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90_ken



Member Since: 03 Oct 2014
Location: St albans
Posts: 8

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Orkney Grey
Aurora Hunting
Nordic Overlanders! looking for advice on how to prep our Landy, route suggestions and where to go hunting.

My wife is half Finnish and has never seen the Aurora lights, so I have bought an 07 2.4Tcdi 90 to take her on a road trip, before we have a baby!

Leaving December 13th this year, best time me to take time off work, she has resigned from her job as an Architectural Photographer and we have 3-4 weeks hunting and filming/photographing!

The Puma was running perfectly until I contaminated the fuel, see other post, but hopefully will get it back to her best soon. So have started with the basics - Hannibal roof rack, Hi-Lift jack, Snorkel (not fitted) and that's it so far.

Have a long list of mods and extra's, but rather have some advice for those who have done it.

Planning to go up through Norway, Swedish and Finnish Lapland...back through Finland and over to Stockholm and home.

Any suggestions on the essentials, most have's and the extra's to make it more enjoyable.

Accommodation a fixture of Cabins/lodges, camping and the old hotel.

You help would make this the trip of our life time, and perhaps one to be repeated in the summer months.

Thank you

Ken & Sanna
Post #362663 6th Oct 2014 5:06pm
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Fellrunner



Member Since: 28 Sep 2014
Location: Wandering
Posts: 258

 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Corris Grey
This is a bucket list trip of mine.

I don't have the experience you're looking for, but I do wish both of you a brilliant trip and the best of luck in seeing the lights.
Post #362666 6th Oct 2014 5:30pm
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Lou Sparts



Member Since: 15 Apr 2012
Location: Kent
Posts: 1501

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Zambezi Silver
Remember to take and post photos Thumbs Up Have a great trip. 2005 Td5 90 XS

Steve
Post #362669 6th Oct 2014 5:33pm
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Xelr8



Member Since: 26 Aug 2014
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 165

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Montalcino Red
No Advice I'm afraid but it sounds an awesome trip to do Cool
Just wish I had someone special that I could do these sorts of things with Crying or Very sad Embarassed
Post #362673 6th Oct 2014 5:40pm
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couplands



Member Since: 31 Aug 2011
Location: Peak District & Cornwall
Posts: 1826

United Kingdom 2001 Defender 90 Td5 HT Oslo Blue
Again, no advice but I've looked at this website and they have some info on prep and photos of trips...

http://www.mudrut.co.uk

Cheers

Simon
Post #362688 6th Oct 2014 6:23pm
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Tiger



Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Wales
Posts: 2265

2004 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Java Black
Post #362690 6th Oct 2014 6:24pm
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boode



Member Since: 11 Apr 2012
Location: Devon
Posts: 430

England 2003 Defender 90 Td5 HT Rutland Red
Mark Thornton covered your question well on the D44 forum

http://www.devon4x4.com/index.php?option=c...Itemid=106

Also the trip I did in 2012 with Mudrut is covered well here - lots of info on prep and lots of photos

http://www.devon4x4.com/index.php?option=c...Itemid=106

An engine pre heater is essential - we had temps down to -42 and without a pre heater you will not start your engine and your truck will go home on the back of a lorry.
Also the Puma engines had problems with the breather pipe freezing solid - so you need to fit the mod only normally fitted to the Russian and Scandinavian market - covered on page 9 of the 2012 blog
My Td5 had no breather problems

Its a fantastic trip if you are well prepared


Click image to enlarge
Post #362764 6th Oct 2014 9:44pm
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Cold_n_Wet



Member Since: 15 Oct 2012
Location: Bergen
Posts: 244

Norway 
Without reading all the links, I think you will be fine.

We have had aurora as far south as Bergen this year, so I think you wont have to hunt too hard.

post on the norwegian forum in the english section you will get loads of help

www.lrforum.com/forum

Norway can be challenging due to temps from 0 down to minus forty.

Make sure you have silicon on the door rubbers to prevent freezing.

might want to consider disabling the alarm for the days when the locks freeze and you have to go in via the passenger door.

Britpart have radiator muffs for the really cold days, saying that a webasto will turn a puma into a sauna, at least mine is like that..

otherwise enjoy the trip

Glen "Rafiki" 2007 110 STW - Rolling rebuild.
Post #362776 7th Oct 2014 5:37am
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90_ken



Member Since: 03 Oct 2014
Location: St albans
Posts: 8

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Orkney Grey
Thank you all, the links make good reading and will take the advice.

Ken & Sanna
Post #362995 7th Oct 2014 8:44pm
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HansT



Member Since: 25 Dec 2012
Location: Mariefred
Posts: 173

Sweden 2004 Defender 110 Td5 SW Belize Green
I would love to do that trip myself. I have had my Defender for a year now but never been further north than Stockholm.

But as Glen said; place a post on the Swedish Land Rover Club Forum (under International Forum) and I am sure that you will receive plenty suggestions regards the northern part of Sweden.

http://slrk.egetforum.se/index.html

And if you will end up around Stockholm, feel free to contact me and we can always have a pint together Very Happy

Hans
Post #363009 7th Oct 2014 9:29pm
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90_ken



Member Since: 03 Oct 2014
Location: St albans
Posts: 8

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Orkney Grey
Thanks HansT

Have posted as advised and will let you know when returning back via Stockholm...you can tell where i went wrong with land prep.

Bought webasto today, so fitting at weekend. Not looking forward to that one!

Ken & Sanna
Post #364534 14th Oct 2014 10:10pm
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Phoenix90



Member Since: 04 Mar 2012
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 377

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
We've done this trip three times now and will be going again in January. It really is amazing!

Where are you going to put the Webasto? There is a good thread on here with lots of Webasto knowledge if you get stuck for any reason. If it's a Thermo Top c it will fit in the engine bay under the passenger side wing, it's tight but will just go. A lot of TDCi installations put it a lot lower as the engine bay is quite tight.

Other top mods include:
- Appropriate tyres
- Additional front lighting if you will be travelling at night at all
- Heated mirrors/windscreen/seat aren't essential, but are great to have!
- Get really cold temperature windscreen wash and flush it through before you leave. Don't worry about carry spares it is available everywhere you go; you'll get through a lot of it!
- As other have said the Puma breather heater

If you'd like any info about routes or places to say give me a shout.

Keep an eye on this webcam at Abisko. Its a similar latitude as Tromso and has been having some amazing Auroras so far this season!

Good luck with it all Thumbs Up
Post #365094 16th Oct 2014 9:40pm
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