Flinders, Lake Eyre etc in a Forester

Mick,

"you bought a Forester"? LOL

Thanks Mick,

I'll have look at the blogs, I know it was a pretty open question but I thought I'd spread the net wide

You'll love the forester, from what I've seen on YouTube and read on a couple of other forums it will get us more places than we can imagine.

The forester is my wife's car and I've got an 4wd 05 diesel ford courier.

Even though the courier is more capable off road, the other 95% of the trip is on bitumen and the family hates the rough ride that it gives compared to the comfort of the Subaru.

This trip is only going to be fun if everyone is happy.

Rich

Al, we had our heart set on the Jeep but then as it was to be Queen Vik's main drive, it was her call. I did sue for concessions and got the two litre turbo over the non turbo 2.5. The Jeep was a nice ride but am Super impressed with the subie. Beautiful little rocket. The good thing is that basically being the Impresa configuration, the Crown Prince cannot drive it until he's 30! Yeeeesssss!

Richard,

Having driven the Oodnadatta quite a few times, you'll have no worries in the Subie. You sound like you have prepared well in that you have gotten the most important thing..good tyres. The track gets a fair bit of use during the holidays so it may get a bit corrugated in places and there will be a central buildup of stones/dirt in between the main wheel tracks in either direction. Remember to drop your tyre pressures by at least 10% once you leave the bitumen, drive to the conditions, don't cross those central mounds at speed (they have lots of rocks in it that will gouge out your sidewalls), slow down accordingly and also watch the creek beds. The downward forces placed on the vehicle when you go through them at speed can cause you some headaches if not tackled appropriately (Hoping I'm not telling you stuff you already know here).

Are you carrying a compressor with you? Best bit of kit you can carry on these trips. Let the tyres down and pump up at will. It will also get you further along if you have a slow leak and if you are super lazy, you can even do the airbeds with them lol. They needen't cost you the earth either. This one is good and I have bought several over the past couple of years for myself and gifts. They work well;

Compressor - ebay

Second best bit of insurance (besides top cover RACV road side assist) is a good quality plug kit. Much as I hate to say it ARB's is probably the best although Derek Bester at Sidewinder had an identical kit at about half the price (it was about $35 from memory- ARB is about $65). I couldn't find it on his website though. If he still has the heavy duty kit, I'd go with his;

Speedie plug kit

Cheers

Mick

Yes Mick, the Subies have a good reputation. Your Forester is a bit up the ladder from my 1984 model, but it took us into some difficult places even better than the TC & TE Cortinas which preceded it. LOL

Derek of Sidewinder still has the tyre plug kits. They are on his compressor page (here) for $39.95 and look identical to the ARB product (sounds about right?)
I would add to your comments by recommending to only purchase those with metal handles. Have not known any incidents but a cheap plastic handle may fail and pierce the shaft into your hand!

Mick and Allan

Thanks for the tips

I'd started looking for a plug kit and compressor so your links are a great help. And at a reasonable price.

The forester will certainly be comfortable, I used to take my old Datsun Bluebird on rougher roads.

I'm working on convincing the beloved to do a couple of nights camping mixed in with cabins.

our most recent camping experience was the Christmas before last in TAS. We got 41deg and bushfires on the east coast and then freezing cold and rain on the west coast. All in the space of a week.

Chuck in being too close to too many other people in campsites and we decided that unless you are kitted out for camping in the bush with no amenities to get away from things, then we'd rather pay for a budget cabin and have our own space.

Rich

Muloorina to Level Post Bay was very corrugated when I did it last year. It's pot luck really.

Hi Allan,

I am googling but...

Its the bits in between the places I mentioned that I am trying to figure out, how long it takes to get to each spot and how much time you need to have good look.

Having conversation with someone, beats Google everytime

I've got two weeks to do it and being the school holidays I figured that Ill need to book accommodation so need to have the itinery well planned.

Rich

Thanks mike that is a great help

We are in Wentworth falls so going west from the start is a good option

Rich

And on your way through the Flinders it's worth visiting the northern Flinders as they are very different to the southern areas. If you're up this way drop in at Arkaroola and say hi.

Cheers,
Vicki

Hi Peter

Thanks for the tyre advice, that has answered one of my questions before I even asked

Rich

The D697s are good on the Foz but you can't get them in a Victoria-legal size for the 08. Check for the other states.

I drop my pressures 30% out there & don't go above 80.

Mine are the exactly the same size as the original tyres.

It may depend on the actual model mine is a MY09 even though it was built in 2008 (ie the newer shape). The OP has a 2009 model which is probably also a MY09 or possibly a MY10.

I'm in the Subaru Club and the most common decent tyre I've seen on Foresters are Yokohama Geolander A/T-S. They are a really good AT tyre. They have a good size range too.

The Yoki Geos are not light truck construction however and not ideal for long runs with lowered pressure on corro, gibber, rocky and 'sticky' tracks - where dropping pressure will save you a tyre. I do outback trips with my Foz towing a CT and wouldn't run anything other than Dueller AT/LTs (on the 2nd set now) even though that means they're 7mm > legal diameter! Have to have the extra load rating.

Geo ATs I run on a separate set of rims for everything else.

Re compressors: yes, essential. My eBay unit of about $80 lasted six uses. Now have one from ABR.

Hi Val

Thanks for the advice, I'll plot a basic route anti clockwise with the promise of the barossa valley at the end.

Rich