robharvey
Member Since: 14 May 2007
Location: Durban
Posts: 138
  
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As promised a brief report on our trip to Botswana. Those with keen memories will remember that I was in the company of 2 Land Cruisers, a diesel 70 and a petrol 100GX, and I vowed to be the one pulling them out of trouble. No such luck although the 70 had battery problems just before we got to Maun and had to be kick-started and jumped a couple of times before we got to Maun. 1-0 to LR then 
We hauled from Durban to Kasane in 2 days, stopping in Francistown. The tar roads were excellent, except for a 100km stretch between Nata and Kasane which is badly potholed. Did the boat cruise on the Chobe which is a real highlight, and then it was on to the serious business of putting the D3 through its paces. I never imagined the dirt roads, both in and out of the parks, to be so bad (or at least sections of them). But bad is good when you realise what this vehicle can do. We spent the next 13 nights in the bush, mostly driving in sand but when we got to the Swamps we had water and mud crossings to deal with as well. Simple as a turn of the knob and the D3 would just power its way through, up and over any obstacle. In sand I deflated my Grabbers to 2 bar which was perfect, and pumped the fronts to 2.5 and rears to 3 on tar when fully loaded. Never once did we get stuck or bogged down.
Unfortunately when we got to Maun I noticed that I had blistered one of my Grabbers, which is on its way to Continental for an assessment, so I'll reserve judgment until I hear from them. The only other issues I had with the vehicle were a handbrake that squealed like a banshee (although to be fair it had started doing this about two weeks before the trip), and what looks like a leaking shock absorber. Both are being sorted out by LR tomorrow. Otherwise the D3 didn't miss a beat. But, and I know we've said it before, being able to have the off-road height at up to 70km/h would have been the best bonus. When you're pushing hard through thick sand and get a bit of momentum you want to be able to keep that momentum instead of hearing the dreaded "boing" and having to slow down. The difference between having to travel at 35 and being able to do 55 is depressing. It also may have saved me a broken front plastic bumper thingy.
To give you an idea of how good this car is we left Nxai Pan at 6am, drove for an hour on horrible roads, hit the tar, pumped up the tyres and then drove back to Durban in one hit - 16 hours on the go. The D3 transformed itself from pukka off-roader to tarmac demolisher without batting an eyelid.
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 26th Sep 2007 1:06 pm |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
 
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The D3 is definitely bi-polar at the least . I was running late for my LRE freebee at Gerotek 2 weeks ago , so I was happily traveling down the highway at 180 on Cooper STT's . When I got there , I then proceded to do all of the obstacles better than the defenders .
http://heine.nusa.co.za/Movies/Gerotek.wmv
for example
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| 26th Sep 2007 3:04 pm |
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Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
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Sounds like you had a great trip all things considered.
The D3 is just great for southern africa where you have a combo of long tar trips and then extreme bush. I had a similar experience in June - 2 weeks in Angola, then 3 days to get home to JHB from Namibe (200km North of the Cunene on the West coast of Angola) bushwhacking to tar-eating in one easy step. 
Just got back yesterday from Sodwana, by the way. Birthday weekend - diving, drinking, you get the drift  Highly relaxed 
Towed my Conqueror Conquest - must be 1000kg at least. On the way there, we were mostly at 140kmh for all 750km, and nothing much ever passed us, even up the hills I was passing some small sedans. Consumption on the way there there was 12l/100km.
On the way back, we were gunning it to the extent that the engine actually backed off the power after some long uphills (30degC, towing and fairly high speed) you can actually feel the difference. Consumption was 13l/100. Must be 'cos its 2000m uphill, or maybe I was just in a hurry to get home. 
What more can I say, I love this vehicle!
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| 26th Sep 2007 3:59 pm |
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Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
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Oh, and Heine be careful - I think the speedcops read this forum too 
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| 26th Sep 2007 4:01 pm |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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Gotta catch me first . It's amazing though , after ditching the M5 I thought my days of millions of fines through the mail were over - but they still keep rolling in 
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| 26th Sep 2007 4:12 pm |
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robharvey
Member Since: 14 May 2007
Location: Durban
Posts: 138
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My "leaking shock" has been diagnosed as a faulty cv joint, which is being replaced under warranty. I did a search on this site and although it's not a common problem those who've experienced cv faults all seem to have been driving in off-road height in sand, of which you do plenty of in Bots. So be warned. I'll get a full diagnosis when I collect the car early next week.
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| 28th Sep 2007 7:53 am |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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So maybe the increased off road speed thingy is not a good idea . 
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| 28th Sep 2007 8:07 am |
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robharvey
Member Since: 14 May 2007
Location: Durban
Posts: 138
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I was thinking the same thing. If LR know that the cv joints are more susceptible when in off-road height then it makes sense to limit the "abuse" that can be metered out. I'll ask the service manager when I collect my car, but in the meantime some boffins could give us some guidance from a technical view as to whether this should be the case.
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| 28th Sep 2007 9:57 am |
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Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
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From what I have heard there has been one issue when the gent in CT was driving in deep sand and turning quite sharply. I think it comes down to understanding what the limitations of the vehicle are.
If you are travelling in a straight line I don't imagine there would be much difference between the stresses on the drivetrain at 50km/h and 80km/h.
If you are exerting huge torque at sharp angles, ie when in deep sand or mud, turning very sharply, I think there is a real chance of damage, but you wouldn't be doing that at 80km/h anyway.
Wait a couple weeks and you can test it out on my car
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| 28th Sep 2007 11:26 am |
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Richard SA
Member Since: 24 Apr 2007
Location: St Francis
Posts: 189
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I had my wagon in for wheel alignment, whilst the techie was setting up, the wagon was on the ramp and in off road height I had a look underneath. The side shaft going to the wheel is on normal height already on an angle yet you need to see what the angle on off road height is. The movement required from the CV boot and CV at that angle, if that now rotates at 50km and you add stress / torque White LR3 TDV6 2007
Last edited by Richard SA on 30th Sep 2007 1:21 pm. Edited 1 time in total
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| 28th Sep 2007 4:37 pm |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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Waiting patiently
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| 28th Sep 2007 4:47 pm |
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Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
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Patience will be rewarded....
Have you saved up yet?
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| 1st Oct 2007 5:51 am |
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Atacama
Member Since: 12 Jul 2007
Location: Paulshoff
Posts: 174
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Richard
Did LR do your wheel alignment ?
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| 1st Oct 2007 6:40 am |
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heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
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Baben wrote:Patience will be rewarded....
Have you saved up yet?
Grew 2 extra kidneys this time
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| 1st Oct 2007 7:25 am |
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Atacama
Member Since: 12 Jul 2007
Location: Paulshoff
Posts: 174
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Heine
Does an AFD help with kidney growth. ?
Looks like we going to need lots of them .
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| 1st Oct 2007 11:46 am |
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