Does anyone here have experience "overlanding" with a (approximately) a 2006 LR3 TDV6? My question is with regard to the weight and/or payload the vehicle can handle using the stock air-bag system. Meaning, once one begins adding a roof-rack, roof-tent, long ranger fuel tank (104 L), heavy-duty front and rear bumpers, rock and tree skid plates, under carriage body armor, and then all the equipment inside like storage shelves and refrigerators, etc, "at what point" is the air suspension just going to cease functioning properly or, worse yet, fail altogether? Your thoughts and experience are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Well the LR3 can come as a seven seater. So it should be able to take over 1,000 pounds in just passenger weight (including driver). The official payload is something like 1,300lbs. So unless you plan to do all those additions AND put seven people in it, I would not worry. Also if you are getting a RTT why get a rack? Look at smaller partial racks and mount the RTT direct to the rail or rail mounts. As for skid plates, the factory ones are steel and very heavy. Most aftermarket are aluminum so you may actually trim a little weight in some areas. Sliders can be a little heavy, usually about 125lbs for a pair. Bumpers will be heavy too and if you get a winch that can be almost 100lb on its own, depending on how its mounted.

Honestly what you are describing is far less an overland vehicle and more of an off-road vehicle anyway. I overland and would find no use at all for heavy duty front or rear bumpers, or even rock sliders. But all the weights should be listed with the products you want to get. So set the total target weight where you think it should be less additional items like food, water, supplies, etc.

 

I know a few guys with pretty much everything you have listed and payload is severely diminished , i like the idea a steel rear bar with wheel carrier but the added weight is a killer. Then add a lr tank of 100ltrs and there is another 120+ kg, the airbags are not a problem with the added weight.