The DeTour Trip Report - As Told by Blackdawg

Blackdawg

Dr. Frankenstein
Monte,
Sorry I'm so late to the show. Wow! I just read the whole thing. Great write up as always. I always love reading your trip reports and seeing the AWESOME photos you take. I liked your comment about all (you, Dan and Mike) being 6 year old boys when you were driving thru the mud puddles...haha.
I also appreciate your sense of adventure and willingness to adapt and change plans. I would love to meet you on the trail some day.

Sorry to hear Frankenstein got 'injured'. The LBJ bolts that broke, were they OEM or aftermarket. I'm asking cause I do a fair amount of remote solo trips and I don't carry back up LBJ. Makes me wonder if I need to?

Thanks for taking the time to post.

Durwin

Hey Durwin,

Thanks for reading and posting!

The Bolts were not OEM. But they didn't break because they were inferior bolts. I think they just weren't torqued right and I didn't locktite them. When I put the new OEM ones in I was working off site most the time and had very limited time to work on the truck. I bolted things back together with the notion I'd go back and locktite them and torque them properly as I was in a rush and had to get he truck in and out of the shop. Of course I forgot. So really my own doing.

Id strongly suggest carrying spare LBJs. You don't need new ones for this. Next time you swap a pair out, just keep the old ones for trail spares. They will get you home at least. Id keep some spare bolts as well. This is the 5th incident with LBJ problems for me and 3 of them have been purely bolt related.

Thanks for reading! I need to get photos edited..seems i just don't have as much time as I used too..but did two more trips last fall and about to leave for another!

Monte
 

ITTOG

Well-known member
I was going to add you need to take some more trips to give us more stories. I guess you just need to make some time and give us those stories we all like. Thanks for sharing them.
 

owyheerat

Adventurer
Hey Durwin,

Thanks for reading and posting!

The Bolts were not OEM. But they didn't break because they were inferior bolts. I think they just weren't torqued right and I didn't locktite them. When I put the new OEM ones in I was working off site most the time and had very limited time to work on the truck. I bolted things back together with the notion I'd go back and locktite them and torque them properly as I was in a rush and had to get he truck in and out of the shop. Of course I forgot. So really my own doing.

Id strongly suggest carrying spare LBJs. You don't need new ones for this. Next time you swap a pair out, just keep the old ones for trail spares. They will get you home at least. Id keep some spare bolts as well. This is the 5th incident with LBJ problems for me and 3 of them have been purely bolt related.

Thanks for reading! I need to get photos edited..seems i just don't have as much time as I used too..but did two more trips last fall and about to leave for another!

Monte


Thanks for the answer. It seems that is a fairly common failure on the 1st gen tacos and 3rd gen 4runners (what I drive). I recently replaced my LBJ's with OEM parts, just as PM. The originals looked to be in good condition, so I will have to try and find them, hopefully I didn't send them to the recycler....

Speaking of such things (trail repairs), do you mind listing what spares you carry? You have much more experience 'overlanding' than I do, and so, I would like to glean from your experience.

Glad to hear you've been out on more trips. I'm jealous. I can't wait to read and see amazing pics of your 'epic adventures'...

Another question. When you are out for an extended time (like this trip), can you share your 'tricks' on personal hygiene?

Lastly, I asked you a couple years ago, what camera and lense you use. Have you upgraded your photo equip?

Thanks Monte, much appreciated.

Keep exploring (and posting...)


Durwin
 

Blackdawg

Dr. Frankenstein
I was going to add you need to take some more trips to give us more stories. I guess you just need to make some time and give us those stories we all like. Thanks for sharing them.

haha yeah! Plenty has happened or will. just need to spend the time to get the photos done!

Thanks for the answer. It seems that is a fairly common failure on the 1st gen tacos and 3rd gen 4runners (what I drive). I recently replaced my LBJ's with OEM parts, just as PM. The originals looked to be in good condition, so I will have to try and find them, hopefully I didn't send them to the recycler....

Speaking of such things (trail repairs), do you mind listing what spares you carry? You have much more experience 'overlanding' than I do, and so, I would like to glean from your experience.

Glad to hear you've been out on more trips. I'm jealous. I can't wait to read and see amazing pics of your 'epic adventures'...

Another question. When you are out for an extended time (like this trip), can you share your 'tricks' on personal hygiene?

Lastly, I asked you a couple years ago, what camera and lense you use. Have you upgraded your photo equip?

Thanks Monte, much appreciated.

Keep exploring (and posting...)


Durwin

Yeah hopefully you kept those! Make good trail spares.

I carry a lot of stuff. 2 CVs, Tie rods inner and outers, LBJs, assorted bolts and nuts and washers, gear oil, engine oil, spare alternator...maybe a few other things..i haven't done my spring check up so can't remember it all perfectly..sorry.. I knew a guy that hauled the entires front end of a truck around with him, as in uppers and lower control arms haha its kind of a balance of weight and what you can actually fix on the trail vs just being totally screwed. My main trail truck, Frankenstein, has 35s so the stress on the steering components is higher than on 33s(still high on 33s though). Thats why I bring the tie rods along. But really, if I have a accident thats bad enough, not a lot I can do anyways.

Preventative maintenance is your friend here and doing pre trip checks and prep. That should save you from a majority of things that could go wrong. Then during the trips, we always every once in a while at our own leisure check the trucks, just glancing underneath, butting fingers on bolts..can be be telling and save you.

LBJs and LBJ bolts will always live in the spare parts though as thats an accident or issue that can be minor or caught on trail before its bad, like on this trip, or it can fully explode at speed as seen in my first report here The S.O.S. Report. In the latter case, you're screwed no matter what. there isn't a lot of reason to haul a spare steering rack, brake lines, enough fluid to bleed the brakes, upper control arms and ball joints, and all the hardware...its just not really useable and worth the weight.

So yeah, I've been on lots of trips, and broken a LOT of stuff. Usually its more of a matter of survival and getting home rather than fixing it and continuing on. You can solve a lot of problems with just a good tool box with some other handy devices. And knowledge of course, knowing I could just gut the diff and still drive in 2wd with Frankenstein when the front diff blew up in remote Canada country and how to do it is important.

As for Hygiene. Im not one to care too much about being super clean. THat said. I do have a shower I made out of an old beer keg that I bring when it fits. Plus its 5 gals of extra water if needed. It can be AMAZING just to rinse your hair of the dust. Which depending on where we are, I'll just dunk into a creek or pond/lake if possible. My buddy Mike has a water jug with a spout and just opens it up slightly and puts his head under it to rinse off every morning. I don't need that really myself, but can understand how some would. After that, I brush my teeth and chew gum to keep my mouth feeling fresh, that alone helps stave off most of it haha. My girl brings baby wipes with us and wiping your pits out and your face down and where ever it feels "musty" can be great. I always wear deodorant too.

Nothing beats the full on shower though I built with the air compressor..although it can be quite cold depending on where you are. We've used it very lightly though as it doesn't always pack how I want it too. And 5 gal of water does NOT last long with 2 people. Usually its enough for us to wash our hair and arms with biodegradable soap and thats about it. Its a life saver if your with a lot of trucks in super dusty roads. Showers though are bulky and a bit cumbersome. Really usually for 2 weeks you can get away just fine without it. Longer than that though, you'd want it around for sure.

Keeping your bedding clean is also important. I sleep with only boxer on, no matter how cold it is..well okay if its below 0 i'll wear a shirt I guess and hat. Otherwise I don't though, wearing layers to bed makes you sweat more and ultimately makes you stink more by not letting your body get to breath. I have no real proof of that statement..but it works for me quite well.

Thankfully, all of us are out there at the same time so we all smell just as bad as each other and also thankfully we never notice it..no idea what its like when we stop in town for a bite mid trip for other people LOL but whatever!

Camera gear wise, Im still shooting the same stuff.

Canon 60D
18-135mm STM(I did just get a USM version though on this trip i was using the STM still)
10-18mm USM
50mm 1.8(I rarely use this lens)

Most all my photos are with the 18-135mm, its probably the best lens for what I do as it has a wide angle and the zoom reach is just good enough for almost everything on these trips. Sometimes I wish I had a longer lens but that is rare. Otherwise, this is the best all around walking around lens Canon makes.

I do really really want to get a Canon 6D or something else full frame and some real glass. Been wanting to for a while now, but always seem to spend money else where. The 60D has been good to me though and my god do I abuse it. It leads a bumpy rough life with me, but always keeps kicking. I probably have close to 40-60k shutters on it by now.

Mike and Dan both shoot canon too. Mike on an older 50D and Dan on a newer 80D.

I use LightRoom 5 mostly for edits and for star photos and Panos I use PhotoShop.

Always glad to help! Sorry for the long ass post haha

Monte
 

owyheerat

Adventurer
haha yeah! Plenty has happened or will. just need to spend the time to get the photos done!



Yeah hopefully you kept those! Make good trail spares.

I carry a lot of stuff. 2 CVs, Tie rods inner and outers, LBJs, assorted bolts and nuts and washers, gear oil, engine oil, spare alternator...maybe a few other things..i haven't done my spring check up so can't remember it all perfectly..sorry.. I knew a guy that hauled the entires front end of a truck around with him, as in uppers and lower control arms haha its kind of a balance of weight and what you can actually fix on the trail vs just being totally screwed. My main trail truck, Frankenstein, has 35s so the stress on the steering components is higher than on 33s(still high on 33s though). Thats why I bring the tie rods along. But really, if I have a accident thats bad enough, not a lot I can do anyways.

Preventative maintenance is your friend here and doing pre trip checks and prep. That should save you from a majority of things that could go wrong. Then during the trips, we always every once in a while at our own leisure check the trucks, just glancing underneath, butting fingers on bolts..can be be telling and save you.

LBJs and LBJ bolts will always live in the spare parts though as thats an accident or issue that can be minor or caught on trail before its bad, like on this trip, or it can fully explode at speed as seen in my first report here The S.O.S. Report. In the latter case, you're screwed no matter what. there isn't a lot of reason to haul a spare steering rack, brake lines, enough fluid to bleed the brakes, upper control arms and ball joints, and all the hardware...its just not really useable and worth the weight.

So yeah, I've been on lots of trips, and broken a LOT of stuff. Usually its more of a matter of survival and getting home rather than fixing it and continuing on. You can solve a lot of problems with just a good tool box with some other handy devices. And knowledge of course, knowing I could just gut the diff and still drive in 2wd with Frankenstein when the front diff blew up in remote Canada country and how to do it is important.

As for Hygiene. Im not one to care too much about being super clean. THat said. I do have a shower I made out of an old beer keg that I bring when it fits. Plus its 5 gals of extra water if needed. It can be AMAZING just to rinse your hair of the dust. Which depending on where we are, I'll just dunk into a creek or pond/lake if possible. My buddy Mike has a water jug with a spout and just opens it up slightly and puts his head under it to rinse off every morning. I don't need that really myself, but can understand how some would. After that, I brush my teeth and chew gum to keep my mouth feeling fresh, that alone helps stave off most of it haha. My girl brings baby wipes with us and wiping your pits out and your face down and where ever it feels "musty" can be great. I always wear deodorant too.

Nothing beats the full on shower though I built with the air compressor..although it can be quite cold depending on where you are. We've used it very lightly though as it doesn't always pack how I want it too. And 5 gal of water does NOT last long with 2 people. Usually its enough for us to wash our hair and arms with biodegradable soap and thats about it. Its a life saver if your with a lot of trucks in super dusty roads. Showers though are bulky and a bit cumbersome. Really usually for 2 weeks you can get away just fine without it. Longer than that though, you'd want it around for sure.

Keeping your bedding clean is also important. I sleep with only boxer on, no matter how cold it is..well okay if its below 0 i'll wear a shirt I guess and hat. Otherwise I don't though, wearing layers to bed makes you sweat more and ultimately makes you stink more by not letting your body get to breath. I have no real proof of that statement..but it works for me quite well.

Thankfully, all of us are out there at the same time so we all smell just as bad as each other and also thankfully we never notice it..no idea what its like when we stop in town for a bite mid trip for other people LOL but whatever!

Camera gear wise, Im still shooting the same stuff.

Canon 60D
18-135mm STM(I did just get a USM version though on this trip i was using the STM still)
10-18mm USM
50mm 1.8(I rarely use this lens)

Most all my photos are with the 18-135mm, its probably the best lens for what I do as it has a wide angle and the zoom reach is just good enough for almost everything on these trips. Sometimes I wish I had a longer lens but that is rare. Otherwise, this is the best all around walking around lens Canon makes.

I do really really want to get a Canon 6D or something else full frame and some real glass. Been wanting to for a while now, but always seem to spend money else where. The 60D has been good to me though and my god do I abuse it. It leads a bumpy rough life with me, but always keeps kicking. I probably have close to 40-60k shutters on it by now.

Mike and Dan both shoot canon too. Mike on an older 50D and Dan on a newer 80D.

I use LightRoom 5 mostly for edits and for star photos and Panos I use PhotoShop.

Always glad to help! Sorry for the long ass post haha

Monte


Monte,
Thanks I appreciate the info. It would be better discussed around a campfire, but this will have to do....

Thanks for the insight. I'm anal about PM. I would much rather do the repair in the comfort of my garage, then out on the trail, so I always take care of things in advance and give it a thorough check before hitting the trails. With that said, I think I will add the LBJ's and bolts to my 'spares' pile.

Regarding hygiene, I mainly ask, cause I want to be considerate of the others in the group. I'm comfortable in my 'trail funk', but I'm not sure they feel the same...lol. I pretty much do the same as you, with the addition of body wipes.

Your pictures are amazing. Proof that you don't have to have the 'latest and greatest' equipment. I need to pull the trigger and invest in a set up, and stop relying on my crappy phone pics.

Thanks again for all the info. You're the kind of person that makes this forum GREAT! Keep it up!

Be safe.

Durwin
 

Blackdawg

Dr. Frankenstein
Monte,
Thanks I appreciate the info. It would be better discussed around a campfire, but this will have to do....

Thanks for the insight. I'm anal about PM. I would much rather do the repair in the comfort of my garage, then out on the trail, so I always take care of things in advance and give it a thorough check before hitting the trails. With that said, I think I will add the LBJ's and bolts to my 'spares' pile.

Regarding hygiene, I mainly ask, cause I want to be considerate of the others in the group. I'm comfortable in my 'trail funk', but I'm not sure they feel the same...lol. I pretty much do the same as you, with the addition of body wipes.

Your pictures are amazing. Proof that you don't have to have the 'latest and greatest' equipment. I need to pull the trigger and invest in a set up, and stop relying on my crappy phone pics.

Thanks again for all the info. You're the kind of person that makes this forum GREAT! Keep it up!

Be safe.

Durwin

Im not as good about it as I'd like. For a long time I was in college locally which was great. Then I wasn't which was bad..now I don't have a shop or garage really to do much. So makes it hard. Hopefully change that soon.

Long as no one says I stink then i think we are good :p haha

Thanks! You really don't. Shooting in RAW and with software these days you can do a LOT with not a lot. Plus just learning your gear well helps a lot too.

Thanks for the kind words! Makes all the effort worth it!

See you on the trail!

Monte
 

Blackdawg

Dr. Frankenstein
I spent 2 nights going through this - many, many thanks and please keep posting.

From France, this gives a Dutchman a good idea what we're missing..

The Toyota seems to be doing quite well ?!

Thanks for reading! Don't worry, definietly plan on still posting. Check out the other threads I've done too for some more reading!

France! Wow! Cool man, I've never been over seas. Some day I hope to go.

The toyota is doing great! Well..one of them. The double cab. Just redid the whole front suspension. Frankenstein is still sitting idle waiting for his over haul. The daily single cab is down for the moment as well but should be running in a few weeks.

Thanks for posting!
 

Arjan

Fossil Overlander
Interesting to read so much on the Toyota. Frankenstein sounds interesting and much like my Land Rover 110...

Yes, living here has it's Pros - and also Cons...
511801
Italian / French Alsp had a lot to offer - now just way too busy and more and more lanes closed.. :(

30 countries within 2-3 days drive and we can drive a long way, money & time permitting.
511799
Friend of mine just drove back a motorbike from Kirgistan to Holland and had a blast !!

However, landscape wise you guys have nothing to complain about by the looks of it...
 
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Blackdawg

Dr. Frankenstein
Interesting to read so much on the Toyota. Frankenstein sounds interesting and much like my Land Rover 110...

Yes, living here has it's Pros - and also Cons...
View attachment 511801
Italian / French Alsp had a lot to offer - now just way too busy and more and more lanes closed.. :(

30 countries within 2-3 days drive and we can drive a long way, money & time permitting.
View attachment 511799
Friend of mine just drove back a motorbike from Kirgistan to Holland and had a blast !!

However, landscape wise you guys have nothing to complain about by the looks of it...

Im a toyota die hard fan there is no doubt!

Lots more people per sq mile there then out here. But trails are closing every year out here too sadly. Catch 22 really as the more they close, the more the roads that are left get used, which due to high traffic tears them up more. Which means they get closed..

Lots of great landscape to explore still!
 

Arjan

Fossil Overlander
"..Lots more people per sq mile there then out here. But trails are closing every year out here too sadly. Catch 22 really as the more they close, the more the roads that are left get used, which due to high traffic tears them up more. Which means they get closed.. .."

This is how it is here, too, I'm afraid...

When I moved to France, we had 1,000s of miles of what we call "greenlanes" but we loose miles every day.. The Alps, a very popular region to go to with 4WD's, is so crowed 1-way systems are introduced, lanes closed and popular "wild camping sites" more crowed than the regular camp sites.. And the less miles of lanes, the more vehicles per miles end up on the remaining ones..

I will have a read again on Frankenstein - like my 110, it is a create from many origins..
 

Blackdawg

Dr. Frankenstein
"..Lots more people per sq mile there then out here. But trails are closing every year out here too sadly. Catch 22 really as the more they close, the more the roads that are left get used, which due to high traffic tears them up more. Which means they get closed.. .."

This is how it is here, too, I'm afraid...

When I moved to France, we had 1,000s of miles of what we call "greenlanes" but we loose miles every day.. The Alps, a very popular region to go to with 4WD's, is so crowed 1-way systems are introduced, lanes closed and popular "wild camping sites" more crowed than the regular camp sites.. And the less miles of lanes, the more vehicles per miles end up on the remaining ones..

I will have a read again on Frankenstein - like my 110, it is a create from many origins..

Yeah its a catch 22 for sure. Vehicle camping has exploded in the last 10 years or so. Might just be a fad..or here to stay. Not sure. Time will tell!

Its a long read! Though I don't keep the build thread on here up to date as well as the original on Tacomaworld. But thats a HUGE thread so I wouldn't read it all haha
 

Arjan

Fossil Overlander
"..Its a long read! Though I don't keep the build thread on here up to date as well as the original on Tacomaworld. But thats a HUGE thread so I wouldn't read it all haha .."

No worries... :)

The story on the Series Hybrid started in 1978 and has been on 3 different plates until this very day - rebuild 3 times - with 4 different engines etc.
512569512570

The 110 started as a Td5 HCP in England, bought in Ireland after the 2.8 Tdi was removed, converted to LHD with its 3rd 300 Tdi, made it into a Hardtop and now fully caged, custom electrics and about to get a lift roof section...

512567512568

Writing that one would be just too boring....

512571

... we just had too many Land Rovers...

.... not to mention the Range Rovers and Discovery's :LOL:
 
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ITTOG

Well-known member
Sorry to bring up an old thread but....

Not sure why but last night I thought about this thread and other trip reports you and turbo{something} used to always write. Surely you haven't quit expeditions but not sure given no new trip reports? Well, if you check in, I hope things are going well for you, turbo{something}, and Mike. If you are posting trip reports elsewhere, let me know.
 

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