Camotubebender
SILVER Star
Stock 1974 FJ40 for an African roadtrip to Morocco? (1 Viewer)
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- Thread starter
- #182
Well, next day profile is not really babying compatible
Except for the noise engine is running fine and since out of mountain and long offroad parts the sound did not reappear (haven't tried highspeed highway yet).
For the tire it looks impressive but it doesn't go through, the structure is not visible. I think the deflect ring of the sidewall did its job ok.
I have a tube inside anyway.
Mhh, definitively on the list of things to address at some point. I'll try to have parts (at least the ring seal) before to pull it because I don't think it ever got removed and probably won't come easy.
Can you tell that by the way the spring is inside?
I don't think that it could be the source of the noise I hear?
fjwagon
SILVER Star
Lol, we don't expect anything less when driving a Land Cruiser. Keep being vigilant and monitoring it...it's is the least you can do. Keep the cool pics coming.Well, next day profile is not really babying compatible
We had a blower fail at work yesterday, one of the young guys was asking why I was cleaning the turbine portion and brackets and said it had nothing to with the performance of the electric motor. I said most bearings will prematurely before it recommended lifespan if they are not maintained properly but he responded but it's a sealed bearing. I said this bearing may look sealed but it's actually designed to have grease next to it and slowly seep into the bearing. That is why we remove the dust everywhere we can when put it back together. The dust acts like sand paper and prematurely wear them a lot sooner than normal. He had light bulb moment and starts asking about loose hinges, bushings....etc.....
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- Thread starter
- #185
I'm soooooo late with this story.... anyway let's continue, maybe I'll finish before the end of year Holidays
Originally I had planned to go toward Ouarzazate (west) at this point but I got strongly advised for this route through the high Atlas and I needed to shorten my path to stay on time.
As shown previously this goes through two 3000m passes and two 2700m passes for a total of 4600m of ascent x)
Before attacking the main ascent of the Atlas I'm starting by a service trail for a telecom antenna that takes me over a little mountain to the next valley.
The trail is very steep and the more I progress the more damaged this trail is, eroded on cliff side, rock scree on mountain side, rutted on the center... Sometime you have to uncomfortably slalom very close to the edge between those obstacles. I hesitated to backtrack but first there were not many places to do it safely and I could see that the track had been worked/fixed just enough for a compact 4x4 to pass (probably for the antenna maintenance team) so I figured that I should be able to make it to the top.
And the view at the top is really worth it!
Starting my way down on the other side I'm reassured by a track in way better condition.
Until very suddenly it becomes completely impassible...
Entire section is bad, only bikes are passing here.
Originally I had planned to go toward Ouarzazate (west) at this point but I got strongly advised for this route through the high Atlas and I needed to shorten my path to stay on time.
As shown previously this goes through two 3000m passes and two 2700m passes for a total of 4600m of ascent x)
Before attacking the main ascent of the Atlas I'm starting by a service trail for a telecom antenna that takes me over a little mountain to the next valley.
The trail is very steep and the more I progress the more damaged this trail is, eroded on cliff side, rock scree on mountain side, rutted on the center... Sometime you have to uncomfortably slalom very close to the edge between those obstacles. I hesitated to backtrack but first there were not many places to do it safely and I could see that the track had been worked/fixed just enough for a compact 4x4 to pass (probably for the antenna maintenance team) so I figured that I should be able to make it to the top.
And the view at the top is really worth it!
Starting my way down on the other side I'm reassured by a track in way better condition.
Until very suddenly it becomes completely impassible...
Entire section is bad, only bikes are passing here.
Green Bean
GOLD Star
You are very courageous.
- Thread starter
- #191
For the night I went to an ecolodge in the valley that I had noted from a guide.
The place in on a rocky headland in the middle of th valley with a beautiful view on the surroundings.
I have to admit that I kind of landed here not very aware of the details of the place. Seems it's a reputed place recommended in a lot of guides, and for off season it's quite full (but still have a room for me). People come directly from Marrakesh to here after landing to the airport and stay here for a week... And I can understand why, it's a very peaceful and friendly ambiance that makes you want to just take the time and chill, read, share tea and biscuits with the other occupants, etc. Quite a luxury place (particularly compared to the rest of my trip) but being Morocco, with the excellent homemade (and homegrown) diner included it pretty much costed the same than a side of a highway hotel and fastfood in France.
The place in on a rocky headland in the middle of th valley with a beautiful view on the surroundings.
I have to admit that I kind of landed here not very aware of the details of the place. Seems it's a reputed place recommended in a lot of guides, and for off season it's quite full (but still have a room for me). People come directly from Marrakesh to here after landing to the airport and stay here for a week... And I can understand why, it's a very peaceful and friendly ambiance that makes you want to just take the time and chill, read, share tea and biscuits with the other occupants, etc. Quite a luxury place (particularly compared to the rest of my trip) but being Morocco, with the excellent homemade (and homegrown) diner included it pretty much costed the same than a side of a highway hotel and fastfood in France.
- Thread starter
- #192
For this new day my plan was to drive to a landmark/mountain called the Cathedral from where a very famous canyon piste starts.
The first part would be a quite long winding road/ gravel road through the mountain but the owner of the lodge indicated me a shortcut (green trace) he uses when he want to bring his customer to Imilchill. This shortcut takes a small piste following a valley on the side of the mountain, and brings behind the Cathedral.
In some places the track is so tight on the side of the mountain that when I encountered some women with (heavily) loaded donkeys I was forced to reverse to find an adequate spot to cross them.
Note that after the fact I tried to search if this piste was known by the traveler community and I wasn't able to find it referenced anywhere. Piste doesn't appear on trace sharing apps like Gaia or Wikiloc, if I search the name of the village it starts from I find no result, and I even asked the tour organizer and he was not familiar with this one.
It would not be adapted to the bigger vehicles (big trucks or pickups with campers) but for regular 4x4 this piste is really splendid and brings directly to one of the most famous in Morocco, so weird no one found out (and shared it).
The first part would be a quite long winding road/ gravel road through the mountain but the owner of the lodge indicated me a shortcut (green trace) he uses when he want to bring his customer to Imilchill. This shortcut takes a small piste following a valley on the side of the mountain, and brings behind the Cathedral.
In some places the track is so tight on the side of the mountain that when I encountered some women with (heavily) loaded donkeys I was forced to reverse to find an adequate spot to cross them.
Note that after the fact I tried to search if this piste was known by the traveler community and I wasn't able to find it referenced anywhere. Piste doesn't appear on trace sharing apps like Gaia or Wikiloc, if I search the name of the village it starts from I find no result, and I even asked the tour organizer and he was not familiar with this one.
It would not be adapted to the bigger vehicles (big trucks or pickups with campers) but for regular 4x4 this piste is really splendid and brings directly to one of the most famous in Morocco, so weird no one found out (and shared it).
- Thread starter
- #193
The Cathedral
My last fuel fill-up was in Boumalne Dadès quite a while ago, the next gas station is in Imilchil and I can't make it just with my tank. Obviously with my Jerrycans I could do it but I'm lazy and the lodge owner indicated me that in the village at the bottom of the Cathedral I could get drum fuel and that the quality is good. In the area they basically have to drive 3h in the wrong direction if they want fuel from a real station.
So for the first time...
Weirdly, as soon as they finished to fill up my 20l the shop owner left running... Was quite surprised, generally people don't run from me when I owe them money. Other guy explained me that he was responsible to do the call to prayer in the village mosque nearby and that it was time, and when it's time, it's time.
He came back 2min later after doing his call in the loudspeaker.
My last fuel fill-up was in Boumalne Dadès quite a while ago, the next gas station is in Imilchil and I can't make it just with my tank. Obviously with my Jerrycans I could do it but I'm lazy and the lodge owner indicated me that in the village at the bottom of the Cathedral I could get drum fuel and that the quality is good. In the area they basically have to drive 3h in the wrong direction if they want fuel from a real station.
So for the first time...
Weirdly, as soon as they finished to fill up my 20l the shop owner left running... Was quite surprised, generally people don't run from me when I owe them money. Other guy explained me that he was responsible to do the call to prayer in the village mosque nearby and that it was time, and when it's time, it's time.
He came back 2min later after doing his call in the loudspeaker.
South Texas 97
GOLD Star
Wonderful exploration of some amazing countryside.
What mapping/GPS software are we seeing in the planning/trace screenshots, and what do you use while driving?
What mapping/GPS software are we seeing in the planning/trace screenshots, and what do you use while driving?
- Thread starter
- #197
Most are from Gaia GPS. First time I was using/testing it, some good and least good things about it so don't know yet if I will continue with this app for future trips.
- Thread starter
- #199
As you can notice I got caught up by a group leaded by Ford Ranger and followed by 5 rental LC 150.
After Anergui I took the mountain road to Imilchil and went to find myself a campspot rrecommended by the lodge owner, on a plateau over the Tislit lake.
This is 2300m altitude and I really froze my ass as soon as the sun disappeared
Still cooked myself a real meal, for only the second time on this trip.
Hopefully after a couple of hours in the swag, temperature inside got better and I had quite a good night.
MatthewMcD
SILVER Star
View attachment 3515046
As you can notice I got caught up by a group leaded by Ford Ranger and followed by 5 rental LC 150.
View attachment 3515048
View attachment 3515049
View attachment 3515050
View attachment 3515051
After Anergui I took the mountain road to Imilchil and went to find myself a campspot rrecommended by the lodge owner, on a plateau over the Tislit lake.
View attachment 3515052
This is 2300m altitude and I really froze my ass as soon as the sun disappeared
Still cooked myself a real meal, for only the second time on this trip.
Hopefully after a couple of hours in the swag, temperature inside got better and I had quite a good night.
Looks like rush hour!
Where did you get the "backpack" on your spare tire and what do you store in it?
Great Photos by the way! Really enjoying this trip.
