Sterlin is equipped with a fairly comprehensive first aid kit. We selected the Adventure Medical Mountain Comprehensive. This kit is located behind the passengers seat with a simple and easy to release strap.
Prior to the trip we obtained vacations for Hepatitis A, Typhoid as well as other routine vacations are measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) and poliovirus. We also hold comprehensive medical evacuation insurance supplied by FrontierMEDEX. We have copies of our vaccination records and emergency contact numbers with us. The satellite phone is pre-programmed with the various emergency numbers.
We carry two emergency satellite distress signaling devices which use different technologies and different emergency response coordinator service providers. The first one is the Spot satellite message device which is able to transmit GPS coordinates to an emergency response center. The spot device is very small and we can carry with us when we are away from Sterlin, for instance on a hike. The second is a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) which signals NOAA's response center. In both cases two very good friends are designated as our emergency contacts.
First Aid, Health and Emergency Locator Devices
Spare Parts and Tools
Sterlin will be stocked with a minimum of spare parts and tools. Clearly we are planning to go to some far off places and it is unlikely that we will find all the spare parts or even services that we will need to complete a repair. So of course it makes sense to carry some spare parts and tools. The difficult part is trying to predict which parts might fail and thus what makes sense to have handy versus what is better left behind. Getting the answer to this question right will mean the difference between a speedy repair versus sitting around until replacement parts can be flown in from the US or the UK.
Our focus and philosophy is to carry spare parts that are known to fail, that fail suddenly and are small enough to carry so as to not take up too much valuable cargo space. The other important consideration is our lack of mechanical skills, so we need to be realistic on what we can repair ourselves.
The thinking is that we carry spare parts for which we have sufficient mechanical skills and the right tools to complete the repair ourselves and complete the repair roadside if absolutely needed. Of course, it would be much better to get to a local garage and employ the services of a local mechanic to complete the repair under our watchful eye. Sterlin has been prepared for the trip and is in very sound mechanical shape, but unfortunately it is of an age at which bits and pieces are starting to fail. Therefore we focus as much on a regular vehicle inspection as we do on carrying spare parts and tools. Refer to the related article on Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance for more details.
Thank-you to the post by R_Lefebvre and others in Expedition Portal for their suggestions on what spare parts to carry. The suggestions in this post focus on what we call critical parts, that is, parts that should they fail, Sterlin as a whole will fail. There are of course some parts that are critical, but are not practical to carry, like a spare drive/prop shaft. Here is what we settled on for spare parts and tools:-
Critical Spare Parts List - Sensors
- Oxygen Sensors. These small sensors are known to fail with age and are recommended to be replaced after 60,000 miles. We will carry a total of two spare sensors, 1 upstream and 1 downstream of the catalytic converter. Sterlin has 4 oxygen sensors: 2 associated with the left bank of cylinders and 2 with the right bank. The Bosch part numbers are 15175 and 15630 for upstream and downstream respectively.
- Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS). The Bosch part number is W0133-1833517. But the spare part we carry is a Standard Motor Products PC580 equivalent as it is cheaper.
Non-critical Spare Parts List - Sensors
- Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor insert. According to the Land Rover RAVE manual, failure of the MAF sensor results in the ECU using a software backup strategy based on tables. So technically Sterlin can operate with degraded performance due to a failed Mass Flow Sensor. To save space we will carry only the insert and not the housing. The Land Rover part number is ERR7171 and the Bosch part number is 0280217532. We carry an equivalent as it is cheaper.
- Throttle Position Sensor (TPS). According to the Land Rover RAVE manual, failure of the Throttle Position sensor results in the ECU using a value derived from the engine load and speed. So like the MAF sensor, technically Sterlin can operate with degraded performance with a with a failed Throttle Position Sensor. The Land Rover part number is ERR7322 and the Bosch part number is 0280122016. We carry an equivalent as it is cheaper.
In general a sensor failure will be reported by the Electronic Control Unit or ECU making it very easy to detect using a code reader. We decided not to proactively replace any of the above 7 sensors, as it not too difficult to replace them; should they fail the repair could be completed roadside if absolutely needed. And new sensors can fail as well, so even if we proactively replaced the sensors, we would still want to carry spares. Any sensor we do not need can be sold on ebay after the trip. The total cost of the 5 sensors is USD$240. All sensors are very small and easy to carry.
Critical Spare Parts List - Electrical
- Brake Switch. The Land Rover Discovery II has an interlock on the gear selection lever preventing it being moved from P (Park) unless the brake pedal is pressed. The replacement is easier to carry than by-passing the interlock solenoid which is the other option. The Land Rover part number is XKB100170.
- Fuel Pump Relay. The Land Rover part number is YWB101300G. We carry an equivalent from Duralast.
- Fuses. A collection of blade fuses at various amp ratings. The Land Rover Discovery has 77 fuses, so probably a good idea to carry a few spares.
- Ignition Key correctly cut and keyed. The Land Rover Discovery includes a factory installed immobilizer. Failure of the electronics inside the drivers key could mean the immobilizer remains active. The best counter measure for failure or loss of the ignition key is having a spare key with the remote correctly keyed for the ECU.
Critical Spare Parts List - Rubber
- 1 Full Spare Wheel (tire and Rim). Wheels are very prone to failure on under developed roads and so we will carry a full spare which is mounted on the rear cargo door in the usual place. Being stored on the outside of the car the spare will be locked with a lug nut lock. We only carry one spare and hope this will be sufficient.
- Tire Repair Kit. We carry the ARB Speedy Seal Tire Puncture Repair Kit which includes a quality pencil type tire gauge with dual pressure range and dual chuck, insertion and reamer tools, lubricant, additional valve accessories and 30 self vulcanizing repair cords for complete air sealing. This allows for roadside repairs when nails or other sharp objects puncture the tire.
- Serpentine or Auxiliary Belt. This is the belt that drives the alternator, a/c compressor, power steering pump and viscous fan pulley. The serpentine belt has been recently replaced, but as it is rubber and can fail we decided on carrying a spare. The Land Rover part number is ERR6898.
We have been quite conservative when it comes to spare parts for the rubber items. Clearly tires can fail from stones, nails and other bits and pieces found on roads. And although we have recently replaced the Serpentine Belt and Radiator Hoses, rubber can fail. The decision not to carry replacement radiator hoses was difficult, but they take up a lot of room. The hope is that we patch the vehicle with either hose bandage or locally acquired temporary hosing. The timing chain on a Land Rover Discovery uses a metal chain and not a rubber belt, so fingers crossed this will not fail. And anyway, replacing a timing chain is a multi-day procedure requiring specialized tools and way beyond what we could do.
Critical Spare Parts List - Mechanical
- Water or Coolant Pump. Probably a bit of an overkill, but engine cooling is important. The Land Rover Part number is STC4378A. We carry an equivalent.
Non-critical Spare Parts List - Mechanical
- Coolant Thermostat. The current thermostat has recently been replaced as a proactive measure and Sterlin will operate with a stuck thermostat. Even so, we carry a replacement spare. The Land Rover Part number is PEM100990.
The Water or Coolant Pump or Thermostat could in theory be replaced roadside using the tools that we are carrying. Obviously we hope that this will never need doing as it is quite a difficult procedure to be completed roadside. There is no need to carry an oil pump or power steering pump as the repair is beyond our skills. None of the pumps have been replaced proactively as the procedure is too difficult and expensive to justify it.
Consumables
- 2x Oil filters. Land Rover part number is ERR3340G.
- 2x Air Intake filters. Land Rover part number is ESR4238.
The intention and hope is that Land Rover Service centers will carry the right consumables and fluids. Sterlin will be services at the end of Leg 2 (Australia Leg) and either at the end of Leg 3 (South East Asia) or the start of Leg 4 (Russia) and one last time in the middle of Leg 4, somewhere around Moscow.
We have recently replaced the engine gaskets and transmission case seals, so hopefully they will not leak.
Note: Many we talked to along the way were amazed we did not carry fluids like oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid. We completed the 50,000 km journey without needing to top up any fluids except the coolant. And for the coolant, probably only added 200ml. We suspect the coolant level dropped through the overfil hose when on rough roads. Not sure if that is even possible, but it is the only theory that makes sense to us.
Non Critical Spares
- 2 complete sets of replaceable light bulbs (excluding head lamps). Light bulbs are cheap and easy to obtain when at home and very difficult to obtain when out on expedition.
- A collection of various small terminal crimps, shrink-wrap tubing and some spare 22 and 14 gauge electrical wire.
- A collection of various nuts, washers and bolts.
- A collection of various cable ties.
Tools for Sterlin
- Bottle Jack and lug nut wrench
- Flat head screwdrivers; small, medium and large
- Phillips head screwdrivers; small, median and large
- Set of metric Allen keys
- Metric sockets; 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 mm
- Imperial sockets; 3/8, 1/2, 7/16 and 3/4 inch
- Socket drivers; one small and one large.
- Security Torx T-27 for the MAF Sensor insert
- Metric spanners; 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 mm
- Imperial spanners; 3/8, 1/2, 7/16 and 3/4 inch
- Oxygen sensor socket
- Adjustable spanner
- Monkey grip
- Long nose pillars
- Multimeter with a fresh battery.
- Ultragauge which is an OBDII cable and ECU Code Reading software
All the tools are of reasonable quality, not the best but also not the cheapest. The tool list was based on the tools recommended in the Land Rover Workshop RAVE manual along with suggestions from various members of LandRoverForums.com.
Other Tools and Consumables
- Terminal Crimping tool. A luxury, but I suspect the number one repair will be to the wiring of the auxiliary lighting and power distribution for the fridge and clean water pump.
- Nylon thread tape for the water tank and filter connections.
- Electrical tape for general electrical repairs.
- Duct tape for general repairs.
- Some x-treme tape from Duluth Trading.
- Small can of WD-40 for greasing and lubrication. Although we suspect WD-40 can be purchased anywhere in the world.
- Leatherman multi-tool.
- LED Flashlight. Here we splashed out a little and got the Streamlight Strion. Ok, it is expensive, but it is a rather nice flashlight and everyone should have 1 rather nice flashlight.
- Small hammer.
- RAVE Manual.
Summary of all Critical Spare Parts
The total cost of all the critical spare parts and consumables is around USD$1,000. All of the spare parts and the tools are packed away carefully in a Pelican case (model 1550). The advantage of the pelican case is to keep the moisture and dust out. And the Pelican case provides some emotional comfort, as we feel good having all the spare parts and tools in a known location which is also compact and portable enough so they can be removed from Sterlin if we are staying overnight in a hotel (for instance).
Spare Parts not Carried
There is always a temptation to take spare parts for everything that could possibly go wrong. For instance, it is really hard to start a car when the starter motor is broken. The same could be said for the ECU. Some people even recommend drive shafts, hub assemblies and other very large items. If something fails beyond what we are carrying, then I guess we will be spending a little extra time in a location where we were not planning to spend a little extra time. There are a number of items that almost made the list:-
- Brake Pads and Rotors. We should notice unusual wear through regular inspection giving us enough time to find a replacement.
- Fuel pump. It is possible that fuel will have containments that cause the fuel pump to fail. Actually, the fuel pump could just fail. If we really really had to, we could probably jerry rig a work around until a replacement pump arrives.
- Power Steering Pump. Expensive and hard to install.
- Oil Gear Pump. Expensive and hard to install.
- Starter Motor. Too big and will likely notice when it is starting to fail. The starter motor was actually a good candidate for a pro-active replacement.
- Shock Absorbers. We recently replaced the original 10 year old shock absorbers with a heavy duty application from Biltsen. Given this recent replacement we will not carry this bulky item.
Detailed inventory of all of Spare Parts, Consumables and Tools including costs can be found below.
Related Posts
- Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance
- Recovery Equipment
- Overview of Vehicle Enhancements and Modifications
All prices in US Dollars.
- Oxygen Sensors - $60 each
- Throttle Position Sensor - $20
- MAF Sensor - $30
- Crankshaft Position Sensor - $65
- Brake Switch - $35
- Fuel Pump Relay - $35
- Coolant Thermostat - $40
- Fuses - $10
- Ignition Key with keyed remote - $20
- 1 Full Spare Tire - $135 each
- 1 Full Spare Rim - $75 each
- Tire Repair Kit - $45.
- Serpentine or Auxiliaries Belt - $40
- Oil Filters - $25 each
- Air Intake Filters - $20 each
- Water or Coolant Pump - $100
OBDII Interface and Display
- Real-time fuel consumption rate estimates. The Land Rover Discovery II never included any on board computer display, so simple information like fuel consumption rate can not be displayed. Fortunately the on board computer actually calculates this.
- Actual engine coolant temperature. The Land Rover Discovery temperature gauge does not work very well and basically indicates a normal temperature on the dashboard (needle pointing exactly half way between hot and cold extremes) even if the coolant temperature is above normal. The OBDII interface provides the actual temperature and the iPhone application is set to sound an alarm when it exceeds custom thresholds. We have set the thresholds initially at 104°C or 220°F.
- Read engine fault codes. We have owned Sterlin for 10 years and the engine check light has never come on. But if it did, the ultra-gauge would be able to indicate the fault code and cause of the indication. Presumably this is useful in vehicle diagnostics. Attached is a file with all the known Land Rover Discovery II engine fault codes.
- Estimated remaining range in the fuel tank. In addition to the fuel gauge, another method to estimate when to fuel up.
Related Articles
Fault Code Information
A = Bank A of the engine. Cylinder #1 is located on Engine Bank A.
B = Bank B of the engine.
U = Upstream of the Catalytic Converter.
D = Downstream of the Catalytic Converter.
Example: A D = Oxygen Sensor Engine Bank A, Downstream of Catalytic Converter.
| P0101 | Mass Air Flow Sensor Signal Error Fault |
| P0102 | Mass Air Flow Sensor Low Out of Range Fault |
| P0103 | Mass Air Flow Sensor High Out of Range Fault |
| P0111 | Air Temperature Sensor Signal Error Fault |
| P0112 | Air Temperature Sensor Low Out of Range Fault |
| P0113 | Air Temperature Sensor High Out of Range Fault |
| P0116 | Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor Falling Temp Fault |
| P0117 | Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor Low Out of Range Fault |
| P0118 | Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor High Out of Range Fault |
| P0121 | Throttle Position Sensor Output Signal Error Fault |
| P0122 | Throttle Position Sensor Low Out of Range Fault |
| P0123 | Throttle Position Sensor High Out of Range Fault |
| P0125 | Engine Coolant Temp Sensor Warm Up Fault |
| P0130 | Oxygen Sensor Cycle Fault *Codes* A U |
| P0131 | Oxygen Sensor Low Voltage *Codes* A U |
| P0132 | Oxygen Sensor High Voltage *Codes* A U |
| P0133 | Oxygen Sensor Slow Response *Codes* A U |
| P0136 | Oxygen Sensor Cycle Fault *Codes* A D |
| P0137 | Oxygen Sensor Low Voltage *Codes* A D |
| P0138 | Oxygen Sensor High Voltage *Codes* A D |
| P0139 | Oxygen Sensor Slow Response *Codes* A D |
| P0150 | Oxygen Sensor Cycle Fault *Codes* B U |
| P0151 | Oxygen Sensor Low Voltage *Codes* B U |
| P0152 | Oxygen Sensor High Voltage *Codes* B U |
| P0153 | Oxygen Sensor Slow Response *Codes* B U |
| P0156 | Oxygen Sensor Cycle Fault *Codes* B D |
| P0157 | Oxygen Sensor Low Voltage *Codes* B D |
| P0158 | Oxygen Sensor High Voltage *Codes* B D |
| P0159 | Oxygen Sensor Slow Response *Codes* B D |
| P0171 | Oxygen Sensor System Too Lean Fault Bank A |
| P0172 | Oxygen Sensor System Too Rich Fault Bank A |
| P0174 | Oxygen Sensor System Too Lean Fault Bank B |
| P0175 | Oxygen Sensor System Too Rich Fault Bank B |
| P0181 | Fuel Temperature Sensor Signal Error Fault |
| P0182 | Fuel Temperature Sensor Low Out of Range Fault |
| P0183 | Fuel Temperature Sensor High Out of Range Fault |
| P0201 | Injector 1 Circuit Fault |
| P0202 | Injector 2 Circuit Fault |
| P0203 | Injector 3 Circuit Fault |
| P0204 | Injector 4 Circuit Fault |
| P0205 | Injector 5 Circuit Fault |
| P0206 | Injector 6 Circuit Fault |
| P0207 | Injector 7 Circuit Fault |
| P0208 | Injector 8 Circuit Fault |
| P0300 | Misfire On Multiple Cylinder |
| P0301 | Misfire Cylinder 1 |
| P03O2 | Misfire Cylinder 2 |
| P03O3 | Misfire Cylinder 3 |
| P0304 | Misfire Cylinder 4 |
| P0305 | Misfire Cylinder 5 |
| P0306 | Misfire Cylinder 6 |
| P0307 | Misfire Cylinder 7 |
| P0308 | Misfire Cylinder 8 |
| P0326 | Continuous Knock Fault Bank A |
| P0327 | Background Noise Low Fault Bank A |
| P0328 | Background Noise High Fault Bank A |
| P0331 | Continuous Knock Fault Bank B |
| P0332 | Background Noise Low Fault Bank B |
| P0333 | Background Noise High Fault Bank B |
| P0335 | Crankshaft Position Sensor Signal Error Fault |
| P0336 | Crankshaft Position Sensor Out of Range Fault |
| P0340 | Camshaft Position Sensor Signal Error Fault |
| P0420 | Catalyst Efficiency Low Fault Bank A |
| P0430 | Catalyst Efficiency Low Fault Bank B |
| P0441 | Evap Purge Valve Incorrect Flow Fault |
| P0442 | Evap System Small Leak Detected Fault |
| P0443 | Evap Purge Valve Open or Short Circuit Fault |
| P0451 | Fuel Tank Pressure Sensor Signal Error Fault |
| P0452 | Fuel Tank Pressure Sensor Low out of Range Fault |
| P0453 | Fuel Tank Pressure Sensor High Out of Range Fault |
| P0461 | Fuel Tank Level Measurement Not Valid Fault |
| P0500 | Vehicle Speed Sensor Signal Error Fault |
| P0506 | Idle Speed Control Engine Speed Low Fault |
| P0507 | Idle Speed Control Engine Speed High Fault |
| P0560 | Battery Voltage Below Minimum Fault |
| P0562 | Measurement Circuit OK Battery Voltage Low Fault |
| P0563 | Battery Voltage Above Maximum Fault |
| P0605 | ECM Self Test Fault |
| P1130 | Oxygen Sensor Fuel Trim at Limit *Codes* A U |
| P1131 | Oxygen Sensor Engine Lean *Codes* A U |
| P1132 | Oxygen Sensor Engine Rich *Codes* A U |
| P1137 | Oxygen Sensor Engine Lean *Codes* A D |
| P1138 | Oxygen Sensor Engine Rich *Codes* A D |
| P1150 | Oxygen Sensor Fuel Trim at Limit *Codes* B U |
| P1151 | Oxygen Sensor Engine Lean *Codes* B U |
| P1152 | Oxygen Sensor Engine Rich *Codes* B U |
| P1157 | Oxygen Sensor Engine Lean *Codes* B D |
| P1158 | Oxygen Sensor Engine Rich *Codes* B D |
| P1171 | Oxygen Sensor System Too Lean Fault Banks A & B |
| P1172 | Oxygen Sensor System Too Rich Fault Banks A & B |
| P1176 | Maximum Positive FMFR Correction Fault |
| P1177 | Maximum Negative FMFR Correction Fault |
| P1178 | Maximum Positive AMFR Correction Fault |
| P1179 | Maximum Negative AMFR Correction Fault |
| P1185 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit Open Upstream |
| P1186 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit Short Upstream |
| P1187 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit Short Upstream |
| P1188 | Oxygen Sensor Heater High Resistance Upstream |
| P1189 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Type 1 Low Resistance Upstream |
| P1190 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Type 2 Low Resistance Upstream |
| P1191 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit Open Downstream |
| P1192 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit Short Downstream |
| P1193 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit Open Downstream |
| P1194 | Oxygen Sensor Heater High Resistance Downstream |
| P1195 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Type 1 Low Resistance Downstream |
| P1196 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Type 2 Low Resistance Downstream |
| P1199 | Fuel Level Sensor Circuit Fault |
| P1201 | Injector 1 Open Circuit or Ground Short Fault |
| P1202 | Injector 2 Open Circuit or Ground Short Fault |
| P1203 | Injector 3 Open Circuit or Ground Short Fault |
| P1204 | Injector 4 Open Circuit or Ground Short Fault |
| P1205 | Injector 5 Open Circuit or Ground Short Fault |
| P1206 | Injector 6 Open Circuit or Ground Short Fault |
| P1207 | Injector 7 Open Circuit or Ground Short Fault |
| P1208 | Injector 8 Open Circuit or Ground Short Fault |
| P1313 | Misfire Catalyst Damage Fault Bank A |
| P1314 | Misfire Catalyst Damage Fault Bank B |
| P1315 | Misfire Persistent Fault |
| P1316 | Misfire Excessive Emissions Fault |
| P1317 | ABS Rough Road Line Low Fault |
| P1318 | ABS Rough Road Line High Fault |
| P1361 | No Ignition Coil Activation Fault Coil 1 |
| P1362 | No Ignition Coil Activation Fault Coil 2 |
| P1363 | No Ignition Coil Activation Fault Coil 3 |
| P1364 | No Ignition Coil Activation Fault Coil 4 |
| P1371 | Early Ignition Coil Activation Fault Coil 1 |
| P1372 | Early Ignition Coil Activation Fault Coil 2 |
| P1373 | Early Ignition Coil Activation Fault Coil 3 |
| P1374 | Early Ignition Coil Activation Fault Coil 4 |
| P1440 | Evap System Purge Valve Stuck Open Fault |
| P1441 | Evap System Purge Valve Flow 1 Fault |
| P1442 | Evap System Purge Valve Blocked Fault |
| P1447 | Evap System Purge Valve Open or Short Circuit Fault |
| P1448 | Evap System Purge Valve Flow 2 Fault |
| P1508 | Idle Speed Control Open Circuit Fault |
| P15O9 | Idle Speed Control Short Circuit Fault |
| P1514 | Neutral Drive Load Fault |
| P1516 | Neutral Drive Gear Change Fault |
| P1517 | Neutral Drive Cranking Fault |
| P1607 | Malfunction Indicator Lamp Short Circuit Fault |
| P1608 | Malfunction Indicator Lamp Open Circuit Fault |
| P1620 | Reprogramming Code Learn Fault |
| P1621 | Serial Data Link Dead Fault |
| P1622 | Repeated Wrong ECM Security Code Fault |
| P1623 | ECM Security Code Fault |
| P1701 | Transfer Box Line Fault |
| P1703 | Transfer Box Line Open Circuit Fault |
| P1708 | Transfer Box Line Short Circuit Fault |
| P1775 | Gearbox Fault |
| P1776 | Gearbox Ignition Retard Request Timeout Fault |
| P1777 | Gearbox Ignition Retard Request Line Fault |
Rear Access Ladder
After market rear access ladders are typically available for sale for around $80 from British Atlantic. The ladder we purchased looked extremely like the Land Rover supplied version, it certainly mounted the same way.
The installation was a little tricky and required 4 holes to be drilled in the rear cargo door and nutserts placed in the holes. My good friend Adrian helped with the drilling. After drilling the holes, it became clear that we would need a special nutsert rivet tool to complete the installation, a fact omitted on the site selling the ladder. A check of the local auto parts and hardware stores revealed that nutsert rivet tools are not that common. Anyway, it seemed a little silly buying a nutsert rivet tool for just this one job.
There was a thought of using a bolt and a couple of nuts to act like a nutsert tool, but this seemed a little risky as the nutserts may not sit correctly once collapsed. So I chickened out and had the local garage complete the installation.
But now that the rear ladder is installed, it has been wonderfully sturdy and strong and looks right at home on Sterlin. And of course, accessing the roof rack and the roof top tent is much easier with the ladder. This was a good upgrade for Sterlin.
Car Audio Enhancement
Sterlin's Recent Repairs
 |
| Stephen and Philippe inspecting Sterlin |
 |
| Open heart surgery. Sterlin with engine head removed. |
Electronic Gadgets
The following is an overview of the electronic gadgets we are taking along. It is important to have toys for the road.
Camera Gear
Caroline is the chief photographer for the trip. We are taking a setup similar to that recommended by the Lonely Planet Travel Photography book.
- D800 FX camera body (Caroline)
- D7000 DX camera body (Stephen)
- Panasonic point and shoot
- 16-35mm FX f4 AF-S VR ultra-wide zoom lens
- 24-70mm FX f2.8 AF-S mid-range zoom lens
- 70-200mm FX f2.8 AF-S VR telephoto zoom lens
- 28-300mm FX f3.5-5.6 AF-S VR telephoto lens
- 1.4x lens teleconverter
- SB600 Nikon Flash
- Tripod with ball head
- 11x SD and 2x Compact Flash memory cards
Communication Gear
- iPhone 5 with international plan
- Satellite phone
- Spot messaging device
- Personal Locator Beacon
- Hand held GPS
- Car Navigation GPS with windscreen bracket mount and charger
Computer Gear
- Apple Air with Aperture and Photoshop installed
- 4x portable 1TB hard drives
- 1st Generation iPad for movies and mapping
- 2nd generation Kindle (for Stephen)
- 3rd generation Kindle (for Caroline).
Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance
We are not great mechanics, but we still think it is a excellent idea to perform regular inspections and some preventive maintenance on Sterlin. The main point of the inspection is try and detect things that might be going wrong before they really go wrong. In terms of maintenance, we will plan to be in a major city around the time Sterlin needs some real maintenance. Here is the proposed inspection routine.
Daily - to be performed before starting off each day (takes 5 mins)
- Check engine bay fluid levels including coolant, brake, power steering and windscreen washer.
- Quickly check engine bay for signs of fluid leaks.
- Walk around vehicle checking all four tires for obvious signs of damage
- Check roof rack, roof top tent and camp table to make sure they are securely fastened.
- Look under vehicle for signs of fluid leaks.
- Check fuel level and record odometer reading in log book.
Weekly - includes all daily inspection plus (takes 30 mins)
- Check oil level and condition and top up as necessary
- Climb on roof rack and confirm all items are secured appropriately.
- Inspect Jerry cans and for damage.
- Check spare tire, check tire pressures and inspect for damage.
- Check tire pressure and wear on all four wheels. Carefully check for tire damage.
- Crawl under car with torch and check for fluid leaks and body damage.
- Careful inspection of engine with torch for fluid leaks. Check serpentine belt and coolant hoses for wear and damage. Check battery terminals to ensure connections are tight.
- Check water tank, pumps, filter and hoses for signs of leaks.
- Read OBDII interface for error codes. Record any error codes in log book.
Monthly - includes all weekly inspection plus (takes 3 hours)
- Check all lights including brake lights, signal lights, headlights and aux lights.
- Remove all four wheels and check tire for damage including missing balance weights.
- Check rotors and brake pad wear condition. Record depth of brake pads in log book.
- Check wheel bearing area and brake and ABS sensor lines for fluid leaks and damage.
- Check wheel axles for damage.
- Check all roof rack nuts for tightness. Check rain gutter for damage.
- Check main and aux battery voltage levels.
- Check air filter condition and replace if needed.
- Check spare key remote works.
- Inspect condition of water filter candles and clean if necessary.
- Remove water tank, drain and inspect for mildew and leaks. Perform monthly cleaning and return water tank to Sterlin.
- Every 7,500 miles
- Replace engine oil and oil filter.
- Replace air filter.
- Check transmission case oil level and condition.
- All the rubber on Sterlin is new, including the main and spare tires, the coolant hoses and the serpentine belt. There should be no need to replace any of these items due to normal wear for the 40 to 60 thousand miles.
- The brake rotors and pads have recently been replaced and are still in excellent shape. Hopefully will also not need to be replaced during the journey and we will not be carrying spares. If we start to notice wear on the brakes, then we will have some shipped to us.
- The engine head gaskets and transmission case seals have been recently replaced as they were showing some seepage. With these two major repairs performed, hopefully both will be trouble free.
- As the engine head was off, some deterioration of the radiator was noticed. Consequentially, Sterlin now has a new radiator, radiator hoses and thermostat installed.
- All four shock absorbers have been replaced.
Recovery Equipment
Sterlin carries only basic recovery equipment. Any major accident or car failure is probably going to need assistance from the locals. The hope is that the locals are pretty damn good at towing vehicles out of ditches or back to the nearest town to be repaired. Even so, makes sense to carry the following:-
- Spare wheel mounted on the rear door with tires and rims matching those installed on the other four wheels. We are expecting a lot of tire damage but do not want the hassle of carrying two spare tires. We carry a tire puncture repair kit so we can make repairs along the way.
- Hydraulic bottle jack and wheel nut wrench originally supplied with the vehicle.
- 48 inch High Lift jack and wheel lifting attachment.
- Two tow ropes complete with hooks.
- 60 inch medium duty PSP aluminium sand ladders. The expectation is the sand ladders will be used mostly for crossing ditches and not for recovery from sand.
- Small shovel.
- Satellite Phone. Not entirely sure who we are going to ring, but might be useful to coordinate repairs when one person is with the car and the other is going off to get help.
- Regulatory breakdown equipment including two high visibility vests, a warning triangle and some roadside chemical lights. These items are useful in avoiding over-jealous police officers trying to exact money from us.
- Minimal toolkit and spare parts. Let's face it, it is unlikely we will be able to carry out any significant roadside repair beyond changing a wheel or patching a radiator hose. A separate blog entry is dedicated to tools and spares carried and why we are taking them.
- Snow chains. Not sure if we will ever encounter snow, but just in case.
Fridge
An ARB 37 quart fridge and freeze unit is mounted on a fridge slide, also made by ARB using their lashing kit, in the rear left cargo area of Sterlin. The slide is securely bolted to the cargo area mounting panel with four bolts and the fridge can be attached to the slide with a wire rope and padlock to help prevent it from being stolen.
It is pretty easy to access the contents of the fridge, as the lid opens quite wide before hitting the roof of the car. If the food is buried deep in the fridge, either the lid can be removed or the whole unit can be slid out. Sliding the fridge out is also very useful at cleaning time, and the drainage hole will no longer drain into the car but to the ground.
There are other manufacturers of fridge freezers out there, with various pros and cons. We selected ARB because it is cheaper than most of the competition, has lots of nice features like the removable lid and comes with add-on options like the slide and the lashing kit. There are various resources on the Internet comparing the leading models of camping fridge freezers and typically ARB scores well in those. The fridge runs really quiet which is important when sleeping above it in the roof top tent.
The fridge can operate off either 12 volts dc or 110-240 volts ac. In our setup we have used 12 volts dc from the auxiliary battery to prevent the main battery getting drained. It is important to use high gauge wiring from the battery to the fridge, as the cable run is relatively long and it is important not to have a significant voltage drop. In our case the run was 5 meters and we used 12 gauge wire. The wiring is protected with a 20 amps fast blow fuse on its own circuit. To make a tidy and protected installation of the wiring, the supply lines are routed from the engine bay, under the passenger seat, behind the water tank and into the rear cargo area cowling near the left side rear wheel arch. The wiring is terminated to a 12 volt socket outlet located near the existing factory installed 12 volt outlet. There is no switch for the fridge outlet, as we intend to continuously power it and accidently bumping the switch and turning it off would be a bad thing. Additionally, the fridge itself has its own on/off switch via the control panel.
To improve the fridge's performance, as well as protect it from prying eyes, we have covered the rear cargo area and fridge with plywood. ARB does sell a neoprene cover for the fridge, but we decided this is not needed for us, and it is also not very cheap.
 |
| Fridge on the left fully installed in Sterlin. |
We have taken the fridge on a number of experimental camping trips and it is performing well. It is certainly large enough for a couple of weeks worth of food.
Vehicle Security
It is really hard and quite expensive to fully secure a car. A determined thief can break a window, hacksaw through a security screen etc. Sterlin has only been safe guarded against simple and opportunistic thief. This blog provides details of how Sterlin is secured and the philosophy and thinking adopted.
The bits on the outside have been secured with various locks:
 |
| Genuine Land Rover Security Wheel Lug Nuts |
- Each of the four running wheels and the spare wheel mounted on the rear door have a locking lug nut.
- The 4 Jerry Cans mounted on the roof rack are secured within a Front Runner Jerry can carrier and each Jerry Can is locked with a padlock.
- The Roof mounted cargo box is secured with a wire chain and padlock.
- The Front Runner camp table is secured under the roof rack with a padlock.
- The sand ladders are secured with bolts to the roof rack.
- The roof rack itself is only bolted to the vehicle. Hopefully it's size and weight will deter a thief.
- The awning and roof top tent are secured with bolts but is not locked.
When outfitting Sterlin, one of the philosophies was to keep the number of items on the outside of the car to a minimum. Firstly, anything outside is hard to secure. Secondly, it gets pretty dirty up there with everything exposed to the the elements. And lastly, it's not that easy to get things on and off the roof rack. For these reasons we keep the high lift jack and the shovel inside the vehicle.
Also on the outside of the vehicle is the fuel filling cap. We decided to add a lockable fuel cap to Sterlin with the aim of deterring fuel theft. We rejected the idea of using a padlock through a hasp on the outside of the fuel flap as it is somewhat unsightly. The lockable fuel cap is a less intrusive option which requires minimal effort to install. The lockable fuel cap was available from the local auto shop for under $20 and meets all US state and federal emission test standards. Now we just need to make sure we do not lose the keys.
 |
| Lockable Fuel Cap |
On the inside higher risk items have been secured with locks
- The Pelican Cases are all lockable with padlocks and the padlocks all share a common key. In high risk areas, the cases could secured together with a wire rope through the padlocks.
- The fridge is lashed using the ARB mounting kit. In high risk areas, a simple wire rope and padlock would be added.
- The storage box is lockable and is mounted to the cargo area mounting panel via bolts only accessible from inside the storage box.
- And inside the storage box is a second lock box for securing important documents. This lock box is always locked unless in use with the key located with the ignition key.
- The water pump and filter system is secured by pins that can only we removed from inside the storage box, which should be locked.
- The water tank is not really secured except with lashing.
- The rear storage area is covered with a heavy duty space blanket which acts to hide the vehicles contains and also reflect sunlight and heat keeping the rear storage lockers, fridge, pelican cases and water filter system cooler.
There are no security grills on the windows or gating off the cargo area. Many overland adventurers install these grills, but we feel this is over-kill for where we are travelling, hopefully we are right. The two fire extinguishers and the first aid kit are obviously not secured and will have to be replaced if stolen.
All the padlock keys are stored together and carried with us but not with the ignition key and lock box key. A spare set of keys for the ignition, padlocks and lock box are also carried with us.