Drama on the Namakwa Eco Trail - Modifications will always be your weakest link

[@johnschaffner2660]

Three things - you blamed nobody for your breakdown, you adapted fast to changing circumstances and you had an adventure that us city folk can only dream about! All the very best . A life lesson to many others !

[@bush_guru]

Thanks for seeing that. My sister, brother in law and sons on holiday from the USA still rates the two evenings wild camping after the incident as one of their best days experiences. And they have been everywhere.

[@nawiribrahim]

So sorry for these challenges. Prayers to your wife's daughter's recovery. I am learning from your story and lessons. We have a 79 and FJ as well. I've kept them mostly stock apart from suspension upgrades

[@bush_guru]

Awesome combo, seems to be a couple of people with the two in the garage (if they can get in the garage lol). I am planning a video on what worked and what not, so thought of less modifications is constantly on my mind after that episode. Thanks for the wishes, she is out of hospital today.

[@wtrlan]

Sorry to hear about your ordeal. Namaka Eco trail is a special place. Wishing your step daughter a speedy recovery. Thanks for posting this video, some good info shared for the overlanding community. 👍🏼

[@bush_guru]

Thanks for the feedback and wishes, much appreciated.

[@CyrilKlopper]

I've done that route many times, usually with motorcycles. Yes, it's tough and my respect for towing a trailer along it. It's a year later and I hope your family is okay.

[@bush_guru]

@cyrilklopper I love that route, booked again for April 2025. Especially the Kamgab section, but we normally only lunch there leaving the trailer behind at the trail head. I can imagine it can be hell of alot of fun on a motorcycle.

[@unwoke1652]

When I was 24, I learned the hard way to keep vehicles stock standard. I am not smarter than the design engineers and their millions $$$ worth of R&D. And I have many case studies of Landcruiser & Hilux driveshafts and transmissions. And, even stock, the dealers mostly don't keep stock.

[@bush_guru]

So true, they don’t even keep wipers, so why driveshaft’s

[@unwoke1652]

@@bush_guru Guy had to drive to Windhoek from Swakop to pay CASH before ToyMama would order a rear TLC200 window from Jozi. Things like that cancel out the benefit of 'a dealer in every hamlet.'

[@bush_guru]

@@unwoke1652 even wipers is an issue with Toyota dealerships, all three our last three wiper changes had to be ordered in.

[@dericklabuschagne9725]

Firstly...sorry about all your troubles...hoping it all turned for the better eventually. I am just amazed at how much gear and weight are taken with by most people. My humble opinion is this rig was just too heavy for what it was designed for. If one looks at the real gurus of overlanding, the Kingsley Holgates and Johan Badenhorsts of this world, it strikes you how modest the amount of stuff is that they take along compared to the scale of the trips they are doing. Weight is your enemy when driving offroad...the less stuff I take along, the more we enjoy the trips

[@bush_guru]

Thanks. I was just talking to someone this weekend about Kingsleys tours and how don’t see the support crews that follow them. In this case I took all the accommodation and facilities for eight people and something that weighs the same as a large Conquerer. I went to fast up the hill, should have engaged low4 and crawled up.

[@hyltonleaf-wright4298]

I understand Kingsley has a support crew and vehicle/ s. It does sound like the prop was badly engineered and not for the load. How can they do a job like this without drawings and measurements ??

[@stubromac2711]

Sometimes when it rains……it pours. But the sun always comes out after a storm 🤦🏽‍♂️🙏🏽

[@bush_guru]

Beautiful, thanks

[@robwainwright5387]

Sorry about your problem. I was amazed that the Colt could not pull your trailer. Over loaded is my only opinion. I started with a rule to myself a few years ago. If I did not use something every day, it was removed from my vehicle. And so I got off almost half the weight. Weight is your enemy in an offroad/ overland truck. And yes sir, modification is your worst enemy. But so we live and learn. I I hope you are able to have strong enough components built for your 'Cruiser.

[@bush_guru]

True, weight is the one thing I knew would be an issue, and working on solutions there. At the time though the trailer was empty, took out everything and let all the water out. Traction due to bad road surface made it difficult. Regarding the components, I know have a Mercedes truck tube for the propshaft. That should do the trick lol.

[@scottgenius9189]

I worked at a Prop shaft center many years ago for our 4 x 4 prop shaft conversions we always use slightly thicker walled prop shaft pipe ,Do you access your tent from inside your canopy ?

[@bush_guru]

If only it was done, but sorted now thanks. Yes I enter from the rear into the canopy, up to tent. Easy, with a room to stand and get dressed. Check out the build video on the channel. Cheers

[@lafras1973]

Goeie dag...Wie het die foam inserts gemaak....Ek kon net hoor dis in Parow. Dankie

[@bush_guru]

Foam inserts vir die kombuis op trailer en kameras op Bushguru was Sondor Foam, Parow. Goeie diens maar maak maar reg vir so bietjie wag. Mondli het my gehelp.

[@lafras1973]

@@bush_guru dankie

[@Jumping-Goat]

That trailer rig looks way too heavy for such a remote trail, I'd suggest using a much lighter setup if you have to take a trailer

[@bush_guru]

Correct Tim. I knew that pass and also knew when I went to recce the route that the pass could be an issue. My rookie mistake was not walking it first, as it definitely deteriorated since I last drove it in November. But I still wonder if I would have had a better chance if the propshaft was not damaged yet. I now have a new shaft with a tube from a Mercedes truck.

[@louisredelinghuys2681]

My 5 cents- a prop done to OEM standards would never have torn apart like that. A radial tear like that is simply torque exceeding wall shear strength. Low range likely would not have saved you, as the GCM was your real enemy, along with the prop strength. I accept that hindsight makes us all clever, but reality is also a factor… Glad you’re safe to tell the tale, and I pray your daughter is out of the woods. If you need help going forward, I am in CT too, with my trusty 670000km old 80…

[@bush_guru]

Thanks for the input and offer Louis, much appreciated. Will reach out to you for sure.

[@bekkiebeans6004]

Dear Bushguru, your fans are concerned. We hope you and family are okay, we hope you post a new adventure soon.

[@bush_guru]

Thanks Bekkie, I have been thinking of answering you for months now. Life is complicated so you deserve the ling answer. After successfully developing the trailer I had the intend to do more trips, but then SA Gov. Inc red tape struck. It took two years to get the trailer registered, I finally got the papers in June 2024. I can now build 500 a year of the safari trailers if need be. But, I had to keep myself busy waiting for the process, so I jumped into a nightmare rabbit hole building our cabin in Bainskloof. @skaamcabin . It’s a grueling task, having to take every piece of material up the mountain. I started on September 2023 and hope to be done in January 25. Our first trip in the Bushguru will be in April 2025, raising money for a charity. Thanks for the wishes and support.

[@paulkruger3070]

The recovery guys should've put some sandbags on their bakkie. If they received the proper report they should've known this. Everyone and his uncle is a recovery expert including me.

[@bush_guru]

They had a report and pictures. That is a good tip. What was shocking was the bill for that short recovery.

[@hyltonleaf-wright4298]

First thing I saw.

[@PatrickKQ4HBD]

Prayers for your girl's thorough recovery, first and foremost. Second, I'm curious if your extended shaft was built to original specs, or higher. Also if maybe it was damaged on a rock earlier, and was then unable to handle a hard climb where it was essentially carrying 100% of the low range torque. I hope you get it fixed up better than ever. I wouldn't necessarily agree with the premise of the title. You may want a stronger shaft and heavier rated rear axle. Recently a $1M concept overlanding rig based on an F550 had a similar failure - also on a rocky steep climb - and had to be towed back. I suppose that just means that it can happen to anyone.

[@bush_guru]

Thanks Patrick, all worked out well at the end with our daughter. Yes the extension was, as they say, the standard that they did all others before mine. I was not happy with that answer and they replaced it with a Mercedes 1415 truck tubing, so it should last now. I must say that my trust in humanity was restored after this episode. From the farmer that brought my trailer down to Cape Town from Springbok (@liefland cottages) to the Colin @propshaftengineering in Parow that replaced the prop shaft with the Mercedes Tube at no cost.

[@garthrichert5256]

We shall pray for your step daughter. Sorry you are having such a dynamic and difficult time.

[@bush_guru]

Much appreciated Garth.

[@AlbertusMBezuidenhout]

Make it work....then make it last!

[@bush_guru]

I wish, lets see if they get it right the second time.

[@jacquesvangreunen6006]

Your trailer is too heavy for proper 4x4 roufes

[@bush_guru]

Thanks for the comment. I have answered it a couple of times prior.

[@paulkruger3070]

This is what happens when you insist on taking everything but the kitchen sink. Nobody needs to travel with so much gear.

[@bush_guru]

True. This was a test run for a concept. Lots of lessons learned.

[@thomaslehmann12]

Sorry for all the bad news, on one hand I disagree on the point that modifications will always be the weakest link. Many modifications can improve safety and reliability without being the weakest link. In fact that modification can be the strongest link or element to your 4x4. I would say modifications done by incompetent people or companies are the weakest link. Not having an engineering drawing on the modification done to your vehicle (which is the most basic or bare minimum requirement - I mean, in the 80's people done drawings on a cigarette box) shows that the modification was done by a sub-standard firm. I would not have any faith in any replacement part you will receive from them as it means it was not even tested (was the original modification tested by the company before promoting this part? Good luck with the rest of the journey.

[@bush_guru]

That is a valid point. Yes, I did mention to the company that it should be a standard operating procedure to have drawings, then I would not have been stuck for nearly a week in Springbok, just to drive back at 60kmh because nobody could do the measurements. Eventually I dealt directly with the propshaft company and feel much more comfortable with the modification.