Citroen Ax's Africa Journey

[mileybep]

Ok so driven AX's for a number of years and they have always been great little beasts, but i am now worried. Me and 3 friends have decided to drive 2 ax 1.5d to banjul- gambia africa. Not a problem except i need to replace some parts which are proving very costly from citroen. Would like some help in sourcing some items if anyone can help.

 

Needed-

1 radiator- old one is bulged and leaks too much

 

Radiator hoses-

 

Really need 2 bottom hoses the long one that pases the alternator and anyothers as i would like to repalce as many as possible.

 

Drive shafts- which seem to cost £75 each-- is this correct.

 

and the hoses that feed the heater matrix on both cars need doing.

 

Finally if anyone has a gearbox could do with a replacement a 2nd is a bit dodge on one car.

 

will a gear box from a 106 fit?

 

Cheers

Miles

[Ronin]

Good luck.

I do know how bad African road conditions are (served 9 years in the British Army) posted in Somalia and Sierra Leone.

If I were you, I would talk to these guys.

www.ladmotorsport.co.uk

they can point you in the right direction (rally equipment is your best option).

 

Samco hoses are the strongest money can buy and often cheaper than manufacturers parts.

 

The 106 gearbox will fit but some modification to the mounting bracket might be needed.

 

I would get the stronger driveshafts check "rally tuning sites" and find out if anyone knows a welder/ fabricator in your area to make a skid pan/ sump guard on the cheap. (i'm sure if you explain to them where your going and what your doing, they will be willing to knock something up, I know I would)...You WILL need one.

 

May I recommend that you modify the airfilter too.The roads are extremely dusty in West Africa and will wreck the engine and clog up your standard filter. Then there are deep puddles etc. Run some ducting hose through the bonnet or backplate and up the side of the windscreen to the roof. A cheap non paper hypo allergenic vacuum cleaner filter makes an excellent dust filter on the end of it (an old Landrover trick we learned) oh and plenty of duct tape.

Colway tyres do cheap rally remoulds that will be invaluable to you (about £45 per tyre) but punctures will be reduced by 75% . I would get 8 of them , FWD anyway so 2 on the front and two spare per car

http://www.c-tyres.co.uk/

 

Another trick we learned is if you get stuck in mud etc. reduce the tyre pressures to 5psi and gently pull out in reverse with no acceleration(the helical gear teeth will take up the engine torque. Then using a rubber hose with a thin bicycle inner tube section cable tied and sealed with duct tape to one end that fits over the exhaust pipe and duct taped onto it, at the other end an old foot pump tube sealed the same way with the tyre valve connector... You can then pump the tyres back up using the exhaust pressure at revs and away you go again... A home made solution but very effective indeed. You can also use the same hose as a fuel syphon to. :(

 

Check thomson local directory for radiator refurbishment (half the price of a new one and have warranties)

I hope you know what your biting off here m8. I've tried to keep it as cheap as possible for you and wish you all the best...let us know how you get on. ;)

[peterpan]

Ok so driven AX's for a number of years and they have always been great little beasts, but i am now worried. Me and 3 friends have decided to drive 2 ax 1.5d to banjul- gambia africa. Not a problem except i need to replace some parts which are proving very costly from citroen. Would like some help in sourcing some items if anyone can help.

 

Needed-

1 radiator- old one is bulged and leaks too much

 

Radiator hoses-

 

Really need 2 bottom hoses the long one that pases the alternator and anyothers as i would like to repalce as many as possible.

 

Drive shafts- which seem to cost £75 each-- is this correct.

 

and the hoses that feed the heater matrix on both cars need doing.

 

Finally if anyone has a gearbox could do with a replacement a 2nd is a bit dodge on one car.

 

will a gear box from a 106 fit?

 

Cheers

Miles

 

 

I wish you good luck if its not too late ! I know Gambian roads well and totally agree with fitting a serious sump guard.

Depending how far through the 'jungle' they are going it might be an idea to fit a new front springs - standard length ones are very cheap and to adjust the torsion bar by one tooth downwards in order to try to keep some kind of ground clearance - its all pretty easy to do.

 

 

As to the other bits. I was able to get a couple of fully reconned driveshafts on e-bay very recently for £65/pair and they were exactly the same 'Euroshaft' ones as supplied normally to Citroen/GSF parts

Some the the suppliers on Ebay dont list these normally but will supply if asked.