In our previous article, we announced the modifications planned on van, Uyo, to prepare it for the off road. Uyo is in good condition and we hope it has many more years ahead of it. The objective is to prepare our 4×4 for Africa to be able to return with it after our adventure.
As the saying goes “prevention is better than cure”. Nevertheless our budget was limited and we didn’t have much expertise to evaluate the risks of breakdown.
Fortunately, we had the chance to meet people with off-road experience, especially in Africa, to identify the biggest risks:
- The suspensions will be put to the test, so we replaced our old ones with new reinforced ones. We opted for the Seikel booster kit which contains Bilstein shocks, springs and shims.
- The engine and its housing can be damaged by the projection of stones or by hitting rocks.Therefore, we have installed a 2mm hardened steel shoe. In general, the shoes can be tailor made or bought from manufacturers. We managed to find a standard model, somewhat thin, but not too expensive on www.protectionsousmoteur.eu. It has the advantage of being easily fixed since it is screwed on the holes of the original protection.
- A flat tire is the most common failure on any type of vehicle. We already had BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires, which are known to be robust against punctures. The left front tire was starting to wear out on the inner side. So we bought two new tires for the front and kept the one in good condition for the spare.
Shoe installation 
shock mounting 
shoe and shock installed
Moreover, riding on tracks generates a lot of dust that can quickly clog the air filter and damage the engine. To protect it, it is recommended to install a snorkel that allows to increase the air intake. A kind of snorkel for cars. The installation costs more than 1000€, too expensive for us. So we will regularly clean and/or replace the air filters (engine and cabin) when we go on the track.
Life time air filter 
The old air filter of the cabin on the right and new one on the left
When it comes to spare parts to bring with us, of course, we have to make choices. The storage space in Uyo is not expandable. It is essential to have a spare tire. A second one is always preferable if the space allows it. In our case, we store it on the roof and an extra one would require the addition of a structure on the back door which we don’t want to do for cost, time and weight reasons. For the other spare parts, it’s a gamble on which ones will break or be too difficult to find/repair in Africa. In the end, the choice is made according to the space available and the cost. We have opted for :
- Front/Rear brake pads,
- Lower/upper suspension ball joints,
- Pieces of hoses of different sizes,
- Our original shocks that still work.
Transporter Garage welcomed us in Coutras for the preparation of Uyo. We are delighted with their services. In addition to the installation of parts, they allowed us to get our hands dirty. We learned a lot about the mechanics of Uyo and got countless advices from Jeff and Christophe.
Work inspection 
oil purging 
spare tire
Finally, we had the exhaust system repaired as it was damaged. The rear muffler had a hole several centimeters long. It was therefore necessary to replace it. Towards the front of the chassis, just after the catalytic converter, a small hole was growing. Welding a small steel plate allowed to seal it.
Welding of the exhaust pipe 
After the welding 
New rear muffler
In short, a good preparation is made of compromise between budget, risk prevention and luck on the choice of spare parts if you take some. Equipping your vehicle too much is not good either. It becomes heavy, increasing its fuel consumption and the risk of getting stuck on soft ground.
Having a spare tire is essential, for the rest it’s up to you! 😉
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