TheSamba.com :: View topic - Need to get my van Baja ready. What should I do.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:56 pm

I have a 84 westy 2wd with a suby motor. I have new radiator and coolant lines. Big brakes, GW 16in wheels. What else should I do to it. Also what should I take for parts and tools. Thanks

Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:22 pm

Where are you going? All paved roads, some offroad, or serious off highway exploration? Been there a lot of times but a little info on what you plan to do with your westy will help narrow down the list.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:30 pm

Last time i was in La Paz camping on a beach close to there, the gnats and skeeters were bad. So i plan to put one of those screens that goes across the sliding door next time i go.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:04 pm

check your spare tire/s, scissor jack for tire, bring an air pump, tire repair kit, air filter replacement for the dirt roads, look under the van for anything hanging too low like coolant lines, put fresh oil and filter, bring blue coolant (phosphate free) and DI water for leaks, can of gas if offroading too far from towns, check battery level and bring solar panel if stationary for too long. toolbox, zip ties, clamps, first aid kit...

Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:13 pm

I should add this is for next fall for about a month or two if I can pull it off. So I have all year to get it ready.

Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:07 pm

If you plan to get more than about 2 feet of the pavement you should have at least:

A real jack (Hi Lift or similar) A standard vehicle jack WILL NOT cut it
Full sized shovel
Kinetic recovery strap
30 ft. tow chain
Whatever hardware you need to attatch strap/chain to your vehicle and someone elses vehicle
Good air compressor (not a $20 hardware store version) Sun Performance or similar
At least one spare tire, 2 would be nice
a couple of cans of flat fix (lifesavers for small punctures)
Tire repair kit (plug type)
5-10 gal gas
A can or two of octane booster for that run of bad gas
Oil
Coolant
Spare headlight/tail light/marker light bulbs
At the minimum a basic set of hand tools
Flares
Extra fuel filter
Spare fuses
A spare shock/strut is nice to have, It's a long bouncy ride home when the washboard kills one
LockTite
Duct tape
Jumper cables!!
A little grease and WD40

that's just off the top of my head. Everything on this list has either been used on a trip, or sorely missed! Seems like a lot of stuff but unless you are willing to leave your ride in Baja you need the goods to get it back home.

Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:16 pm

After going to Baja one time....where my friend has a place that is 20 miles of washboard off the highway to the coast....I now have a question for anything I install in, on, or under my van......."Is it Baja rated?"

Baja is a special place to travel to. If you plan on staying on paved roads...some of this won't apply but the occasional tank of bad gas and flats...which seem to happen to everyone regardless of where they drive. But when you go offroad in Baja...you're suddently needing an "expedition prepared" type of vehicle. And most of the really beautiful, interesting places are at the end of long stretches of unpaved, washboard roads.

If going offroad, prepare like you're going on an expedition. Make sure all your vital systems are in good shape. Engine, cooling, steering, braking, axles and boots, etc. A weak link for all Vanagons is the cooling system...with all its hoses and plastic pipes that can get brittle with time and primed for vibration failure. Make sure all cooling hoses and clamps are in good shape. The ends of the long plastic water pipes of the later model vans are particularly vulnerable. Make sure they're sound. Be confident of the condition of your radiator. Check all hose clamps and carry a bag of spares of different sizes. I also carry a role of special tape that can be wrapped around a cooling hose for a temporary fix. I take a spare air filter element...miles of dusty roads will clog one up fast.

I have a Syncro Westy with all the typical added on suspension bits. Old Man Emu shocks, Synco.org springs, big tires, etc. I was pretty confident about it. But 20 miles of washboard to the coast....and another 20 coming out.....blew out one rear shock, and lost the bottom bolt off the other. The vibration removed every Phillips screw that holds the long shelf overhead of the sink/stove cabinet. It was only held up by the two carraige bolts at each end. The brackets that held my AC cabinet to the ceiling came loose and the whole cabinet that contains the evaporator and fans fell down in back. It was hanging by the evaporator hoses.

To mitigate the vibration ...I learned later....air down your tires to around 20lbs, and have a compressor to air them back up when needed.

Flats are a daily occurance in Baja...a whole local industry, in fact....with trucks running around everywhere with spares, jacks and air tools...but they don't go off the main highways much. Even cactus spikes can pierce sidewalls down there...or a sharp stick. As suggested...carry at least one spare, (make sure it's a good one). Have flat fixing tools and the previously mentioned sturdy 12v air compressor. The more plys your tires have in the sidewalls, the better. The locals prefer BFG AT's on their pickup trucks. One I talked to told me his truck used up a set every year and a half.

You'll need something to make a steady, wider base for your jack. I had one flat ...on the pavement even. I pulled off the paved road to change it and when I started cranking on the jack...the van didn't rise.....my jack just sunk down in the roadside sandy soil. Soft soil or sand is the enemy of your jack. The higher your jack will go the better...

The suggestion of a spare shock strut (rear at least) was good. Also carry a pair of spare bolts to mount the shock..upper and lower...I think they're different. Before I go again I plan to drill a hole in the end of the shock mount bolts and use safety wire twists to keep the nuts from coming off.

Carry a good stash of various sizes bolts and nuts as well as interior screws. Carry some oversized screws for the interior stuff that pulls out...they're stripped now. Just assume that anything attached to your van might vibrate loose, particularly things that you've added to the inside...like convenience items you've added up on the dashboard...or around the interior ....like those cute swiveling lights or fans you might have mounted to the cabinets in the back....so be ready to screw them back.....

I have a Dometic awning and I could see it bouncing up and down in my rearview mirror. It didn't fall off, but it was loose. An awning is great to have but the big heavy ones put a lot of stress on their mounting points and the rain gutter. Since Baja I've been considering one of the Shadybody type since they're smaller and lighter. A friend who goes to Baja has two, one on each side, so when he's parked in one spot for few days he has some shade somewhere all day.

When I returned from my maiden trip, it took me a day and a half to put my van back together. After taking down the rear AC cabinet, I was amazed how flimsy the AC fan was .....everything, even the fan housings are made of ...and mounted into plastic .Almost everything up there was made of plastic, even the "L" brackets that hold those two big resistors. They were both broken. Since my cabinet was already down, I took the opportunity to replace the broken plastic brackets with aluminum ones... and replace all the foam insulation that had turned to dust over the years...and put more screws and locktite into anything possible.

If I go again, I'll spend a fair amount of time beforehand, both on a rack and on the ground, just checking every bolt, nut, screw, hose and clamp I can see for tightness, ......soundness.....I'd pay particular attention to systems that can leave me stranded ...miles form the nearest garage...or help. Baja will expose any weak link. Look at everything and ask yourself..."Is it Baja ready?" Carry extra gas and water....you might find youself a long way from the nearest source with one or the other running low for some reason.

Truth is, I don't think Vanagons...and Westies in particular... are built to take the rigors of much Baja off roading. They're just not made tough enough! I got a new perspective on my Syncro that I was so proud of. It took a real beating on just this one trip. I'm sure other Vanagon Baja travelers will disagree....and have taken many trips to Baja......but only one trip was a real revelation for me.

Again, AIRING DOWN...may be the secret to saving a lot of vibration stress.....

Warren C.

Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:20 pm

Once again, it depends on where you are going.

If not already done, do a gas tank reseal. Install and bring an extra prefilter for the fuel pump. Heck bring an extra fuel pump!

I never travel anywhere remote without at least 10 gallons of potable water. IMO, bring some extra H2O in a separate container & don't depend on the Westy water tank alone. Install a fan on your fridge.

The usual - flares (not the reflector markers). Signal mirror. Parabolic solar fire starter. Handheld compass. Snakebite kit, space blanket, water purification tabs *and* a ceramic filter hand pump. Salt tabs. Energy bars. A roll of clear poly sheet is also good. Shovel. Not a bad idea to carry a 2-man bivy tent JIC.

It's okay to look like the White Knight in "Alice in Wonderland" - your goal is to creatively anticipate potential problems and minimize their negative impact on your trip, and it's better to have it and not need it, rather than to need it and not have it. Just ask yourself, "What would I do if I didn't have my vehicle for survival? What would I do if I break down in the middle of nowhere?". When you can completely answer those questions, you'll know what to take.

Wouldn't hurt to pack a head reseal kit, either. Also, ignition coil, spare dizzy cap, rotor, spark plugs and wires. Dizzy rebuild kit with Hall Effect module, if you want to go the extra bucks. Extra brake pads. One each front and rear brake lines. A quart or so of DOT4 brake fluid. Bars Leaks sealer - NOT the aluminum powder type (per info from another post here).

Depending on where you go, repair service may or may not be available. Buy a Bentley manual, learn your vehicle *thoroughly* and ask *lots* of questions here on The Samba and elsewhere. Remember, you may have no one to depend on except your own abilities. Were you driving a Bay Window, you might not need so much stuff, as Kombis are more common in Mexico than T3 Vanagons, but travel "loaded for bear" when driving a Vanagon.

Sorry - I would ditch the 16" wheels for a set of 15" ones, since you have the big brake kit; if I were driving there I would want more sidewall than metal between me and what passes for roads in some areas there. I might even consider retroing the brakes and wheels back to stock - easier to get pads, even more rubber with stock 14" wheels, and tires may be more readily available. I like Hankook tires - RA08 195/14's have lots of rubber and are pretty beefy, with excess load capacity. Not too good offroad, though.

Look for out of the way cubbyholes to stash some extra cash - I taped a folded-lengthwise envelope to the *front* side of the metal ducting behind the glove box. Westys have lots of other hiding places. Think like a crook when you go looking for them. Whatever you carry, whether equipment or cash, I guess I don't need to tell you to keep it out of sight, so more cubbyholes and stashes. Along the lines of concealment, you might consider some moderate window tint. Also, never leave your vehicle unattended with the top raised - canvas makes for *lousy* security!

Hey, I drive in the United States with rear seat storage and both storage areas under the front seats stocked with almost anything I need to proceed after a breakdown, including a magnet-mount CB rig - I rarely have to depend on a tow. So do likewise - it can't hurt!

With all that said, I hope your trip is no more eventful than a trip to the supermarket. Expect the best, plan for the worst.

Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:32 pm

sbclayton,

Some excellent points! I agree on the wheel change, not only more rubber when you air down, but easier to find a tire if you need one.

Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:46 pm

-everything they said!!

Also, muffler tape and some bailing wire for exhaust failures.

POR-15 two part epoxy putty, it's not for rust proofing, but a good strong epoxy putty that can be used for lots of different repairs. The stuff is so strong you can use as a lost nut! (temporarily)

Gorilla Tape (better than duct tape)

Sewing kit.

De-natured alcohol (first aid, fire starter, water displacement , etc)

The list goes on, and on!

Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:06 am

and extra beer and ice for the army checkpoints!

Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:10 am

Oh yea, exhaust repairs...... Did I mention that the exhaust on my E150 has been welded beck together 4 or 5 times, twice in one trip.... Can't wait to go back!!!! :lol: :lol:

Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:03 am

Ryan Keating wrote: I have a 84 westy 2wd with a suby motor. I have new radiator and coolant lines. Big brakes, GW 16in wheels. What else should I do to it. Also what should I take for parts and tools. Thanks

Baja..... in 2003 i went IN with the sickest 73 Bus you can imagine (no comments please!).
Unequipped, not ready and i thought Baja was flat, he he he.
I had no second battery, no solar panel, no table, no portable toilet or solar shower. The engine was sick like hell, to cut that short, 3 cylinder had badly burned valve (0 compression at the end). The dual solex carb where falling apart (good thing i had spare one). Before entering Baja, i bought a use Single Weber Carburator, i already had my share of problem going south from Montreal.... I had all the problem in the world. He re are just a few:

-I had timing and ignition problem in Louisiana
-Broken distributor cap entering Texas
-i lost my muffler on a police car windshield in Texas... yeap, he was following me (that is a story by itself).
-Very bad overheating wile crossing from AZ to CA (mountain), i mean 500F at the head.
-I had a water in fuel problem in California
-The shifter broke one time in Texas (loosing 3th and 4th gear), i made a patch and it broke again for good in California...
-I tried to fix the carb many time (blaming those one all the time but the real problem was of course very low compression...)
-Entering Mexico, my first big hill after Tijuana... engine stall on top of the hill, no power.... I spent 2 hours trying to restart the engine on top of the hill and in a bad neighbourhood
-At the end of the first day, it was getting dark and everyone told me not to drive at night.... the engine start surging at 3500rom (idle!)... one of the carb broke in 2 part.... swap it in 15 minute.

This is only the first day.

A i had no compression... starting the engine was always a nightmare.

Wile coming back out of (i'm skipping other horror story), the engine starting overheating badly with smoke in the back... but no way i could pull the van on the side, VADOS everywhere, oh god.. heat temp at 600f, oil temp at 300F +, i finally pulled over, went in the back, open the engine door (full of smoke)... to find a plastic bag covering the engine cooling fan!!!!
I let the engine cool down hoping that the engine was not cooked! It finally started back.... did about 20 miles searching for fuel and i heard the scariest BANG you can imagine! Shit, that the end!!!!! But wait??? the engine is still working???? with the scariest noise you can imagine.
Short story, the EGR hole in the head (it's a small hole directly into the head for exhaust gaz... bla bla bla, those had been block with big self tapping screws... yeap, one basically exploded out of the head and went flying on the right firewall making a hole in the body like a .22 riffle. So i was driving with that horrible exhaust leak into the engine bay...

Believe it or not, i limped back home 3700 miles like that.... even stopping at the Grand Canyon on my way back at 8000feets with out compression... in the "snowy March flagstaff" cold weather.

Anyway, for the curious one and if your ready to laugh at me like crazy, here the whole story:
http://www.benplace.com/baja_eng.htm

Cheers, Ben

Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:30 am

I've read that phosphate-free coolant is not available in Mexico.

Someone above mentioned it briefly, but that seems like it could be a very
important item to have down south.

Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:59 pm

in addition to all the above, think about the tools you might need for an extended trip to a remote area. this is from my packing list:

- adjustable wrench, channel locks, vise grip, bar clamp, cheater bar, reversible screwdriver, right angle screwdriver, ratchet, sockets, sockets<10mm & driver handle, spark plug socket, razor knife, hammer, inspection mirror,
- crimp connectors, crimp tool, ohmmeter, wire stripper, dikes, e-tape, spare wires,
- duct tape, silicon tape, metal tape, epoxy, jb weld, zipties, hose clamps, screws-metal & wood, sandpaper, solvent,
- jumpsuit, gloves, hand cleaner, shop rags,
- scissors, canvas, tan thread, needle
- possibly: drill, drillbits, dremel, soldering iron

broken down roughly by category. (seems like a lot, but it packs into a relatively small kit!)

AND, since you have a suby engine, you absolutely should have the B10 scan software/cable or an OBDII reader/cable (depending upon your engine year) with you...if you plan on bringing a laptop. i bring an old almost otherwise useless laptop in the van for the B10 s/w, doesn't matter if it gets stolen. i'd never do a long trip without it, the B10 s/w saved my butt twice in the far remote corners of alaska this summer!

Mon Nov 24, 2008 7:41 am

I don't think anyone mentioned spare belts. I would take along at least an extra main belt, the one that drives the water pump and alternator.

I would bring a gallon of your preferred pre-mixed coolant, but I wouldn't worry about the dangers of foreign phosphate-filled coolant. Before such a long trip your van should have a recent coolant change and a tight, properly working cooling system. If something happens on the road you could use any water and cheap coolant for a while, until you get home and flush the system again.

Mon Nov 24, 2008 8:27 am

funagon wrote: I don't think anyone mentioned spare belts. I would take along at least an extra main belt, the one that drives the water pump and alternator.

I would bring a gallon of your preferred pre-mixed coolant, but I wouldn't worry about the dangers of foreign phosphate-filled coolant. Before such a long trip your van should have a recent coolant change and a tight, properly working cooling system. If something happens on the road you could use any water and cheap coolant for a while, until you get home and flush the system again.

I dont think that mixing types of coolant is a very good idea, you can read more about coolant here (link posted by tencentlife a day or two ago) http://www.modernvespa.com/forum/topic13288.html

Mon Nov 24, 2008 8:31 am

This thread is awesome guys. Thanks for all the great info.

Mon Nov 24, 2008 10:30 am

After reading about all those screws that vibrated loose on washboard roads, methinks having some of those fix-a-stripped-out-hole-in-wood repair strips would be a good plan. They are sort a light wire mesh that you place in a stripped out hole in wood, the you are able to replace the screw and have it hold.

Also, it was mentioned, but have a chunk of 3/4 plywood as a base for your jack. Free at any construction site scrap pile.

Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:12 pm

Wow, a lot of stuff! Gonna need a couple trailers for all this stuff!

SO..... let's add two more things. :!:

I don't have a syncro, so I always have a piece of carpet that fits over the engine lid, cut into two pieces. If you get stuck in sand, all you need is to get that carpet under there and you can drive out.... and,

Self fusing silicone tape. That stuff will seal up any coolant hole or split, and allow you to keep on keeping on. Good to 550 degrees too! I gots to have it.