TURAS Land Rover Build Special Magazine

STORAGE SOLUTIONS - CAMPING SET UP- RECLAIMING PARTS

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Editorial

Welcome to the TURAS Land Rover Build Magazine Special Magazine. In this special build issue we give a little bit of history about the 20 year Old Defender 90. We also give an overview of all the works carried out over the last eighteen months on the 90, from changing the clutch to adding a new suspension, reclaiming old parts to rust proofing the vehicle amongst a number of other upgrades. This build has pretty much given this twenty year old Land Rover a new lease of life.

Throughout this issue we give a step step advice on what we did, why we did it and how we did it.

Photo:Nicolas Genoud - Geko Expeditions

All the articles are interactive where you can follow links and watch videos that showcase all the work done. If you have time you can also check out the separate 3 episodes that document the entire build.

We hope that this magazine will give you an understanding of what was involved with this build and in some way give you an idea as to what’s involved should you be looking to tackle some of the jobs showcased in this interactive magazine. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our partners who helped make this project a reality.

The TURAS team

EDITORIAL TEAM

Russ Ryan Mark O’Toole CONTRIBUTORS

Paul Frith Trish Melody Alison Scanlon Marie Frith Frank Cassidy

Russ Mark

DESIGN TEAM

Paul

Russ Ryan Mark O’Toole Marie Frith PUBLISHED BY

TURAS Camping & 4WD Adventures Ltd.

Trish

SUBSCRIPTIONS

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Ali Frank

SALES & ADVERTISING

info@turas.ie Copyright © 2021 TURAS Camping and 4WD Adventures Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please contact: info@turas.ie

Marie

You can get in touch with the TURAS team at info@turas.ie or via the contact form on our website.

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Built Not Bought Clutch & Flywheel

Vehicle History

12 34

22

46

Radiator

Reclaiming

50

contents.

Reusing

58 Lights

Side Steps

80 Rust Prevention

68

76

Tyres & Wheel Rims

88

Hinges

100

Airlift 1000

Suspension

108 118

Winch Bumper

126

contents.

Airvents, Mudflaps & Wing Mirrors

Drawer Systems

134

Storage

138 146

Tailgate Storage Snorkel

Wheel arch Flares

154 164

160

168

Dual Battery System

Cross Member

176

contents.

Vehicle Fuel Pressure Regulator

102 Window Guards

184

Servicing

190

Roof Rack & Accessories

210

Camping Setup

226 230 Rooftop Tent

contents.

DARCHE Eclipse 270 Awning

DARCHE Retreat Annex

240 250

BUILT NOT

BOUGHTE

O

ver the last eighteen months we have been working closely with our partners on rebuilding the twenty year old TURAS Land Rover Defender, and we are delighted to finally say that we are now out there enjoying the fruits of our labour.

So was it worth it?, Honestly, overall it was a challenge and it took a lot more work and effort than was originally anticipated, but now that we are out there enjoying the vehicle again,we can safely say that the decision to rebuild it was the right one. With a new suspension that brings confidence in tackling tougher terrain, a new storage system that has us organised like never before, a top of the range roof rack, capable tyres,traditional wheel rims, a new clutch, flywheel, bumper, side steps, LED lights,protecting the chassis and much more we now have a vehicle that

we are very excited about.Given the history of the Landy and the places we have explored in it, I think deep down we always knew that the vehicle would hopefully keep it going for as long as we were able to keep enjoying the great outdoors. Truth be known we were just a bit too attached to it to let it go. In the future, we will no doubt embrace newer 4WD technology, but with the knowledge that the 90 has had a makeover and the very thought of being able to take it on future trips without having to worry about it too much is very comforting.

We learned a huge amount completing this project and for those of you who followed our progress you will have noticed that it was not all about adding new parts but equally enjoyed salvag-

ing as much as we could on the vehicle. We were delighted to have had the opportunity to have worked with some of the best in the business on the build,including, DARCHE, Bearmach, euro4x4parts, Nokian Tyres, Nakatanenga, Dinitrol, Cooper Tires,Raptor (U-PolL), Eezi Awn, and the UK based APB and Mobile Storage Systems.

This magazine is dedicated TURAS Land Rover build magazine which incorporates articles and videos showcasing the build in more detail. The objective of this magazine is that it becomes a one stop shop for anyone who is planning on doing some similar work on their vehicle. We hope that you will find this to be a useful resource.

d e t a r g e t n i y l a ful

SETUP

This build has helped us to get to know the vehicle even more and it has brought new life into the 20 year old 90, and it is now more than ready for another twenty years of adventures. But before we get into it lets have a look at the history of the 90.

VEHICLE

HISTORYE

L

ike most Land Rover owners, I have always enjoyed a sense of adventure and a real desire to get out and about as often and as far away and as I can in my Defender. Sometimes in order to experience unique and adventurous excursions you do have to take your vehicle a bit further afield. With that, over the last eighteen years, I have been fortunate enough to have negotiated bogs, green lanes, rainforest’s, deserts, beaches, boreen roads, mountain ranges and glaciers in my standard 2002 Land Rover Defender 90.

I bought my vehicle second hand; it was just two years old when I purchased it. With just 17,000km on the clock, she looked as good as new. She now has nearly 180,000km on the clock with a big proportion of them taking me to some incredible places. During its relatively short life by Land Rover standards, I have been lucky enough to have taken my short wheel base around Ireland on several occasions, through the beautiful Beacons in Wales, to the base of Ben Nevis in Scotland, around the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, to Italy, Switzerland, France, over the

THE 90’S FIRST TASTE OF THE DIRT

18 YEARS EXPLORING TIME FOR SOME WELL EARNED TLC

The Landy certainly worked hard during its time in Australia and managed to do mostly flawlessly what it was built for.

volcanic ranges and glaciers of Iceland and through the deserts, rainforest’s, and remote outback of that big dusty rock, Australia. When I moved to Australia, I shipped out my Defender and spent a couple of years working for a number of magazines as a freelance photojournalist including 4x4 Australia which in my view is one of the best 4WD magazines out there.

While working for 4x4 Australia I would often embark on big trips out into the outback and camping wild in some incredible locations, while compiling travel stories for the magazine. The Landy certainly worked hard during its time in Australia and managed to do mostly flawlessly what it was built for. One thing is for sure and that is that I would not have been able to get to some of the remote areas and tackle many of the harsh environments and tracks had I not been traveling in a 4WD. Since I first purchased the 90 back in 2003, it was my first 4WD and it was the start of a very interesting journey. Over the years I have listened to

**llox another gearbox needed shhhh.... don’t tell the wife.....

2002-2022

seasoned tourers, learned from many mistakes while working towards building a vehicle up as a tourer as opposed to an off road weapon. As a day to day vehicle my Land Rover has had to bring me to work,ferry the kids from place to place, do the shopping, and all the other day to day functions our primary vehicles have to carry out.

Thankfully it has mechanically served me relatively well over the last eighteen years,though like most Land Rovers owners they do cause their fair share of problems and if I said I didn’t encounter any along the way, well that would be telling a lie.

With a couple of issues with the gearbox, the clutch and some other niggly bits and bobs, my Landy has hobbled home on more than one occasion

but thankfully it never left me stranded in the middle of nowhere, though it did come close.

The next chapter

There comes a time for many of us who have owned a vehicle for a long time, you are faced with the dilemma of whether you want to keep your pride and joy going or move on and upgrade it to something just a bit more modern . For me over the years I have developed more than just a bond with my Landy, and it’s fair to say that I probably have ten times more photos of it than the misses, so in all truth I was never going to be faced with the difficult decision of moving it on. I guess deep down I always knew that my Land Rover would hopefully see me out. But I also knew particularly in recent years that it was getting a bit shook

Exploring the centre of Iceland

and tired looking and that unless I gave it some serious TLC her days would be numbered.

The decision was made,the 90 was going to be rebuilt and upgraded into what hopefully would incorporate a number of practical additions that would evolve into the perfect touring and camping set up. After contacting a number of our partners we had a huge response all of whom were willing to offer advice and be part of this new build.

The objective here was not just to upgrade the vehicle and give it a face-lift but also to try and salvage what we can.

Tackling the tracks in the Flinders Ranges

‘‘

‘‘

THE DECISION WAS MADE THE 90 WAS GOING TO GET REBUILT

On this project we were delighted to have had the opportunity to work with some of the best companies in the business on the build that include, DARCHE, Bearmach, Cooper Tires, Mobile Storage Systems, Nakatanenga, Dinitrol, Raptor (U-PolL), Euro 4x4parts, Eezi Awn, APB, Nokian Tyres and the UK based Mobile Storage Systems.

Over the last eighteen months we documented the works on the 90, and this is our opportunity to share with you our progress on this exciting build. This build has brought new life to our Land Rover Defender 90 and now ensures that it is prepared and ready for the next twenty years of adventures.

She now needs a bit of TLC

CLUTCH

& FLYWHEELE

T

he the first job tackled was changing the clutch and flywheel. It’s been just two years since the Land Rover underwent some gearbox works that included putting in a master rebuild kit, a new main and lay shaft fifth gear, oil feed rings and few other bits and bobs.At the time when this work was being done we did consider changing the flywheel and the clutch when the gearbox was being reconditioned but stupidly did not as they looked relatively OK at a glance, well so we thought.

The one lesson learned here is

that if you are doing a gear box job it is advisable to consider changing the clutch and flywheel at the same time given you have put a lot of work into getting the undercarriage out etc. In the long term it can be costly and time consuming having to do this labour intensive job twice in a relatively short period of time.

Changing your clutch, flywheel, or working on your transfer case/gearbox are fairly significant jobs and do require good knowledge before tackling. As part of the TURAS Land Rover build this was something we

IT’S BEEN JUST TWO YEARS SINCE THE LAND ROVER UNDERWENT SOME GEARBOX WORKS

were going to leave to the professionals to ensure that it was done correctly. Prior to dropping the vehicle into the workshop we noticed a sound coming from what we thought was a worn spigot bearing and decided that we needed to investigate further. It was just two years ago when we changed some of the bearings in the gearbox so we assumed that all was ok there.

On further investigation after taking out the Clutch and Flywheel, we noticed that the clutch definitely needed to be replaced as there was obviously wear and tear, but also there was a noticeable play on the flywheel and that was probably why we heard strange noises.

The Bearmach Clutch Kit comes with a three year warranty.

We replaced the old clutch, release/spigot bearing and the flywheel with the Bearmach Clutch and Flywheel Kit (all included), we installed the standard kit that is suitable for Defenders and Discovery 2 TD5 vehicles with the R380 gearbox. Like all Bearmach products this is a high quality kit that is well priced and also comes with a three year warranty. If you are not sure about the type of kit you might need, contact Bearmach online or give them a call and there technical support will make sure

you get the right kit for your vehicle After getting the clutch and flywheel installed it’s always worth taking time to get your Slickshift adjusted correctly.

The first time I had to get the clutch and gearbox done was when I was living in Australia. At the time I was doing a photo shoot for a magazine article up along the East Coast, I had just waded a saltwater channel and I then started to have difficulty in getting the Landy into gear, as I moved up along the beach.

I decided to camp on the beach for the night and then take the Landy to the nearest Land Rover dealer the following day. After driving nearly 200km I then found a dealer and dropped off the Land Rover to get sorted in the dealer’s garage, I then got a flight back to Sydney as I was a couple of hundred kms from home. I agreed to come back in two weeks and pick up the Land Rover and then drive it back to Sydney. Two weeks had passed and I went back to pick up the Landy, after paying a lot of money for the works, I got the keys and started to make my way back to Sydney. While on the highway I noticed that the gear stick felt loose, and was not as firm in comparison to what it was before I dropped it in to get the job done. I rang the dealers and explained that the stick movement felt very loose and

THE BEARMACH CLUTCH & FLYWHEEL KIT FOR THE R380 GEARBOX

click on the video icon

I did the gearbox in when I was 1,500 from Sydney.

something was not right. It was a Friday evening and I needed to get back to Sydney and told them that I would take it to a dealer in Sydney and that if something was up they could sort out the costs, they agreed. The young mechanic at the Sydney Land Rover dealer had a quick look and noticed that the springs on the Slickshift were not secured correctly, thankfully this was a simple enough job to sort.

The slick shift basically improves the gear change by reducing sloppiness and minimising travel, as well as neatening shifts giving smoother gear changes.

After getting the Landy back after the new clutch and flywheel was installed on this rebuild, I went for a test drive and I immediately noticed the same issue with the looseness from the gear stick, similar to what I experienced in Australia.No panic this time around, I immediately realised that the lads must have forgotten to secure the springs. No drama I had a look, got some tools, and had the springs secured and nuts adjusted in about 20 minutes. After a couple of test runs, I readjusted the set up until I was happy with the gear change, problem solved.

It’s also a fairly simple job to upgrade your Slickshift with a new innovative design exclusive to Syncro Gearboxes. Built for 5 speed Land Rover Defender LT77 / R380 gearboxes, Slickshift improves gear changes by minimizing the gear lever travel. This creates quick, precise, and noticeably smoother gear shifts. The kit installs quickly and easily from the interior of your Defender. Requires no drilling, or special tools.

THE SLICK SHIFT BASICALLY IMPROVES THE GEAR CHANGE BY REDUCING SLOPPINESS AND MINIMISING TRAVEL, GIVING SMOOTHER GEAR CHANGES. 1. Assess the gear change 2. Remove foam surrounding the springs. 3. Lift the springs over the nuts and adjust until you are happy with how the gears shift.

click on the video icon adjusting the

SLICK SHIFT

RADIATORE

I think this was the first time the radiator was replaced in the 90 in nearly 18 rears. We did notice a little bit of a leak in it so we decided to get this sorted. Radiators play an essential role in keeping your vehicle healthy by eliminating heat from the engine.

The process begins when the thermostat in the front of the engine detects excess heat.

Then coolant and water get released from the radiator and sent through the engine to ab-

sorb this heat. There are a number of reasons why radiators leak and some of these include, corrosion damaged hoses, and hose connections.

The process includes having to remove the front grille, then Removing the bolts and move bonnet platform aside.You will also have to disconnect some hoses from the radiator Please refer to your vehicle manual for detailed instructions.

RECLAIMING

RECLAIMING &

REUSING

A

s part of the Land Rover build project,the objective was always to try and salvage what we could and reuse parts and items within reason. By doing this, we could save a few bob and also have more control in managing the project.

On assessing the Land Rover we knew that we had some surface rust on parts and we believed we could bring them back to life by treating them with certain solutions, of course there were other parts that were too far gone and could not be saved. One of the products that we had not used in the past but had seen some

very positive reviews about was Evapo-Rust. We got on to Colin from Big Branding in the UK and explained what the plan was with the build and he was immediately on board. It was agreed that we would use Evapo-Rust to tackle the rust issue and then apply DINITROL cavity and underbody wax.

First up was to remove the parts that we wanted to reclaim and treat with the Evapo-Rust. One of the main attractions to using the Evapo-Rust was the fact that it was a safe and non toxic rust remover that pretty much could bring parts back to life. Also there is no mixing required, it’s simple to use and does the job in a relatively short period of time. It’s also interesting to note that you can keep using the solution for other rusty

items that you have knocking around your she,over and over until the solution turns black. It is estimated that one gallon will remove 1/2 lb of dry rust, now that’s impressive.So how does it work basically it is a process in which a large synthetic molecule forms a bond with metals and holds them in solution. Most chelating agents bind many different metals.

The active ingredient in EVAPORUST bonds to iron exclusively.

It can remove iron from iron oxide but is too weak to remove iron from steel where the iron is held much more strongly.

Once the chelating agent has removed the iron, a sulfur-bearing organic molecule pulls the iron away from the chelator and forms a ferric sulphate complex which remains water soluble.

click on the video icon to see results

This frees the chelating agent to remove more iron from rust and as a result, gives some awesome results. We were not able to reclaim everything we wanted to but certainly got to bring back a number of items that otherwise would have been thrown away.

Examples include mud flap, frames, metal rings that hold the front lights into place, the light guards, front grill, spare wheel bonnet holder, fuel carrier holder, and so on. We also reclaimed lots of old tools, cast iron pot, and other bits and bobs. This stuff was very easy to work with and the results are very impressive.

STEPS In a container, pour a sufficient amount of EVAPO-RUST® to completely cover the rusted object. It is best to remove excess dirt and oil prior to use.

SOAK Immerse the rusty object in the solution and leave it for 30 minutes for light rust or up to overnight for extremely heavy rust.

RINSE When finished, rinse item with water. If deep rust remains in pits, re-immerse item until all the rust is gone. Un-rusted metal will not be affected. NOTE: This stage is VERY important in getting the best results THAT’S IT! To prevent flash rusting, dip the item back into clean EvapoRust®. Then allow item to air dry. This will prevent rust for up to

1. Clean all rusty surfaces 2.

Dip in Evaporust 3. When removing items, dip in water and dry thouroughly.

RECLAIMING &

REUSING

A

s an important part of the restoration of the TURAS Land Rover Defender, we treated some parts of the vehicle and its accessories with RAPTOR 2K Bedliner. This protective surface can toughen your vehicle components and surfaces and bring them back to life and also looks great. RAPTOR’s tough Protective Coating is a urethane coating that provides surfaces with a protective barrier that can withstand the toughest situations.

Ideal for spot repairs and jobs on your vehicle the RAPTOR 2K Bedliner is highly coating that also looks the business when applied.

You can spray the RAPTOR 2K Bedliner on a variety of surfaces that need a protective barrier that withstands the toughest situations.

The beauty about using this product is that you don’t have to have previous experience in spraying a vehicle in order to use it.

The durability of RAPTOR with the convenience of the aerosol now makes it easy and simple to use once the valve on the base of the aerosol is activated. This valve feature allows you to get a textured “gun” finish without having to purchase specialised spray equipment, making it ideal for both those of us who want to tackle smaller spray jobs on our vehicles and of course for professionals in garages etc.

Before applying the 2K Bedliner we applied RAPTOR 2K Anti-Corrosive Epoxy Primer which is a high performance primer aerosol specifically designed to be used under RAPTOR Protective Coating to further extend the protective and anti-corrosive properties of RAPTOR. The advanced resin technology in RAPTOR Anti-Corrosive Epoxy Primer improves adhesion to bare metal and most other prepared surfaces. It contains a blend of anti-corrosive additives to inhibit rust and corrosion.

We think that these products combined really helped to rejuvenate the Defender and have provided a new durable coating for some of the more aging surfaces as well as providing a strikingly attractive new appearance. Both products are Developed

by UPOL and are sold by euro4x4parts

Both RAPTOR 2K Anti-Corrosive Epoxy Primer and RAPTOR 2k Bedliner Aerosols are manufactured by UPOL and are available for order online via Euro4x4parts and in the UK via Trek Overland

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LIGHTS

One of the simplest upgrades you can do on your vehicle is upgrading your lights, and after you see the benefits and instant results you will be wondering why you didn’t do it years ago. On the Land Rover build this was something we had planned to do for ages, and with the build project underway, we finally got round to it.

The aftermarket lights industry continues to grow from strength to strength, and with this increasing competition this has seen to a reduction in prices for light upgrades allowing 4WD enthusiasts to easily acquire these upgrade kits that just make the open road a lot clearer at night. Vehicle light technology has come a long way since the Halogen light bulb was introduced over fifty years ago. The Halogen lights are still the most widely used headlights but over the last few years we have started to see some new innovations entering the market such as HID, LED and the latest LASER technology. HID headlights are now brighter, cleaner and more energy efficient than their halogen counterparts, and with easy-toinstall kits readily available we are seeing a lot more HID’s being installed on vehicles. HID also headlights work in a way that is entirely different from regular, halogen headlights.

There is no filament inside HID bulbs, instead, a combination of an electrical charge and gas is used to produce the light.

When the gas is lit by the electrical charge, it emits a much

click on the video ple install icon to see this sim

brighter, whiter light than that produced by halogen bulbs giving the driver a much wider range.The real advantage of High Intensity Discharge lights is that they draw very little wattage/power.

In recent years LED’s have also become very popular as an effective light source for recreation and four wheel drive racers around the world.LED technology is not a new one in fact the technology has been around for nearly 45 years but in recent years this technology has improved rapidly and become popular within the 4WD industry. The good news

1. Remove your light guards 2.

Simply click the connectors into place 3. The lights are colour coded so you will know which are the indicators 4. Don’t forget to install the provided relay and that’s it!

BEFORE

AFTER

about this advancement in technology is that the availability of a number of aftermarket products has led these lights to become more affordable. On the build we have installed the Bearmach 73mm clear LED light upgrade. These were very simple to install, pretty much click and go, and they also just happen to look the business. Remember after you install the Bearmach light kit, don’t forget to also change the provided relay, this new relay will reduce the fast flickering of your indicator light speed. Like all Bearmach products, the quality is very good and overall this is a huge improvement in comparison to what was there previously.

The Bearmach 73mm LED clear lights have a waterproof rating IP67 and come with a generous 3 year warranty.

As part of the build we had planned to install a pair of Bearmach front LED lights but unfortunately the spec we wanted to install was not in stock at the time so we went with the Original Cafe Racer basic 7 inch Land Rover Defender LED headlights. Also pretty straight forward to install.

You don’t need the Wipac Mounting Bowls if you are fitting to an existing Land Rover Defender.A H4 H13 plug is also provided for easy connection.

SIDESTEPS

eo click on the vidst icon to see the in all

SIDE STEPS

When your weekend off-roader is also the family transport vehicle, needs to get you to work, pick up the shopping and a general run around, it is important that you look after it and protect it when using it for weekend recreational use. This might mean going off-roading on a weekend with your friends or heading for your favourite camp-site that might be at the end of a rocky

road. So having a good pair of side steps attached to the side of your vehicle will give you protection from panel damage and will also give you some peace of mind when tackling the gnarly stuff. They will not give you as much protection as rock sliders, but I would much prefer to have a pair attached to the vehicle than not.

RUST PREVENTION

1.Steam clean your vehicle 2. Scrape off mud and grime 3. Use the extension nozzle to get into cavities in your chassis 4. Cover up components that you want to protect.

O

ne of the most important jobs that we needed to do on the Land Rover build was to protect the chassis and underbody from deteriorating any further. This vehicle over the last eighteen years has seen its fair share of beaches, mud and every other type of condition that is not a friendly to preserving the vehicles undercarriage.

Thankfully it’s mostly surface rust that exists on the Defender, not saying that its perfect but it is manageable. Before we get into what we have done and used to address this ongoing issue let’s have a closer look at what rust actually is. Basically rust is the corrosion of metals which takes place under certain conditions, it’s a chemical reaction (oxidation) between steel, or iron, oxygen and water, which causes the appearance of iron oxide (or rust). The most common cause of rust on vehicles is the exposure of metals to water. Salt water causes rust to occur more quickly as salt water accelerates the oxidation process. So now that we have the sci-

ence explained it was time to do some research into what would be the best product to address this issue. We decided to use Dinitrol for a number of reasons, first of all this German company over the last seventy years have perfected vehicle corrosion protection and have come up with a number of solutions/applications that will protect your vehicle some of these include underbody chassis coatings, cavity wax products and engine compartment protection coatings..

As this was a job we would be doing ourselves, they also have aerosol kits which make it possible for anybody to do this work, no need for specialised application equipment. The two main products that we would be using on the uderbody of the vehicle includes the DINITROL 1000 Cavity wax 500ml aerosols and the DINITROL 4941/Car black

underbody wax.

The rustproofing treatments can be applied in 6 easy steps shown below and the kits are supplied in aerosol format or with an undercoating gun for people who have access to a compressor or air supply.

Step One

You may also require a wire brush to remove any loose material to find the solid base metal.

Before starting the DIY rustproofing steam clean the vehicle and allow to dry.Once dry, mask up any areas that you do not want to spray on the vehicle.

Wear suitable protective clothing and place floor covering under the vehicle to protect the surface from product drips.

Step Two

If necessary, treat any rust present on the vehicle if necessary you can use the specialist RC900

ULTIMATE n o i t c e ot r p

Converter product. Remove any flaking rust and apply the DINITROL® RC900 Rust converter to the remaining rust making sure the edges are coated to ensure a good seal.

ity waxes also contain rust inhibitors whilst the underbody coating combats the highly corrosive effects of road salt and abrasion.

Step Five

Apply the underbody coatStep Three ing over the cavity wax layer, this can be done while Spray cavity wax into all still wet.In some circumvehicle bodywork box sections,chassis & doors. Using stances it may be necessary to warm the underbody the extension nozzle start to inject the product into in- coating prior to spraying ternal bodywork and chassis due to being much thicker than the cavity wax. cavities.

Step Four

Also apply a thin coat of the cavity wax to the underside of the vehicle. Spraying a thin coat of cavity wax prior to applying the underbody coating softens up any existing coating that may be present and helps with the adhesion of the underbody or stone chip coating. Cav-

Step Six

Finally remember to clean any excess or overspray from the vehicle.Your vehicle is now protected from corrosion, please remember to inspect the underbody annually and touch the coating where necessary to check the surface in more detail.

PROTECTED

TYRES &WHEEL RIMS

A

s part of our TURAS Land Rover Build project, we spent quite some time thinking about tyres. Tyres are both an important element of a vehicle build that can enhance the performance and ability of the vehicle in a wide range of situations, and are also a big element of the appearance of a vehicle. With this in mind we decided to run with two sets of tyres for this build, Cooper Discoverer STT Pros and the Rotiiva All-terrain tyres from Nokian Tyres.

Mud Terrain vs. All Terrain Tyres, what are the differences?

In general mud terrain tires provide better off-road traction on extreme, deep mud, dirt, rock and sand filled terrain. They usually have a more aggressive tread and provide more grip in off road conditions. Many mud terrain tyres can also perform well on surfaced roads, and are legal to use on roads, however they can be noisier, less fuel efficient and potentially provide less grip on smooth surfaces. All terrain tyres on the other hand,as the name implies, are designed to perform on a variety of surfaces instead of being specialised like mud terrains.

All terrain tyres provide more grip and less vibration and noise on road surfaces, and are more fuel efficient on roads but can also perform well in off road environments. All terrain tyres also tend to have a longer lifespan than mud tyres. Most experts when asked for advice on which type of tyre is better, usually reply with another

‘‘

‘‘

Where do you do most of your 4WD driving

question. Where do you do most of your driving? If you mainly use your 4WD on roads and only occasionally find yourself in deep mud, then go for all terrains, on the other hand if you spend every weekend (or every day?) plugging away through deep mud on off road tracks, then mud terrains can provide lots of extra traction in extreme conditions.

The Rotiiva AT (All-Terrain)

The Rotiiva AT (All-Terrain) is a summer tyre that performs excellently on asphalt, but it can also be used for light off-road driving, and it is durable and hard-wearing even on heavier vehicles.The side-wall compound used in the tyre is exceptionally durable and puncture-resistant and contains extremely strong aramid fibres. The same material is utilised by the aerospace and defence industries. The aramid fibre strengthens the sidewall rubber to withstand external impacts and pressing against the wheel flange. Ad-

ditionally, stabilisers on the centre rib stiffen the tyre on road contact, allowing it to perform more smoothly and fluently. NOTE Nokian Tyres have since released a new All Terrain called the OUTPOST.

The Cooper Discoverer STT Mud Terrain

The Cooper Discoverer STT Mud Terrain is the most extreme all-season, off-road tire Cooper offers to date, providing remarkable off-road performance without sacrificing on-road traction. The Discoverer STT PRO features large, specially-designed cleats of rubber (side biters) on the shoulder area of the sidewall, to enhance traction and grip in muddy or soft terrains and in rock crawling situations where maximum grip is essential: The orientation and design of these cleats promotes traction on inclines, reducing the chances of tire side-slip. The asymmetrical scallops on alternating lugs direct mud into the mud scoops to allow the Discoverer STT PRO to pull through muddy terrains with ease: These “scoops” act as shovels to consistently dig in as the tire rotates: Scoop by scoop the Discoverer STT PRO digs in and will confidently pull your vehicle through the toughest situations.They also look pretty awesome with the Nakatanenga ANR Classic steel rims.

What an awesome combination

We have recently partnered with Nokian Tyres and have added their Nokian Tyre Rockproofs to the 90.They not only look awesome with the steel rims but they also now offer extreme durability and capability when tackling the tough stuff. These tyres are used in quarries, forests and mining areas all over the world. We recently did a 3000km round trip with them ,most of it on the highway and we were prety impressed with the relatively low level of noise on road considering they are mud terrains.

Looking forward to using them in differenent environments.

When we first saw the ANR-Classics steel frames from Nakatanenga at the Abenteuer & Allrad show in Germany a while back,we were immediately drawn to how cool they looked. The simplicity of the classic rim and the black option just in our view make Defenders stand out.

But they just don’t look awesome, they are also very strong with all the relevant thumbs up including the TUV approval.

The 8X16 fits Land Rover Defender models up to 2016 and also fit various tyre sizes including the following ;245/70 R 16, 255/65 R 16, 255/70 R 16,255/85 R 16,265/70 R 16,265/75 R 16,275/70 R 16,285/75 R 16,295/75 R 16.

For more information on the ANR Classics click here.

THE ANR CLASSICS

HINGES

The often harsh and wet conditions of off road driving can also when combined with rust , accelerate the break -down of important components. For example many off-road and expedition drivers encounter recurring issues with door hinges on their vehicles. Loose, broken or rusting hinges can be a real pain and even a danger, when on the road.

these hinges are manufactured from high strength aircraft grade aluminium with high quality lubrication. This aluminium has very strong corrosion resistance and all aluminium has a very long lifetime, and it can be manufactured to be stronger than steel.

The Offroad Monkey hinges are made with inner stainless steel bolts with helical grooves to disThe Offroad Monkeys decided to tribute lubricating grease in an build hard wearing components optimal manner, and the hinges also feature stainless steel bearthat are very reliable and are engineered to endure, and have ings which can be replaced if needed without having to redesigned and built Land Rover place the entire hinge. hinges that can take extreme use that would quickly cause For those Defenders that have less well made components to a spare tyre on the back door, break down. naturally this load takes a heavy toll on the original rear door Designed and built in its own high tech premises in Germany, hinges. Many Defender drivers

S E G N I H o e d i v

are familiar with the strong wear of the door hinges and squeaking and creaking noises that can be made by an aging rear door.In the Landy build video episode 2 you can hear the TURAS Defender rear door roar like Chewbacca when opened or

closed. This is a very noisy testament to the wear on the hinges.

This type of wear was the reason Offroad Monkeys decided also to develop durable rear door hinges, again using high strength aluminum.

No more creaks ........

These hinges use exchangeable friction bearings and the bolts have a thick helical groove for better dispersion of grease throughout the hinge, the grease both lubricates and combats rust.

The hinges can withstand permanent heavy use without wearing out. In addition the precise design of the hinges and the precise fittings means that there will be no intrusion of water or humidity into the doors.

The Offroad Monkeys team makes everything, from the components to the finished part in their own workshop.

This family business have been manufacturing parts for both the automotive and motorcycle industry for many years and the team there continually emphasise the importance of using the best materials,to provide the highest precision and reliability and also to combat the onset of rust and to thereby increase the longevity of the parts

e r o m r o f click here n o i t a m r o f in

SUSPENSION

A

s we all sat around the table planning the TURAS Land Rover build over 18 months ago, one of the key components of the build that always came to the fore was the suspension, we were determined to get this right.For those of us who love this lifestyle, we often carry more gear between roof top tents awnings, bumpers, winches etc. and all of this needs to be taken into consideration when choosing a suspension for your vehicle. The TURAS Land Rover 90 spends a lot of its time

on the road so comfort is important but it also spends its fair share of time off the beaten track in search of that perfect remote camp-site. We needed a suspension that offers on-road comfort but also is capable of tackling tough terrain when needed.

Our first point of call was to contact Nick and Francoise from euro4x4parts, to ask for advice as to what they would suggest would be the best solution that would fit our needs.The guys were on-board straight away and we were straight into it, Francoise is as close to an off road

During our initial discussions Nick and Francosie were keen to get as much information as to what we would be doing with the vehicle.

professional racer as you can get and Nick has years of experience in the 4WD industry so we were in very safe hands. Those of you who read the magazine will know that euro4x4parts are Europe’s experts when it comes to parts for 4WD vehicles.

During our initial discussions Nick and Francosie were keen to get as much information as to what we would be doing with the vehicle. One of the first things we asked Nick and Francoise was how high we could lift the vehicle, we were thinking maybe 2 inches initially but after discussing this further with Nick, this was ruled out.

Nick suggested a 5cm lift, and this was for a number of reasons including not having to change the prop-shafts other things were taken into consideration including the universal joints and if we needed to go for a double-cardan or wide-angle prop at the front and so on.

After numerous chats and emails with Nick and Francoise explaining what we would be carrying e.g. a roof top tent, awning, drawer systems and what we would be using the vehicle for , they promptly came back to us with a recommended

suspension kit that we think really ticks all the boxes.We decided to go with the premium and industry proven combination of the Australian King Springs and the Tough Dog foam cell shocks.

Given the permanent extra load at the front of the Land Rover which would have a new winch bumper, Nick suggested the heavy duty

URH1068 Kings coils. He also recommended the Kings medium coils URH1027 to the rear as the latter can be pretty uncomfortable if not permanently fully laden.

To cope with the extra load at the back of the vehicle Nick suggested adding a pneumatic suspension kit i.e. the American Airlift 1000

N O I S N E P S U S o e d i v

which will allow us to adjust the load capacity according to our needs.

For the shocks, we would be putting on the top quality Australian Tough Dog Foam Cells as they work really well with the King Spring coils. The beauty about the foam cell shocks particularly

when driving long distances on gruelling tracks is that the foam cell design reduces the fade that can occur while standard shocks heat up.UTF1008 UTF1099So what is shock fade? Shock fade happens when you are travelling over rough surfaces and the oil inside the shock is heated.

The movement of the piston then starts to cause bubbles in the oil, which leads to poor shock absorber control also known as shock fade.The Foam Cell design combats these failure points with a huge 41mm internal bore for maximum heat dissipation and importantly the addition of the foam cell which stops the bubbles forming in the tube leading to better off-road performance and longevity.

To complete this setup we would be adding a Tough Dog return to centre steering damper which will improve the overall handling that would help to reduce the standard vague feel of the Defender design.UTD1025 It was also agreed that the standard Panhard rod would be OK with this setup given we were not going for a big lift. Nick highlighted that the Defender can be a tricky beast when it comes to coping with steering geometry after a lift and because of this it was suggested we add off-set Bearmach poly bushes to the radius arms to correct the caster angle. UKA1006 The final touch would be adding the high quality Aviation style flexible hose kit, this would be more for peace of mind.All up we are very #The

A PREMIUM ension susp

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Advice from the experts...........

Nick and Francoise’s expertise and advice has been instrumental in helping us select the best off road suspension to suit the TURAS Land Rovers needs.

T F I L R I A

O O 0 1

Load Support For CoilSprung Vehicles As part of the Land Rover build and following advice and guiidance from euro4x4parts we finally installed the Air-adjustable Air Lift 1000™ air springs. They are engineered for rear and/or front coil-spring suspensions. Given the we carry plenty of weight in the back of the vehicle and a Roof Top Tent we installed to airbags in the rear of the Landy. Providing up to 1,000 lbs. of load-levelling capacity*, Air Lift’s air bag kits provide greater safety and comfort when you’re carrying a heavy load.

Supplied by euro4x4parts,each kit includes everything you need to install the system, usually in around 2 hours or less. The install is pretty straightforward and we will be uploading a video on the install over the coming weeks. Be sure to follow the instructions provided. A couple of things that stood out for us include the following. Remove the black cap and roll the cylinder up toward the stem end to exhaust as much air as possible. Install the black cap back onto the stem, unroll the cylinder and fold the cylinder into a hot dog bun shape. Then install the protector at the bottom of the spring in between the cylinder and lower spring mount. As per the

Air Lift 1000 instruction manual ,a tee air line installation is recommended unless the weight in the vehicle varies from one side to the other and unequal pressures are needed to level the load or compensate for axle torque transfer in racing application.

Dual air lines are used in this case.

When aligning the hoses be careful to prevent air line from melting, keep it at least 8” from exhaust system. Also leave sufficient air line slack to prevent any strain on fitting during axle motions. You will need to decide where you want the inflation valve to be located, some choose the side of the vehicle, for us we located it on the back crossmember. Inflate the air springs to 30 PSI and check all connections for leaks. All leaks must be eliminated before the vehicle is road tested.

This has been a perfect suspension solution for us on the Defender that now gives us a lot more balance when loaded up on the road.

• Up to 1,000 lbs. of load-levelling capacity* • Tough moulded polyurethane construction • Air adjustable from 5-35 PSI • Easy installation with common mechanics tools

AIRLIFT

1000

Now that we are out and about in the vehicle our first reaction is how confident you feel when driving off the beaten track and when on the road ,it handles incredibly well. Really huge thanks to Nick and Francoise for all of your advice with this very important part of the build we are very pleased with how it has turned out….

WINCH

BUMPER

D

id you know that the bumper first appeared on a vehicle as far back as 1897. Invented by an American called George Albert Lyon. He also developed a metal tire cover for spare wheels in the 1930s, produced plastic and metal white walls, stainless wheel-trim rings and stainless steel wheel covers. The first bumper designed to absorb impacts appeared in 1901,it was made of rubber and was patented back in 1905, things sure have come a long way since then.

W

e have bit the bullet and are going to add a winch to 90, for years we have avoided putting a winch on as we were not keen about adding a big winch bumper to the front of the vehicle, mainly because of the extra weight. Also we avoided attaching a steel frame bumper because we did not like the look of a lot of the Defender winch bumpers that were on the market.

We also have got by without having a winch for years,though in recent times we have found

e

ourselves in a bit of bother on more than one occasion and truth be known life would have been a hell of a lot easier if we had a winch on board. A Lot of this really comes down to what you use your vehicle for, some people get all dressed up and nowhere to go. One of the main reasons why we went with the Bearmach Tubular A Frame Winch Bumper was because it was not too aggressive looking and looked non intrusive.The one on the Landy is the non air conditioned model, you can also get a version that suits air conditioned Defenders, if you are not

1. Check out how the bumper will attach to your vehicle 2. The bumper comes with all the nuts a bolts. 3 & 4 Undo the bolts from your old bumper. 5 Note that the old bumper has spring clips/ captive nuts 6 & 7. Take your time to get the bolts to align with your new bumper

sure give Bearmach a shout and they will set you straight.

But there are also a number of other reasons why a bumper is a good addition to your vehicle and some of these include; First of all, a bumper allows you to install a winch, also bumpers prevent damage to the front of your vehicle in low speed crashes.

If you live in a country where you have plenty of wildlife e.g. on the continent of Africa or in Australia where Kangaroos can be a real hazard in the outback , a strong bumper is a necessity. Bumpers are also handy for attaching extra after-market lights or a CB aerial for communications, they also can be used to attach a desert flag or flag pole should you need to claim your territory by flying your skull and crossbones flag at your favourite campsite.

R E P M U B H C WIN o vide

AIRVENTS MUDFLAPS &

WING MIRRORS

Now that some of the bigger jobs are done, its time to focus on the smaller bits n bobs.

These jobs are far less complicated than changing the clutch and and are alot more fun to do,. They can also be done quickly and do very much add to the overall appearance of the vehicle. Changing the wing airvents will take about 10 minutes, its just a matter of screwing in the new vent, make sure you give the surface a clean before adding the new ones.

You can get carried away with the type of vent added by blinging your vehicle up with stainless stell versions, its really a personal choice, we decided to

upgrade from the original plastic ones to standard black metal versions. We also changed the mirrors, we did not need to change the mirror arms as they were in pretty good nick overall. We also decided to change the front mud flaps, we got the standard ones from Bearmach.

We decided to reclaim and use the existing metal mudflap fittings. It was a bit of a pain in the arse getting the old rivets off and ended up having to use an angle grinder to pear them off. The extra effort was worth it in the end as it saved us from purchasing new fitting brackets, so all good.

AIRVENTS

MUD FLAPS WING MIRRORS

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NOW THAT SOME OF THE BIGGER STUFF IS DONE IT’S TIME TO FOCUS ON THE SMALLER BITS N BOBS

BITS N BOBS

ST STORAGEE

T

he art of establishing the most efficient storage system in your Landy can often take years to perfect,and this mostly happens through trial and error. But also by having the right storage equipment /solution built by professionals and slotted into your 4WD,well this can just make life much easier when on the road. Storage in the TURAS Land Rover Defender 90 has always been an issue , short wheelbase vehicles by their nature just lack adequate storage space and so having the correct system in place, makes a huge difference. When we are on the road either camping or doing a photoshoot, having a secure and easy access system that allows us to quickly access our photography and film gear just

makes life so much easier. One of the recent additions to our 90 which is helping to perfect our set up is the Defender / Series Cubby Box (Fully Loaded Version) from the UK based Mobile Storage Systems. First impression on this unit is the quality and the skilled workmanship that has gone into manufacturing the unit.You can also tell from its functionality that the designers were Land Rover tourers /enthusiasts and knew exactly what they were doing.

Although designed for Puma Defender models, this Cubby Box will also fit in pre 2007 models including Series vehicles.

The Cubby Box contains a main lockable storage compartment that is perfect for safely storing smaller cameras and chargers but also for getting access to other types of gear including navigational systems, your glasses, money and so on. The lock installed into this unit is a drill resistant and incorporates an anti burst lock, so if anyone manages to break into your vehicle they best come prepared.

Other features include a lockable radio compartment, a trinket

1 & 2 Remove your old cubby box 3. Step by step instructions are provided with the unit 4. High quality attachments 5. The lockable storage compartment 6. the trinket tray is perfect for storing your glasses, change etc 7.12 V lighter sockets 8.The deep padded armrest is a real luxury.

X O B Y B CUB o vide tray, front and rear cup holders.

One of the real treats on offer is the deep padded armrest available in black vinyl, black cloth and tapestry, for us this is a real luxury that just makes the ride in your land Rover defender that much more comfortable.

All of these features in addition to two 12v Lighter Sockets, and high quality Map Pockets this is a premium storage system

that will last the test of time and probably see you and your Land Rover out. Manufactured in the UK the Cubby Box is a MIG welded with no spot welds hence giving you a stronger and pretty much indestructible cubby box. For more information on this awesome storage solution cubby box click here.

MANUFACTURED IN THE UK & Shipped Worldwide

DRAWER SYSTEMS

O

ver the years we have become well aware that storage and preparation for camping trips can be a daunting task particularly when trying to decide what to bring, where to put it and most importantly how to find it quickly when you need it in a hurry. For us, too many bad experiences have helped us fine-tune what we believe now makes our 4WD camping trips a much more enjoyable, comfortable and functional experience, though there is always room for improvement. Our storage solutions now basically incorporate using the high quality, dustproof and light Aluboxes along with the use of a storage drawer system in the back of the 90. In recent years, we have been using a homemade wooden drawer system, with sliders and marine carpet providing a protect-

ed cover. As part of the TURAS Land Rover build we are delighted to say that we have upgraded to a kick-ass drawer system that also just happens to look the business. Now don’t get me wrong, the homemade drawer system did the job for a while, but after a few years it just started to cease up and fall apart and needed to be replaced. So, after lots of research and eventually teaming up with the UK-based Mobile Storage Solutions we now have what we believe is the perfect solution that fits our needs.

Introducing the eye-catching Superline Drawer.

The Mobile Storage Systems Superline Drawer is fitted with extremely heavy duty, full extension runners that are rated at 160kg. This means that these drawers have a smooth sliding system that are built to stand the test of time. Support beams are placed across the drawer allowing for heavy gear to be

Place the cardboard cut out with the pre-marked holes into the back of your vehicle and drill accordingly.

stored on top of the drawer without affecting the drawer’s functionality. Weighing in a 42Kg the Superline has also been designed with a reinforced drawer floor and this gives the drawer more rigidity, increasing its strength and reliability.The drawer is also installed with a high quality and very secure, SouthCo locking paddle latch. This can be key-a-liked to other products if necessary. Additionally, there are two holes where you can attach padlocks for added security and peace of mind. The offset includes a lockable ‘Space Saver Door’. This creates a very useful space beside the drawer as well as the drawer being able to fit up to the rear door and not interfere with the door mechanism. For us carrying lots of camera equipment on this gives extra security and peace of mind.

The Mobile Storage Systems drawers are built in the UK

Installing the drawer system is a breeze with the standard drawer systems having pre-installed hexserts. This means that there are no more spinning bolts resulting in the drawer being able to be installed by just one person. The Mobile Storage Systems team can also customise your drawers, we went for the red and black colours

FULL EXTENSION RUNNERS THAT ARE RATED AT

160KG.

BUILT STRONG

which we think look the business.

Key features include; a strong MIG welded construction and full extension accuride ball bearing runners, for more information on dimensions give the team at Mobile Storage Systems and they will give you some expert advice. We will report back in the next issue on how we are getting on with the new drawer system, one thing that is for sure is that it is certainly a huge improvement as to what was there in the past.

Established nearly twenty years ago Mobile Storage Systems has been a market leader in high quality, hand built storage and security products for the Land Rover Defender and Discovery. Mobile Storage Systems offers a wide range of innovative systems that are all finished to a very high standard

DRsA in

M E T S Y S R E AWllation video

sta

Superline Load Area

STORE DRAWER

The awesome Nakatanenga NR-Classic 8×16 steel rims that will be going on Defender, just one of the many innovative products from the German touring gurus.

We will be looking at these closer as part of the build.

The German based Nakatanenga 4x4 Equipment have been coming up with some awesome innovative and high quality 4WD touring products in recent years.

We first caught up with some members of the Nakatanenga team at the Abenteuer and Allrad show in Germany a couple of years ago and we were very impressed with the wide variety of 4WD touring gear on offer. One of the re-

cent products that they have brought to the market includes the NR-Classic – the 8×16 steel rim for the Defender, these classical looking rims come with with the full TÜV approval and just look awesome, these rims are exclusive to Nakatanenga and available in the UK and throughout Europe.We were so impressed with these traditional looking rims that when our initial brainstorm-

E G A R O T S E T A G L I TA o vide

For those of you who don’t drive a Defender and want one for your vehicle, the good news is you can get them for a Suzuki Jimny,Jeep Wrangler JK, Mercedes G and in the following universal sizes 650x250mm and 740x350mm.

ing sessions took place about the TURAS Land Rover build project our team unanimously agreed that these should classic rims should be showcased on the build.

After contacting Peter and his team they were immediately on board with the build project, we will be covering this exciting build project over the next 12 months so do stay tuned. But for now let’s have a look at another simple but very practical storage solution designed by Nakatanenga for various 4WD vehicles including Land Rover Defenders, simply called the Nakatanenga Tailgate Organizer - Rear Door Trim System.

The beauty about this product is in its clever design, it simply allows the bags to be quickly

removed using the MOLLE attachment system,it is a simple but very practical solution.For easy access to your first aid kit, toilet bag and all of those other bits and bobs, all you need to do is grab the bag you need and away you go, and when finished just re attach that’s it!. MOLLE stands for Modular Lightweight Load -carrying Equipment, this system was developed for the US army back in the early 90’s where it focused on improving the physical carrying capacity on backpacks, belts, clothes and so on, thankful this system has now been adapted for outdoor and off road use. Attaching the tailgate organiser PALS base to your rear door is pretty straight forward with the product supplying the screws.

WHEELARCH

FLARES

S E R A L F H C AR o

e L d E i E v H n Wstallatio in

WHEELARCH

FLARES

E

ver since we put the mud terrains on the Defender in the last episode we realised that they were slightly sticking out beyond the standard flares on the vehicle.As it turned out we were since informed by the road regulations authority that they were not road legal and that we needed to put on new flares that were wider and fully covered the new tyres.

Every country has different rules when it comes to protruding tyres, so its best to check the regulations in your jurisdiction before adding new rubber to your 4WD. To be honest we did not want to put on flares that were too wide as we just don’t like that look. Anyways we did order some new matt black ones from Bearmach and they now cover the STT PROS, we are due a test at time of writing but feel confident that all will be approved. For more details on the selection of Bearmach Wheel Arch Flares, click here.

SNORKEL

SNORKEL

A

We have always had a snorkel on the Defender and by having one it has helped us get to places that we woud probably not have been able to reach had we not had one attached.Snorkels have many benefits when off road,including allowing you to tackle deeper water, protecting your engine and also giving you additional route options. And on the road, snorkels increase the air intake flow to your engine which can improve your engine’s per-

formance. Having had various cheaper type snorkels on the Landy over the years, mostly the mushroom type ones, they have all pretty much all fallen apart after a couple of years.On the TURAS Land Rover Build we have gone with something a bit different, the Mantec plastic snorkel.

Specifically we have gone with Mantec plastic jobby snorkel.This is the first time we have used a plastic model, having had numerous issues with rotting snorkel heads with previous products we are very interested to see how this plastic product will last,we will keep you posted.

L E o e K d R i v O SN llation insta

ATTACHING THE MANTEC SNORKEL Attach the metal retaining ring to the bottom of the snorkel Place the snorkel in position and carefully mark the wing for the two retaining bolts.

Atach the windscreen frame using a drill the tapping nuts Put the snorkel in position - guiding it onto the upper mounting bolts, then fit the two M6 phillips screws through the base and into the wing inserts.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

DUAL BATTERY

SYSTEM

D250SE & SMA

A

s a part of our Land Rover Defender build, we also needed to upgrade our Dual Battery System, requiring a modern system that could charge our second/leisure battery and also ensure that the starter battery is also protected and maintained, that would allow us to use either 12V lead acid batteries or lithium batteries and that could also provide battery and charge status information.

Our partners CTEK are the leaders in battery charging technology and so this choice did not require much analysis, we decided to go with the CTEK, D250SE Charger, with SmartPass 120A Power management system.

The D250SE is a fully automatic, 5 step charger that supplies up to 20A of power to any 12V lead-acid or lithium service battery from 40– 300Ah. It has selectable charge algorithms for AGM and lithium batteries and can use power through its dual input from alternator and solar

ARTPASS 120S

panel. When the service battery is fully charged, the D250SE will automatically redirect maintenance charge power to the starter battery. The D250SE can maintain a stable output up to 20A to vehicles fitted with smart ECU controlled alternators and also has a temperature sensor for optimised charging, regardless of weather conditions. ) 12V lithium batteries (LiFePO4, Li-Fe, Li-iron, LFP) Smartpass 120S is a 120A Power Management Solution which distributes, controls and maximises the available energy from your alternator to power service batteries and consumers. SMARTPASS 120S handles all 12V batteries between 28-800Ah. The Smartpass 120Ss Battery Guard function ensures that critical equipment such as radio, emergency lights and navigation systems always have power and take priority when the voltage on the service battery is low, disconnecting non-critical consumers.

The unit’s Battery Guard will protect your service battery from total discharge and built in over

ALWAYS HAVE RELIABLE POWER ON THE ROAD WITH CTEK CHARGERS AND POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

A 0 2 1 K CTE tallation s o ind vi e D250SE & SMARTPASS 120S

temperature protection reduces charge current before the battery temperature gets too high.

SMARTPASS 120S is compatible with the D250SA and D250SE 20A on board chargers.

CROSSMEMBER

S

o what So is a Crossmember? well according to wikipedia it’s a structural section that is transverse to the main structure. In the automotive industry, the term typically refers to a component, usually of steel, usually boxed, that is bolted across the underside of a monocoque / unibody motor vehicle, to support the internal combustion engine and / or transmission. For the suspension of any car to operate as it should, for proper handling, and to keep the body panels in alignment, the frame has to be strong enough to cope with the loads applied to it. It must not deflect, and it has to have enough torsional strength to resist twisting.

On the 90 we have been patching up the original factory crossmember for the last six years, so we got approximately 15 years out of the original one, which is not great really but I guess the 90 has spend a fair bit of its life driving up and down beaches, tackling muddy tracks do doing what it was built for, so all these combined have taken their toll on the rear end. So why are they known to deteriorate on Defenders, well guessing that the design of them lends to the accumulation of mud, sand and water

1.No more patching ,time to replace 2.You should get an experiemced welder to do this job.

3.The fuel tank

with poor drainage etc and over the years it is a recipe for deterioration.

It had gotten to the stage on our 90 that we could no longer keep patching up the Crossmember and it just was not safe for towing and recoveries etc. and so it was time to replace it with the Bearmach offering. We went with the Bearmach Crossmember that has the short extensions as the rest of the chassis was thankfully in pretty good shape.

Changing the Crossmember is a pretty big job and should be done by somebody who knows what they are doing. The last thing you want is to make a welding mistake and cut your chassis in the wrong place, ideally you need a competent welder who has the right equipment and preferably has experience in doing similar jobs.

So what’s the process?

First of all make sure the vehicle is stationary with the handbrake secured etc.and always wear protective clothing and goggles, even if just assisting on the job.You should also make sure that your vehicle does not have much fuel in it as you

will need to remove the fuel tank. Also be prepared to shear off some of the older bolts. When the fuel tank is out t store the tank in a safe place. Also don’t forget to disconnect the wiring loom. .Mark out very carefully where you will be cutting the chassis as you need to make sure that the new Crossmember fits well for welding, they don’t stretch!!!! Check double check and double check, don’t panic though as the tabs on the new Bearmach Crossmember will overlap enough to give you some peace of mind.

After you remove your old Crossmember you will be amazed with the amount of crap they accumulate over the years, ours was actually a lot worse than what we expected. The Bearmach Crossmembers are designed to neatly fit into place, you have the option to hammer out the edges a bit should it be too tight but it should be fine. Take your time when aligning up the Crossmember, you may have to bang it into place in order to get it right. Weld it tight and that’s it!!!! What a joy to see a new rear end.For more information on the range of Bearmach Crossmenbers click here.

LOVING

THE NEW REAREND

FUEL PRESSURE

A

couple of days before a big trip we did recently, we noticed a puddle of fuel in the driveway under the Land Rover 90.

Now anyone who owns a Land Rover Defender or dare I say any type of Land Rover will be well used to fluids appearing under your pride and joy.

We were not sure where the fuel was coming from,but the issue had to be figured out as the 20 year old Defender would have to complete a 3000km round trip in just a couple of days, After some further investigation and after asking for some advice from our Land Rover Guru, Martin we discovered that the issue was with the Fuel Pressure Regulator. This is not unusual in fact it can be quite common in TD5 Defenders. Basically wear a tear and aging seals normally can cause the issue. A faulty fuel pressure regulator can cause more than one issue if not addressed including leaks and a loss of fuel pressure but it can also affect performance.

Funnily enough a couple of months ago the vehicle was losing power and we could not figure out what the issue was, as nothing was coming up on the

the diagnostic machine, could it have been the issue with the Fuel Pressure Regulator, it probably was. Other issues can also include rough running when idle, misfiring and stalling. Basically issues arise when the injectors are not getting fed correctly, in other words a fuel injector injects fuel at high pressure into the combustion chamber and this is an essential aspect for health engine function.

Replacing a new Fuel Pressure Regulator can be a tricky job, you should take your time when doing it for the first time and refer to your vehicle’s manual for advice.

A fuel system mostly comprises of a fuel tank,a fuel filter, a level sender unit,a pump, a fuel injection pump,a pressure regulator, injectors and associated components.

1. Td5 Fuel Delivery System 2. Removing some of the bolts can be tricky.

3. Bearmach Fuel Pump

R AT

PSERVICING

S

ervicing your Land Rover We recently completed a 3,000km round trip in the 20-year Land Rover Defender and we are delighted to report that thanks to a good service prior to departure, the Landy hummed like a bird with no issues to report at all.

A couple of weeks ago, we drove down to the Abenteuer and Allrad show in Germany, enroute we mostly stayed on the Autobahn and on the motorways in France.

Doing long trips like this one in the 20-year-old TURAS Land Rover Defender, always brings with it a bit of anxiety, particularly

PARTS AND ACCESSORIES SUITABLE FOR LAND ROVER VEHICLES

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ith so many high-profile 4WD build projects out there on social media, one of the questions that does not always get brought to the fore and that is what do they actually cost, when everything is added up.

Two of these incredible build projects that do come to mind that we came across in recent times are not Land Rover vehicle builds but rather large 4WD vehicles that are kitted out for some pretty challenging environments. Now despite the fact that there is no denying that our

PARTS AND ACCESSORIES SUITABLE FOR LAND ROVER VEHICLES

now thathttps://www.bearmach. the vehicle is getting on in years. We needed to make sure thatcom/search/td5%20serthe vehicle was well serviced before we left in order vice%20kit to alleviate any potential issues that could lead to a breakdown on the way, so no stone was left unturned when giving it a good going over. Servicing a 4WD vehicle is not like servicing a regular 2WD vehicle as there are more components that require a bit more TLC. You really should refer to your vehicle manual which will give good advice on how often and what you need to keep an eye on when servicing your vehicle.

The Defender 90 has the Td5 engine and we have always kept it well serviced over the years.

The Defender is normally in for a service every six months or every 6000-70000 kms. Prior to this trip to Germany we did a bit more to the vehicle than normal

when getting it ready for the trip as we did not want to take any chances. Our standard service incorporated the replacement of the oil, air and fuel filters using the Bearmach servicing kit and a couple of other tweeks just to be sure. We had a small deposit of diesel on the driveway a couple of days before we departed and after some investigation we linked this to the fuel pressure regulator. On the Td5 engine this can be a common failure but it also is an easy fix, we got onto Martin our Land Rover guru and luckily he had a spare Bearmach fuel regulator replacement at hand and had it installed within an hour.

Other jobs/tweeks completed prior to the trip included the replacement of all the oils including the 2 diffs, gearbox and transfer case. It goes without saying that you need to make sure that you always change your oils according to your owner’s manual, particularly for 4WD vehicles.

Off road vehicles can put a lot more stress on your vehicle when in low range causing more wear and tear on the workings of the vehicle so making sure your vehicle is well oiled is key to increasing the longevity of your pride and joy.

In the engine the pulley and tensioner were also replaced as it looked a bit worse for wear. We also replaced the washer on the bulkhead with a new one.

When giving the vehicle a good look over Martin suggested that we also replace the A-Frame ball joint. This was an important repair as the one that was there was well

shot. The rear “A” frame on a Land Rover Defender connects the axle centre point to the chassis to prevent sideways and torsional movement.

And lastly, we did a bit of soundproofing on the vehicle, it can get a bit deafening in the Landy when on the open road. The sound from the Td5 engine combined with that of the driveline, exhaust, and road noise not to mention the heat that often comes from the undercarriage can be a bit noisy, but this can also be addressed in fact it can be reduced by anything up to 20% by simply adding some sound proofing.Given we had a 3000km round trip ahead of us, we applied the Bearmach Sound Proof Heat Mats before hitting the road and this simple job made an impressive difference.

These mats create the ultimate in acoustic and thermal protection for your vehicle. After completing all of these jobs, we were confident that the 90- was good to go and that she was.

As partners with the TURAS Land Rover Build, Bearmach played a key role in servicing and bringing the 20-year-old Defender back to life.

WINDOW

GUARDS SECURE YOUR GEAR

A

couple of issues back we had a look and ways to prevent your pride and joy from being stolen and how modern technology with apps for your phone have helped in protecting your vehicle from thieves. Sadly the trend in vehicle theft in many countries doesn’t look to be decreasing anytime soon, and worse still, high amongst the most desirable vehicles for the highly organised gangs that steal many of these vehicles to order and then ship them abroad are Land Rover Defenders and other kitted out 4x4 vehicles that we use and love.

So what can you do to stop your vehicle from being robbed? well as highlighted new tracker technologies are helping us monitor our vehicles by using apps that can for example send us an alarm in the middle of the night should the engine be turned on or if your vehicle starts to move, alarm bells are raised. But not every thief wants the hassle of trying to steal your vehicle outright with many happy with just breaking into it and taking any valuables inside.It only takes a thief a couple of seconds to break the glass in your vehicle and take its contents.For us this is always a concern as we are nearly always carrying expensive camera equipment, the same of course applies to tradies who carry expensive tools or for those of us who carry expensive

1. Instructions are supplied with the kit. 2.

Textured black powder coat finish on all parts 3. All guards are easily attched to your windows

O E D I V NEW ards u G w o Wind

e r e h k c i l C

expensive camping gear etc.

So what deterrents can we use? Well, first of all having an alarm on your vehicle is a help, but this will not guarantee that a thief will be deterred by this given they can pretty much be gone with your contents literally in a couple of seconds after they get what they want, with the chance of being caught pretty low.

But there are other ways to increase the security of your vehicle and these are in the form of window guards.

We recently installed the Mo-

bile Storage Systems Defender Window Guards on the 90 and since completing this job it has given us added peace of mind when leaving the Defender with all of our gear in it unattended All of our guards are manufactured from heavy-duty non-rusting material and finished in a textured black powder coating.

They are designed to be fitted internally and pick up on existing mounting points where possible on the body frame.

The smaller of the Guards on the rear door pick up on ex-

Vehicle Security from

MOBILE STORAGE SYSTEMS

be easily taken off if someone, unwanted, was trying to gain entry. Interior installation also means that there is no exterior drilling to be done to your vehicle on installation. When installed you are still able to open and close your windows with ease as the guards do not obstruct their use. We are also using some of the guards as a platform to place They have an offset rectangular some MOLLE bags, the modular patterned design which doesn’t lightweight load-carrying equiponly allow a lot of light to gain ment” works perfectly well with entry to the vehicle but also the guards and they double up as doesn’t hamper looking out of the windows that much either. a guard to keep the thieves out but also a way to easily access nicely.Unlike many other Land Rover Window Guards, the Mobile items stored in the MOLLE bags.

For additional storage you can Storage Systems’ Guards are installed into the interior of the ve- also hang elasticated nets, bunhicle. This ensures that they can’t gees and more off the guards. isting mounting points under the plastic trim.All guards come with instructions and fitting kits and are supplied with the necessary brackets & fixings required for fitting at home. The design also allows you to replace the plastic trim in the vehicle once fitted if required.

Mobile Storage Systems offer a wide range of innovative storage solutions including drawer systems that are finished to a very high standard. All of their products provide the strength, durability, and practicality that customers are looking for when kitting out their vehicles.They are also proud to boast that all of their products have been designed and manufactured within the United Kingdom.

With demand on the rise, this innovative company has been extending its range of products to provide quality secure storage and security systems for other makes of 4X4’s.As part of the TURAS land Rover build we are delighted to have partnered with Mobiles Storage Systems and adding some of their awesome products to the TURAS Land Rover build.

WINDOW

GUARDS FEATURES

Manufactured from heavy duty non-rusting material.

Textured black powder coat finish.

Fits internally to your vehicle.

Uses existing mounting points.

Can still open windows.

No exterior drilling needed.

ROOFRACK & ACCESSORIES

We have previously had a few different roof rack systems on the Defender, but they lacked space and could be difficult to attach different bits of gear to and also difficult to reconfigure when we had changing requirements for what we needed to carry on the roof.

Therefore some of our requirement for a new roof rack includes, storage capacity, ease of configurability and range of configuration options, ease of use and reliability, with all this in mind and following some research and consultation with Phill and the team at APB Trad-

ing Ltd. we decided that the Eezi-Awn K9 Roof Racks & Accessories system was the perfect match for all of our requirements.

The K9 roof rack system from South African Company Eezi-Awn represents a state of the art advancement in expedition style roof rack design.

All K9 roof racks are designed and manufactured at Eezi-Awn’s own production facility and with over 36 years experience in designing roof racks for the expedition and overland markets across the globe, the team at Eezi-Awn knows what is necessary

The K9 design is engineered and manufactured at the Eezi-Awn facility in South Africa. With over 36 years of experience in the expedition market

across the globe.

in a rack and also what features will help to take it to the next level. One thing that is instantly apparent about the K9 system is that the system is thinner, stronger, more functional,more aero dynamic and more robust than other systems on the market.

The low profile appearance is very distinctive and the designs are very well thought out and easy to understand and to install.Eezi-Awn currently produces 4 different types of rack, a Toyota Revo specific system, Ford T6/7 specific model, a Universal ‘slide in foot type’ and a ‘removable foot type track’ that makes the k9 rack very easy to be removed leaving just the track on the vehicle.

Whether you are planning a serious expedition, family trip, an outdoor excursion or just want the vehicle to look the part the K9 rack should be your rack of choice.

9 K ROOFRACK

S E I R O S S ACCE

TABLE & slide The Eezi-Awn K9 table slide is light weight and manufactured of steel and is black powder coated.The kit comes complete with a retainer catch and mounting bolts.

The table fits under neath the roof rack and slides neatly into rails that secure it in place, the rails are lined with marine carpet to ensure the table does not get easily scratched or corroded.

This setup ensures that your camping table is quickly and easily accessible at all times, it’s a great use of space underneath your roof rack that would otherwise likely be wasted space.

K9

K9

ALUBOX t n u o m y tra The Eezi-Awn K9 Roof Rack Alubox Mount is a secure way to mount your Alubox to your K9 Roof Rack System.

This quick fit system allows you to securely clamp a variety of Alubox sizes to your roofrack without the fuss of tying or strapping it in place, and allows quick and easy access to your Aluboxes and their content.

This tray can hold a variety of Alubox models, compatible sizes include 42L, 60L, 67L, 73L, 74L, 115L, and 120L

JERRY CANr Eezi-Awn K9 Single Jerry Can Holder. This unique lockable design holds one 20L jerry can and folds flat into a 60mm high flatpack when travelling without the Jerry can fitted. This is another well thought out, well designed and easy to use accessory for the K9 Roof Rack System.

Never have range anxiety again with a handy can full of reserve fuel securely stored on your rack.

K9

holde

SHOWERm ar

The Foldable shower arm accessory for the K9 Roof Rack System extends 650mm past your roofrack and simply clicks on and off.

You can mount your own shower and it can be used at the back or side of the rack and is anothe versatile module of the K9 Roof Rack system

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ICELAND magaziNE SUPPLEMENT

CAMPING

SET-UP

F

or us this was one of the most exciting parts of the build, choosing our roof top tent, awning and accessories.

You really should take your time before deciding on what camping set up might suit your needs the best. Our set up needs to cater for a young family but also will be used for last minute fishing trips away with the lads. Having good shelter is also a really importan part of our set up, particuarly when camping with the kids.

And havng a set up that is fully integrated where you have walls on your awning, and being able to travel from your roof top tent all the way to the far side of your vehicle without getting wet on a rainy night just makes for an awesome set up.

DARCHE in our view have some of the best products on the market and now in their30th year they continue to innovate and maintain a quality that really is a step above most of their competitors. Lets take you through what has put the icing on the cake for this Land Rover Build.

ROOFTOP TENT

T

here are a number of reasons why roof top tents have started to become more popular in recent years. The main ones being that you can set them up quickly, they keep you off the ground and for further convenience they can be folded up with all your sleeping gear inside i.e. sleeping bag and pillow. More and more people throughout Europe are now discovering the benefits of using rooftop tents as more of us are looking to get out of our towns and cities and off the beaten track away from it all more often.With tents like the DARCHE Panorama 2 you can stargaze while lying in bed by simply unzipping the sky window in the roof of the tent giving you views of the night time sky.

DARCHE Panorama II RoofTop Tent -

The Panorama 2 is the ultimate touring rooftop tent. Uniquely featuring a zippered sunroof for star gazing and enhanced air flow, its low profile pack down design aids vehicle handling whilst creating less drag.

Aluminium checker plate base, frame lugs and compact centre pivoting yoke, provide exceptional strength whilst reducing weight.

The Panorama 2 is also one of the higher end rooftop tents on the market and it comes with an annex. If you buy one of these you are paying for a high quality touring rooftop tent that offers the superior build that is associated with all Darche products.

One of the unique selling points of this rooftop tent is that it features a zippered sunroof for stargazing. We have used this feature a lot during hotter weather and we love the idea of being able to unzip the roof to study the milky way with the kids before sleep, not to mention it allows for additional airflow on those hot balmy nights.

A ROOM

M WITH A VIEW oly GSM proofed P 0 4 3 ts n te e h T earing vas is hard w n ca op st ip R Cotton

Canvas

The tents 340 GSM proofed Poly Cotton Ripstop canvas is hard wearing and is guaranteed to keep you dry in wet conditions.

We have yet to use the tent in colder wintry conditions but we will be reporting on this in the winter edition of the magazine.

Frame

The aluminium checker plate base, frame lugs and compact centre pivoting yoke, provides exceptional strength and this is another feature that sets this tent apart from others on the market. Also, the re-engineered baseboard incorporates a new honeycomb filling reducing condensation build up under mattress, it’s insulating and energy absorbing and has a high strength to weight ratio and it’s all developed to be durable, non-delaminating and non-cor-

rosive.

Low Profile

The Panorama 2 is ergonomically designed and has one of the lowest profiles of any rooftop tent on the market at just 250mm hence reducing wind drag when driving. This shortness in height will save you on fuel costs on those big journeys and will reduce the overall height of your vehicle allowing you to get under obstacles easier and giving you a better center of gravity when hitting the trails.

The compromise here is that the mattress is not as thick as other tents on the market but this can be overcome by using the Darche self inflatable mattress.

ENGINEERED FOR

e r u t n e v d A

A perfect camping

set up

Annex

The Annex comes with a strong 550gsm PVC zip off bucket floor that can be quick attached to the annex with the high quality zips.

The annex also packs up very easily into the provided bag. The annex provides a number of entry options/windows that also give excellent ventilation for those hot nights. With the option of using the DARCHE telescopic poles you can open the annex windows using various combinations. The Annex dimensions are 2500mm long and 2000mm wide offering plenty of room for shelter and storage.

Mounting Kit

Universal mounting kit included

Cover

600gsm PVC coverThe Darche Panorama 2 Rooftop Tent with Annex has a simple set up procedure and can be erected by one person (see video). The 5 minute setup simply involves releasing a couple of straps and using the telescoping ladder as a lever to pull the tent down. Guide ropes are utilised to secure it in place.

GENERATION 2

ECLIPSE 270 AWNING AWNING

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e had the original 270 Eclipse awning on the 90 for over four years and it was awesome, hard to see how it could have been improved but it has with the release of the Gen 2. But it was not just the 270 that was improved, DARCHE also added some new features to the walls that can be added to the awning. A couple of years ago DARCHE took the concept of an enclosed walled awning to an entirely new level with extended poles and the launch of the Eclipse 270°Awning.

ed people to this awning setup.

One of the key benefits that stood out for people was the amount of space to shelter from the elements and set up camp under with a very impressive 11.5m2 of covered area to relax under, but also the quality of the canvas and of course the strong hinge system that brings confidence when set up in windy conditions. The Eclipse was designed for an easy one-person set up, the unit is free-standing during set up and pack down.

The Generation 2 Awning Improvements. The Generation 2 awning is now made from premium 320gsm (Originally 260) The Eclipse 270° Awning is a rip-stop polycotton canvas and class-leading design that stood out when it comes to innovation has an impressive PU 1500mm and the sheer amount of covwater rating plus seam sealing ered space that this awning with that will keep you dry in extendits walls attached provides. Hav- ed rainy conditions. The kit also includes a removable, heavy-duing displayed the new setup at the Abenteuer & Allrad show you ty 600gsm PVC cover for proteccould instantly see what attract- tion when you’re on the road.

2 n e G O E D I V NEW pse Awning i l c E 0 27

Another key upgrade is the Aluminium Hinge System. Hinged from both ends, the awning pans along the full length of the vehicle, as well as the rear, offering additional undercover area compared to other general market offerings.

Also the box-tube alloy arm system is light, strong, and built to last. Available in left or right-hand side mount configurations you can put one on the car, on the camp trailer, or the shed your options are endless. With multiple wall panels to choose from (sold separately), you can set up one as a wind and weather break or add them all for a whopping 20.5m2 of shelter around your vehicle.

1. New & Improved Alloy Hinge System 2. New and improved 320gsm Canvas (Originally 260) 3. New clear PVC windows and solid window flaps.

The included mounting brackets suit most commercially available flat roof rack or steel basket set-ups. Make sure to check the weight rating and suitability of your roof rack and vehicle with appropriate manufacturers prior to purchase. We recommend professional installation through your local 4WD centre or ask your DARCHE dealer for advice about installation.Click on the link here to to international DARCHE distributors.

QUALITY Built for Adventure

Generation 2 Walls upgrade; With new clear PVC windows and solid window flaps, you will get all the wind and weather protection as with the traditional solid walls set, plus the added benefit of letting in the light on gloomy days.The added walls can be used for protection against the elements or even as awning extensions for extra cover (poles sold separately). The zippered wall panels connect to allow for various wall configurations.

The wide zippered door on wall one allows easy access if you peg down all the walls. The walls are made from quality ripstop polycotton canvas and have an impressive PU 1500mm water rating and seam sealing that will keep you dry in rainy conditions.NOTE: the Eclipse 270 PVC window walls are not compatible or interchangeable with solid Eclipse 270 walls.

g in n w A 0 7 2 se ip cl E 2 Generation

KEY FEATURES Provides 11.5m² of cover in all weather conditions; Free-standing set up mode allows for quick and easy one person set up/pack down; Lightweight and strong construction; Includes 3 x pivoting telescopic leg poles stowed on the rafters plus 3 x additional leg poles in a separate carry bag; Includes 3 x mounting brackets; 2 x steel-buckled tension straps, guy ropes and pegs; also includes transit cover.

GEN 2 WALLS Clear PVC windows plus solid window flaps give you more light inside the awning.

With all walls anchored, it provides approx. 20.5m2 of coverage depending on vehicle height.

Acts as a wind/weather break or as an awning extension (poles sold separately).

Zippered wall panels allows versatile configurations 1300mm wide zippered door on centre panel.

Includes pegs and guy ropes.

DARCHE has done it again with this improved Eclipse 270 Awning, like all DARCHE products this is premium quality. The awning canvas has gone from 260 to 320 rip-stop polycotton canvas and has an impressive PU 1500mm water rating, the aluminium rafters are TIG welded and very smooth. The windows added to the walls are a great addition,the heavy-duty mounting brackets are some of the strongest on the market.All up DARCHE, you have made what was an awesome awning even better.

A whopping

11.5M2 OF COVERED AREA

ECLIPSE RETREAT ANNEX

Eclipse Retreat Annex

Retreat comes with 4 generous We were very excited about add- side ‘D’ doors with mesh and a vehicle access door. By rolling ing this to the build. DARCHE up all openings you can quickly has once again ticked all the boxes and has brought another convert this space to a generous mesh enclosed room . The clevinnovative new concept to the er yet simple design allows you Eclipse range of awnings which to use the Retreat in conjunction has just catapulted things to a with the Eclipse awning walls whole new level. giving you extra protection. You can also use the large front roll The versatile Eclipse Retreat up door and this can double up Annex simply suspends from your DARCHE 180° or 270° awn- as an awning . ing and lets you easily convert Made from a 210 Denier ripyour awning into an additional stop Polyester Oxford fabric, it shelter that can be used as a also comes with a durable redining room, for storage or as movable 600gsm welded PVC a protected quarters that can bucket floor, pegs and a carry easily sleep up to four people. bag included.Like all DARCHE The Retreat’s clever design is products this is premium qualintegrated with the Eclipse 180 ity and comes with a three year and 270 awning walls giving a warranty. For more information whole new dimension to your on the Retreat Eclipse Anset up. For awnings manufacnex, click here. tured before November 2020, attaching the Retreat requires drilling two small holes into the awning arms and that’s it. The

the innovative Retreat

ANNEX

ENGINEERED FOR

e r u t n e v d A

d e t a r g e t n i y l a ful

SETUP

D L I U B THE

1 E D O EPIS y r o t s i h

D L I U B THE

2 E D O EPIS anics mech

D L I U B E TH

3 E D O EPIS e l y t s e lif

JOB DONE of the es od is ep e th t ou k ec ch n ca you e .........

TURAS Land Rover build her

THANK TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS

YOU

Endnotes

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