If you recall there were some lessons learnt from my Mongolian adventure and as a result Matt and I decided to make some changes. These were broken down into three main areas;
Bodywork - The changes here were as a result of the damage experienced from the very rough roads we encountered. In summary this included repairs to engine bay damage, chassis legs, bulkhead, front cross-member and A and B posts. In addition, strengthening of the chassis around the rear of the engine compartment and the tie bar supports was carried out as both suffered fractures. Micro-fractures were also repaired and the chassis made good wherever these were found.
Drive train - Whilst the suspension I originally had performed well the front dampers suffered and consequently needed replacement. In addition the torsion bars were uprated and the Minor hubs replaced with Ford once. The rear axle was replaced with a Ford English axle as the Lada one wasn't really suitable although it did get us home. In addition to the rear axle, uprated rear suspension was installed to include coil-over springs to give improved adjustment. Finally a limited slip diff was installled which will ensure traction particularly when on poor road conditions.
Gearbox - Lastly, a type9 series gearbox (V6 variant) was added to give a fifth gear to reduce load when on tarmac and cruising along at 50 to 55 mph. This change in conjunction with the improved differential ratios ensure there is good torque at low speed while improving flat line speed on tarmac.
In addition the bulkhead was moved to allow the seats to be moved to give more adjustment making driving more comfortable for Sarah in particular.
