 | Home > Camping, Caravanning and Holidays > Defender 110 Camping Trip - loading advice please? |
 
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| Stacey007 Member Since: 25 Sep 2015 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3693  
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Hello
I've had fairly big estate cars (e class merc) 2 x ML's and both for trips have a roof boxes . They are nowhere near as boxy as the 110. I do quite like to keep a small window gap so I can see though the middle but it does not always work. Especially coming back from france with an additional 40 bottle of wine 
The 110 swallows everything, not pretty I want to make some shelfs... but I even have the 7th seats in the back. No roof box. If I didn't have the seats (the kids like using them once there) it would have acres of room
Tents, chairs, coffee machine, beds, everything just goes in we used to Caravan so take a LOT of stuiff!!, I already had this bike rack so bought an extension bar and it fits great. Very stable. Driven thousands of miles like this.  Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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29th May 2018 12:47pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Just as above. We had a C-Max, and a 110 - at the same time, so familiar with both.
For the 110 - we had camping trips, with 4 bikes. Quite a bulky tent, and all the paraphernalia younger kids seem to need. It takes this no bother at all. I've had the RIB (boat) attached to the back, two canoes on top. No worries. (When not towing, the bikes go on a maxxrak - attached behind the towball). For a normal, family camping holiday, if you need more kit than a 110 can carry - you're carrying too much! As for overloading - I doubt you'd get near the car's limits. My old thing doesn't have anti-roll bars, so if it was loaded like this, I can feel it lean a bit more, but nothing to worry about. On a more modern vehicle, I doubt you'd even feel that. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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29th May 2018 1:22pm |
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| chrislines Member Since: 02 Aug 2017 Location: St Albans Posts: 8
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Thanks so much Stacey007. Very encouraging and great pics!! Yes long trips to French Alps etc with equipment and two kids is what we need to do.
Is that a standard Thule tow bar carrier then - 4 bikes? |
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29th May 2018 1:52pm |
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| chrislines Member Since: 02 Aug 2017 Location: St Albans Posts: 8
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Thanks donmacn. You're talking about an external roll bar cage/kit are you? Even without you think still nothing to worry about if packing in like above photos?
Haven't purchased 110 yet but does stability vary with age then? Might need to consider this if so... |
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29th May 2018 1:57pm |
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| Thon Member Since: 22 Nov 2015 Location: Salisbury Plain Posts: 696
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Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge These photos show our 110, fully loaded in the rear load space (to the roof), plus 2 roofboxes and 3 Zarges cases. Suspension is 100% standard (including anti-roll bars) and as you can see in the 1st photo, is only slightly lower than when unladen. The roof is likely fairly overloaded even though it was used for transporting lightweight items but in mitigation our rack is also supported on the roll cage. C of G is noticeably higher and you need to be mindful with sudden direction changes, but this is common sense. This was taken before setting off from Venice via Cortina over the Dolomites and onwards to the Brenner Pass that night. I drove appropriately to the conditions and vehicle and at no point was concerned about the loading. I would have preferred to use a trailer but ours wasn't secure enough for our belongings for overnight hotel stops. I would not advise putting bicycles on the roof unless you really can't fit them on a rear rack. They create a lot of drag. |
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29th May 2018 2:15pm |
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| Stacey007 Member Since: 25 Sep 2015 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3693
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Hello
Mines been to Annecy a few times now, 550 miles in one day. The Thule rack is on a boom bar ro extend it out further than the wheel, It's around £120 but I already had the rack from previous cars and its a great bit of kit so not bac rather than change the rack.
Mine in Annecy at Holiday house (Parents may I add,..) Click image to enlarge |
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29th May 2018 2:17pm |
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| JOW240725 Member Since: 04 May 2015 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7873 
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These are underneath as part of the suspension to reduce roll, nothing to do with roll cages. All the latest station wagons have them but some commercials didn't have them, depends what you're getting? They can easily be added or indeed uprated. As for camping 110 are ideal. We carry a huge amount and if very carefully packed can get it all in the back and a roof box. We have the rear two seats which reduces space by a huge amount. If you don't need them I'd go for a Utility or just take the rear seats out to give the most room. Click image to enlarge We found the roof box was quite difficult to load, being so high, so found a trailer to keep everything in. It just makes everything easy to access and most stuff is stored in the trailer so little packing, just hitch up and go. Click image to enlarge We've now picked up a rooftop tent and the red Defender has no rear seat so it swallows everything and makes an amazing camping vehicle. Eventually, the RTT will be put on the trailer. Click image to enlarge Good luck with your purchase. Have you ever driven a Defender? Whilst we on here all love them, they are quite unique, in many ways and not for the faint hearted   James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641 MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557 Instagram @suffolk_rovers |
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29th May 2018 3:21pm |
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| chrislines Member Since: 02 Aug 2017 Location: St Albans Posts: 8
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Thanks for all the comments and great pictures! You are a friendly bunch!
I had no idea about the anti-roll suspension. Was there a year this came in? Good it can be added. Even without it though on an older model, still safe though presumably for loading up? I have driven a 110 and loved it! I think I'll be looking at a late nineties, early 2000 one price wise. |
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29th May 2018 4:42pm |
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| chrislines Member Since: 02 Aug 2017 Location: St Albans Posts: 8
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Thanks for this info! |
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29th May 2018 4:45pm |
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| wyvern Member Since: 14 Dec 2009 Location: Cornwall Posts: 2068 
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if I may just add a couple of quick comments that you may have already considered ...
put the heavy items in as low as possible as that will help the CofG, and secure the load so as it wont move should there be an incident and become a projectile. we put things into must haves and nice to haves, then load them in that order. Soft bags take up less space than boxes, and if you can buy it there why take it with you ... Defenders are robust all their lives, and if well maintained should not change their handling characteristics very much over time. - just keep an eye on the bushes and suspension. enjoy the trip!! Poppy - TDCI (Puma) 110XS 2.2 - Camper conversion - see the build here - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56530.html Elgar -TDCI(Puma) 110XS Dormobile - now sold Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response - DC126 |
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29th May 2018 5:18pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
I can't precisely answer the question about when they came in. I don't think it was necessarily a year, more a vehicle spec. issue. For example, my car is a 1994 SW but it was a 'utility' version, and began life as a working vehicle at an island airport. No anti-roll bars. My mate had a 1993 Station wagon, in a higher "County" spec. His had anti-roll bars. As you say they can be added. I've considered it - just never reached a conclusion! They can be had pretty cheaply on ebay. "Still safe for loading up without them?" Absolutely. My comments further up the thread are based on this 1994 110 SW with no ARB. I've had it pretty heavily loaded with no issues at all. As has been said, if I'm diving, with tanks, weight belts, compressor etc etc, then as has been mentioned above I will pack so that the heavy stuff is low down. If I'm travelling solo, then I'll sometimes put heavy stuff in the front footwell, or rear footwell, so that it's sitting between the axles - but I know I don't really have to do that. I also spend most of my time (Nth Scotland) on relatively twisty A, B or C class roads. I don't (and wouldn't) have the slightest concern about not having ARBs. All of that said, I bought an old RR classic once. Never driven one before. Took it for a spin on some very windy road. I wasn't ready for the body roll. That was properly scary. However, once you learn how it all works, and you keep it well maintained, you can hustle these things along quite reasonably. Enjoy the trip! Click image to enlarge Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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29th May 2018 6:33pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11240 
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Four bikes on the roof is perfectly doable but they are a long way up. When I did it, I carried one of those 'hop-up' steps to be able to reach.
Click image to enlarge Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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29th May 2018 9:20pm |
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| Scotm Member Since: 28 Feb 2014 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 637  
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We regularly camp taking two adults, two kids, two medium sized dogs and four bikes.
Our format is: Rear Seats removed, dog guard fitted. Bikes on the roof - keeps them out of the way, away from prying hands and easy to get the dogs in and out the back. Getting them on and off is just a case of hanging bike on the roof rack cage by handle bar and seat and rest pedal on window. Wooden shelf across the wheel arches with tent(s) and deck chairs/table underneath. This means you can get the tent out first on arrival and last in when packing up. All our kit is then all in boxes and bags and packed to the roof on the right side of the rear. All strapped in place using dog guard, luggage hoops and grab handles. This takes just over half the floor space. The remaining floor space is for the dogs. If we have more stuff we have put a layer of boxes under the dogs. Sorry no pictures of the load space but you can just make out through the window on this photo: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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29th May 2018 10:07pm |
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| Martin 01 Member Since: 13 Feb 2012 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 499 |
Our 110 loaded up on most trips with either camping gear or tintent.
Roof tent on top with roof box for extra storage of lighter gear. Sometimes have couple of large Ortlieb strapped on roof to. Also have the Trasharoo spare wheel bag that swallows plenty of gear. Rear consists of dog crate, fridge, chairs, beds & bags of clothing. Usually full to the rafters with the 4 of us, 2adults + 2kids aged 14&10. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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30th May 2018 11:23pm |
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