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and the family and I are planning a 2-3 week offroad drive from UK into Morocco and back.
| I Like Old Skool Member Since: 23 Feb 2015 Location: Manchester Posts: 828   
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Go and off-road your car enthusiastically and you will accelerate your repair skills learning rapidly
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31st Aug 2015 9:23am |
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| LRmud Member Since: 22 Oct 2014 Location: IV12 Highland Posts: 198  
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Buy an old Landy - job done!
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1989 Defender 90 Toyota Aygo & Honda FR-V |
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31st Aug 2015 9:27am |
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| X4SKP Member Since: 29 Nov 2013 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2298 
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OK Hairysteve...I'll chip in
2 years until your 2-3 week trip is easily enough time, if you're right, and enthusiasm is high. 1. Fully Service your own Defender, this exercise alone will take you through the basics. (most people learn by doing....doing this will a prove that it is still possible to service a Defender) 2. Research and buy a box of bits to take as spares. 3. Take off and refit each of the existing parts, you have in your spares box. (getting close up to the 'vulnerable' bits will progressively 'trip prepare' your Defender, it will also ensure that the tools you need, are in your tool box!). 4. Research your trip, where are the real risks, remote, no contact, no service / help options...etc 5. A 2-3 week trip, has little risk getting to and from Morocco (this time could easily be used just getting there and back), how long in Morocco?, main issues there is possible lack of fuel (and quality) and water if you really do go 'drive about'. 6. Research and read what others have done, (change a wheel on loose sand) 7. Vehicle recovery...what might you need to do... do it before you need to. 8. Whole thing may go without issue, but knowing you can do a few things yourself is a + SKIP https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html |
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31st Aug 2015 10:02am |
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10383
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Try find a local guy who's restoring or building a Defender, take biscuits and volunteer to help.
Or, if you have an independent, ask for a Saturday job...passing spanners and making brews, in exchange for lessons. This may sound silly, but I'd have loved help and pass on some tips. I'm mates with a load of comp safari racers, I learnt a lot by helping them build their comp motors when I was in my 20's. |
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31st Aug 2015 10:11am |
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| Supacat Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 11018 
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Other way to go would be look at local adult education courses - my area sends out a newspaper every year listing all the various courses. There's always several levels of car courses and welding as well.
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31st Aug 2015 11:08am |
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| Browjam Member Since: 03 Jun 2014 Location: South East Posts: 114 
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Old Aussie saying
"If you want to go into the desert take a Land Rover, if you want to come back take a Toyota! |
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31st Aug 2015 11:51am |
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| AndyS Member Since: 18 Aug 2012 Location: London Posts: 595 
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Where abouts in Morocco? If you're staying in the built up areas, give or take, then I wouldn't worry about breakdowns. Although it's a long way it's not out of the civilised world. Update your (or get) breakdown cover to cover the whole of Europe which will cover most of your journey for not much money.
Alternatively, get yourself on one of them organised trips you see in the back of Land Rover Owner where they send you off in a small pack of Defenders and have your accommodation pre-booked. Someone in the pack will be up on their mechanical skills.  |
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31st Aug 2015 12:29pm |
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| Hairysteve Member Since: 15 Jun 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 692 
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Thanks for the replies
At this moment we plan to do a few organised events and in a year make a call if we can/want to do it alone so will have to see how it all goes. At the end of the day it isnt just the repairing side of the trip I need to work on but also how to drive better in offroad conditions, storage solutions, camping (what to take and what to leave behind and also keep the family smiling
AJS tyres is up the road for me so will ask I can be tea boy
Cheers Steve |
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31st Aug 2015 2:02pm |
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10383
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A good source is to check the forum on Expedition Portal....everything you need.
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31st Aug 2015 3:51pm |
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| X4SKP Member Since: 29 Nov 2013 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2298
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Hello Hairysteve
Also worth reading... http://exploremore.eu/petit-dromedaire-dit.../#more-513 Great Site Also 
http://exploremore.eu/ Good Luck SKIP https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html |
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5th Sep 2015 5:29pm |
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| Hairysteve Member Since: 15 Jun 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 692
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Thanks Skip, some very useful info there!
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5th Sep 2015 6:01pm |
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| Guy Member Since: 11 Feb 2013 Location: St Eval, Cornwall Posts: 250
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Steve
Phone Ben at Black Paw 4x4. Based in York he is a trek from Surrey, but he runs a bush mechanic's workshop. Combine with some laning in Yorkshire, job's a good 'un! DINGO - '99 Discovery 2 V8 with 300Tdi transplant, chawton white. Repatriated from Australia and expedition prepped. **FOR SALE** SHARKY - '06 Discovery 3 HSE Auto, bonatti grey. SOLD. GEORGE - '99 Discovery 1 300Tdi Auto, willow green. Daily driver, travel companion, part of the family! SOLD. PINGU - '96 Defender 110 300Tdi station wagon. SOLD. Dream LR - 130 pop top station wagon camper. |
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5th Sep 2015 8:13pm |
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| Lambley Member Since: 20 Apr 2013 Location: Mid Devon Posts: 1435 
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I might ry this, great idea, I've got a local indie that's very friendly, they've just done a full service on mine and I was pleased with what they'd done plus I got along well with them, I might ask to tag along for a couple of days. |
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5th Sep 2015 8:20pm |
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| Dave_S Member Since: 27 Apr 2015 Location: UK Posts: 55 |
Buy a big roll of tank tape and some cable ties.
When we started overlanding we used to bring spare diffs, half shafts, you name it. Never used a damn thing fixing my own truck, though we helped a few others out on occasion. Now we travel light - service it properly before you go and carrier consumables (bulbs, fuses, etc). That's about it, really. If something small breaks, you limp home, if something big goes (transfer box, say) then you're in a different world and all the self-help stuff will be pretty much irrelevant without parts. Just IMHO course.... |
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5th Sep 2015 8:39pm |
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