In this video I talk of the process I went through and what was all the work done.
Cheers
Duncan
Useful blog post - My Vehicle Inspection Check List (free download)
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The axel rebuilds would include all the drive shafts, wheel bearings, two front swivel hubs and seals.
As I was planning for the diff rebuild I looked at what the cost would be to have two diff locks installed instead of having the diffs brought back to factory original state. After all having diff-locks would make this very capable four wheeler even more capable.
To my surprise installing diff-locks worked out to be a fair amount cheaper than the quote I had got for a rebuild back to factory state. What this meant was having diff-locks installed was a lot more value.
Now I have to admit, I am mainly into off-road touring so diff-locks are not essential. But the considering the cost difference and that off-road capability was going to be immensely enhanced (even though in majority of my travels I would not need it) the value proposition could not be overlooked.
So diff-locks and a complete axel rebuild it was.
Then came the choice between air-lockers and e-lockers.
In this video I tall you through my entire thought process, why I eventually decided on e-lockers, how a diff-lock works and whether you need diff-locks or now.
Hope you found this article and video useful. If you have any questions please write to me.
Cheers
Duncan
]]>Since space is another limiting factor in our 4x4s, usually, the jerry cans would be located on our 4x4s' roof racks. Whilst this may be convenient, it is very important to make sure these fuel cans are secure. Especially when travelling off road over rough terrain. Leaving room for the possibility of the fuel cans falling off is not something any overlander can afford.
After much research we found the Front Runner Jerry can securing brackets to be the most suitable for our requirements. We have had these for quite a long time and done many outback trips with the peace of mind that the our fuel cans are safely stored away.
The jerry can holder front Front Runner is primarily designed to be installed on Front Runner roof rack systems. However, with a minimum of modifications these holders can be adopted to fit onto any other type of rack with ease.
Whilst it is convenient to store on the roof rack it is critical to keep in mind the load capacity of the roof rack and more importantly the load capacity of the roof it self.
In this video I show you how the fuel can holder is installed and how it works.
Click here to purchase the Front Runner jerry can holder from Amazon.
Click here to purchase 20l Jerry cans from Amazon.
Disclaimer - As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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On inspection it was very clear the dust was getting in through the rear doors. Particularly the drop down tailgate. So my first reaction was to replace the rear door seals. After-all our 80 series Landcruiser is over 20 years old with over 300,000kms of travel. The seals had had its fair amount of wearing over those years.
So off I went to Toyota and got my self a rubber beading kit which I installed my self. It was rather easy. Soon after the installation off we went on another off-road trip and whilst the new seals did a great job, it was not perfect. A low level of dust was still coming in. Most off roaders would have put up with this, but me being the neat freak, I had to get it to seal 100%.
Before I go on, I must admit, the new factory seals could not be faulted because over time (especially after many kilometres on corrugated roads) other parts such as door hinges, locking mechanisms, etc also takes a wear and this adds to the doors not closing as perfectly as they did when the vehicle was new.
On inspection my Landcruiser's locks and hinges were not that badly worn. However, I was quite sure even a millimetre of movement was good enough for fine dust to come through.
So I tried my hand at something quite unconventional. That was to get my self a roll of self adhesive weather seal tape which are meant for doors and windows of buildings. I carefully cut out the tape to appropriate lengths and then stuck it on to the area of the tailgate which shuts against the body of the vehicle.
There are various widths and thicknesses these tapes come in. So it is important to get the appropriate dimensions. In my case I went for 24mm wide (as this was the space available on the edge of the gate (on the inside) and 10mm in thickness. My suggestion is to go with a fairly thick size so once you shut the tailgate a number of times the weather seal will settle in quite firmly into place.
It has now been three years since this DIY job and it has exceeded my expectations. Absolutely no dust comes in anymore and after the countless number of times I would have opened and closed the tail gate the seal still does the job.
Hope this article was of use to you. If you have any question please do write to me. Always happy to share information.
Where to buy the weather sealing strips : https://amzn.to/3czZtjy
DISCLOSURE: *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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What ever the make and model of your overlanding vehicle a 4x4 storage system build around your needs makes it so much easier for you to pack and access.
In my Toyota 80 series I have used every available un utilised space for some functional purpose. My 4x4 storage system has been a custom job which has evolved over the years. The most recent addition is an accessory wall where I can have easy access to my 4x4 gear.
Cheers!
Duncan Udawatta
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For a long time, I managed with the factory fitted fuel tank and to have that extra fuel capacity, I carried fuel in jerry cans. But the problem I had was having to carry all these jerry cans on the roof. So I decided I had to do something about this. So off I went to my friends at Opposite Lock who supply and install custom 4x4 long range fuel tanks.
In this video I talk about the thinking behind my decision and getting the installation done.
Cheers!
Duncan Udawatta
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This maintenance routine not only works for a Toyota Land Cruiser 80 series but also for any touring 4x4.
In this video I share with you how you can get to know your 4x4, increase performance of your 4x4 and get the maximum reliability and life out of it.
Cheers!
Duncan Udawatta
]]>We both love travel and more particularly overlanding into remote parts of the country. To do this we needed not just a reliable vehicle, but also a vehicle capable enough to travel off the beaten track, take us to places most other vehicles could not. After all it is in these far flung places where the best experiences are.
In this video I share with you my thought process in selecting the vehicle and also how we have kitted the Landcruiser out to meet our touring requirements. All whilst keeping within a budget.
If you have any questions please leave them as a comment or write to me.
Cheers!
Duncan Udawatta
CATCH UP VIDEOS:
-How I Improved My Land Cruiser 80 Series Engine Performance https://youtu.be/4qnJo8qSn8c
-Front Runner Wolf Pack Storage Box - Long Term Review https://youtu.be/ugL3vGYvPd4
-Offroad GPS For Under $200 | Offroad Overland Tech Gadgets https://youtu.be/gFfQ7iGn5zc
-Touring 4x4 DC to DC Charger https://youtu.be/y4Hho-3Qjqo
-How I secure my gas bottles on the 4x4 roof rack when traveling overland https://youtu.be/8qvk0R1ka6U
-How To Install A Cargo Net In Your Overland Vehicle https://youtu.be/SO1yZFl_Ez0
-How To Get Hot Water When Overlanding https://youtu.be/N6pwCo_QUos
]]>In this video I am going to share with you a few quick ways to improve engine performance. There are certain maintenance routines I put my Land Cruiser 80 series through to improve reliability and performance. Tthe more remote we travel the more important reliability and performance becomes.
Apart from sharing my 4x4 engine maintenance routine with you, if you are new to the lifestyle then consider this video as a 4x4 maintenance for beginners tutorial as well.
There are many modifications one can do to improve performance. In my case I always believe the more the modifications to squeeze out performance the more the compromise on reliability. So my take is to carry out routine maintenance as the engine's mileage builds up, there by keeping my Land Cruiser 80 series engine in the best possible condition.
The areas I touch on this video are - why decarbonise an engine and why install an oil catch can.
Disclaimer - Please note, I am not an expert in the area of motor mechanics. Nor am I trained in it. What I share with you through this video is what I have learnt over the years from those who are experts in the field. Also I am keeping to advice given to me by the garage which maintains my 4wd.
Cheers!
Duncan Udawatta
If you are in Adelaide, South Australia and looking for a reputed workshop to maintain your vehicle check out - D & D Motors, https://www.ddmotors.com.au/
]]>In many instances I have heard people ask why is my 12v battery capacity not enough. Another common question that gets asked is how to power a 12v camping fridge without any interruptions. The answers to the above questions is, you need to have a 12v deep cylce (or lithium) battery which has the correct 12v battery capacity to meet the needs of the load your accessories will put on your battery.
To achieve this a critical 12v battery specification is indicated in amp hours. What is an amp hour you ask. Well this is the amount of amps a battery can supply for an hour. Usually 12v battery manufacturers will provide this amp hours rating with the battery. In other words, how many hours the battery can supply if it was supplying 1amp per hour. Thus rating such as 100amh, 120amh, etc.
In this video I talk you through my thinking process when I had to select the appropriate 12v deep cycle battery for my overlanding 80 series Land Cruiser.
**Whilst in this video I talk of using a multimeter to work out the consumption or load rating, an easier to use tool would be a clamp meter.
Cheers!
Duncan Udawatta
]]>You may have heard of sound deadening in cars and wondered why this is important. Especially in an off road 4x4. As overlanding enthusiasts we travel on and off road for prolonged periods of time getting to our destinations. This means we spend a lot of time inside our vehicles. One part of making the ride comfortable is to have the interior noise levels as low as possible. This is determined by how much sound deadening has been done inside or how much noise is inside the car.
In this video I do a sound deaden test on my Toyota 80 series Landcruiser. I share with you how I test the noise levels in the car and what my 4x4 noise levels are.
When I bought my 80 series Landcruiser I sound proofed ( or sound deadened) the interior. Ideally I should have sound deadened the entire floor, roof and the doors. I only did the floor. This has reduced the noise levels inside quite low. However not as low as they could have been had I done the doors and roof as well.
Also, I need to mention, the material I used was not the best money can buy.
Having said that, due to this sound deadening I can now have a conversation with my passenger without having to shout or listen to some music without having to turn the volume up high.
So if you are wondering why sound deaden a 4x4, then this video will show you the benefits.
Cheers!
Duncan Udawatta
App I used for testing DB levels in my 80 series Landcruiser : DB METER from the app store.
Where I Bought the sound deadening sheets: https://amzn.to/38dThMR
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Do I need spare parts to go overlanding is a question I regularly get asked by those who are new to the overlanding lifestyle. When I say yes, then the next question is What spares do I need to overland or how much spares to carry when going overland. Well there is no one size fits all answer.
What spares to carry when overlanding depends on the 4x4 you have, what type of overland travel one does and how remote are you intending to overland to. In my opinion crucially important is how much mechanical knowledge does one have? Because you can carry all the spares in the world, but if you do not know how to carry out a repair, then it is of no point carrying a 4x4 touring spares kit in the first place.
In my case over the years of overlanding I have gained a limited amount of mechanical and repair skills but by no means is it a comprehensive skill set I have. In fact one of the reasons why I settled for an old school Land Cruiser 80 series is because it is bad enough I have very limited mechanical knowledge, when it comes to modern day electronics I do not understand it at all.
So my my spares kit for overlanding is based around my skill set and also my type of overland travel which is touring. I do not do off road travels where the 4x4 is constantly under heavy stress levels.
To mitigate any potential major breakdowns out in the middle of nowhere I also ensure my 4x4 is always well serviced and in the best of condition possible.
With all I've said above in mind, below is the list of spares I carry when I travel overland.
If you have any questions relating to this article, please email me at info@overland-journals.com
Cheers!
Duncan Udawatta
MY SPARES LIST-
(In no particular order)
-Zip ties (cable ties)
-Wire (for tying)
-Wheel nuts (or studs)
-Complete set of fuses
-Tyre valve caps
-Nut and bolts of various lengths and sizes to suite my vehicle.
-Spare bulbs/globes
-Kinetic 4 way universal tap opener.
-Hose clamps (assorted sizes)
-Funnels (in three sizes. useful when filling up fluids)
-Front locking hubs (not essential)
-Wheel bearings (front and rear) (not essential)
-Duck Tape (large)
-V Belts
-Electrical contact cleaner spray
-Grease (small tub)(not essential)
-WD 40 spray
-Radiator coolant
-Engine oil
-Brake fluid
-Axel oil
-Transmission oil
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