Some desert vehicle ideas - please add to the list

[Tjupurula]

Don't forget a Hi Viz flag, at least 3m off the ground (I use an old beach rod and cut up a hi viz vest to use as the flag), and a UHF tuned to the appropriate desert channel.

Crossed the Simpson east to west 3 weeks ago and came across a couple doing it solo, no flag. no radio, no idea!  Only just avoided a head on with another couple of vehicles, they had a radio but didn't use it.  They could hear me announcing my presence but didn't think I needed to know they where coming, idiots!

PS I didn't take the camper (or the Mrs) on this trip, just the swag and a mate in another vehicle.

Never owned or used a high viz flag for any reason.  We live out here, and are always informed of people travelling through the CSR or the Tanami (no need for flags on the Tanami), but I do have radios (HF and UHF) and a sat phone, but we normally just duck completely off the track when we hear someone nearby transmitting.  Most times the travellers are not even aware that we are in the area, and we like to keep it that way.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Tjupurula]

TJ's idea about using shade cloth to protect the radiator from spinifex also can be used when their are plague locust about. They can really stuff up a radiator but also makes it easier to clean.

We normally do not drive when locusts plagues are around, as that is when there are also bush turkeys (bustards) around, and we wait to get a couple for a feed.
Tjupurula

[2010banditsa]

hose on pipes is a good idea... i used good quality split, flexi electrical conduit with cable ties....... also under the van to protect all the vulnerable bits.... the main runs of plumbing (water and gas) i moved together as best as i could and screwed top hat profile steel over the top of, with expanda foam on the leading edge, open at the rear. Always amazes me how little thought goes into the protection of the vulnerable items underneath vans.... no experience with campers

[Mallory Black]

My Auntie's partner Kurt Johannsen (passed away some time ago) used to get about the centre in a 1970's Dodge Coronet wagon that he did up.
2wd, open diff, went anywhere he wanted to go, just upped the clearance and put on some high profile crossplies.
I think he had a kind of bashplate under it and of course lots of flywire on the grille to catch bugs

so back to the story..He also ran it on woodgas for a time... smart idea seeing as the middle is full of mulga and fuel was and still is dear as out there.
must dig up a picture. I think I even hava a plan of how he set it up. same system he used while in Brisbane during WW2 (Army said he was too valuable to send to war seeing he was virtually an engineer so he helped the effort on home soil)

[Tjupurula]

hose on pipes is a good idea... i used good quality split, flexi electrical conduit with cable ties....... also under the van to protect all the vulnerable bits.... the main runs of plumbing (water and gas) i moved together as best as i could and screwed top hat profile steel over the top of, with expanda foam on the leading edge, open at the rear. Always amazes me how little thought goes into the protection of the vulnerable items underneath vans.... no experience with campers

Great to see others who have similar thoughts to avoid having to get people out to help, or prevent themselves from getting into trouble, well done.
Tjupurula

[Tjupurula]

My Auntie's partner Kurt Johannsen (passed away some time ago) used to get about the centre in a 1970's Dodge Coronet wagon that he did up.
2wd, open diff, went anywhere he wanted to go, just upped the clearance and put on some high profile crossplies.
I think he had a kind of bashplate under it and of course lots of flywire on the grille to catch bugs

so back to the story..He also ran it on woodgas for a time... smart idea seeing as the middle is full of mulga and fuel was and still is dear as out there.
must dig up a picture. I think I even hava a plan of how he set it up. same system he used while in Brisbane during WW2 (Army said he was too valuable to send to war seeing he was virtually an engineer so he helped the effort on home soil)

Hi MB
Please dig the picture up, I would love to see it if you  can somehow get it in a thread.
Tjupurula

[Mallory Black]

Hey Tj
the car or the woodburner?

[Tjupurula]

Hey Tj
the car or the woodburner?

Both.

[Brij]

Kurt Johannsen -

Read his book (biography?) about 10 years ago.

Fantastic read. Thouroughly recommend it.

Peter

[Tjupurula]

Kurt Johannsen -

Read his book (biography?) about 10 years ago.

Fantastic read. Thouroughly recommend it.

Peter

Sorry to say that I have never heard of him.
Tjupurula

[Mallory Black]

Well you're in Luck Tj
I found the basic drawing of the wood burner.
He's got pics if the car in his book but I'll e-mail dad, I think he's got some better ones and maybe underbonnet pics too.
Have that for you soon.

[Tjupurula]

Well you're in Luck Tj
I found the basic drawing of the wood burner.
He's got pics if the car in his book but I'll e-mail dad, I think he's got some better ones and maybe underbonnet pics too.
Have that for you soon.

Thankyou so much.

[Barry G]

These practical tips are great.  Please keep them comming

I recently went looking for Jack Absalom's Safe Outback Travel that I thought I had somewhere at home.  It was full of handy hints.

I have a copy of Absolom's book somewhere, will try and remember to dig it out.
Some of his logic is a bit dated these days, such as his view that automatic trams had no place in the outback.  Mind you, dual battery systems were virtually unknown back then, so his point was valid then.
I had a lot of respect for his philosophy and experience in the outback.

[GraemeL]

We normally do not drive when locusts plagues are around, as that is when there are also bush turkeys (bustards) around, and we wait to get a couple for a feed.
Tjupurula

I hit one driving back to Tom Price years ago, I was in a small single cab ute travelling at 110kph. I saw it on the edge of the road, then it was in the air in front of me and hit the very top edge of the windscreen. the top half went over the roof and the bottom half ended up inside everywhere.

I wasn't impressed 

[duggie]

Hi Swaggers
Although some of these ideas (which we use) should probably be in the mechanical section, they are not strictly mechanical.

500 mm flat bar....I carry a small piece of flat bar, as when I have to change a tyre, I can put the tyre near the hub, line the studs up, and with the flat bar under the the tyre, simply lever the tyre up instead of trying to pick the tyre up, which can be hard work after a long day on the road.  I have wrapped some string and duct tape around one end of the flat bar to act as a handle, and if it is damned hot, the "handle" prevents my hand from getting burned.

Regards
Tjupurula

Another way to assist the fitment of heavy tyres/rims to your vehicle is to use your shovel. Rest the wheel against the hub , insert/slide the tip of your shovel under the tyre and leaver down on the handle lifting the wheel up to the wheel stud height.

cheers duggie

[Tjupurula]

Another way to assist the fitment of heavy tyres/rims to your vehicle is to use your shovel. Rest the wheel against the hub , insert/slide the tip of your shovel under the tyre and leaver down on the handle lifting the wheel up to the wheel stud height.

cheers duggie

True enough Duggie, I always carry a shovel (handy for the emergency toilet break as well), but I find that a lot of people have their shovels quite well secured somewhere on the vehicle, whereas a flat bar can be put under things in a convenient location.  I also have a small groove in the side of the flat bar, a nick I cut with the angle grinder, which I use to get the billy out of the fire.
Tjupurula

[weeds]

Don't forget a Hi Viz flag, at least 3m off the ground (I use an old beach rod and cut up a hi viz vest to use as the flag), and a UHF tuned to the appropriate desert channel.

Crossed the Simpson east to west 3 weeks ago and came across a couple doing it solo, no flag. no radio, no idea!  Only just avoided a head on with another couple of vehicles, they had a radio but didn't use it.  They could hear me announcing my presence but didn't think I needed to know they where coming, idiots!

PS I didn't take the camper (or the Mrs) on this trip, just the swag and a mate in another vehicle.

how do you nominate which dune you are cresting?.......when i crossed the simpson the dunes were not numbered so announcing cresting each dune kinda seemed pointless, maybe i had no idea as well

i had a giggle everytime i herd some announce they were cresting a dune....i did have a dune flag although not really sure how effective they are, i did have a radio but had it on scan as there was lttle activity on desert channel, oh and i forgot to turn my radio on one morning only to be pulled up by another traveller and abused.......must be a club thing, igot a bigger giggle selecting first and driving off while he was still abusing me, i did want to thank him for the heads up but he didn't give me a chance.

[GraemeL]

I am new to UHF as well and have always wondered how you are supposed to know if someone is coming over the dune in front of you or they are a few k's away. As you say the dunes don't have numbers on them so how does this work?

[Bird]

How to fix your radiator on the road

The Bush Mechanics - Motorcar Ngutju Part 2 of 2 (complete version!)

[Tjupurula]

Hi Lost
Those young fellas are Warlpiri men from Papunya, Kintore and Yuendemu, and do actually play in a band, really nice young fellas.
Loved the video though, and could well believe the emergency repairs, I have done worse and made it.
Regards
Tjupurula

[GraemeL]

That was GOLD 

[Pirate_Pete]

That was a series on the ABC years ago.

[Tjupurula]

Several years ago we met some travellers on the CSR.  They had been there for about a day and a half, with a flat battery (dry cells).  WE decided it was time to show some city slickers a bush trick, so we made a fire and chucked two billies on, one for a cuppa and one for the battery, a short time later the billies were boiled, so it was cuppa and damper time, and give the second bily time to cool down time.
The travellers were getting anxious, but I told them a bit of patience and we would get them on their way.
About 20 minutes later, and a good amount of coals ready, we dug a hole, dropped all the coals in it, put about 1 1/2 inches of sand over the coals, put the battery on top with some top water from the second billy in it, and left it there for about 1/2 hour.  Then we pulle the battery off the sand, put it in their car, and much to their disbelief, their car kicked over straight away, and i told the guy to top his battery up now, and he will have no further problems.  A couple of hand shakes and they were on their way.
About 3 months after that we got the most beautiful hand knitted jumpers in the mail, from the same people, with the brief note explaining how their entire way of thinking about aboriginal people had changed because of our actions.  To me that made it completely worthwhile.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Garry H]

That was a series on the ABC years ago.

bush mechanics was a classic series, and their face book page makes for some good reading as well.......

[Symon]

One thing I think you missed is a 2' long piece of 1" pipe.  I always carry this to slide over the handles of spanners and ratchets for those really tight bolts.  I've also used it to lever alternators when tightening the belts, and I'm sure you could use it to lift on tyres if need be.  It also makes a pretty good dolly if you need to give something a tap in a hard to get location - like a starter motor solenoid.

I also carry two blocks of 12x12x4" hardwood, I've found these to be very useful in the past, from everything from jacking blocks to impromptu seating.