Afritrex - The Team
Transmission
The same applies to the gearbox and transfer box; no complicated traction control systems just a simple means of changing from high range to low range when the situation calls for it, to keep us rolling along. The R380 gearbox is the standard Landrover pairing for the 300TDi and came together with the engine and transfer box, and after some tweaking here and there replacing tunnels, mounts and cross members the entire package fitted beautifully.
Exterior fittings
Lightweight Aluminium roofrack to keep the Centre of Gravity as low as possible, Side awning for protection from the harsh African elements, Rooftent; big enough to accommodate both of us while maintaining maximum distance from a certain individuals feet, snorkel to raise the engine’s air intake up by around a metre reducing the amount of dust consumed and allowing us to wade through rivers if necessary, window guards, driven winch (just in case), full underbody protection system covering steering dampers, diffs and tanks, uprated shocks and springs to carry the weight of us and the extensive kit-list, bush wires to try and keep the sponsors logos intact for as long as we can, oh and a couple of spare wheels… because somewhere it said we might need them. The list goes on and on.
Interior fittings
Equipping a vehicle for a year long trip is a project in itself, a compromise between the luxuries and the essentials, enough kit to make the journey comfortable but not so much as to weigh us down unnecessarily. Space will be at a premium, so well thought out, logical placement of the essentials is vital. This can only truly be achieved by building bespoke space-saving storage systems. The bulky vehicle recovery kit is stored as low down in the vehicle floor as possible to drop the centre of gravity, the kitchen items are used regularly so roller shutter doors are being installed in the side of the Landie allowing access to the cooker, tap, sink and other utensils to save unpacking the vehicle every time we need a cuppa!
Electrical systems
To film a documentary and run a website while on the road means having suitable technology on-board, but we all know how volatile electronics can be so looking after them is essential to our routine. We’ve fitted onboard storage systems which in theory should offer some degree of protection from the worst that the dust-filled environment can throw at us…in practice but honestly, it’ll be a bit of suck it and see. All of the chargers, invertors and other electronics need powering so a split charging system across two Optima gel-filled batteries has been fitted under the passenger seat, suitably invigorated by the uprated alternator mounted up front. The two battery setup is essential as it allows all of the accessories to be run from one, and the engine to be started with the other. Add to this list the fridge, fans, GPS navigation systems and a whole stack of lighting both inside and out and you start to see how important it is to have a setup which provides adequate stable power.
Storage systems
We chose to use the Station Wagon version of the Defender as opposed to the hardtop van version which most people choose, as it allows us to carry our passengers in comfort – and they’ll be a few along the way. However, the flip-side is the reduced amount of kit we’ll be able to carry onboard. We’ll be using floor-mounted drawer systems, side mounted lockers and every inch of space to enable us to take what we need.
Recovery equipment
The decision of whether to take a winch on the front of the vehicle has been debated by many people, many times but there’s no firm conclusion on whether or not it’s necessary. But the benefit of hindsight only works if you make it home….so we bought a winch anyway, just in case!! Along side the pulling power we’ll take straps, shackles, snatch blocks and other tools, all designed to make extracting the Landie from the heavy cotton mud of Botswana that little bit easier! As we could be a few months’ drive from the nearest Kwik Fit we’ll need to be pretty self-sufficient so tyre levers, pliers and puncture repair kit should keep the wheels turning until we get to a suitable garage.
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