 | Home > Expedition & Overland > Sankey Trailer conversion to overland trailer. |
 
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| xpertoftheseas Member Since: 05 Jan 2016 Location: Salisbury, Wilts Posts: 164   
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Due to a manufacturing fault on the foxwing, we could not attach the walls. However the setup looked like this ...
 Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge I am making the modifications to fix the manufacturing error in the next week or two. In addition the pictures do not show the changing room below the fold out part of the roof tent. We did not use this on this trip as it was just not needed and too hot anyway , however i will be assembling the entire setup when the repairs are completed and will take some more photos then. Will add some more photos tomorrow when I have trawled through the 1000GB taken over the last 3 weeks. My 10th Land Rover, but my first Defender. |
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5th Aug 2017 10:20pm |
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| L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10742 
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Great set up there and looks like it all came together apart from the manufacturers fault
 will be great to see the set up all complete  many thanks for the time to post and share  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.
Keeper. Clayton. |
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14th Aug 2017 8:48pm |
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| xpertoftheseas Member Since: 05 Jan 2016 Location: Salisbury, Wilts Posts: 164
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Here we go again.
The need to make the trailer more "convenient" is high on the agenda, as this year we are aiming at Croatia. Just putting together the preliminary designs for the changes, but basically the portable boxes are going and in their place are sliding shelves. For everything. Click image to enlarge To be done: Install 12vDC - 12vDC battery charger. The voltage sensing relay just does not work. Remake roof in Aluminium. Roof is too weak for weight of roof tent (my design calc error) Raise foxwing height and modify the canvas due to manufacturing error. Replace Lead Acid batteries with LiPo/Li-Ion Replace all gas lines with flexible hoses. Install LPG boiler for hot water. Install shower point somewhere. Modify rear legs as they are crap. Rewire rear cabinet due to all the modifications. Replace rear lights with LED. Install WiFi and GSM antennas somewhere. Add more 12vDC points for lighting around the trailer when camping. Fix inverter which failed with (what I must say was quite spectacular) flash and bang and small minor fire (2KW hair dryer will do that) 
SOMEHOW, fit the reversing solenoid to the brake lines. I can foresee some brazing, Repair fridge sliders which for some reason have seized. Add external cold water tap. That is just off the top of my head. All the other bits and pieces will come to me eventually...  My 10th Land Rover, but my first Defender. |
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3rd Jan 2018 2:01am |
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| L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10742
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Well at least you have found out this with all the shakedown trips and you have spotted the places that you can improve the whole set up much more " covenant " and how is the trailer it self doing, standing up to the use you are putting it through ?
Many thanks for the up date and great to hear from you 1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.
Keeper. Clayton. |
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3rd Jan 2018 8:42pm |
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| xpertoftheseas Member Since: 05 Jan 2016 Location: Salisbury, Wilts Posts: 164
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Hi Clayton
I was actually very impressed by how rugged it is. The roof was the biggest issue, and even then it was nothing major and it still took the beating of the 7km beach track on Corsica - fully loaded with a family of five belongings, full water and gas tanks and all the food for 7 days on a wild beach. The trailer is very strong and rugged, and with the changes that are coming will be very competent as a 14 day wild camper which ultimately is what we want to do. Definitely need to get the roof weight down and the ally roof will be a big step towards that. Also considering an additional water tank and hot water heater (LPG) to extend the range. There is plenty of storage room (even though we filled it to the brim last year), and the batteries lasted perfectly however the DC/DC charger will enhance this also. Just started on the structural modifications (building the shelves now), and hopefully will be able to have them installed in about 6 weeks. Waiting for the roof before we do this. Hopefully will post more regularly with some more details of the modifications. ATB Simon My 10th Land Rover, but my first Defender. |
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30th Jan 2018 3:44pm |
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| BigRuss Member Since: 15 May 2010 Location: Norfolk Posts: 2785 
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Is there some way you could fit a thermo top C as a water heater and the use a heat exchanger with a blower motor to provide some warm air if needed. You could then fit a low down diesel tank that would be lighter than a gas cylinder and you could use the tank as aux fuel storage Russell
2011MY 110 XS USW Black |
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30th Jan 2018 5:15pm |
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| xpertoftheseas Member Since: 05 Jan 2016 Location: Salisbury, Wilts Posts: 164
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This would work really nicely, however I fitted the large LPG tank as it is a more versatile fuel with multiple uses. We have BBQ, hot plates and open flame for cooking, and also a Propex heater for warm air. I am looking at the Whale Expanse now for hot water which also will run off LPG.
I have been considering additional diesel tanks for some time and may add one to the Defender for a longer range, but this is a low priority right now as the trailer needs to be modified ready for the Croatia trip. Just re-designing the electrics once again as I am also removing the solar panel, adding one more and making them portable so they can be set up and pointed directly at the sun, as well as making the gas system more user-friendly (ie ZERO risk of blowing ones self up). And it is cold and raining and I don't want to do it. Add to that my Mini just spat out a connecting rod. Oh joy. My 10th Land Rover, but my first Defender. |
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31st Jan 2018 5:16pm |
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| BigRuss Member Since: 15 May 2010 Location: Norfolk Posts: 2785
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Sounds like your defiantly going for the in for a penny, in for a pound punishment!
Well when it come to gas hoses make sure you check the fabrication date printed on the hose so you don’t have to worry about it degrading (when not exposed to uv light) for a while. Russell 2011MY 110 XS USW Black |
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31st Jan 2018 7:22pm |
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| xpertoftheseas Member Since: 05 Jan 2016 Location: Salisbury, Wilts Posts: 164
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Thanks for the tip. I had no idea they had expiry dates. My 10th Land Rover, but my first Defender.
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31st Jan 2018 11:16pm |
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| BigRuss Member Since: 15 May 2010 Location: Norfolk Posts: 2785
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You can keep using them past the expiration date at your own risk but typically I think it’s something like 3-5 years from the manufacture date. If they are kept away from uv light and not put past their minimum bend radius they can last longer. But the last thing you want is a gas leak and you loose all your gas in the middle of nowhere or it goes bang! Russell
2011MY 110 XS USW Black |
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1st Feb 2018 10:50am |
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| L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10742
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Thanks for the update Simon, sounds like you have a good plan and some great idea's from BigRuss
 but as the typical English weather, dryish in the week and then when the weekend comes and you want to get on with stuff, it decides to rain on both days  hope you can make some progress this weekend sad about your mini, is it a original mini or a bmw mini ?  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.
Keeper. Clayton. |
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1st Feb 2018 9:40pm |
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| xpertoftheseas Member Since: 05 Jan 2016 Location: Salisbury, Wilts Posts: 164
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Hey Clayton.
It is a new type mini (Cooper S the supercharged version). It is my little toy and daily driver, and wow did it blow up quickly... literally - oil light on, knock knock knock then BANG and smoke everywhere. Now I need to strip out the engine and I bought a replacement of Ebay until I can rebuild this one with a new block. Its raining... and pouring... ... and cold. Roll on July. My 10th Land Rover, but my first Defender. |
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3rd Feb 2018 7:05pm |
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| L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10742
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That was quick
 no chance to save the engine at all  i hope you had a good few miles on before she went ? yes i agree that the rain is getting very annoying  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.
Keeper. Clayton. |
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3rd Feb 2018 8:54pm |
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| xpertoftheseas Member Since: 05 Jan 2016 Location: Salisbury, Wilts Posts: 164
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I do hope everyone is staying well and healthy. I miss the Defender family I will be honest. Have been away from here for a while, mostly due to the fact that I sold the Defender (went to the dark side
), but thought that I would continue at least with the trailer build and modifications.
To be honest, the trailer got NO use last year at all but 2018 had us in Scotland on Skye for a couple of weeks wild camping and touring (still had the Defender then)... Click image to enlarge The lack of use last year was mostly because I did not have the correct height tow point on the "tow vehicle" and also because it was 7 pin and not 13 pin electrics. This is now temporarily rectified, and whilst it needs a bit of a touch up with paint (tow hitch is gold right now), it serves its purpose but the trailer is very much nose down and also still too well balanced with a low tongue weight.. So first order of the 2020 changes is to lower the draw bar and at the same time extend it. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Extending it by 300mm will add around 30-50kg to the tongue weight (estimated). I plan to add two more batteries up front and modify the side cabinets (more on this in a later post). The most I can do now is plan these works due to the current situation, but as soon as we are free or at least some of the restrictions are relaxed, its cut and weld time. Meanwhile, I am servicing the gas system, re-doing some of the internal lighting, re-doing the water system completely from tank forward, new larger cabinets, adding solar charge connections for more solar panels, and modifying the fox wing. In addition I need to route new hot air ducting to the roof tent (Scotland was cold even in the summer, who would have thought it). Also designing a spare wheel carrier now that the "tow vehicle" is not a Defender and therefore has different wheels. I need to make sure the trailer has a spare. Also want to add a place to attach a table so we can all sit around it for dinner (rather than the big camping tables we carry), as well some sort of sink arrangement and maybe some hot water system (maybe). Lots of other small jobs and refinements to do on it after the lack of use and two winters. I had the trailer plugged in all the time so the batteries were kept charged and there seems to be no issues with them. Went to add some LPG in it today and the brake calipers are seized (again!), so I will replace them this time rather than overhaul them. Here we go. My 10th Land Rover, but my first Defender. |
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25th Apr 2020 8:34pm |
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