushes it in and out. They were badly worn, leaks break fluid out and allow corrosion in.

Caliper has slide pins which have rubber seals. Seals tired.
Then they start to jam up, causing the break shoes to ware unevenly.

Lots and lots of bumping up and down on sand roads makes for shocks to go tired quicker.

And after getting home I learned that my radiator started to leak. No issues on the trip. It was a slow leak. But still, dissapointing that this started to happen after only 5 years of duty.

I did not know that engine mountings can break in half like this.

Stud threats that were apparently too tight, eventually they will fail and let the wheel go:

[Trolly Fan]

Something else happened on this trip.
On our way back home, we went through Dobe gate between Namibia and Botrswana.
Between Dobe Gate and Nonkaneng is a dirt road that is a not too good shape.

About half way, after lots of rattling, my good wife made the suggestion we should take a break.
I opened the bonnet just for a health check and found the bonnet stand/rest completely loose and hanging over the engine. A bit of a slip forward and it could easily have gone into the fan, or the belts. That would have been disastrous.
So, notes to self:
Always, always listen to your wife
Always make sure everything remains tight, before, after and perhaps during bad road driving.
The stand is now much more secure than before.

[Bugger]

Yip it is easy to overlook basic maintenance

But worse to overlook more important stuff

After our trip through Kubu Island mus

It recked my Syncro

That salt ate at everything

Lots of anti rust treatment
And spray

Lubrication spray

Seezed thrust bearing
Part of things that required repairs


It is up to each owner to make a priority list and check it when you come back from a trip

[AndreasR]

Ha ha ha Pierre that Syncro of yours took a beating from that Bots trip. Is it back on the road?

And yes, overlanding will accelerate any wear and tear items, especially suspension components, pulleys and bearings, brakes and pads, diff and gearbox fluids, batteries, radiators, tyres etc.

I shudder to think what I have spent keeping my overlanding vehicles in good condition over the last few years. Believe me it’s a fortune but it beats breaking down on the road. Even with all the preventative maintenance there have still been some issues on the road. Overlanding in Africa is extremely harsh on a vehicle.

After every trip I dread taking my car for a “service”. Dropping it off I just know the list of things that should be done will be long and expensive. But it’s the price you have to pay for exploring the remote parts of Southern Africa.

[jakeslouw]

Surely "overlanding" should be attempted by a vehicle designed for it?

Using a vehicle outside of its design parameters causes excessive and accelerated wear as Andreas says.

Maybe consider a commercial grade vehicle next time.

[AndreasR]

Interesting theory.

Which vehicles would you classify as a commercial grade vehicle fit for this purpose?

[jakeslouw]

Unimog
Iveco Daily 4x4
etc

[AndreasR]

I’ve often wondered what those guys that I have seen on my travels cruising around in those trucks have to spend on maintenance. Anyone here got feedback?

Same applies to 79/76 cruisers.

I know a few guys who run and have run cruisers and they report maintenance costs and issues similar to what I experience with wear and tear items. I am happy to hear different experiences.

Note I am not talking about one 3000km trip a year. I am referring more to vehicles spending the majority of their life overlanding.

[BushWacker]

... a month or 2 back we popped down to the E Cape and stayed on a coastal farm between (nearby) Kleinmonde and
Port Alfred. ( Conveniently there was a shortcut dust-road straight inland to the Pig and Whistle in Bathurst !)

Anyway , to get back on topic, on our way back N we stopped for one night at the Hogsback hotel before heading N again
and opted to travel the R351 backroad from Seymore to Whittlesea which includes the treacherouly steep and notorious Katberg Pass ascent ...
We slept that night in Queenstown before rejoining the main route back to Joburg.
I then noted some steering play & wandering and on investigation I found that the trackrod (behind the front Diff) was seriously bent.

The 3rd picture depicts the very heavy duty
rod protector that is standard on a defender; its open face is towards the rear of the front diff and the 5mm channel steel serves to surround and so protect the trackrod

The 2nd picture shows the warped rod
that, after Katberg, passes right UNDER (!) the protector !
( ... cant really explain how it managed to get there!)

The 1st photo looking from the rear is very feint but the outline of the protector can just be made out.

That standard trackrod was about 16mm in diameter
... my new heavy duty one is about 32mm
and I think its made of sterner stuff...

[Mad Manny]

Surely "overlanding" should be attempted by a vehicle designed for it?

Using a vehicle outside of its design parameters causes excessive and accelerated wear as Andreas says.

Maybe consider a commercial grade vehicle next time.

In a perfect world, theoretically, you'd be correct Jakes.
Buy how many people can afford a daily runabout/family holiday vehicle AND a dedicated Overlander....

[Mad Manny]

Unimog
Iveco Daily 4x4
etc

All very kak vehicles for Overlanding.
Too big.
Too slow.
Too high.
Too heavy
Too expensive to run.
Too expensive to maintain.
Probably expensive to Insure.

[AndreasR]

I think that’s a bit unfair to say. A lot of people tour with Ivecos and other European trucks. Unimogs, not so much. They have their advantages and disadvantages. Would be interesting to know whether they also take a beating and what their maintenance costs would be.

[BushWacker]

… Regular and routine checks & servicing ,
and Preventative Maintenance
to pre-empt mech problems on the road.

[Mad Manny]

… Regular and routine checks & servicing ,
and Preventative Maintenance
to pre-empt mech problems on the road.

You have turned 'Stating the Obvious' into a fine art, Chas.