We BROKE DOWN in Baja | 50 MPH | Busted Leaf Springs in Mexico

[@dtadventure4x4]

Thanks for sharing. A true overlanding adventure. 😃 Safe travels.

[@HD.Adventuring]

Thanks!!

[@stephenjacques554]

Thanks for the great memories I love Baja on a motorcycle or bicycle. I'll be seeing you next time. SJ

[@HD.Adventuring]

Thanks!! Yes, Baja is incredible, any way you visit!

[@conchscooter]

I drive so slowly when we have to drive dirt. I’m amazed how fast other overlanders go but our Promaster is doing well on a diet of slow and steady. Well repaired in Baja with a good attitude. Cheers from the Cordillera Blanca in Peru (look up Cañon Del Pato for a truly gross road we survived).

[@HD.Adventuring]

@@conchscooter we usually drive pretty slowly as well. Mechanical sympathy goes a long way! As you know, when you’ve got your house in the back of your truck, your plates and bowls will thank you! Canon Del Pato looks gnarly!!

[@lc10w]

You were so lucky to break down where you did and got back on the road so quickly. We had three breakdowns in quick succession due to electronic issues in our Canter, that totalled two months off the road, with all the stress and expense that goes with that.

[@HD.Adventuring]

yes, we were lucky to get moving so quickly! oof, two months is a lot of time- we're very thankful ours were resolved in a week each!

[@4faidan]

Would have thought Alcan springs would be tougher than that. Hope Alcan gave you a warranty for it. I was about to go with Alcan on my 4x4 camper but went with Deaver suspension because it is local to SoCal to save in shipping fees.

[@HD.Adventuring]

As did we. But upon analysis, it seems that the steel used in Alcan is the same that other springs are made from- it was an engineering failure more than anything else. We were unfortunately past Alcan's warranty period, so needed to purchase the new main springs once we returned to the U.S.

[@Zengineer]

Loving following your journey! Thank you so much for sharing. Looking forward to the next iteration! Also, have you ever weighed the truck since it was done? Might be an important part of a port-mortem on the spring breakage issues.

[@HD.Adventuring]

Thanks! Yes, we've weighed the truck a few times. We're usually around 12,500 lbs, with full fuel and water tanks, a full fridge, and all the stuff we bring with us. GVWR is about 14,000 Lbs, so our weight shouldn't have caused the failure. Seems to be the length of the springs- they were so long that the shackle(right where they both broke) was imparting ALL the flex in one very specific area of the spring (instead of spreading the flex out between the whole spring) which likely caused the spring to wear in that one specific spot very fast, and eventually fatigue and fail.

[@Zengineer]

@@HD.Adventuring Ah gotcha. That's less than I thought actually. Sounds like you've got the spring issues sorted. :)

[@georgec2562]

If new springs are breaking, there are others issues. Maybe the setup is not beefy enough. Or the shocks maybe think about airbags etc.

[@HD.Adventuring]

Yeah, they ended up being too long, which allowed the shackle to put all the stress on one part of the spring. We had shorter ones created that are now working great! We also added Timbren Bumpstops as a secondary measure.

[@harshrealm]

You know you've got a good mechanic when he makes house calls and does all his work with a smoke hanging out of his mouth.

[@HD.Adventuring]

right?!? He was great.

[@midnite22767]

What a great trip, despite all of the mechanical issues. Curious what the average MPG was? Did you have to do a lot of airing down the tires for beach sand and rocky roads? I am so eager to do a trip like this! Would love to get a cost breakdown of what a trip like this takes financially. Thanks!

[@HD.Adventuring]

Hi there! We average about 12 mpg, but Im sure it was slightly lower when we were on some of the dirt roads. We aired down for the East Cape section and a few times when we drove on the beaches, mostly because it made the drive smoother and more comfortable. Only got ourselves mildly stuck twice, nothing that airing down and traction boards couldnt fix. However, we do a lot of pre-scouting our routes and take things pretty cautiously since the truck is so big and there aren't many people who could help us if we really got into trouble! Cost wise- it really depends on how you want to do a trip like this. Since we don't often spend money on accommodations or going out to eat, most of our expenses went towards fuel and groceries. Groceries tend to be slightly less than what you'll spend in the states, but the Peso is stronger than it was a few years ago so it's not super cheap to travel in Baja like it used to be. How much you spend really varies depending on what kind of traveller you are and how much you're willing to be a dirtbag 😉

[@lanceperrin3389]

Heather & Dana, Thank you for the informative content. I am curious to know if the builder of your overland dwelling also did the work on your truck. If I understood correctly, the wrong leaf springs were installed on the truck when it was first built out as an overland vehicle. Overall are you happy with your chassis or would you choose something different if you could start over.

[@HD.Adventuring]

We did the suspension work with our build partner, Overlander Global. These springs were manufactured by another company, for this truck. The springs were, in fact too long, but that's the game you play when you put custom suspension on- not our build partner's fault! We are happy with the chassis for the most part- it's slow and bouncy, but carries our home. We LOVE our custom box on the back, it's so cozy, and has everything we need. If we could afford a Man, Mercedes, or Iveco chassis, those are more plush, but the Fuso has good value for what it is.

[@volksman3]

Good for you guys, we are just in the process of adding 2 firestone air bags to our rear axle on our Fuso as these really help the springs out, maybe worth you looking into it to replace the hard bump stops with bags ;o) It a cheap upgrade for allot of gain.

[@HD.Adventuring]

@@volksman3 we actually added some Timbren bump stops recently, and are currently testing them out. So far they have been great!

[@seamusegan9956]

How much did both repairs cost?

[@HD.Adventuring]

The first was about 6,000 pesos, and the second was 10,000 pesos.

[@nickmorris13]

What did Alcan Springs and Overlander Global have to say about the failures?

[@HD.Adventuring]

The springs were made by Alcan, and they agreed that the springs were too long for the truck. We ended up purchasing new main springs from Alcan once we returned to the states, and Allan from Overlander Global helped us install them at his shop.

[@nickmorris13]

@@HD.Adventuring Thanks for the update! Good to know Alcan stood behind their work.

[@hunkman7418]

why so cheap? stay in a hotel dodo

[@HD.Adventuring]

We looked! But we needed a place that was dog friendly, could bring bikes inside, and park the truck outside safely for the first night. And couldn’t find one. We also knew that our timeline was up in the air, and didn’t want to book for 3 nights, and then have to move to a different hotel if we needed to stay longer. And we’re cheap haha