St Petersburg

Ah, you mean Leningrad ;-)

There are a number of expedition groups and yahoogroups type lists which may help, however such a journey is not too hard these days as you'll mostly be on main roads. Think about what you'd have to replace in 3 years - and take a spare of that part. (yeah, maybe not gearbox!).

Top of your list are things like fan belt and filters, then a few tyres (don't have to be on rims as you'll find plenty of places to put them on) along with your normal 'spare'. Puncture repair kits are good - proper ones, not gooo.

Remember you can get most Landie bits for your (currentish) model en-route should the need be. This may sound odd, but the journey you're planning isn't 'that far' - there are people here who do that sort of milage in a month or so (stand up Hobbs), however, a few personal comforts will come in handy, like toilet paper (yes, speaking from experience).

It changed back again. I remember distinctly as the first time I went there it was Leningrad, on a return trip two years later, it was once again St Petersburg. A far nicer name anyway, in my opinion.

The only other noticable difference since the fall of communisim was that the main drag was noticably the worse for wear with many more potholes than previously.

Alex

I know it's not in the same league but we did 1700 miles towing a big Caravan this summer to the South of france and back. Only hickup was a blown fuse through trying to run too much through a 4 into 1 cigarette lighter socket wotsit. Finding Nemo and A Laptop PSU aren't compatible.

Given your doubling that milage and pobably going to have a few rougher roads I'd not worry too much. What ever you pack you can bet your bottom dollar it's something else that breaks if at all.

Just make sure it's all tip top before departure.. and not the week before, at least a month before. Biggest problem is usually the service immediately before departure which presents problems as my Dad often recounts.

Lee D

Just done 3000kms (1800miles) with my Dico and caravan

from Melbourne to the Flinders Ranges 500kms north of Adelaide.

We had one pucture. I had the usual spares in case but didn't need them.

Great spot for FWdriving I recomend it to all.

I don't think you need a whole prop-shaft, but a pair of spiders could save a lot of time waiting if something did happen. You're on a diesel, and I would definitely carry spare fuel filters -- more than one. You're in places with good mechanics, and pretty good communications, so it's more for convenience than anything else.

On or around Tue, 05 Oct 2004 08:55:27 +0100 (BST), snipped-for-privacy@zhochaka.demon.co.uk ("David G. Bell") enlightened us thusly:

good point about the filters - you might find dirty diesel... ditto propshaft joint kits, much easier than carrying a whole prop.

some other obvious spares would be handy. Brake vacuum pump, on a 300 TDi, for example, bloody thing.

It'll always be Leningrad to me...

A triumph of Capitalism eh? On a point of pedantic order - Communism never failled. It has yet to be tested.

I guess get some views of fuel quality and take plenty of fuel filters. That would be my concern

Rich

I's seriously consider adding an auxiliaru fuel filter before the factory one - something like a dual filter Racor one that can be switched from one filter to the other leaving servicing to a convenient time. Racor do a range of filter media in differing grades - talk to the supplier about what they feel is suitable.

I used to run a Czech-made tractor. The fuel system had the tank over the engine, and gravity feed through a pretty standard glass sediment- bowl (with coarse gauze filter) to a mechanical pump, then a pair of fuel filters in series before the injector pump.

This level of filtering is pretty common on agricultural equipment, and there can be a lot of dust flying around.

Can relate to the toilet paper advice - we always keep a roll in the Disco now. You never know when it will come in handy - better to carry it around and not use it than not have it and need it!

On or around Sun, 24 Oct 2004 14:52:46 +1000, "Viviane" enlightened us thusly:

I tend to keep a roll of kitchen towels - more useful in the normal run of things than bogroll, and can be used as such in an emergency.

Gaffer tape, get the strong stuff not the thin one.

Thats an alternative... how much pressure will it take and does it have the same effect as waxing when removed?

;-)

Lee D

So Hirsty's was, like

Jeez. Might work, but imagine peeling it off again afterwards!

Can I sit down yet....

If I was driving to Russia there are quite a few things I would take. A Land Rover wouldn't be one of them...

Have you wiped?

I'd _seriously_ be into an overland to Russia (having a number of friends there) in Grumble. It's achievable and well within a couple of months holiday allowance.

Now, there all of you go again - giving me ideas.

So, AFL convoy?

P.

On or around Sun, 24 Oct 2004 23:06:40 +0100, "Paul S. Brown" enlightened us thusly:

"Pigpen, this is the Rubber Duck, I'm about to put the hammer down"...?