Hi.

Although I am only a few weeks into ownership of my first FF, a 2007 Vogue TDV8, it has already let me down on two occasions. The engine would turn over, but apparently not fast enough to wake up the horses.

The diagnosis was a duff battery, so I had to dip, (quite deeply), into my pockets for a replacement battery and alternator. From what I have read on this forum, these vehicles appear to be ‘sensitive’ to the state of the battery, and although I have new LR battery fitted I am a little concerned over leaving it parked up for week.

So, I guess a set of jump leads would be a good thing to have in the boot, or would a ‘starter pack’ be better. With that I wouldn’t have to find another vehicle nearby, but then making sure the pack is always fully charged is another thing.

This morning I discovered the birds had chosen to make a few deposits on the bonnet. Particularly irritating since I spent the holiday weekend cleaning and waxing the thing, (I realise now just how much car there is to actually clean). So out came the pack of wipes to clean off the mess.

Which then got me thinking as to what do you guys carry around in the boots of your FFs?. What are the must have items you want to have on hand?

Thanks.

Mike

Long thick jump leads with Anderson connectors on - and a permanent Anderson connector on the battery - getting a decent connection to the battery is usually the trickiest part

Plenty of people will advise against jump starting a FFRR, but with a good connection, I've not had any problems.

I also have a Floureon power pack - described here

The jacks are also crap - no end of threads on that one & recommendations for a modified Merc Sprinter jack - here

I also have a first aid kit, a couple of umbrellas, a tow strap & various shackles and some work gloves

I have similar, heavy duty jump leads, a battery charger (not power pack as I would forget to charge it), a tow rope and straps for pulling daftys out the local hedges, trolley jack, some bungees, dog bowls and leads, gloves and towels, oh and some wheel nuts as one of my alloys has the smaller nuts

Jump leads. Merc Sprinter bottle jack. 2 umbrellas. Gloves incase I need to change a wheel. 24" breaker bar and plastic coated socket for the wheel nuts. Heavy duty tow rope. C-TEK charger. Roll of spanners. 3 screwdrivers. Stanley knife. Roll of bodge tape. Pack of tie-wraps.

Pretty much covers off most running repair situations. In terms of jump leads I made my own from welder cable, clamps and 2 Anderson connectors. These things really don't like crap leads and getting strong clamps on the L322 battery can be awkward, hence the Andersons.

Yup, jump leads, don't have a merc sprinter jack, got a trolley jack in the garage + an AA card in my pocket. Also a portable potty.

Alistair, Rosco, mzplcg, and Mr Tee

Thanks for your suggestions, they certainly seem practical items.

For me, the power pack has appeal. No doubt should I ever need to use jump leads, it will be on a cold wet night with no other cars around.

The idea of the Anderson connector is new, and I’ll certainly be looking on eBay for something suitable. Can ask a follow up question as to where is the optimum point to connect the positive connection lead to the battery?. I have read about the explosive charge which is discouraging me from poking around that area.

The Sprinter jack can be next week’s project.

Finally I have just remembered that senior management is a member of the AA, so as long as she is with me in the car I guess breakdown cover can accessed 

Many thanks.

Mike

MIke the TD6 has a dedicated positive and negative terminal on the bulkhead in front of the battery compartment, not sure if the TDV8 has this?

Explosive charge is just a fuse - so if you're bothered by it, just disconnect the negative lead completely before touching it.

I connected mine straight to the positive terminal on my L322 - and to where the negative lead bolts to the body -

Click image to enlarge

Alistair.

Thanks for the picture, I would have forgotten to order a dust cap for the connector.

Mike

Does the TDV8 not have a dedicated +/- seperate to the battery? Must have been an 'upgrade' for that model

IIRC mine didn't - my '04 4.4 had one, but not my '07 TDV8 - changed with the folding key apparently - here

L405 has them - but then again, the starter battery is under the spare wheel.....

Mr Tee wrote:

Yup, jump leads, don't have a merc sprinter jack, got a trolley jack in the garage + an AA card in my pocket. Also a portable potty.

a portable potty!!

now, i will be able to recognise a fellow forum member, if I see him sitting a few inches higher, in his range rover!
-even more, if he has an 'angry' look on his face!

Iirc you can retro fit the positive post.
The negative post is purely just to the chassis and not a straight to battery connection anyway.

I carry jump leads, baby wipes, scruffy fleece, waffle boards, shovel, two long strops and shackles, some 10mm rope, first aid kit, 5litres of water, wash and clay mitt, 6ton jack(don't trust the merc ones!) big tool kit and small toolkit, breaker bar and usually some matting to lean on if I have to get on the floor. Loads of other Nic nacs as well mind  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

had to go and look,

but i have

tow strap and shackles, folding spade, ctek charger, ratchet straps, tyre inflator, pressure gauges, tread depth, para cord, picnic blanket, pipe repair tape, first aid kit, bulbs, umbrellas, wellies, barbour, oil, leather wipes, dash wipes, farecla g3 and microfibre cloth, zymol, jump leads, basic tool kit, tyre weld, leather dye, gliptone, swiss army knife, blow up stuff blower upper, blue rope, hammer, another umbrella, picnic basket, touch up stick warning triangle, hi viz and a cuddly toy......

need to rationalise a bit i think.  There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

When on the road I just carry the number to the breakdown service we get with our bank account, I ring them up and they send a little man to do all sorts of things so I don't have to get my hands dirty.... Always there in less than 30mins and if they can't fix it I get a free ride home....

When off roading, you name it I have it... from cable ties to a chainsaw.....  Pete
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2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-