Charity trip to Africa

[Peter17390]

Hi, just joined today and in fact I'm very new to this 4x4 game having only driven 100 miles collecting my 2005 jimny. In less than eight weeks I hope to be off on a trip to east Africa, sudan, kenya, uganda, rwanda, ethiopia,etc visiting some charities and taking a load of mosquito nets and other supplies to help a little, so I'm throwing myself in at the deep end. Still it ought to be easier than the Ktm I was intending to go on.
I've just bought 4 colway mts and could do with two more as spares- Does anyone have any in good nick? 205/70/15
I'm also advised to fit diff guards-some roads will be pretty dodgy- again does anyone have any?
Also advised on a high lift Jack- Help please
Finally- anyone have any flexible fuel carriers as petrol supply is going to be an issue and I could do with keeping the space for other supplies when possible- and generally any other advice would be helpful. The vehicle is currently in good condition, though I don't expect its going to stay that way, only 15k miles, so I'm hoping I'll make it.
very grateful for any help. I am travelling from devon here towards Lincolnshire tomorrow so could pick up anything.
Just forgot, if anyone has any mosquito nets, medical supplies,vitamins etc, you can be assured these will be delivered(hopefully) to high risk areas and will save a life.
Thanks for any help. peter

[Let Luce]

From previous experience I'd say don't bother with 2nd hand tyres or retreads, spend out and get the best AT's you can, saves lots of grief later with punctures and replacing worn tyres.

Try to keep as much as you can on the vehicle standard, though I'm not sure how much this matters on a suzuki as north africa is toyota country and southern africa (about Kenya down) is Landrover country, so getting parts might be tricky anyway.

Most of the roads, till you get to the Ethiopia/Kenya boarder are corrugated rather than rocky so there's not too much of a need for diffguards, if you're driving so you need them you won't make it all the way. You have to remember you're not on a pay and play site, you're driving a vehicle that, potentially, your life depends on, so, mechanical sympathy is the watchword!

Have a look on sites like Horizons Unlimited for advice from other folk who have either done are doing or planning similar trips.

What sort of range does the Jimny have on a standard tank?

We did trans Africa in a V8 Landrover 101, petrol supply wasn't a problem, for the most part. The longest stretch we found was crossing from Ethiopia to Kenya via Lake Tukana and Siboloi Nat park, this according to the maps was about 1000km's off tarmac between fuel stops, it turned out to be only about 800 so we had plenty of fuel left.

Try to work on carrying about 1.5 - 2 times the amount you predict that you'll need for the distance you plan to cover. It's useful to start a log of how much fuel you've put in and how many ,miles it did, this gives you a good idea of your fuel economy and if it starts to change you know something's going on with the vehicle.

If you've never done this sort of trip before, you won't quite appreciate what corrugations can do to a vehicle, no matter what anyone says, until you experience a bad corrugated road you can't grasp just how bad they can be.

For an idea, think of screws being shaken out of holes, shock mounts breaking off chassis, spare wheels on swing away carriers bouncing up and down at about 50Hz, 400kms taking 3 days to drive.

Enough rambling now though.

Chris

[scut44]

Hi, good luck with your trip.
I take it you are aware that you will run in rear wheel drive only unless the surface is suitable for 4 wheel drive high or low box?
Dont be tempted to run in 4 wheel drive on hard, dry surfaces or where the tyres have good traction..
This will not be a good thing

Can i suggest some things i think will be important as much as getting enough fuel carried. (while keeping the weight of the vehicle down)
Jimny standard tanks have very poor capacity & the MPG is not great.

Dont carry anything fancy thats not important IMO (weight)
ie
A' Hi Lift jack' is no use to you,
to use you need some metal bumpers or sills or at least Hi Lift mounts, everything around the bottom edges of a jimny is plastic, so no place for the jack to lift.

Get Good strong
'Recovery points' fitted front & back. A MUST HAVE.
Dont trust to whats fitted as standard, they are tie downs.

Transfer box mounts.
I would get these uprated. A MUST HAVE.
Jimny ones are just not up to it.
www.kapsuzuki4x4.co.uk
www.offroad-armory.com

Exhaust, i would get this strengthened, you need bands around the Catyltic sheild, it will rattle and fall off, the pipe cracks in front of the Cat, & the back box brackets need to be stronger.

Air filters, A MUST HAVE.
You will need to sort out the air intake under the inner wheel arch.
(a big puddle will fill the air box & a paper filter will fall apart.)

When you get this fixed up to a raised intake & sealed from water, you need good filters, i wouldnt recommend a K&N type as the Jimny engine likes to breath. (or you will get terrible MPG)
Get washable ones or if the intake/snorkle is sealed from water use paper ones & carry spares. (for the sand/dust)

Diff guards are fair enough, but its all extra weight & will help to stop you puncturing the diff, but not stop you bending an axle.
You need to drive slowly & avoid boulders.
(CARRY METAL REPAIR PUTTY)

Water proof everyplace under the bonnet.
Motorcycle Dry Chain Wax, or Finnigans Waxoyl.
(white Grease, what ever)

Do a basic vehicle maintance coarse & then get a Suzuki/Jimny trained mechanic to teach you how one works under the bonnet.
Electrics will be the main thing to learn.
(Water/damp, loose connection, broken wires)

But its important to go over every nut/bolt/spring/damper/wire etc before you leave, & know what tools these require.

How old are the Colway Mud tyres?
Normally they will be cracking on the sidewall by now, they are remoulds, which was OK. But they must of sat/stored a few years by now if new.
& if used i would reject them.
Normally they are 195/80/15 for a Jimny,(just a smidge taller) the standard Bridgestone tyre is 205/70/15.
I never got Colway M/T or A/T's in that size when they were available.
The muds use more fuel than the A/T tread tyres.

Have fun & enjoy.
george

[Bermuda Import]

bro did his jimny up for a trip is he doing at the mo
take a look here

www.sj410.co.uk
lots of good info and ideas