Baselining My 80 / Overland Build

[Mblinko]

So, we drove to Santander to meet a couple of friends with Land Rovers off the boat from Portsmouth. This the route we planned to drive.



If if any members want the GPX file, I'm happy to share. Just PM me.

Having done it, I'd say about 70% is off road, though we did skip a bit in the middle to allow a couple of days off.

Waypoint navigation was handled by my Garmin GPSMAP620 and I got free Topo maps from here http://Garmin.openstreetmap.nl. They are very good and are available for almost anywhere.

We planned for 10-12 days driving south with 2-3 days for the return journey. As it was, this was about right to get us all the way to the Algarve.

Our tracks started pretty much on the Portuguese border and soon after starting there was an ideal photo opportunity.



Funny how the perspective on the photo seems to show the LC as being smaller than the Landys !

We hadn't pre-booked any campsites and just took it as it came. Overall, they were priced between 10 and 16 Euros a night which was very reasonable. Some were bigger than others and some were smaller / fuller than expected for the time of year, but I just managed to squeeze into this one



For the first few days, the tracks near the border lead us through a mixture of open plains and forest far away from main populations.



When we went through the tiny villages, the one impression I will take away is how friendly the people are. You wave as you pass and they smile and wave back - without exception, everyone did this

The tracks were a mixture of wide forest tracks with firebreaks either side and rocky climbs and descents



The really interesting challenging tracks were the small ones that we found when finding routes between waypoints as opposed to following the pre-defined route. This next photo followed about a mile or so of narrow hilly rocky walled rough track which was so narrow, in many places there was barely an inch spare on either side. Slimline Landys were fine, but for me, it was a bit more challenging to come out without scars which I did. It was all worth it when we arrived here.



It was river bed which in the winter would be raging but for now was all but dry



Unfortunately, the track disappeared a bit further up and we had to do it all in reverse - shame

Here's a gratuitous LC shot to finish this part



./ end of part 1

 

[AndyCook]

Looks like a great trip, keen to try Portugal at some point.
I must say that old box of mine looks so much better on your 80 with tent behind it, than it looked on my hilux with wedge shaped tent behind. Was it useful storage space?


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[MikesVX80]

Looks like a great trip!

 

[Mblinko]

Looks like a great trip, keen to try Portugal at some point.
I must say that old box of mine looks so much better on your 80 with tent behind it, than it looked on my hilux with wedge shaped tent behind. Was it useful storage space?


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Yes, the box was brilliant Andy. We kept the Frontier stove, BBQ and RTT sides in it, plus other bits and bobs we use less frequently.

 

[Chris]

I have one (not fitted) and I miss it. But it doesn't go as well with the hard top tent as the fabric one. Nice and secure, good for less used items and dirty stuff too.

 

[Mblinko]

./ Part 2

It's amazing what you find up the mountain on a flat piece of land ......... a vehicle inspection pit built into the hillside



Portugal is a very, very dry place at this time of year and not many rivers have water in them. We were lucky enough to find this place on the track at lunchtime. Crystal clear waters, deep enough to swim in as well and good shade as it was nearly 35 degrees. It was very tempting to just wild camp here for the night as it was so beautiful, but we had to press on.




We drove through a number of national parks on the tracks and one thing that became obvious was just how extensive the mountain ranges here were. The highest we got was about 1300m, but it was the severity of the climbs that was surprising really. On one of them, we started at 125m and started zig zagging up a rocky and loose track. Each stretch was only about 250m and the hair pins were just negotiable in one hit, but it was a low range second gear climb which took around 25 mins in all to get to the top. When, we got there we realised we had climbed vertically, nearly 800m in that short distance and time. We reckon the slope must have been about 30-35 degrees all the way. Being a first time owner of an 80, I have to say what a stunningly capable vehicle it is. There was nothing it seemed it was not capable of (more of that later). Once we got to the top, we were lucky enough to find a perfect spot to wild camp.



On another day, we came off the top of a mountain on a narrow tarmac road leading to a tiny village. It was so steep for so long that I literally lost the brakes and that was even with a first gear high descent and regular dabs to bring the speed off for the next hairpin. They just heated right up and I was forced to go to low range which given I do not have the CDL switch to unlock the centre diff in low meant it was a risk, but I got away with it. (got a switch on order now so I've got a proper option for that kind of descent).

In the rural parts we were travelling in, there were endless almond, olive, lemon and orange groves. Interestingly, Portugal is one of the world's largest producers of cork and we passed many thousands of them along the way. Apparently, you can essentially strip all the bark off (like ringing a tree) but it doesn't die, it all grows back within 5 years.



We found a big sand pit along the way which was previously used for off roading with the smaller lighter buggy things, but nonetheless gave us the opportunity to have a play.



One of the Landys had a go but overheated the clutch by slipping it to get the power down rather than being the right gear. It stunk for quite some time, but thankfully held out for the rest of the trip. In my case, a few days earlier, I noticed my clutch bite point rising when starting from stationary on steep tracks, so I was taking it easy as well.

./ end part 2

 

[Chris]

Great report and cracking looking trip.

 

[froggy Steve]

Looking fwd to the full report next week

 

[Mblinko]

./ Part 3

We started to cross from east to west stopping at Evora for a couple of days to take a rest as we had been driving for the last 7 days. Just prior to getting there we stopped for lunch in a valley in the Parque Natural Do Tejo Internaticional. The next video, taken as we left our lunch spot, is pretty much typical of the terrain, some steeper, some boulders but virtually no mud (until a bit later !). The fan belt started squealing the day before - a new belt stretching in the heat I guess .... fixed it that evening, though.



We travelled a while until we got to Castelo Bronco where we spotted a deep valley with a track going straight down one side and then virtually straight up the other. We walked down it and decided to go ahead. Well,we didn't take photos of the descent because there wasn't much to see, but if I say it was a first in low crawl to prevent runaway then if you've got an 80, you'll know how slow that is. It was at least 30 degree down slope, but, then 1/3 the way down when you are fully committed and no turning round the road started disappearing from view only 10m ahead - it got a load steeper - so, deep breath, down we went - all was good. Next there was the going up bit. I got this video of the Landy going first - it does not do justice to the incline especially not the last bit where they disappear behind the trees and then reappear.



I mentioned before about my clutch and I opted not to do this one as we still had 6 days of the trip to go and I wanted to get to the end. So, we set about finding an alternate route. The obvious one was back the way we came, but that incline was as steep as the one I was avoiding but was shorter, especially the bit that disappeared from view. There was one other way - so we went that way. We drove following the track on the map and spotted a river crossing a few km ahead and after that it connected back to the route the Landys had taken. Great, off we toddled ....... then we round the corner ready to get wet on the crossing and the road stops abruptly, no river, a bloody reservoir and a big one at that, not marked on the map !

So we turned round and went back up the big hill we came down. Talk about sitting on the steering wheel leaning forward to stay up right - it was a cracker - 2nd in low, giving it plenty of beans at the right point, pulse racing, LC just taking it all in it's stride. Have I mentioned how great this vehicle is .

Later we got to Evora




and following an extended tasting session in the vendor's shop, had plenty of this



After a bit of rest, we set off again heading towards the see, passing plenty of these - they are supposed to be lucky if you have them nest on your chimney



and stopping for coffee to read some rock books



well marble actually. We passed some stunning beaches on the west coast heading down to the Algarve, I hope this panorama shot works ok here.



In one village, we managed to drive into the harbour as we had to cross it to get to the track we wanted.



Once on the west coast the terrain was all sand dunes and sandy tracks, so different driving techniques. Then, a bit later we encountered - - large muddy pond that we had to cross.

Being a good sort of chap, I volunteered to walk in and see how bad it was. On the right, it was about 2 foot deep. On the left, about 3 foot. Under foot though, it was thick gloopy, sandy mud which sucked your feet in. It was all I could do to get out without falling in. After deliberation, the first Landy went in



He verily skipped along. Then the second Landy went in and struggled a little bit with his clutch again.



Then I went in, 3rd dibs, 1000kg heavier ......





Ahh well, you live and learn, remember your left and right or go first I think

./ end of part 3

 

[Mblinko]

Looking fwd to the full report next week

me too

 

[Mblinko]

./ Part 4 - the end

As for the car and the interior build, excepting the stud / nut problem, everything went well. The car just did everything I asked of it, without fuss. I did notice that in the extreme heat when the viscous fan hooked up it was less powerful than normal, though still able. I do wish I had the time to get the A/C fixed before we went though, as it was bloody hot and always being at the back, very dusty. The interior build worked a treat, plenty of storage - the only thing I will change soon is the addition of partitions in the drawers and more storage shelf things on the wall between the front seats. One point I would make to anyone who has just fitted a new winch bumper is that if the holes are slotted then it will likely move the first time you are winched using it as mine did. This is even doing the 6 bolts up as tight as humanly possible. In my case the bumper tipped backwards and the two arial brackets on the top put two little dents in the bonnet . I think the solution will be to weld the washers over the slots so it cannot move.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable trip and a good shakedown for our longer trip later this year.

 

[froggy Steve]

Glad you didnt have the "official Landrover recovery vehicle" sticker! Must have been well gloopy !

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[clivehorridge]

Well done Mark, a good trip by the sounds of it!

80s are amazing. Even mine, without a turbo, feels like nothing could stop it on a steep climb.

Ive disconnected the auto CDL on the low box. It's great to have that low gear option with fully open diffs, I use it a lot.

I've been on grass inclines so steep that all four wheels have been going round, without me moving.

Sorry you got stuck, a bit more momentum next time might have carried you through.

I don't think a winch off a landy counts, it's not like he towed you is it!

 

[SpinDrift]

Great trip. Thanks for posting.

 

[Gary820]

Great trip report, enjoyed the pics and vids

 

[Mblinko]

.....

I don't think a winch off a landy counts, it's not like he towed you is it!

it was quite funny watching him being winched to me, until I helped by trying to drive out . 90 -v- LC in weight terms is no contest.

 

[Mblinko]

Today, a few goodies turned up from Toyota in Aylesbury. A new clutch set, CDL switch, rear main bearing seal and wheel nuts - the wrong sort again





The clutch is being done next week, so I got on with CDL work.

I am doing this because I want to have the CDL switchable on Low Range to avoid the situation I described earlier where, on a steep tarmac descent, I wanted Low Range without CDL so could ease off the brakes which took a pounding to the extent they were kaput until they cooled.

Fitting the switch was simple....2 screws behind the fag tray, 2 behind the storage above the radio and th fascia is ready to come off. Carefully pull off the facia and pop out the switch blanking plate.

Then, taped onto the wiring loom for the other switches was the plug which has a female already on it with a bridging wire.



This comes off and simply plugs on the switch. Job done, I am now have a switchable CDL in high range. Unplugging the transfer box wire near the rear flange results in a CDL which is fully switchable in Low and High Ranges.

I can't believe the factory didn't do this on the production line, it's so simple and offers all the driving options we need.

Sadly, my rebuilt rear diff lock has expired electrically . Had it to bits again today but no go. I think it's one of the blue smartie things with wires coming out, or the windings. It was painful ordering a new one from Milners given the price. But at least they have some.

 

[Pedders01]

That sounds like a great trip Excellent write up.

On a slightly more selfish note, can i ask, how was the suspension?

 

[Mblinko]

That sounds like a great trip Excellent write up.

On a slightly more selfish note, can i ask, how was the suspension?

I'm no expert but I thought the suspension was very good. Obviously we were fully loaded and it gave a comfortable ride over the bumpy terrain. Even unloaded it is still a comfortable ride, but that's the nature of the set I bought. I chose not to fit the caster correction bushes I bought and found the self centring to be fine. It's early days yet, But I'm hoping it will last well also.

 

[Mblinko]

Today I tweaked up the fuel pump as per the instructions on Lcool and I have to say, I'm impressed with the difference. Much more spritely than it was . I did all 3 adjustments and did 3 clicks on the Boost Compensator and was wondering what the limiting factor is. Does anyone know?