Can your vehicle manage this trip?

[BigJules]

Whenever I talk to people about doing trips like this one or Cape York, they're often worried about their own capability or that of their vehicle.

I saw this article on Drive.com.au this morning, where they take four stock standard premium 4wd wagons across the Simpson.

Have a read, talks about fuel, tyres etc as well as the strengths and weaknesses of these particular vehicles, but mostly what I got out of this was that even straight off the showroom floor, a lot of 4wbies are capable of doing this trip.

[Bird]

Whenever I talk to people about doing trips like this one or Cape York, they're often worried about their own capability or that of their vehicle.

I saw this article on Drive.com.au this morning, where they take four stock standard premium 4wd wagons across the Simpson.

Have a read, talks about fuel, tyres etc as well as the strengths and weaknesses of these particular vehicles, but mostly what I got out of this was that even straight off the showroom floor, a lot of 4wbies are capable of doing this trip.

Yep... also.. what did people do before 4wd's...

[DannyG]

The young bloke who does most of the recoveries from the Birdsville side and I think it was his girlfriend took a VW beetle across LOL

Im taking the wife's Fiesta, thats ok isnt it? 

Its not the Simpson crossing thats the killer its all the roads around the area imho

[DannyG]

Heres a 10 minute snap shot of what was around 500 or so kays we spent approx 9 hours doing a few weeks ago.

If you can get past us slow tasmanians talking you will get an idea of the road surface. The video is pretty shaky but whats interesting is my wife mentions not wanting to break down in this area and things falling apart and several times we talk about how punishing the road is on the  equipment and all this just prior to breaking something on the trailer and more things on the Patrol LOL

Our mistake was committing ourselves to be at Dalhousie and pushing on too fast for the conditions, we paid the price when we got out the other side..............

Ill probably cop some flack for this vid but here is!

BinnsTrack

[jetcrew]

Our mistake was committing ourselves to be at Dalhousie and pushing on too fast for the conditions, we paid the price when we got out the other side..............
         

DannyG,

good on you mate for acknowledging the mistake (many don;t)

I too have in years gone by made this same mistake. far to often it is not the conditions that cause the damage it is OUR failure to accommodate them. A brocken this or that quickly errods any time gain you made.

I am after towing boat to weipa and other places now a firm believer in the 10 / 10 & 10 rule.

10psi out of the tyres... 10k/ph off the speedo and 10 extra mins onto whatever time over distance estimate I have. Time is one of those things I rather be looking at,  than for... LOL

The key is having enough time to take your time 

Your vid did get me excited thopugh

Jet

[DannyG]

DannyG,

good on you mate for acknowledging the mistake (many don;t)

I too have in years gone by made this same mistake. far to often it is not the conditions that cause the damage it is OUR failure to accommodate them. A brocken this or that quickly errods any time gain you made.

I am after towing boat to weipa and other places now a firm believer in the 10 / 10 & 10 rule.

10psi out of the tyres... 10k/ph off the speedo and 10 extra mins onto whatever time over distance estimate I have. Time is one of those things I rather be looking at,  than for... LOL

The key is having enough time to take your time 

Your vid did get me excited thopugh

Jet

Not only did we push on too hard and fast, I was also getting a little cocky as to how much punishment our trailer could handle. We had already been on over 1000 kays of some really corrugated and rough tracks all over the centre and top end and I was starting to think we were unbreakable In hindsight the tracks we not too bad if they were driven according to the conditions, I mean yes they were rough and punishing but just that little bit of speed less and everything would have been just fine.
I should have put new shockys in the Patrol before this trip and it would have not shaken things so bad on the tug and we were also on the limit as far as weight goes with the camper so when you see the camper airborne in your mirrors and the tug is bottoming out it is generally time to reassess how many kays your trying to achieve on that day  But we survived and its now a great memory.

[Trackabout Off Road Campers]

The young bloke who does most of the recoveries from the Birdsville side and I think it was his girlfriend took a VW beetle across LOL

Im taking the wife's Fiesta, thats ok isnt it? 

Its not the Simpson crossing thats the killer its all the roads around the area imho

Danny, will the Fiesta tow the camper but 

[DannyG]

Danny, will the Fiesta tow the camper but 

No but I should be able to ocky strap the swag to the roof

[Bird]

but I need a new 4wd, 6 inch lift, twin lockers and 35's...

[MDS69]

Dr Reg Sprigg  the first person to cross the Simpson Desert in a 4WD did it in a fairly stock if not 100% stock SWB Patrol with his wife and 2 kids. From memory they had a 44 gal drum of fuel in the back as well. Don't think they had fridges, dual batteries, winches, bars, lights roof racks.... you get the idea.
These days when we camp we want half of the luxuries from home and I will say I am guilty to an extent of that as well. When we crossed we wanted a camp oven roast and vegies one night, a pasta another night, stir fry the next etc etc. Should have just had baked bean toasted sangas or banger sangers, simplicity.

Drive to the conditions and that will be 99% of your trip.

[ddr]

Have a read, talks about fuel, tyres etc as well as the strengths and weaknesses of these particular vehicles, but mostly what I got out of this was that even straight off the showroom floor, a lot of 4wbies are capable of doing this trip.

I think the same can be said for almost any track across Australia, cars are typically far more capable than the person behind the wheel.  Maybe the question should be are "YOU" capable of doing the trip?  A harder question to get past ones own ego.

How many people would be strong enough in character to say "No im not ready for that kind of trip".

*Not a dig at you personally Jules just hoping people think about things before acting, its a LONG way from anywhere out there. Communication & help is a long time away.

[Swannie]

I don/t think I'm ready for trip like that on my own with the family, but in a group not a problem
Swannie


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[dooguss]

Swannie I'm with you on that statement but with jet leading the way I got no problems in following him anywhere. Safety first and always a good laugh it's going to be a cracker of a trip.

[Marcus73]

I just wish everyone would stop talking about it. It's still 12 mths away..... I wanna go now!


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[DannyG]

I just wish everyone would stop talking about it. It's still 12 mths away..... I wanna go now!


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Planning and organising is a part of the fun. But yeh by the time it comes around your usually well and truly over talking about it just want it underway

[nbd73]

I don/t think I'm ready for trip like that on my own with the family, but in a group not a problem
Swannie


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I'm sure you will be ready swannie, but not so sure about the territory> the ute is a better option one would think...

[DannyG]

I don/t think I'm ready for trip like that on my own with the family, but in a group not a problem
Swannie


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I agree. We have been out at the edge of the Simpson twice now on our own, so we have a good idea as to what its all about but we still wouldnt cross it on our own even though I know how busy it is these days.
Im looking forward to doing it in a group.

[Andrew_C]

Our crossing a couple of weeks ago, we did not see another car for 4 days, it was pretty hot and in some spots, we had to hammer up the dune (East to West, steep side first) then time it just right so the back tyres would drop over the dune, then stop and figure out where the track went as the tracks were blown over with sand. Hence we fell off one with the car in to a massive sand blown hole, which did a bit of damage to the guard on the prado. We had the gear but just a lack in concentration and mistiming was enough for us to get pretty stuck, we had to get pulled out backwards up the dune.

On Knolls Track, we averaged 8km p/h, 75 kays for the day.

In peak times, I could see it would be like Burke St, and especially the French line could be done in a single car, but the guys I was with had done the crossing a few times each and they said it was rougher than they had ever seen it. The damage to the West side of the dunes done by cars with too higher tyre pressures really chewed up the track with big offset holes up the wheel tracks.

Would I go with one car, nup, I am sure a factory car could though and get lucky, or they could crash and burn.

[rodw]

Heres a 10 minute snap shot of what was around 500 or so kays we spent approx 9 hours doing a few weeks ago.

If you can get past us slow tasmanians talking you will get an idea of the road surface. The video is pretty shaky but whats interesting is my wife mentions not wanting to break down in this area and things falling apart and several times we talk about how punishing the road is on the  equipment and all this just prior to breaking something on the trailer and more things on the Patrol LOL

Our mistake was committing ourselves to be at Dalhousie and pushing on too fast for the conditions, we paid the price when we got out the other side..............

Danny I had a watch and I reckon your mistake was not reading the corrugations. 95km/hr would have smoothed the road out nicely! 

[DannyG]

Danny I had a watch and I reckon your mistake was not reading the corrugations. 95km/hr would have smoothed the road out nicely! 

You might be right, except every time the camper bounced in the air it might have stayed there at that speed

[JD-120]

Hi Guys,

I realise the numbers are getting up there on this trip. I have been thinking about it a fair bit. Why is currently no-one taking their CT? Is this track not really suitable? Are camp spots an issue? Is it just easier without for this particular route, or just people preferences at the moment?

Cheers

Justin

[JD-120]

Hi Guys,

I realise the numbers are getting up there on this trip. I have been thinking about it a fair bit. Why is currently no-one taking their CT? Is this track not really suitable? Are camp spots an issue? Is it just easier without for this particular route, or just people preferences at the moment?

Cheers

Justin

Ah, just read another thread and think I have answered my own question!

Cheers

Justin

[Bird]

How many people would be strong enough in character to say "No im not ready for that kind of trip".

Valid point on any treck...

[jetcrew]

Hi Guys,

I realise the numbers are getting up there on this trip. I have been thinking about it a fair bit. Why is currently no-one taking their CT? Is this track not really suitable? Are camp spots an issue? Is it just easier without for this particular route, or just people preferences at the moment?

Cheers

Justin

I will be towing a camper for the trip, it became inevitable with the amount of gear we need for a 6 week trip. funny thing is that with the trailer all my payloads are in order..without and the car is over its GVM, and I know the roof rack would be too for longer than I would like. I was dead set against it and could have done that for 2 weeks trip but the 6 weeks just blew the gear situation out of the water. 6 weeks on dirt in a tent and I would be looking for a new wife in Alice springs .

So in the interests of comfort and safety I have opted for the trailer

I think Greg has also decided to tow his camper also as he is in for 6 weeks as well.

Jet