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• >> The Categories
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• >> The motorbike
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• >> Councils, preparation Motorcycle
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• >> The car
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• >> Councils, preparation car

The cars must be 4x4 vehicle and in excellent mechanical condition to meet the challenges of the 6,500 km of the Raid, a large part of which will be “all-terrain”.
Go for a “diesel fuel” vehicle, since “super” fuel is rare or even non-existent in some of the areas that will be crossed.

No specific equipment such as an additional petrol tank or roll bars is required to take part in the Heroes Legend, but reinforced shock absorbers are highly recommended. 4x4 vehicle with two safety wheels, scoop, strap, plaque for digging out of sand, GPS and trip master.

All cars will be equipped with an E-TRACK system (follow-up by satellite), which will ensure safety and guarantee respect of the itineraries imposed by the Organisation.

How to prepare your car:
A rally in the depths of the desert is not possible without a minimum amount of equipment and preparation..

Equipment :
Equipment to dig yourself out of the sand a “hi-lift” jack or an inflatable jack that is connected to the exhaust and can lift up to 4 tonnes.
The operation takes a while but this equipment has the advantage of not taking up a lot of room.
A spade, 4 sand plates, a tow-rope with shackles.
A tool kit suitable for your 4-wheel drive vehicle.
A compressor and pressure gauge to check tyre pressures. Choose a brand with a strong flow. 
Tyre pressure is a decisive element when driving off-road, where the risk of burst tyres is much higher than on-road.
2 spare wheels.
A jerry can of petrol for filling up the motorcycle and diesel fuel if your vehicle does not have a secondary tank. Make sure they are both watertight.

Loading equipment into the 4-wheel drive vehicle:
The equipment must be loaded with great care and strapped down, spreading the weight as much as possible.
Certain tools or equipment must remain accessible without having to unload everything.
 
The vehicle may also be fitted with a roof rack but make sure it does not carry too much weight. Fifty kilos are enough to alter the balance of the vehicle. Caution: the maximum height for boarding the ferry is 2.50 metres.
 
Watch out for the rear overhang, which can be a real handicap for crossing fords and dunes.
The spare wheel, which is usually under the boot, must be moved.

Preparation : 
A journey through Africa cannot be planned without thinking about tyres. You will need to mount tyres on your 4-wheel drive that are suitable for the different types of terrain you will encounter.
 
Nearly all tyre manufacturers offer suitable treads which they call “mixed”. They provide less adherence and are less comfortable on-road and are less effective off-road than specialised tyres, but they nevertheless provide a very decent all-round performance.
 
Depending on the brand, these multi-purpose tyres are all within the range of 80% on-road / 20 % off-road to 50-50. It is up to you to make the choice depending on your vehicle.

If tyres are correctly inflated and they are checked regularly, this guarantees they will last longer and also guarantees your own safety.
One simple rule: over-inflate tyres for stony sections and on-road, and deflate them for sandy sections. But don’t forget to re-inflate them because tyres are more vulnerable at lower pressures.

There is a high risk of burst tyres off-road and it is compulsory to carry 2 spare wheels and a tubeless repair kit, which is more efficient and safer than an inflation aerosol.

The preparation of the chassis starts with the virtually essential – but not compulsory – installation of one or two protective plates for the under-body and reinforced shock-absorbers, which will better cope with the weight of the fully loaded vehicle and bumpy tracks than the factory-mounted ones.
 
As for the engine, we recommend you fit a diesel pre-filter. The quality of fuel in Africa is not always very good and any impurities or water it contains regularly cause damage, especially to modern, direct-injection turbo-diesel engines.
 
Spare parts : take 2 diesel filters, 2 air filters, a set of shock absorbers, a clutch disc, a set of belts…

if you do not own a 4x4 You can find one through a number of  rental companies:                                    

JNCO company in  (France) will rent you a “desert” equipped 4x4 (desert tyres, protection, improved suspension,  compressor, sand plates, etc.) at very attractive prices (Toyota Hilux).
 
Special price for the participants at Heroes Legend
 
For more information : jean.noel @ les-comptoirs-de-l-aventure.com