A long wheelbase Land Rover or Toyota Landcruiser are examples of vehicles that can be more easily modified for desert terrain than most of their rivals. For one thing, spare parts for these vehicles are often obtainable in obscure parts of the world because the locals use them. If you take a Humvee, for example, parts may be a problem unless there is an American military base nearby. If you intend to make a desert trip (perhaps the adventure of a lifetime), you would be best served by having a specialist company modify your vehicle, but as a minimum you need to consider the following:

Sand and dust protection:
Carburettors, fuel inlets, air and oil filters need to be specially adapted to cope with sand and dust in the desert. All air intakes need dust filters fitted over them. All exposed bearing must be protected against sand entering them.

Suspension and bearings:
Suspension needs to be "ruggedized" to cope with the extreme terrain.

Sump protection:
You must have a strong plate to protect the oil sump and the bottom of your vehicle against scraping by rocks.

Batteries:
You need to have a performance battery like the NATO-block battery. These dual-purpose, heavy-duty gel batteries can cope with deep current cycles as well as instant high currents. Such batteries are rated between 125 and 200Ah and you will never be stranded without enough power to start the vehicle. Unfortunately, most suppliers retailing batteries are hopeless when it comes to special applications like these, so you need to know what you want. Sonnenschein Dryfit batteries are a good choice (available through Exide). If you use an electric winch, you need one of these batteries.

Winches:
Definitely unsuitable are cheap winches in the price region of £200-300. If you decide to fit a winch, the straight line pull should be around double the laden weight of your vehicle or greater. Remember to buy some ground anchors.

Tyres:
Radial tyres are always better than cross-ply tyres in desert terrain. Choose tyres for the sturdiness of their sidewalls and their ability to run at very low pressures for extended periods; a good example is the Michelin XS or XZL.

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