Calling all Land Rover Defender Drivers! Do you have your own unique preferences when it comes to the build, engine type, or equipment to bring along for the ride?
Well, in this Blog, we share what we personally find valuable and bring with us on our adventures. Remember, what works for us might not be the perfect fit for you, but it's all about finding the gear that suits your style. Let's hit the road and explore together!
Filters
We always come prepared with a spare Oil, Diesel, and Airfilter for our travels. The airfilter is a lifesaver, especially after our adventurous Morocco trip where it got clogged with sand and water. To keep our engine in top shape, we recommend using a replacement or a reusable filter. In our Dirty Panda (white Defender TD4 110), we rely on the fantastic K&N multi-usage filter, which we easily clean with fuel or a special kit.
Traveling to destination with partly questionable Diesel quality, it is recommended to bring an extra Diesel filter. Plus, in chilly conditions, the diesel filter can freeze, so having a spare is a smart move. And remember, when swapping out the Diesel Filter, make sure to purge any remaining air from the system.
And that's not all! We always have an extra oil filter handy because, let's face it, the 15,000 km service intervals recommended by Land Rover for the Defender are just too long for us. We prefer to change our oil and filters every 10,000 km to keep things running smoothly. A quick 30-minute oil change on a TD4 can do wonders for your engine's longevity (fingers crossed). Our Dirty Panda has clocked over 390,000 km, while our Dark Zebra has cruised past 265,000 km - all thanks to our diligent maintenance routine!
52mm Nut
The ball joints and the wheel bearings can all only be accessed with a 52mm nut. To unscrew the bearings or remove the stab axle the nut is required and recommended.
Fan Belt Spanners
To switch out the fan belt, you'll need to take out the fan first. Make sure to grab a spare belt and the two necessary spanners to get the job done. This belt is crucial as it links the engine, water pump, air-conditioning, alternator, and fan together. If the belt breaks, your car will be stuck right where you are!
Spare fuses
The TD5 (the TD4 a little less) is famous of burning light switches. This is mainly due to the high consumption of power of the H4 lamps and the low spec switch. Changing lamps to LED will result in a longer lifespan of the switch - however, if you are out of switches, it is possible to plug a melting 10A fuse into the plug and you have a "light switch".
Let me share a little adventure we had with our Dark Zebra ( Black defender TD4 110). When it suddenly refused to start after some dashboard tinkering, we dove into a fuse-finding mission. After a thorough search and even resorting to Nanocom wizardry to bypass the immobilizer, we were still stumped. The a-ha moment? A rogue fuse meant for the speed-dash had sneaked into the wrong socket!
Coolant hoses
Swap out those spare coolant hoses for heavy-duty repair tape that can handle the heat! Our team rocked it by fixing the Pentapus (5-ending hose) of the TD5 in Morocco, and I've already swapped out 2 supercharger hoses on the TD4s.
Toolbox?
Our amazing Tool bag is fully equipped with a set of spanners, featuring a top-notch ratchet kit capable of handling up to 27mm nuts, along with a spare 52mm nut for the wheel bearings. But wait, there's more! We also have a variety of screwdrivers including flat, Philips, and crossed screwdrivers, as well as Torx and Hex tools. Not to mention the 3/4 and 1/2 inch ratchets, pincers, and other essentials like duct tape, WD40, grease, and 5W30 oil. And guess what? We've left out axle and gearbox fluids for the gearbox as such can be bought everywhere.
What we don't bring?
We have a set of stab axles lying around at our workshop. We have break pads, break discs, wheel bearings and spare rubber joints we don't carry with us.
Discover the exciting story behind the coolant hoses of our fellow overlander and learn about the crucial role of bringing filters by watching the full video of our Morocco Overlanding Journey!
Check out our Room Tour Video to explore the exciting filter options and other amazing tools and features in our defender!
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