Advice on 87 Hilux for Africa trip

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:18 am

Hi everybody! Thanks to Family Dog for getting me here.

I posted the following on another site and FD has been coaching me through all my questions during the last week. My wife and I are fairly inexperienced 4X4-ers.

Original post:
My wife and I are planning to spend 7 months between Cape Town and Kenya next year - the trip of a lifetime. We are scouting around to buy a D/C 4X4. Initially we were looking to spend about R160 00, but have come across this:

1987 Hilux 4X4 DC 2200 petrol
Rebuilt motor fitted at 180 000km
Current mileage 260 000km, (service history from 220 000km)

Asking price: R70 000 (with too many extras to mention...really)

Please give me your advice.....

Assuming the 20 year-old vehicle is in good nick can it still take us around Africa for 7 months?? Anyone still got an '87 Hilux doing the business??

Any feedback would be greatly valued(end original post)

So far FD has taken me through all sorts of stuff including suspension, headlights, engine performance, bench seats vs bucket seats etc.

Following his advice I have posted here to benefit from any more feedback all you guys have. I am test driving the vehicle in a week - what do y'all think I should be looking for.

Glad to be on the forum

Scotty

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:37 am

Hi Scotty,

Welcome to our Home!

I think what I will do is to copy & paste our previous conversations, or some of them, here, so that people can comment on them further.

Glad to have you aboard! :D

-F_D

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:48 am

Family Dog!

Great idea - please cut and paste some of our other posts so that the crew can have a look.

A new question I have relates to the "rebuilt' motor fitted to the vehicle. The mechanic that works on our sedans ( Toyota mechanic for years till retrenchment) said I should determine the following:

1.Was the engine fully rebuilt i.e were the cylinders and pistons all reworked/ replaced OR 2. were rings/ bearings just replaced.

He says option 2 is insufficient for significant, longer-term improvement?

The job was apparently done at a "Toyota-accredited" dealer so there should be some paperwork - right??

Scotty

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:38 am

Reply #1:

Firstly, the SFA Hilux enjoys an excellent reputation for reliability, but in my humble opinion, while Toyota made an excellent vehicle they really are not that great on suspensions. All the old SFA Hiluxes seem to have weak springs. Some people (myself included) have elected to replace the standard suspension systems with an uprated spring kit, such as OME. While this has definite advantages, it should be remembered that it is extremely doubtful you would be able to get support for an OME suspension deep in Africa should a spring break, whereas you should find support for the standard suspension. All in all, I would take the chance.

A good bull bar is essential, as are good driving lights, mounted on the bull bar and not on the roof.Other than that, a good service before the time, and replenishing diff, gearbox oils and brake fluid should be all you need. Check out the brake pads/linings and make up a good spare part set, including bulbs, belts, plugs etc for your travels.

I would like to suggest that you post this same question on the SFA forum here:http://www.hilux4x4.co.za/This is a fairly new forum catering for Hiluxes of all sorts, and it has become very popular with like-minded Hilux drivers!You could also hear what the chaps here have to say:http://www.4x4community.co.za/

It would be nice if you were able to post reports during your trip, it would make excellent reading for us here at home! There is a chap here on this (http://www.4xForum.co.za) forum, I think it was Arthur, who did a similar trip a couple of years ago and posted regular reports of his progress. He was driving a Landy, and had minor setbacks along the way but made it home in one piece I hope you have a great trip! There is a list of recommended things to take with one when going into Africa (Malaria pills, etc), I will see if I can locate the url for you.

-F_D

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:39 am

...to which Scotty replied:

Hi Eric,Thank you very much for the valuable feedback. I will certainly look at the other sites you've suggested.The URL with travel checklist would be a great help.We're going to test this '87 Hilux and I'll let you know how it goes.We will certainly make a point of making regular posts to keep all the folks back home informed about our travels.Thanks again

Scott

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:40 am

Reply # 2:

Hi Scott,Have a look at the "Kitting Out" section in the left side panel on the Overlanding Forum:http://overland.co.za/There are lots of good links there!

-F_D

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:41 am

Reply #3:

Scott,Nearly forgot... if you do raise your suspension, it will be prudent to check out the splines on your front prop-shaft, as its mounting position will change depending on the amount of suspension lift. You need to ensure there is sufficient bite left in the splines and that they are not damaged in any way.

-F_D

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:43 am

Scott's reply:

:D Further questions...

Eric - you are a legend!! Thanks so much.We will not be able to test the car for another week or so - but we have seen it:

1. If we purchase the car we will refit OME suspension. The old suspension looks very tired. Do you get standard OME sets for the old Hilux, or options like "light" "medium" and "heavy"??? What kind of OME kit did you fit to your '87?

2. The vehicle has a bench seat in front.........any thoughts on trying to fit two headrests?? (worried about whiplash). Someone else suggested simply whipping out the bench and putting in two new seats. Any thoughts on this? Are you sitting in a bench seat in your 86/87??

3. How are your Hella's working for you?? The Hilux we looked at has a low nudge bar - not suitable for spots. We would have to fit them on the roof rack. A shop reccommended 2 IPF 55W spots.

4. What sort of speeds do you cruise at in one of these vehicles? We know we wont do much "cruising" around Africa, but it would be good to hear what speeds the car will get us up to the borders north of us. Do you use aircon on long-hauls? Ever overheat? A friend said we could install an additional oil cooling system.Sorry for all the questions!! Thanks for all your help so far.

Scott

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:49 am

Reply # 4:

Hi Scotty,

Belonging to various 4x4 forums has a bit of a drawback - one can never remember on which forum the various bits and pieces were posted. However, my Hilux does have most of its life history, modifications and tales of woe or joy posted here:
http://www.hilux4x4.co.za/ ,
as do a lot of other memberâ€™s Hiluxes.

At the risk of some repetition, briefly:

1. I opted for the "Comfort" option when ordering the full OME suspension kit, and I gained a considerable amount of height, I would guess some 55mm or so. Unfortunately, I did not measure the height beforehand.The OME springpack fitted was anything but comfortable, even acknowledging the fact it had yet to settle down. Eventually, following the advice of others on the various forums, I removed the third blade from the front suspension, which dropped the ride by about 15cm, but I can live with that. Big improvement in ride comfort, although still harsh ride. If you intend fitting a winch upfront, then you might consider leaving the extra blade in.

Point (2) has enjoyed extensive participation in the above Hilux Forum, but my Hilux already had individual bucket seats fitted. I use a Cooler Box as an arm rest and as a refreshment holder The Cooler box has both Hot & Cold settings, so it can be set accordingly.Currently, I am investigating more comfortable bucket seats, and have seen a Hilux fitted with BMW 3 Series bucket seats, which give excellent support. The consensus is that possibly Corolla seats from the 80s-90s might fit as well.

3. I have Hella Rallye 1000s (the big round ones) fitted to the '87 Hilux, the large square IPFs fitted to the 2.7i, and baby square Hellas (Rally 550s) fitted to the â€™86 SWB. All give excellent lighting, but if I had to buy again I would only buy the Hella range, more bang for the buck. The IPFs are not bad, but they are totally overpriced. Naturally, the Dealer likes them because of this.

I would not suggest mounting the spots to the roof carrier: Spots mounted on a roofrack tend to throw light onto the bonnet as well, which then reflects into the driver's eyes at night, which would be most irritating due to this blinding glare. The Dealer who fitted my Bullbar mad a removable bracket for my big Hellas to fit the BB, at no additional charge, photos on the Hilux forum. The bracket lowers the mounting position sufficiently that the lights mount without catching anywhere on he BB.Remember, you can get Spotlights as opposed to Driving lights: The spots throw a long pencil-thin beam straight in front of you, whereas the driving lights are more spread out and provide better all round illumination. I replaced my spot lenses with driving light lenses immediately, didnâ€™t like the former.

You could also replace your standard H4 headlight globes with stronger 100W globes if you can find them, but stay away from the unknown Eastern brands which are all but useless. Don't believe what the Dealers say! If you can get genuine Osram, Hella etc 100w globes, then go for them, otherwise don't waste your money. Alternatively, fit Osram 55w Bright Star globes, they do appear to offer a better light than the standard 55W globe.

The 4Y is an excellent go-anywhere vehicle, but it is neither particularly comfortable nor economic! Comfortable bucket seats will make a world of difference, as does the centre console arm rest cooler box, I always travel with the a/c running, which serves to regulate the internal temperature rather than keep occupants cool, but it is sheer murder to drive without it switched on! On a level road, with no wind, the 4Y feels very comfortable at a true speed of 110 Km/Hr (120 on speedo) and I have never felt the urge to travel faster than this with it. Hope this is useful to you.

-F_D

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:50 am

Final reply:

Scott,You're very welcome, and I would love to see your Hilux! I love my old SFA so very much, I doubt I would ever sell it, would rather sell the newer model.Check out the links to Harold's Hilux on the other forum, he has rigged it up for permanent touring, looks great!

-F_D

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:58 am

Scotty wrote:Family Dog!

Great idea - please cut and paste some of our other posts so that the crew can have a look.

A new question I have relates to the "rebuilt' motor fitted to the vehicle. The mechanic that works on our sedans ( Toyota mechanic for years till retrenchment) said I should determine the following:

1.Was the engine fully rebuilt i.e were the cylinders and pistons all reworked/ replaced OR 2. were rings/ bearings just replaced.

He says option 2 is insufficient for significant, longer-term improvement?

The job was apparently done at a "Toyota-accredited" dealer so there should be some paperwork - right??

Scotty

Hi Scott,

Although I installed a Chinese-built 4Y motor as a replacement for my original Hilux 4Y motor, which was still running but had started to use oil and had a bit of piston slap, I am in the process of fully over-hauling the original motor as well.

This entails a 20-thou' rebore (the motor had covered over 300,000Km) and the crankshaft & cam shafts also being over-hauled. New oil and water pumps will be fitted, and valve stem oil seals replaced. Simon & Andre will be able to offer better advice in this field, but I tend to agree with your statement that the full over-haul is the preferred option.

FWIW, a brand new Chinese engine (which is built form the original Japanese 4Y plant, now in China) will set you back about R7,000 complete.

Another thing to opt for is a complete flush-out of the cooling system, replacing thermostat & rubber hoses as well, before adding anti-freeze in the correct proportions (Important: refer the mixture recommendations on tha A/F bottle - some are full strength, others are not).

-F_D

Cookie Monster · Post by **Cookie Monster** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 1:19 pm

Hi Scotty

Welcome to the SFA Forum

To be honest you cant go wrong witha SFA Hilux it is really a awsome 4x4 and will go most places in standard form then most new 4x4 with diff locks

Regards

CM

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 3:08 pm

Scotty

Welcome to the forum.

I can't believe I am actually going to say this :? :? (if you look at my signature and avatar you'll understand) but going into deep dark Africa, don't you think a diesel would be better suited for your purpose?

I have heard many people say before that availability of petrol can become a problem in very remote places. But if you do get a diesel make sure it is a normally aspirated "low tech" one which will not be damaged by dirty diesel which you would definably encounter somewhere.

Regarding the suspension blades: I have seen guys strap one of their original blades from the front and one from the rear, somewhere underneath the suspension or onto of a roof rack, to take along as a spare in case of failure (like a spare wheel)

Regarding the actual vehicle, whatever you, opt to buy get it sooner rather than later, so that you can drive it thoroughly and iron out all the little issues before you leave. Remember any vehicle 10 years or older will develop some sort of issue at one stage or the other so it is best to make sure everything is 100% before you go.

But with an SFA Hilux you are ensured of a solidly built vehicle that will take you there and back. If you buy a fixer upper and spend some money on it fixing it up yourself, you will also get to know it properly and be able to do bush repair if needed.

If you do opt for a petrol version, the 2.2 (4Y) is a a bit slow as F_D said but it will take you to Cairo and back no problem and it is fairly easy to work on.

Post by **george** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:02 pm

Hi Scotty.

Welcome to the forum. A friend of mine also did a trip like this. One of his comments is that he had too many spares .According to him spares for the Toyota is readily available.
One of the things that all Africans are good at is to make a plan. For instance his expensive aluminum roof rack broke and he found a guy that can weld it out of his shack.
He says it is now stronger than ever.
They also have different set of road rules. They drive on the left and right. Depending where the potholes are. If you see branches on the road it means there was an accident ahead. Usually trucks.
His advice was to be patient, observant and learn from the locals.

Enjoy it

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 6:08 pm

Scotty

How about buying something like this and then kitting it out yourself for the trip.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=172

If I remembered correctly you budgeted R160K for your vehicle. Buying this one will leave you enough spare change to kit this vehicle Add Power steering and Aircon and then some.

p.s Are you from Cape Town. Please update your personal details with your location

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:07 pm

Thanks for all the feedabck gents.

George - we will have to keep our eyes peeled in Africa! We don't plan to drive at night, but vehicles on both sides of the road at night could be a character building experience! One big reason to fit some extra lights.

Benhur - the moment we started asking folks about what vehicle to get we were encouraged to look for a diesel. More than a few of the people we spoke to said we should get a KZTE 3.0. But there aint alot of those around! The current vehicle we are looking at has ( still to be confirmed) over 200Litres of tank space for fuel (including 2 jerries I think). I guess that will take us as far as 1000-1500km depending on roads/ consumption/ weight of my foot.

We are stil open to suggestions though - thanks for the link. We are in CT I will update my profile asap.

Question: The more I look the more it seems OME have cornered every corner there is in the suspension market. What about Ironman?

Scotty

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:19 pm

Cool if you are going to do the petrol thing then a 4Y is definitively the way to go. Me too, I am a petrolhead

. I hate diesels.

Regarding suspensions, I only heard good things about IronMan.

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:22 pm

Hi Scotty,

When I fitted the OME suspension earlier this year, I priced Ironman as well as OME. The Ironman suspension does cost less, but then they do not include the steering damper, which OME does! If I added the price of the additional steering damper to the Ironman quote, it works out to about the same price as OME, which has proved itself time and again.

The gest is that IM gives a more comfortable ride than OME, but there have been complaints that the suspension sags after a couple of years. They may have got this right since, though.

FWIW, I have just measured the distance between the top of my front wheel rim to the underside of the mudguard beading, and it is 410mm, which has given me about a 65mm lift from before I fitted the suspension. At the rear I measured 330mm, which also gives me a lift of about the same amount, quite a nice gain in height! I also have a LR tank fitted, and am terribly embarrassed when I fill up... the petrol jockey has to take a rest when re-fueling because of the air-lock which seems an inherent part of fitting a LR tank. I have now learnt to fill up when the petrol needle only just starts dropping from the "F" mark, but it still takes some 15 - 20 minutes to full the tank

-F_D

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:30 pm

Thanks for the info

Ja, I've been doing some petrol number crunching - and the number of zero's is scary

. But this trip might be one in a lifetime, so I guess we'll make peace with denting Africa's petrol supplies :) !!!!

You may think I've disappeared over the next couple of days - I've been so engrossed in forums/ sites looking for hilux info that I gotta get back to my real job!! So I may not post very often.

My learning curve is steep and I'm really enjoying it!

Some further issues folks have raised:

1. Engine mods/ conversions: A few guys have suggested leaving a healthy Hilux 2.2 engine alone for overlanding i.e. not doing any mods.
I've got some info about the Weber conversion.

Is the Brospeed thing an exhaust modifictaion??

2. Tyres: I've hardly scratched the surface researching tyres. I've found Hilux's on the web with tyres of 31", 32" and 33"!!! How does this affect performance? Is there a preferable tyre size for an SFA Hilux?

3.Snorkels:On the one hand, everyone agrees that petrol and diesel motors like the cleaner, cooler air snorkels provide. On the other hand, stacks of vehicles do big trips without them. How big is the benefit? Other than the advantage gained in river crossing why else should I consider a snorkel?

Scotty

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:08 pm

Scotty wrote: 1. Engine mods/ conversions: A few guys have suggested leaving a healthy Hilux 2.2 engine alone for overlanding i.e. not doing any mods.
I've got some info about the Weber conversion.

A good reliable carb is a great idea, but if you do a Weber and you get the jetting wrong it might bite you. That is why I said previously to get the vehicle sooner rather then later so that all these things can be put to bed and properly tested before you leave

Scotty wrote: Is the Brospeed thing an exhaust modifictaion??

Exhaust, branches, cam and you can even have the head ported or gas flowed. My personal feeling - Stay away. Branches and free flows are for racing and is noisy. Rather invest in a stock stainless steel exhaust.

Scotty wrote: 2. Tyres: I've hardly scratched the surface researching tyres. I've found Hilux's on the web with tyres of 31", 32" and 33"!!! How does this affect performance? Is there a preferable tyre size for an SFA Hilux?

The great advantage of larger tyres is the extra diff clearance. For over landing stick to 31s as larger sizes will be difficult to come by in the gramadoelas and it will seriously affect your fuel economy and make the standard 4Y underpowered.

Scotty wrote: 3.Snorkels:On the one hand, everyone agrees that petrol and diesel motors like the cleaner, cooler air snorkels provide. On the other hand, stacks of vehicles do big trips without them. How big is the benefit? Other than the advantage gained in river crossing why else should I consider a snorkel?
Scotty

For your trip I would say an absolute must. It will keep a lot of unnecessary dust out of your air cleaner and the cooler air going into the engine can also assist with fuel economy/engine power. And then there is the water issue as well. Just make sure your dizzy seal properly and that your plug wires are in a good nic before going into deep water, and keep the Q20 close by to repel water from the electrics Also extend your diff breathers with rubber tubing and sommer connect it into the airbox or snorkel's pipe to keep your diffs dry as well.

Post by **pietpetoors** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:28 pm

The great advantage of larger tyres is the extra diff clearance. For over landing stick to 31s as larger sizes will be difficult to come by in the gramadoelas and it will seriously affect your fuel economy and make the standard 4Y underpowered.

Agree with Bennie, with 31" you do not have to change anything on the vehicle and your performance will be more or less the same. My friend has 33" on his 2.4 Hilux and he have to drive in 4th gear most of the time, not worth it if you do long trips.

If you talk different makes I believe the Cooper ST is a good all rounder, It has a lekker thick side wall. Torn sidewalls are the cause of most flats especially on rocky terrain.

I do more overlanding than trails and the 31" Coopers works for me (and that guy with the Landy and long beard) On my Terrano I had 30" Coopers, but they were just to small, that extra inch makes one hell of a difference.

Post by **george** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:10 am

Hi Scotty
I agree with what Piet and Bennie wrote.
Regarding the cam issue. I did mine a while back. I was promised more power and better fuel efficiency. What happened is that my torque was moved up to the higher revs. I lost some low end torque. Which I think is essential for offroading.I am going to put the standard cam back in some time.

Cheers

ratel's raider · Post by **ratel's raider** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 11:24 am

Sorry Family dog have to disagree with you on the spotlights on the roof thing. I was working up north and it entailed alot of night driving, after hitting two donkeys sleeping in the road, this is with two hella rally 500 on the bull bar. I mounted another 4 spots on the roll bar. The extra height and the pencil beam works a charm I can see far further. Two up top point on the road and two outers point just off the road to spot for game moving onto the road. I wouldn't rcommend driving much at night, it gets dangerous with the state of the roads and the livestock sleeping in the road. Grey donkeys are almost impossible to see standing on a road at night. Sounds strange but elephant also are hard to see at night.
Scotty this sounds like a trip of a life time. I have heard pros and cons for petrol and diesel up north and have found with diesel you have to check it very carefully, often it is dirty, mixed with parafine or has water in. I like petrol they are less fussy about how clean the fuel is. Take plenty fuel filters and replace them every few thousand Km's. thats what I did and never had any problems using petrol up north. I wouldn't mod the engine, you won't get replacement parts for it once out of SA. Standard parts are available through out Africa. Keep us updated this sounds like it will be great

Post by **Family_Dog** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:47 pm

I should actually have phrased myself a little clearer... Spotlights (with the clear lenses), as opposed to Driving Lights (with the normal Fresnel-type lenses) would probably work well enough on the roofrack, as their beam is more concentrated as opposed to wide-angled driving lights. However, I would definitely try it out first before making the mounts permanent, especially on a light -coloured vehicle.

Bigger tyres do have advantages, but they also have dis-advantages. I had 31" tyres on my 4Y, but I think the rims were too wide. The tyres stuck out over the bodywork and threw stones up against the bodywork, causing chips in the paintwork. The other issue I had is that the wider tyres seem to have a worse grip & tend to slip sideways easier on a slanted rocky surface, which is somewhat disconcerting. Admittedly, I had not lowered the pressures because I was traveling over flat shale-like rock, similar to slasto, without any sharp edges. There were no rocky obstacles to climb over, but there were considerable side-slopes in places. What finally decided me to refit the standard narrower tyres was when I was traveling at about 110Km/Hr true speed on a good tar road, and a sudden whirlwind caught me unawares and pushed the vehicle off the road, despite my counter-steering. The tyres were brand new ATs with plenty of tread. My reasoning is that there is more downward pressure on "smaller" tyres with a smaller footprint and I shouldn't have these issues.

Although the photos are of different resolutions, you get the idea...

31" AT Savero Tyres

Standard Dunlop AT 245 tyres

But then again, I have 31" Coopers on my 2.7i and have not had any of the problems experienced with the SFA & bigger tyres!

I'm quite in agreement with everything else written here in regard to snorkels, etc.

-F_D

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:23 pm

Hi chaps - thanks for all the info/ photos.

The last couple of days have been a bit tricky as Laura (my wife) and I have been going through a fairly painful process to buy an old SFA - and we aren't out of the woods yet (I'll spare you the complicated boring details). If it all pans out I promise lots of photos and details.......

I have now read just about every post on this forum and have learnt a massive amount. I've also spent a load of time at both 4x4 Megaworld and Safari Centre. Have to say I have had great service, but it's difficult to have an objective chats with the (helpful) salesmen as they have to push certain products. (That's where the forum is such a help! :D )

We are now also reading through all the blogs/ books that are helping us to plan our route through Africa next year.

It may be more appropriate to move some of my questions over the next few weeks

(maybe to vehicle mods?? What do you suggest?).

As far as lights/spotlights go I have a further question:

Before taking a decision on additional spot/ driving lights both 4x4 mega and Safari centre have suggested a further option:

1. 4x4 Megaworld: Will replace the SFA's 55W standard globes with 80W IPF globes (R300 each) and wire a new loom (R400) to support the extra wattage draw. Total cost R1000. (And I guess I'd be a fool not to take two extra bulbs with = R600 for the 2 spares!)

2. Safari centre: Upgrade standard 55W bulbs with 80W bulbs (not IPF) at a cost of R350 for 2 bulbs. And they say no need to wire a new loom.

I am lost here, I like the idea of upgrading the existing bulbs, BUT:

Are the IPF's worth the extra Ront? Is a new loom necessary or not?

Cheers
Scotty

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:05 pm

I do not think the IPFs globes at R 300 is really good value for money.

Rather go for Osram Silver Stars at round about R100 per globe at normal spare shops

As I said previously, rather do the upgrades yourself so that you can understand how they work. Bush mechanics do not know Megaworld headlight upgrade wiring looms and if you do not know how it work yourself, you might run into trouble. Headlight wiring and small mods like that is not rocket science and even guys with 8 thumbs should be able to manage with a bit of coaching and guidance.

For many of the mods on your vehicle and stuff you need for the trip, go to Megaworld and similar places. Oogle what they got, get some advice and then check to see where you can get the same stuff cheaper elsewhere. There are certain things only they stock but many things like recovery kit and High Lift jacks etc can be bought at places like Makro many time (not always) a lot cheaper. So shop around.

I did a write up on spotlight wiring a while back and you can have a look at that here.

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=177

Then I found a link to another site with a guide how to upgrade the existing light's wiring loom.

http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoHeadlightLoom.htm

Remember that upgrading the loom to the existing headlight globes has advantages and disadvantages (obviously if you want to go bigger then the 55/65w then you have no choice as your existing wires will overheat.

If you stay with standard sized globes then consider the following:

The Pros are that this mod will give you thicker wires that run directly from the battery via relays to your globes. This means that they will follow a shorter path then the existing wires that run via the dash, which will mean less resistance/voltage drop, so the supplied voltage to the globe will be slightly closer to the actual battery voltage. This MAY increase the brightness of your globes, but only slightly, except if the existing wires are in a bad condition with a dry joint (high resistance connection) somewhere.

The Cons are that you now have many extra possible points of failure on your main set of lights.

My recommendation is, keep your normal headlights stock and add extra running lights and spot lights which you will then run separate from the existing loom accept for a sense wire to switch on the relay for the spots together with the existing high beam. (Refer back to my article on spotlight wiring where I show how to connect this by splicing into an existing wire without actually cutting them.)

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:37 pm

Regarding your actual vehicle, have you found one yet?

Another thing I was thinking about regarding bush repairs is your transmission. Some of the problems that 4x4 guys experience is due to mud driving (this is not Hilux specific). Mud goes into places and stuff up bearings and seals. So I would suggest before leaving to replace all the wheel bearings and seals on the axles and maybe the centre bearing and the universal joint bearings on the prop shafts. Get someone to help you and do it yourself so that if needed you can do something like it in the bush. I have seen friends replacing broken side shafts in the bush next to a trail so it can be done if needed.

Another thing that can be done easily in the gramadoelas is to service the brakes, especially the real drums need attention from time to time as they can also become sticky and stop working due to mud and water that get in there. It is not too difficult to service and clean them if needed. Maybe we can twist Simonâ€™s (Syron Conversions) arm to do a nice article with photos on how to service the rear break drums and also how to service or replace Universal Joints.

Lastly, install your OME/Ironman or whatever suspension you choose yourself too, so that you get to know the working thereof yourself and understand the bits and pieces.

Enjoy all the planning. All our guys that would love to do what youâ€™re doing, but can't will maar accompany you guys virtually. How about setting up a website/blog where you can diarise the whole trip from now already. Maybe Grootbaas (Pieter) can help you and you may even be able to get some publicity related sponsorship thingie going Kom Pieter Internet advertising en die soort van goete is mos jou kos

SYRON CONVERSIONS · Post by **SYRON CONVERSIONS** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:18 pm

First of all, you must check that the actual glass lenses are clear, that they are not scratched or the reflecting inside is not faded, no matter what bulbs you fit, they will only be as good as the headlight lens and reflective inside.

Just fit some silver bulbs as benhur mentioned and then a pair of extra spots up front on a seperate system.

Also it would not be a great idea to travel through Africa at night time, I have not, but I have friends who have and they said never again, night time is a time to relax and enjoy the moment. They did a trip in a 1966 Uni-Mog from France across the channel to Morocca and down through Africa, they did +- 28 000km in one year.

iHilux · Post by **iHilux** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:01 pm

Hi Scotty,

Not sure if you've found a vehicle yet, but if not, have a look here:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=242&hilit=

This is my diesel Hilux, and is Africa ready.

Over the last two years I've basically stripped and rebuilt it piece for piece. As for the drive train...... starting from the front, replaced all for axle wheel and swivel hub bearing. New clutch and pressure plate as well as release bearing. Rear prop shaft - all universals have been replace and prop balanced. New centre bearing (two weeks ago). New rear wheel bearings (done on monday).

Engine is a 2.8D normal aspirated diesel, and parts are freely availble all over Africa. Every 2nd vehicle in Lesotho is SFA Hilux, and 2.8D. Die hard engines, and can run on sunflower oil.......

The engine has a new water pump and timing belt. The pump was overhauled about 20000km ago, and injectors service at the same time. So what's more to do? I'm confident, except for an oil change and minimal maintainance, she'll require nothing further for the next 200 000km. :!:

Hilux has ARB type BB, KEW 8000 winch and spots. Suspension is the heavy duty OME, and she can carry the weight. Together with the travel, and rear diff lock, there are very few places she won't go.

Have a look at the thread - she's looking for a good home, and a trip though Africa will be her just reward........

A few of the members here know my Hilux well, so if interested, fire with the questions.

Give me a shout

Chat soon
Wade

SYRON CONVERSIONS · Post by **SYRON CONVERSIONS** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:19 pm

hey dude mate

what about posting your phone number and email address.

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:35 am

Hi Simon

I've learnt the hard way from other forums that putting your details on a forum can result in you drowning in a torrent of spam

(esp. all the viagra rubbish).

However, I'll PM my details to you and any of the other registered guys - I'm not worried about y'all - I'm worried about "Big Brother".

Scotty

Blink Stefaans · Post by **Blink Stefaans** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 1:23 pm

Hi Scotty
It is nice to dream about having a Hilux with everything on it. If you are still planning this trip, you must think carefully about all the modifications and extras you want to put on the vehicle. Most of the modifications are "nice to have" items and you will not really need it on as trip like this. I have been on a trip from Kilimanjaro back to RSA a few months ago and would like to share a few tips with you. Things you need on your vehicle are the following: Inside the vehicle: Comfortable seats - it is damn far and one spend many hours behind the steering wheel. 12V Coolbox inside the vehicle. A propper GPS. I would sugest the Garmin Quest - small, easy to operate and removable. A few extra 12v lighter sockets to charge cellphones, torches etc.
Outside the vehicle: Extra sparewheel propperly mounted, High lift jack, propper bullbar - not for taxi's, bundu bashing, etc but to enable you to use the high lift jack at the front. Extra fuel tank - we had no problems with the availability of fuel (leaded, unleaded and diesel) normally one can find unleaded in all the big towns. Not less than 120 lit water. Tyres - I had 31" tyres on my 87 Hilux and currently the same size on my 98 double cab. I believe that the 2.2 and 2.4 engines will not enjoy pulling 33's along. Currently I am useing Good Year MTR's but my fuel consumption is too high with it. Spots - I think the Hella 550's is a good buy but the golden rule in Africa is not to travel at night - if you want to spend thousands on spots, its less money for the trip.
Now my biggest tip - invest in a good canopy with doors everywhere. I build my own alu canopy and it is really worth the effort. Inside the canopy you must have a fridge (Engel or National Lunar) running of a dual battery system. Try to stay away from boxes. I can not tell you how frustrating it is to have to unpack the vehicle everytime you need to take something out of the boxes because normally it will be in the bottom one. Drawers and slides - these are the magic words!! I will include some photographs of my layout in the near future.
Regards
Blink Stefaans

Post by **pietpetoors** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 3:25 pm

Welcome Blink Stefaans, the best advice is from somebody who did it.
We are looking forward to the photographs.

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:31 pm

Hi Blink Stefaans.

Welcome here. Please please please, we would like a full report, with lots of pics on your trip and your truck and video if you have.

Enjoy our nice forum

Post by **Family_Dog** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:25 pm

Hi Blink Stefaans,

Welcome to the forum! Seems you had a great time, it would be nice to see some photos of your vehicle and also to hear more about your experiences!

The Quest is a great GPS, and the time to buy is now, the new Southern African Roadmaps Version 1.5 has just been released. I have ordered some CDs, hope to have them next week. Apparently a whole lot of new additions featured which is good news for travelers into the Dark Continent.

-F_D

Cookie Monster · Post by **Cookie Monster** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:15 pm

Hi Blink Stefaans

Welcome to the Hilux forum

8) 8)

I am really keen to get a look st your Van sounds really cool :D

Blink Stefaans · Post by **Blink Stefaans** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:15 pm

Hi all
I must mention that my trip was done in a Land Cruiser 4.5 dubble cab but I really missed my Hilux on the trip. The thing I missed the most was my canopy.
One thing about us South Africans - we normally pack our vehicles with too many things just for incase. Two or three gasbottles, five plates, five cups, two cases of beer, four bottles of brandy 24 cokes a pan and driepoot pot a kettle ...........even if you are only two people in the vehicle.
One thing that I realised during my recent trip was that you can buy basicly everything in most of the big towns in Africa. We found Shoprites in Arusha and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Lilongwe in Malawi, Lusaka in Zambia and in Kasane in Botswana. There you can stock up with everything including ouma biskuit and bols blatjang. Of course the coffee in Tanzania was the best ever. Wish I bought more to bring with. As soon as I worked out how to include photo's I will do so.
Blink Stefaans

SYRON CONVERSIONS · Post by **SYRON CONVERSIONS** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:35 pm

Blink, I have sent you a PM,

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:21 am

Thanks Blink Stefaans - thanks for the info!

Any further tips would be greatly appreciated.

I'm super keen to see your packing/ door system.

Scotty

Post by **pietpetoors** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:04 am

Hi Scotty, have you bought the Hilux yet?

Berty · Post by **Berty** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:41 am

F_D, bit off topic but about filling long range tanks, i find it helps to have the filler side up a bit, even maybe keep a brick in the bin and drive the back wheel onto it when filling to just lift it a bit.

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:10 pm

Hi Piet

Today we took a big step towards buying our vehicle. :D

The long story will kill you.... so the short story is that: We are buying a vehicle from a European couple that kitted out the old SFA, did a massive overlanding trip in Africa, and then went back to Europe.

After test driving their SFA, checking all equipment, compression tests etc. we made an offer. BUT then we found out how diffiult it would be to pay the money overseas

. After one week of fighting with the banks we hear today that the transfer has been actioned.

I'm going to hold off posting info about the car in case something goes wrong and we don't get it. The day we register it and drive it home I will do a comprehensive post under "Members rides" and then you guys can have open season on deciding what we should still consider modding on the vehicle.

Exciting times! By the way - thanks everyone for the info so far. Only negative about buying a car with a fair amount of kit is that you can't do it yourself! But based on the forum's info we are already scurrying around finding bucket seats, centre consoles, tyres, suspension, spots, storage systems and all sorts of other things. There will still be alot to do! Details to follow..........

Scotty

Post by **pietpetoors** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:57 pm

That sounds very exciting. The advantage you have is that it takes most people a couple of years to kit out there vehicle completely. So you do not have to wait all that long. We hope that all goes well with the transaction.

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:17 pm

Hi Scotty

Great to hear you found a vehicle.

One question though. Is the vehicle registered in SA? If not how much is it going to cost you to do so?

Regarding the payment, have you investigated using PayPal (http://www.paypal.com). I use it regularly to make payments to people overseas. I am not sure how it will work on such a large sums though, but basically if both parties have a PayPal account which is linked to their existing bank account, money gets moved out of your credit card into theirs via PayPal (which takes a finance fee) but I found that using this on the amounts that I have made transactions on (under R 1K) it is substantially cheaper then using international money transfers via my bank.

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:07 pm

Hi Benni

Luckily the vehicle is registered here with the forms all filled out with their family in CT. So that shouldn't be a problem.

Your Paypal suggestion is interesting- I'll check it out. We have done the thing through standard bank. Because purchasing the vehicle falls outside of "allowable" transfers such as donations(R30 000 limit) and travel (R160 000 limit) we had to provide all sorts of info, especially the seller. He had to prove that he brought Forex into SA - that he is now "taking out." I'll kick myself if all the rondloop wasn't necessary :?

On another note I got an insurance quote today.....

Outsurance will provide comprehensive cover for vehicle and mods/ extras for R400 per month (I realise my age/ record makes a difference). This obviously while we are still in SA, insurance will be a different story in Africa.

Funny thing though.....to get the cover I have to fit an immobiliser and anti hi-jack (R1030), BUT don't have to fit an alarm

:!:

I don't underdstand that?? I think I will fit an alarm too though. Radio Autosonic in Claremont will fit the full Level 4 system, with alarm for R1500. To fit an extra sensor in the canopy: R250

Total cost R1750.

Any thoughts guys?? Good idea to go the whole hog? Good price?

Cheers
Scotty

Post by **pietpetoors** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:46 pm

Jy moes gevra het, see http://www.sgm-fx.com/private_clients.html . They are London based South Africans and it is their business to move money from one country to the next.

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:52 pm

Before doing the alarm 1st finalise your insurance. After reading what some members experienced with outsurance I personally would avoid them like the plague

There are a fewcompanies that provide proper 4x4 insurance including cover in neigbouring countries and recovery from there if need be.

See this - http://www.insurance-guide.co.za/4x4-insurance.asp

Here are 2 companies that I have heard a lot of good things about
Cross Country
http://www.allterrain.co.za/
http://www.fourwheeldrive.co.za/insurance.htm

TuffStuff
http://www.tuffstuff.co.za/

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:07 pm

Berty wrote:F_D, bit off topic but about filling long range tanks, i find it helps to have the filler side up a bit, even maybe keep a brick in the bin and drive the back wheel onto it when filling to just lift it a bit.

Hi Berty,

Interesting thought, but worth a try! I will do just that when I fill up again. :D

-F_D

Cookie Monster · Post by **Cookie Monster** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:37 pm

Hi Scotty

Its really cool that you have finaly found a Van

I hope it is really cool and I cant wait to hear about the details :!:

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:36 pm

Hi Gents

As promised.....I have posted details about our SFA under "Members Rides".

Scotty