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lozza



Member Since: 13 Oct 2016
Location: oxfordshire
Posts: 190

130 camper/expedition.... preparation advice wanted
hi,next august the wife 2 dogs and myself are off on an east european/balkans/greece/turkey 4 month tour in our new to us 130 dcpu td5 170k miles on her,over the next few months i will be fitting a new clutch and flywheel and possibly a disco transferbox as well as a good check of all the other mechanicals.i have been looking for some time now at camper/tent options at first for my old 110 but now for the 130(needed extra legroom)i do like the demountable campers especially the pop top but the price....well out of our budget so we are looking for advice on a rear canopy with access on 3 sides with good security that will support rooftop tent with awning and possibly without a roof rack

roll cage options to fit with rear canopy ...i know about safety devices what else is out there

are eezi awn/howling moon ect tents twice as good as the ones for half the price?

dual battery/solar panel/fridge freezer and internet access

all advice gratefully received

cheers

loz
Post #743736 3rd Dec 2018 2:47pm
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JOW240725



Member Since: 04 May 2015
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 7906

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
Sounds a great trip. The only experience I have of RTT is the iKamper Skycamp, but it is brilliant, for sheer ease of erecting and pack down literally 30 secs. They are expensive (unless you find one second hand Whistle ) but well built and huge inside.


Click image to enlarge
 James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html
MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641
MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557
Instagram @suffolk_rovers
Post #743741 3rd Dec 2018 3:08pm
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lozza



Member Since: 13 Oct 2016
Location: oxfordshire
Posts: 190

she wants inside awning ladder i should have added

nice tho
Post #743746 3rd Dec 2018 3:26pm
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wyvern



Member Since: 13 Dec 2009
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 2108

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Firenze Red
take a look at this one and see the sort of things you can do to a 130 !!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2012-12-LAND-ROV...:rk:5:pf:0

Thumbs Up Poppy - TDCI (Puma) 110XS 2.2 - Camper conversion - see the build here - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56530.html
Elgar -TDCI(Puma) 110XS Dormobile - now sold
Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response - DC126
Post #743764 3rd Dec 2018 4:51pm
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Tompoole



Member Since: 05 Jun 2011
Location: Bucks
Posts: 827

England 2004 Defender 90 Td5 CSW Java Black
You cAn buy awning or changing room for an ikamper đź‘Ť
Howling moon , maggiolina, eziawn RTT also you can’t go wrong with Terese
Also tufftrek are getting some good reviews esp the clam hardshell Have fun be happy
Post #743765 3rd Dec 2018 4:54pm
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rleslie



Member Since: 10 May 2012
Location: Ellon, Aberdeenshire
Posts: 128

Scotland 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Epsom Green
Sounds like a great trip. Ive got an Oztent and a Hannibal rear owning which is not what you want.

We have a Engel fridge I bought from MPS trading. Really helpful.

I did loads of research on fridges. It was a toss up between a Engel and a Lunar. Engel where cheaper and they have only 1 moving part... low current draw and seems to last for ages....You can google them.......

Twin battery setup from MobileCentre, Blue Sea stuff with odyssey batteries. The guys at Mobile Centre a really helpful bunch too.

I hope this helps..

Cheers Richard
Post #745114 11th Dec 2018 8:55am
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AJC



Member Since: 30 Nov 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 1362

United Kingdom 
wyvern wrote:
take a look at this one and see the sort of things you can do to a 130 !!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2012-12-LAND-ROV...:rk:5:pf:0

Thumbs Up


I've seen that, its Familmad off here I think. pure 130 perfection
Post #745136 11th Dec 2018 11:12am
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Adam17



Member Since: 15 May 2018
Location: Within Bedfordshire
Posts: 1193

England 2004 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Java Black
Trip sounds great, be careful, safe, and have fun! Regards
Adam

Loving The Duchess
The Defender 110 TD5 XS

My Defender story - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic64005.html
Post #745139 11th Dec 2018 11:24am
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BigRuss



Member Since: 15 May 2010
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 2785

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
If you just want a quieter ride when cruising at high speed (for a defender) you may want to consider changing your 5th gear ratio rather than using a disco transferbox that will change the drive ration in all gears Russell
2011MY 110 XS USW Black
Post #745174 11th Dec 2018 3:00pm
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8032

 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
for the quieter gearing or less rpm for a given speed - 285.75R16 BFG ATs or a similar 33" rather than t box or Q gears?

i would change wheel bearings from stake type nut to locking tabs and takes spares (stub inc)

There was a post on here not so long ago of a free standing tent that carried on top of the vehicle, you set it up, dropped the legs and drove out. it had sides to go on it too, cant recall what it was called.

batteries - get two Numax leisure batts from https://www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/numax/cxv30hmf/ or https://www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/numax/cxv35mf/. the two CXV30s will definitly fit. wire them together with a Durite voltage sensing relay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Durite-072733-12V...amp;chn=ps which you can also buy as a kit https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261443494060

Fridge wise, i bought an Engel 45L one 10 years ago 2nd hand, works a treat, very low currant draw.

try these guys for solar options, https://www.selectsolar.co.uk/prod/1189/se...100w-panel had mine from them for 2 years now with controller and no problems.

take a bottle jack not a highlift. take a grill for cooking over open fire, get a halfords or similar tool box 200 piece with shadow board less likely to loose things, that a leather man plus anything specific to the vehicle (like 32mm hub nut socket!) Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop
Post #745179 11th Dec 2018 3:35pm
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lozza



Member Since: 13 Oct 2016
Location: oxfordshire
Posts: 190

all great replies,just brought a fridge and am looking at a roof tent i think for this trip,will be looking at your solar panel/battery setup,got the halfords socket set already kelly kettle and watering can for showers worked great in maroc about 15 yr ago with my 110

i am seriously thinking of a roll cage for general safety as opposed to hard off road and swapping my alloys for some steel wheels

a different canopy with side access able to take the weight of the tent and good locks is also wanted


thanks

loz





Click image to enlarge
Post #745184 11th Dec 2018 4:02pm
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lozza



Member Since: 13 Oct 2016
Location: oxfordshire
Posts: 190

jst wrote:
for the quieter gearing or less rpm for a given speed - 285.75R16 BFG ATs or a similar 33" rather than t box or Q gears?

i would change wheel bearings from stake type nut to locking tabs and takes spares (stub inc)

There was a post on here not so long ago of a free standing tent that carried on top of the vehicle, you set it up, dropped the legs and drove out. it had sides to go on it too, cant recall what it was called.

batteries - get two Numax leisure batts from https://www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/numax/cxv30hmf/ or https://www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/numax/cxv35mf/. the two CXV30s will definitly fit. wire them together with a Durite voltage sensing relay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Durite-072733-12V...amp;chn=ps which you can also buy as a kit https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261443494060

Fridge wise, i bought an Engel 45L one 10 years ago 2nd hand, works a treat, very low currant draw.

try these guys for solar options, https://www.selectsolar.co.uk/prod/1189/se...100w-panel had mine from them for 2 years now with controller and no problems.

take a bottle jack not a highlift. take a grill for cooking over open fire, get a halfords or similar tool box 200 piece with shadow board less likely to loose things, that a leather man plus anything specific to the vehicle (like 32mm hub nut socket!)



hi further to your advice what rims do you recommend with those tyres i was looking to go with wolf rims but it seems those tyres would be too big


thanks

loz
Post #745261 12th Dec 2018 3:20am
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8032

 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
Mach 5s, rolled edge. strong, reliable and maintain a good bead at low pressure. your issue will be finding some! Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop
Post #745365 12th Dec 2018 8:26pm
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lozza



Member Since: 13 Oct 2016
Location: oxfordshire
Posts: 190

ok thanks for that
Post #745367 12th Dec 2018 8:29pm
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JOE_130



Member Since: 26 Nov 2014
Location: Chelmsford
Posts: 104

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 130 Puma 2.2 HCPU Java Black
Hi lozza,

Welcome to 130 ownership! Just my experience/thoughts Smile

My brother and I bought Tuff Trek tents from the owner Dara (really nice chap with good products) and we've been really pleased with ours. At the time they were a cheaper option than the usual big names you see round shows but we couldn't and haven't found any drawbacks. We've got the optional awning that hangs from the unfolded part of the tent which is really useful too - it's nice to have a built in ground sheet so it's fully sealed. (Not got a picture of it with the awning up annoyingly)



Click image to enlarge



We run these split chargers - https://www.es-store.co.uk/product_details...ow_menu=10

I went with a Victron product as I have one of their inverters (we're a little power heavy preferring to run an electric kettle and even a microwave). These allow me to put my hook up charger on the auxilliary bank of batteries for house power, and the split charger will switch both ways according to whichever "end" is being charged. Another nice feature to have is an over-ride to be able to crank from the auxilliary battery if the main battery fails that necessitates a large current capacity.

A pure sine inverter is always handy even if it's small - we normally get plenty of people we're travelling with asking to charge phones, cameras, laptops and all sorts once they realise you have 240V and means you don't have to worry about 12V adaptors for everything.

I'd always recommend Odyssey AGM batteries as being a good bulletproof solution (I've used them on many a project for military applications at work) as long as you can afford them - I've still got normal lead acid leisure batteries at the moment just big ones for cost reasons.

Whenever we go away I mount my tent straight on to the cage - I went for a safety devices cage but opted for the front half (over the cab) only. At the time it kept the price down for me which was much needed, but still means you can forget any worries you have about overloading the roof/canopy when you put people in the tent. We've moved as a family to fitting some form of roll over protection on everything now after seeing too many pictures of rolled Defenders.

Wheels and tires, personally I'd stick with your blindos. I think I'm right in saying these are the same wheels used by the MOD which in my book makes them a pretty reliable option - I believe you can fit a wider variety of tire sizes on to a blindo than you can a steel aswell.

I'd also strongly support JST's suggestion of bottle jack not high lift - I'm yet to have an occurence when we've needed a high lift. Maybe we just aren't travelling difficult enough trails!

I've got this far just using waterproof boxes in the tub but a good solid canopy is definitely next on the wish list - the security problem wears you down after a while.

The two thing's I'd advise above all else are a good set of tires, and a good set of shocks.

Hope that's helpful!

Joe
Post #745468 13th Dec 2018 9:59am
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