Off to Morrocco!

[DitchCrawler]

Thanks for the replys

I've decided on doing a really good service, fit a set of BFG A/T's (needed anyway as its still on its original import tyres) New shocks and springs (+15%)
And if i've got enough money left after that, fit a snorkel.

Next question is:

Roof rack/bars my truck has channels for roof bars, but having a poke around with my uneducated eyes, i would guess only light stuff should be carried on the original channels, is there a weight limit stated by Toyota, are roof bars available to fit? I think I'll only be carrying sleeping bags and clothing etc (light stuff) on the roof, anybody any experience of these roof boxes you see around, might be a daft question, but they seem a bit flimsy for off road work?

Paul

[Hawaii]

Paul

On my 3rd gen I've fitted roof bars with Thule Lappland roof crate. I checked with Toyota Australia (UK wouldn't or couldn't give data on loadings as the 3rd gen never came into UK as a 4runner). The channels along the roof (called t-traks by toyota) are attached to cross braces under the roof and are load bearing up to 100kg. Toyota Aus said that they wouldn't load more than 80kg tho as you have to account for the weight of the bars & crate

I have carried all sorts of stuff (spare wheels, bikes, toolboxes etc.as well as camping stuff) and never had any probs with loading flexing the roof

Good luck in the desert

hope this helps

cheers

hawaii

[lclascaris]

Thanks for the replys

Next question is:

Roof rack/bars my truck has channels for roof bars, but having a poke around with my uneducated eyes, i would guess only light stuff should be carried on the original channels, is there a weight limit stated by Toyota, are roof bars available to fit? I think I'll only be carrying sleeping bags and clothing etc (light stuff) on the roof, anybody any experience of these roof boxes you see around, might be a daft question, but they seem a bit flimsy for off road work?

Paul

Paul,

Rough Traxs sell Thule roof bars for the 3rd Generation with the option of roof racks to attach to the bars.

I recently spoke to a chap who owns a company called Brownchurch that make great roof racks & they are very well known in the Land Rover world. He is based in Essex & he said that if I was to drive my 3rd Generation to him he will be able to see if he can custom make a roof rack. This roof rack will be of expedition standards, he of course couldn't give me a price but he seemed to think that it would not exceed £300, which is about the cost of the Thule roof bars & rack which are made of alloy & plastic.

Lewis

[Slugsie]

Travelling with a very trick Landy 110, a sorted 90 soft top and a Nissan patrol 4.2 ltr diesel

If you're travelling with that lot, get a good set of towing strops / shackles etc. You'll need them for pulling them out of ditches etc.

[DitchCrawler]

Just an update and another question

Trips been rescheduled to the first two weeks in April, lots of things are sorted, some are jobs in progress, but one item i can't decide on is a jack???

Trolly jacks are easy to use in a workshop, but are too heavy and clumsy in sand

The standard toyota bottle jack, although reliable (mechanical) is very unstable and maximum lift is limited

What do people use on rough ground??? I've seen those mechanical hi lift jacs but do they need jacking points fabricating and fitting for use on a standard ish 3rd gen???

Paul

[nero279]

You will need to fabricate some sort of jacking point for a hi-lift/farm style jack, i think it's 28 or 30 mm tube and you get an adapter for the jack that fits into this.

[andrewlee31]

hi lifts are great jacks, but do need jacking points mate. if your knocking some up, need to be a well mounted point, preferably attached to the chassis. the hilift jack needs a 30mm hole to sit into.

incredible trip your doing by the way

[andrewlee31]

You will need to fabricate some sort of jacking point for a hi-lift/farm style jack, i think it's 28 or 30 mm tube and you get an adapter for the jack that fits into this.

lol ya beat me to it, just measured my mates scorpion bumper holes and his are 30.5mm and 32mm.

so i would imagine the minimum will be 30 mm. dont have a high lift to hand to measure though

[DitchCrawler]

So Hi lift seems the way to go if i can fabricate the jacking points

If not

What other jacks will do the job??

Paul

[TonyN]

So Hi lift seems the way to go if i can fabricate the jacking points

If not

What other jacks will do the job??

Paul

There's not really anything better, look at exhaust gas inflatable jacks, these will work on anything, or the factory bottle jack, with a decent large flat pad to rest it on.

But as has been said, a hi-lift is no good without somewhere to put it, there are no hard flat surfaces on the Surf, but you can still use it as a winch.

You need the wheel cradle attachment to make a hilift useful if you don't have steel bumpers or rock rails.

[DitchCrawler]

There's not really anything better, look at exhaust gas inflatable jacks, these will work on anything, or the factory bottle jack, with a decent large flat pad to rest it on.

But as has been said, a hi-lift is no good without somewhere to put it, there are no hard flat surfaces on the Surf, but you can still use it as a winch.

You need the wheel cradle attachment to make a hilift useful if you don't have steel bumpers or rock rails.

What's a wheel cradle attachment , and are you still coming round today??

Paul

[marky]

We usually carry some Scaffold board to support jacks on when in mud or sand.

[DitchCrawler]

We usually carry some Scaffold board to support jacks on when in mud or sand.

I think that may be the way to go, keep the standard jack, a heavy duty board to stand it on and a vee block (for the axle) and a flat block(for the chassis) fabricated to slide on the top of the jack to add security, sounds cheap, therefore sounds good

Paul

[TonyN]

What's a wheel cradle attachment , and are you still coming round today??

Paul

err.... yeah, leaving now!

[pops]

We usually carry some Scaffold board to support jacks on when in mud or sand.

DO you go offroad in your HAIRDRIER Then