You're Going On An Expedition - Is Your Land Rover Ready?

First and foremost before going on any expedition you should know EXACTLY what your route is. Preparing your Land Rover is governed by just what both the vehicle and yourself are going to be subjected to.

It goes without saying, that the less complicated your vehicle is, the better and manual Land Rovers are ideal. Not only are they simple to repair, but they more likely to survive tough expedition. Many of their parts can be improvised and fabricated pretty easily.

Even if you are not using a Land Rover, make sure, you know how your vehicle works, how to repair it and know what you cannot repair without vehicle specific parts. By having such knowledge, you will save yourself hours or even days of frustration.

If you drive with care, the gearbox, engine and suspension should give you no trouble. But expect to need to service or replace both electrical items and those such as brakes, belts and tyres, which are subject to the environment.

As I said at the start, know about your route. Research it as thoroughly as you can. Wherever you're going, someone else has been there before you. Don't try to reinvent the wheel, it's not worth it and could save your life.

Unless you are a skilled mechanic, getting your vehicle thoroughly checked out by an automobile association is certainly a good idea. The outlay could save you money, time and much more.

Your extra fuel should be carried outside the vehicle, an auxiliary tank is better than jerry cans if its practicable. You should be able to carry more than enough for the longest anticipated part of the journey. I f you're going to go fully loaded over rough terrain, the suspension on your vehicle will need to be upgraded.

It's advisable to have sump protector, but how much other under-body protection you will need will be determined by the type of terrain you are going to encounter. A snorkel and sand ladders are recommended if you are going to be running over fine sand.

For your own peace of mind a dual battery system can be useful especially if you have an automatic vehicle. If you're travelling alone, then a winch is a good idea and ideally you should have towing points both at the front and rear of your vehicle.

Anything that you're carrying that's fragile or has sharp edges or corners, should be securely stowed away with tie-downs or nets. Put the most frequently used items where they can be reached easily. If you need to use a roof-rack for storage, keep the weight to a minimum. Unless you have a roof-top tent, you're better off without a roof-rack.

Don't display goods with any value more than is necessary, remember there are thieves everywhere. To them your vehicle will be seen as a mobile store, so take whatever measures you can to thwart them. For small valuable a looked security box that can't be moved is ideal and get an immobiliser fitted if you haven't already got one.

Last but most definitely not least, if you're in a remote area you will need WATER.
Carry as much as you're likely to need to survive in the worst case scenario. Urine might be ok in your vehicle in an emergency, but do you really want to have to drink it?

A great deal of the above is simply common sense, but in the excitement of planning your expedition, it's very easy to forgot something. So make a check list and most of all Have Fun.

Jane has put together one of the best online selections of Land Rover accessories at Landy Accessories.com. So whether you're going on an expedition, off-roading or just want your Land Rover to stand out from the crowd, go take a look.