Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

I need advice please. I have a 2008 SWB Pajero DiD and need to carry enough diesel for 1200km in Kaokoland. On a recent trip to Moremi we did 800km from Maun to Kasane (including some driving around in Moremi) with a full tank plus about 52 litres in a red 60 litre tank carried on the roof rack. 800km is the distance I can go in off-road conditions with my current setup.

I do however need about another 60 litres for a range of 1200km. Now my questions:
1. Have anybody done a Kaokoland trip with a SWB DiD and how much fuel did you carry?
2. Is another 60 litres (say 3 jerrycans) not too heavy for the roof rack (Frontrunner)?
3. Will the SWB not become too top-heavy for Van Zyls Pass with about 120 litres diesel, plus tent, plus strechers, plus gas bottle, plus 2 folding chairs on the roof?

I really would like to hear from somebody who has been to Kaokoland with a Pajero and how you coped.

Kind regards

Ernest

Hi,

I did a trip to Kaokoland in my SWB last in Dec 2010.

Here is the trip report: https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/sh ... hp?t=74453

The longest route we needed fuel for was around 900km... I used about 120L (I carried around 140L).

I carried 4 x 20L (filed to about 18L each) inside the car), as I had a roof top tent.

The maximum roof weight limit is meant to be 100kg. I would want to exceed that too much. I thik your setup is probably at the limit already - an extra 60L might be a bit heavy.

What route are you doing? How many people are in the vehicle? I removed my rear seats...

If you want any advice on the route / where to stay, feel free to ask

Cheers
Greg

Thanks Greg

I think this will help me a lot. We are only 2 persons and have also removed the rear seat. We have installed a Frontrunner drawer set for four wolfpacks as well as a fridge slide. We carry water in two 27 litre bags (also a Frontrunner product) as well as few 5 litre plastic bottles. We have a 60 litre red rooftop diesel tank which leaks from it's breather valve a lot if you fill it to more than 50 litres!

Our planned route is Outjo, Ruacana, Opopa, Otjitana, Van Zyls Community Camp, Van Zyls Pass, Marienfluss, Otjinhunwa, Okarohombo, Marble Mine or Orepembe, Puros, Ampspoort, Sesfontein, Oppikoppie near Kamanjab. This is probably less than 1000km between fuel stops, but we also want to do the Hartmans Valley if possible.

We will appreciate your advice regarding the route and will read your trip report with interest.

Regards

Ernest

Thanks Greg

I think this will help me a lot. We are only 2 persons and have also removed the rear seat. We have installed a Frontrunner drawer set for four wolfpacks as well as a fridge slide. We carry water in two 27 litre bags (also a Frontrunner product) as well as few 5 litre plastic bottles. We have a 60 litre red rooftop diesel tank which leaks from it's breather valve a lot if you fill it to more than 50 litres!

Our planned route is Outjo, Ruacana, Opopa, Otjitana, Van Zyls Community Camp, Van Zyls Pass, Marienfluss, Otjinhunwa, Okarohombo, Marble Mine or Orepembe, Puros, Ampspoort, Sesfontein, Oppikoppie near Kamanjab. This is probably less than 1000km between fuel stops, but we also want to do the Hartmans Valley if possible.

We will appreciate your advice regarding the route and will read your trip report with interest.

Regards

Ernest

Hi,

With regards to where to stay, please have a look at my trip report - it has a lot of photos, etc.

A few things to consider:

• Most people recommend carrying a 2nd spare wheel, especially if you have normal road tires. I didn't have enough space, so I just fitted M/T tires, which don't damage easily.
• There is a good chance you could get fuel at Okangwati (just before Van Zyl's pass).
• Don't underestimate you drive times.
• It might be a good idea to fit air helpers to your rear suspension, to stop the rear sagging when loaded.
• Kunene River lodge is a great spot to stay (at Swaartbooisdrift).

Over how many days are you planning the trip? 2-3 weeks?

What tires do you have?

Cheers
Greg

Hi Ernest,

Just to add to Greg's comments, I would not add so much weight onto the roofrack(6 x 20l onto the roof rack), the section of road leading up to van Zyls pass is pretty bad (the Maun to Kasane route in comparison is a 1 out of 5), this would be a 3 in my opinion, and 2 small stretches on van zyls a 4 out of 5 (not too bad, just take it slow). If you have a weakness on your vehicle, Kaokoland will find it, it can be pretty rough, so I agree with Greg, don't overload the roof rack, especially for 2 sections on the pass, you don't want to be too top heavy, notice in most of the photos, it is just the driver in the car , there is a reason for that, bit not that serious looks worse than it is, the Pajero will do just fine - you have nothing to worry about.

As per Greg, don't expect to do too much km's per day, expect around 100 to 120 and on some cases you need to push hard to get these distances. I was not fond of the community camps, especially by van Zyls, they have very noisy donkeys , I would recommend, heading into the river bed (around 5 or 8 km's from the top of van zyls), and dash off for a km or 2 up the river, much better in my opinion, but then again we prefer bush camping (which is great in this area BTW) and we don't do tents in Nam either - which is lekker, just bedroll and sleep right there.

If you are planning on setting up camp a small trick is to plan to have shade in the morning when you break camp, as once the sun is out you will take strain as it gets hot, very hot and you will be very sweaty if you don't. Also calculate your water load that you will need, as we do bush camping we take our own water for the "bath time", some places to fill up along the way, but not really drinking water quality IMHO.

The camp on Kunene river is nice, again they also have very noisy donkeys, so we headed to the mountains after taking a lekker shower there (they have nice facilities).

I would suggest the following:

Go in a group of 2 cars as a minimum (preferably 3) - if a bakkie in the group, ask nicely to take some of your fuel.
Seriosuly conside bash plates for some protection of the sump and drive train (mine took some serious knocks)
Take some recovery gear (if you plan on driving in the river beds alot as we did, sometime they are a bit moggy in places and can be like quick sand, especially from Purros side - BUT it is seriously recommended! and a treat)
Take sufficient water for drinking and showering
2 spare wheels recommended
Consider the tyres you have fitted (HT's not the best for this region, they will take strain - we have 7 punctures, and had to replace 4 upon return, but our call was to take them and replace upon return rather than to place new and cause damage and replace twice). If HT tyres, 2 spares definately, we place a spare tyre (without the mag or rim) onto the spare wheel on the boot door of the Paj BUT, I wouldn't do it again, my door is not the same now.
Make sure your roofrack is tight (VERY tight), we had a guy with us that have 5 brackets on each side of his rack and on van Zyls, it moved forward around 5cm, which we had to address before continuing.
Consider a spare air filter is you are planning doing the Slucht area (very fine plof stof powder which goes everywhere)
A compressor
Dual battery system
Fridge

There is a nice hot spring close to sesfontein as well well worth the stop, really nice.
Sesfontein doesn't alays have petrol - They get Fuel on Tuesday I think, so that can be pretty useful, else your trip may be longer as we went past Sesfontein on our way up to Opuwa and they had no fuel, but only upon return.

Sorry and to add I have a 3.5 Gen3 LWB petrol and we did around 800km's on the full tank (from Opuwa) up to Sesfontein and used 4 jerry cans, but we got to sesfontein on reserve and used very little AC (even though some places were 47 degrees), fuel consumption as per the gauge was 23L per 100km, and we had to recover a few vehicles (only Cruisers hahaha), did 4 recoveries in thick sand and the wet rivers, which messed my fuel consumption up badly.

It is an awesome area and can't wait to go back, we missed out on a few places due to time and fuel levels in the group, but mostly time ran short, we planned on 200KM's per day, that did not happen.

SHout if you have any other questions.

Cheers

David

Thanks guys.

I will read and reread your recommendations and apply some of the modifications. My tyres are BFG A/T which I am very happy with after two trips to Botswana. Greg, where did your put your fridge? The only space where I can carry extra jerry cans (except the roof rack) is where my 50 litre Waeco now stands!

I also do not really want to add to the weight on the roof. Luckily we have a bakkie in the group and may have to ask them to carry a jerry can or two.

Here are some pics of how I fit everything into the SWB

• Rear seats removed.
• Packing system for fridge and drawers at the back.
• Tray for 4 x 20L steel jerry cans between the packing system and my front seat.

The jerry can tray is bolted down using the rear seat mounting points. I also use a strap to hold the jerry cans down to the tray. The jerry cans stand upright, 4 of them next to each other.

Nice setup you have in your Paj Greg, I Like!

Ernest, If I can add my piddle to the stream:

We did Kaokoland in 2009. My friend in his Colt D/C and we in my Pajero 3.8 GLS LWB. We started from Ruacana, down along the river over Van Zyls, to Popa falls, over the Hartmaan mountains, Puros and on.

As you will know, with a 3.8 Paj, petrol was a big concern. I cannot remember where we filled up for the last time (possibly Ruacana). I carried the full Pajero tank ± 90 lit, plus 100 lit in a tank in the the third row seat's place plus 100 lit on the roof. We used a rooftop tent. We also carried all our gas braai equipment plus camping chairs and stretchers on the roof. NO problem with stability!! In the Paj we carried 100 lit fresh water for drinking, cooking and cleaning in a purpose made tank (I remove the second row seats when we go on tour to create more space). Next to this tank I installed a purpose made bracket for my Engel 40. This was used to keep our meat frozen, ice for the "snake bite kit" and to keep lots of beer cold.

Inside in my own designed drawer system we packed all our food, car spares, tools and some "snake bite kit". With us it is a tradition that as soon as the tent is up and the camp organized, then we MUST drink a G&T or two. A spare air filter is a must!!

My second spare wheel was mounted behind the normal spare on a special bracket. I have been on a number of trips with this set-up and can honestly state that the rear door on my Pajero today works as well as the day that I bought it!!! Another friend of mine copied my bracket design for a second spare and the rear door of his Pajero is also 100%.

Lastly and I think one of the more important points to consider: Make yourself a rear bash plate to protect your rear bumper cover. Mine attaches to the suspension crossmember and goes all the way to the rear where it overlaps the plastic cover - in other words, the car will slide on the bashplate and the plate will prevent the plastic from catching on rocks and in the sand - in my opinion, this is as important as plates for the engine and gearbox.

Enjoy the trip.

Cloyd.