Search results

When you use a DCDC charger, voltage drops are not as relevant as the charger will charge the secondary battery at the required voltage even if the input from the main battery and alternator drops to as low as 9 volts. That is what the DCDC charger does. The charger needs be as close as...

Welcome. Great to see another VW in the mix.

You are best to go with an Aggregated Glass Mat (AGM) battery. They are designed to work in the heat of an engine bay and can cope with cold without having heating elements (as required for lithium batteries). AGM batteries cannot be fully discharged without shortening their lifespan so if you...

Just as long as you injured yourself overlanding and not doing some mundane task in your regular life. It's physical proof of having a good time and gives you the creds.

You need to get out there with your vehicle as is. You will figure out what YOU need to do to your vehicle to improve your experience. From the list, I would prioritise things that make it safe for you like first aid, navigation and driver training. If you are a newbie, travel with friends that...

I really like this device, my Garmin Montana 700i. I've used the other Garmin Inreach devices and their interface is awful, the same as their other backpacking GPS units. The Montana interface is more like a mobile phone, with proper touchscreen controls and message typing. The display is large...

I don't know about San Francisco, but I look for secure undercover parking away from the city. I find that places that offer alternatives to airport parking, away from the actual airport, sometimes provide this. I then travel by public transport and stay in hotels. I think Bjoern's idea is good...

They won't decrease it from the original, but they won't increase it either. Stiffer springs are the only way to increase the payload, noting that in your case the carrying capacity of your current springs may be reduced from original by either wear (previous overloading) or poor design. Shock...

Don't load weight on the shock absorbers. They are not meant for that and the rubbers and mounting points will fail. Fit firmer springs if you need to carry heavier loads.

The Oztent/Rhino Rack awning I use is designed to be lower on the vehicle and higher at the outside edge. The water runs inwards and down the water chute. To fit it over a higher tailgate, you just extend the poles a little higher until it clears.

I have a Garmin Montana 700i. It has a much better interface than the smaller InReach's, almost like using a standard mobile with a touchscreen and familiar keyboard interface. Although it doesn't have a consistent phone number, those who need to reach me can enter the Garmin email into the...

We have the same deal living on the island of Tasmania, although you Brits have it easy with multiple routes. Our shipping is a 10-hour 450km (280 mi) ordeal across the often very rough Bass Strait. Our Island does have some great places so leaving to make it an overlanding trip isn't required.

Not all car camping is overlanding. Not all overlanding is car camping. For me, travelling to new places to experience new environments, people and things is overlanding. Driving down the highway for an hour or 2, and camping at the next Big4 (KOA for those in the US) and returning the next...

I've given this a lot of thought lately as my current AGMs need replacing. There's no doubt about the performance and lower weight of LiFePO4 (lithium Iron Polymer) batteries. They are also reasonably safe, but there have been some fires caused by even respectable brand LiFePO4 batteries, mainly...

The most important part of the first aid kit is not the kit itself. It's the correct knowledge on how to respond. Take a first aid course from a certified provider. At least know what all the items in your first aid are for and when you should use them. If there are things in your kit that your...

I've ridden the Pacific Coast too, great trip.

No. You just need a vehicle (preferably one you already have) and some basic camping gear. Your main monetary concern should be what is it going to cost me to get out of here. To qualify that it will really depend on where you are, who you go with and how much you know, which you can improve...

So I'm not a member of the Full Size club, but definitely a van. VW Multivan with 4Motion which is a part-time on-demand 4WD system. It has a mild lift kit and bash plates. The factory layout includes the reversible 2nd-row seating and the table. I've added the rear storage/kitchen which also...

That's kind of what happened in Australia, although they have brought in the 'Thai'ota Fortuner into that niche as the Prados are overpriced.

Is there a good time of year to visit the North Rim?