G
Guest
Guest
a lot of weight. Too much. But necessary...
Strange but true...I know all the "experts" warn against "overloading" the
roofrack but sometimes it just has to be done, and it can be done safely.
One of the pre-requisites for overloading is having a good HD suspension set
up, it may be painfull driving the vehicle unladen but once you get into
Africa you'll appreciate it. My vehicle has a GVM of 2510kg but on my last
trip it weighed in at 3100kg (there is a handy TANROADS weighbridge at
Mikumi), however you must learn to balance the load as best as you can.
If you have a rooftent mounted at the rear, this will let you get away with
putting some heavy stuff behind the back axle, so this is where I stuck
tools and water. Last trip into Zim I carried 6 jerrycans - empty until
Livingstone and then we filled up before crossing the border - and I loaded
them three aside (handle side down) between the two axles. I wouldn't worry
about having all that kit and another spare on the roof, before I got a
under car carrier I often had two spares on the roof; however it makes them
difficult, and back breaking, to get on and off. I now carry two spares: one
underslung behind the rear axle (great for helping stabilize the COG with
all that kit on the roof) and the other (in the worst possible place)
mounted on a side pillar swing away carrier at the rear of my vehicle.
However, since that is the place that gets the most movement - I help
support it by running a ratchet strap from the tow bar mounting, up and over
the tyre and fastened at the front of the roofrack.
Something else that some people don't consider is that you'll be driving at
much slower speeds than in the UK - I travel mainly in the 80-100kmh zone -
even if road conditions are good. Your vehicle will behave differently when
heavily laden so practice in the UK - load up all your kit fill jerrycans,
water cans - everything. Make sure your vehicle is still sitting level and
then take it off-road, not savagely but gently. I lost 1st gear on my last
trip and so had a lot of fun trying to pull away from standstill whilst
parked on a hill! For some reason police always seem to prefer stopping you
whilst you're going uphill rather than down!
Anyway, would love to see all that kit sometime!
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.8/1089 - Release Date: 23/10/2007
19:39
Strange but true...I know all the "experts" warn against "overloading" the
roofrack but sometimes it just has to be done, and it can be done safely.
One of the pre-requisites for overloading is having a good HD suspension set
up, it may be painfull driving the vehicle unladen but once you get into
Africa you'll appreciate it. My vehicle has a GVM of 2510kg but on my last
trip it weighed in at 3100kg (there is a handy TANROADS weighbridge at
Mikumi), however you must learn to balance the load as best as you can.
If you have a rooftent mounted at the rear, this will let you get away with
putting some heavy stuff behind the back axle, so this is where I stuck
tools and water. Last trip into Zim I carried 6 jerrycans - empty until
Livingstone and then we filled up before crossing the border - and I loaded
them three aside (handle side down) between the two axles. I wouldn't worry
about having all that kit and another spare on the roof, before I got a
under car carrier I often had two spares on the roof; however it makes them
difficult, and back breaking, to get on and off. I now carry two spares: one
underslung behind the rear axle (great for helping stabilize the COG with
all that kit on the roof) and the other (in the worst possible place)
mounted on a side pillar swing away carrier at the rear of my vehicle.
However, since that is the place that gets the most movement - I help
support it by running a ratchet strap from the tow bar mounting, up and over
the tyre and fastened at the front of the roofrack.
Something else that some people don't consider is that you'll be driving at
much slower speeds than in the UK - I travel mainly in the 80-100kmh zone -
even if road conditions are good. Your vehicle will behave differently when
heavily laden so practice in the UK - load up all your kit fill jerrycans,
water cans - everything. Make sure your vehicle is still sitting level and
then take it off-road, not savagely but gently. I lost 1st gear on my last
trip and so had a lot of fun trying to pull away from standstill whilst
parked on a hill! For some reason police always seem to prefer stopping you
whilst you're going uphill rather than down!
Anyway, would love to see all that kit sometime!
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.8/1089 - Release Date: 23/10/2007
19:39