Maintenance
ihana.com - big trip - the landy - maintenance
Below is a table of 'extra' maintenance work done on the landy. Regular stuff includes the following:-
engine oil and filter, a good quality oil, suitable filters readily available from other models of cars | 10000kms |
replace diesel filter and clean out sedimenter | 10000kms |
grease propshafts, always after wet off roading and river crossings or every | 3000kms |
check gearbox, transfer box, swivels and axle oils | 3000kms |
balance wheels | after punctures! |
Fanbelt tightness, engine oil and water levels are checked daily and the underside is regularly looked at for signs of leaks and things coming loose. Stuff done as a result of fixing a broken part is listed here.
date | what | kms since last time | where fixed | notes |
08/2003 | welded up leaking fuel tank | 142000 | peru | leaking a fair bit on the very last day of the trip |
05/2003 | replaced glow plugs | 130000 | peru | cold starts were getting dodgy |
05/2003 | replaced steering universal joints | 130000 | peru | bottom one very wobbly, steering feels good as new now. previous temp fix of wrapping with rubber worked well |
05/2003 | replaced front brake pads | 40000 | peru | still had plenty of life on them but done anyway |
05/2003 | replaced rear brake shoes | 40000 | peru | the time had come |
05/2003 | replace main gearbox oil | 45000 | bolivia | a bit late but no worries |
05/2003 | replace one set rear hub seals | 35000 | bolivia | rear shoes oily, replaced with half used old ones we kept |
04/2003 | engine valve clearances | 18000 | argentina | routine stuff |
02/2003 | re-tightened rear hub | 15000 | argentina | tightened up after a wobbly balancing |
11/2002 | engine valve clearances | 9000 | brazil | needed doing after head rebuild in guyana |
10/2002 | regreased front hub | 5000 | brazil | didn't do the lockwasher properly in guyana so eventually leaked grease onto the disk and caliper |
09/2002 | replaced rear brake shoes | 3000 | guyana | hub inner seals had leaked and ruined them |
09/2002 | replaced front brake pads | 12000 | guyana | wore very fast while in jungle mud |
09/2002 | replaced rear hub seals | dunno | guyana | allowed oil to damage brake shoes |
09/2002 | replaced two wheel bearing sets | dunno | guyana | bearing races not looking too perfect |
09/2002 | replaced headlight bulbs and fixed wiring | 28000 | guyana | high power ones never worked properly |
08/2002 | clean out handbrake mechanism | 50000 | venezuela | minged up off roading in Canaima, shoes worn out so still doesn't work |
08/2002 | replace rear brake shoes | 50000 | venezuela | brakes work now |
08/2002 | replace main gearbox oil | 20000 | venezuela | done a bit early as oil is well cheap |
08/2002 | changed transfer box oil again | 3000 | venezuela | water in it during off roading in Canaima |
07/2002 | replace swivel oil | 45000 | venezuela | did when removing the broken axle |
07/2002 | changed fan belt | 40000 | venezuela | Just in time, had a big split in it |
07/2002 | changed front and rear diff oil | 40000 | venezuela | Accidentally bought half 85W-140 and half 80W-90. Spilt most of the old oil on the ground too. |
07/2002 | replace brake master cylinder seals | dunno | venezuela | brakes have got pretty spongey and bleeding them didn't help. New kit makes a difference. Should have had one in our spares inventory. |
07/2002 | panhard rod bushes | dunno | venezuela | replaced to eliminate more clunking noises from underneath during axle articulation |
07/2002 | replace tyres | 40000 | venezuela | Michelin XZLs lost all their grip and most of their tread. Replaced with massive BF Goodrich 285/75 mud terrains ready for the Amazon |
07/2002 | changed transfer box oil | 40000 | venezuela | done while changing the seal |
06/2002 | check and top up batteries | 40000 | venezuela | main battery ok, 2nd battery dry and dead - replaced |
06/2002 | engine valve clearances | 24000 | venezuela | needed doing, started smoother afterwards |
4/2002 | replace steering damper | dunno | colombia | stopped working in honduras. got a landy one in colombia |
3/2002 | apply loctite to rear radius arm mountings | never | panama | stopped them vibrating loose on very rough roads and then rattling |
2/2002 | refill radiator with antifreeze | 30000 | costa rica | once the leak was fixed needed to add antifreeze, cooling improved afterwards |
2/2002 | front brake pads | 35000 | costa rica | done just in the nick of time, rears still ok |
1/2002 | replaced abysmal 45w front headlight bulbs with 90/100 watt types | dunno | honduras | seriously screwed up the wiring, had to add a relay for dip and for main beam. one headlamp connector melted due to rubber seal not allowing cool air in, since removed |
12/2001 | change brake fluid | dunno | guatemala | old fluid boiled in mexico, replaced with DOT4 type after unsuccessfully bleeding the brakes various times |
12/2001 | radius arm bushes | dunno | belize | replaced due to lots of clunking noises from underneath during axle articulation. |
12/2001 | engine valve clearances | 24000 | belize | needed doing, started smoother afterwards |
12/2001 | replace main gearbox oil | 24000 | belize | not too many bits of metal in there |
Thousands of kms of dirt tracks don't do any vehicle many favours. Other vehicles we encounter have broken shocks, shot bushes, broken springs, rattly steering, bald tyres after years of hard use. We've found that bolts come loose after long periods of vibration and chassis bushes, particularly, suffer. Fitting a new set of bushes before the trip would have been prudent. Loctiting the chassis bolts stops them coming loose and causing more rattles.