There is an upgrade sold through a few of the dealers which seems expensive, in the region of about £500+ if memory serves me correct. I think it's more a sporty upgrade but may help with carrying a heavier load in the front as the standard spring is not great for carrying loads as I found-out thinking I could throw a few bags of cement in the front of mine.
I think after 4 it was overloaded however the rear suspension seems to be able to take more load.
Have a look for spares suppliers in the links on this website.
I'd advise sticking with the standard tyres, I have wider cinqeucento type on mine which seem to grip more, but alloy wheels cannot be beaten back into place like a steel wheel.
My days in africa we thought a steel rim was the way to go, split is best as one can go through bad patches and end-up with three punctures in a row. Pity I chucked-out some bis wheels I had kicking about here, two spares would be good.
I had a trick for mud, which was reduce the tyre pressure a bit, like down to 1 bar and carry a thick mat in the back of the pick-up, if it got stuck, chuck the mat under the wheels and with a bit of luck you'd pop-out! In a really muddy stoney spot we used snow chains 8)as it was steep ups and downs.
It's a BIS I assume, and I'd advise strongly for your own sanity to upgrade to electronic ignition, and pull the thermostat out, and then run it regularly for a bit to be sure all is well.
On a run like that new shocks may just make the diference between breaking something and not as the roads might get a tad rough. Memories of land cruisers with broken springs still fresh in my mind
Weak points on the BIS are the cooling as the thermostat was placed far away from the head, under normal circumstances it gets a little warmer than it should to open the thermostat, if it's an old thermostat and a bit sticky, it may not open at all, and then it's too late.. The gear box is another swine that needs to be treated special, and learn from me, don't put it into first until the car has completely stopped! 1st has no syncromesh.
Learn from me, I'm on my second box and all seems well now as it's been in for about 8000miles. If you can get a good box on e bay, take it apart and keep just the middle bit with the gears in, chuck it in the boot, you never know..KNowing not to use first unless pulluing away from a dead stop helps from the start.
I'd get a new set of the silent blocks (the aluminium bits with rubber in them) that connect the drive shaft to the wheel bit, they perrish over time, and with how far you going, and on the roads it might be a good idea. Every time you take a hub apart the stupid nut needs to be changed so a couple of spare nuts maybe some bearings. Take em all with.
I'd try replace anything that is rubber and a bit perrished underneath. My experience is it's a matter of time before it disappears.
I've been thinking of doing the trip to Italy we spoke about on here, one cannot carry a spare car, so just careful preparation and a few key spares and you should be ok. Oil, coolant, (I ran my bis on 100% coolant) tools...
Oh and fuel pump and a new rod and spacer is a must for under the bonnet as a spare.
I have a spare altenator if you want to borrow it as a spare to take along.
