Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) posted:

And i bet that 'old fashioned' front beam axle helped, You know, i type lots of other 'so called' serious offroaders dont have any more because its not fashionable!!!!

Willem posted:

Hello Truckster

Yep, I am pretty pleased with the peformance of the GQ although I had thought it a bit slow off the mark at first. The Cooper STT's performed well and are not too bnoisy i=on the bitumen. BTW you were right about the spare wheel bolts..they are smaller than the other wheel studs...wonder whose dumb idea that was?

Truckster (Vic) posted:

One idea is to change the bolts on the sparewheel carrier for same as wheel studs, adn use the other nuts.

Best bet as I do is 4 spare nuts in the toolbox!

Thats some flagpole u got there Mr, or are you happy to c me

Willem posted:

G,day Bros

As my saying goes....Never a Dull Moment.!!! You never get too old to have fun!

Willem posted:

Thanks John

We are all fine but need a good rest :-)

Member - JohnR (Vic) posted:

Willie,

What is it you got on the end of that wog pole? It looks to dwarf the Nissan but did it whip around much?

Willem posted:

John

I have a small NT flag at the tip of the pole, a relic from the Canning trip 10 years ago. I had to strengthen the pole with insulation tape. No the pole didn't whip around too much probably due to the smooth riding suspension of the GQ and me pussyfooting it :-)))

Willem posted:

G'day Son

WEll you had better do some planning and get to it!!! A great time in the desert was had by all. There is nothing like a successful trip :-0)

cokeaddict posted:

Welcome back willem, it really sounds like something out of a movie. But i would have given anything to expierence it. Something to tell the grandkids about (when they eventuate that is). Hope someone took some pics.
Take care my friend

Willem posted:

Hi Steve
Our fellow EO friends had an experience of a lifetime in the space of a few hours. I did get as bit concerned when the water kept on rising and were were lucky to have pulled off the track as withing the next 100metres we would have been washed downstream by a swollen creek. We had closed on 50mm of rain in 40 minutes and my truck started floating down the track (creek) we were on when we pulled out of it. Nature has a way of showing us its might! It was a looooong night!

Willem posted:

Wolfie

I will pass the message on to Uncle...He loves to camp out...You never know...:-o)

Willem posted:

Ben

No problem with motorbikes accesing the Simpson BUT, some bike riders have not been using the track........They are powering over the dunes next to the track making unsightly new scars on the dunes and cutting up what vegetation there is. This issue has to be controlled but how?

The same issue goes for people towing trailers across the Simpson. NPWS discourages this practise but travellers are ignoring it. The result being that the tow vehicle is pulling more weight, axle tramping up the dunes, and creating holes which makes it more uncomfortable for fellow travellers using the tracks.

I can see a time approaching when the Simpson crossings will be controlled on a vehicle quota per day basis.

duncs posted:

Willem,

I think you hit the nail on hte head in your first comment about tyre pressures.

I towed a trailer across the Simpson and had no problems. The only place I spun a wheel was in the mud of a salt lake. Where the guty in fromt of me with a Cruiser no trailer and muddies also spun wheels all the way across.

When I was in WA heading out to steep point I met the ranger and was ready to pay my park access fee. He asked, "What tyre pressures you running?" "18psi I replied." "Then don't worry about the access fee, I only charge those who don't let their tyres down."

Trailer was not an issue but tyre pressures were.

Duncs

Willem posted:

Hi duncs...how is life in BH?

My opinion is that the the trailers are a contributing factor to the deterioration of the desert tracks as you may not be aware that you are actually spinning your wheels as the upward and downward pressures of the trailer weight on the rear springs of your vehicle creates the bounce effect and ALL vehicles bounce and create or assist in the deepening of the holes.

I caught up with a driver who had been running 30psi on 285's and this person refused to take responsibility for chewing the track up ahead of me. There is no way one can win with narrow minds.

CYA

Member - JohnR (Vic) posted:

Ben,

Have to agree with Willem on the issue of the bikes. The vegetation on the dunes at much of the year is very fragile and the Simpson potentially mobile if it is freed from vegetation. It is unfortunate that bike riders think they are freed from environmental constraint and they do cut up the dunes and vegetation. I do further agree with Willem on the tyre pressures of some travellers are just as irresponsible.......

duncs posted:

Hey Wiilem,

Life in the Hill remains good. Had a trip to Adelaide last week. Couldn't bring myself to drive that highway twice in 4 days so went down towards Wentworth then across to Renmark via the Springwood Rd. Not really 4wd but still more interesting than 5 hours of black top. Countryside is actually looking pretty good down that way at the moment. Drove home in the rain on Thursday. Spent a bit of time visiting friends in the big city so had to do a rush job on the trip home.

I'm off on Tuesday for a quick lap through White Cliffs, Wanaaring, Tibooburra and Milparinka so, if you camping in the Flinders brings rain, could you stay home till Friday, I don' want them closing roads on me.

Looked for a little while like I might be moving back to Sydney but that won't happen for a couple of years now. So we plan to get out and see as much as we can of this area while we live out this way. That should mean a few trips into the Flinders so I will be calling on your knowledge of the area fairly often. I hope. Maybe one day you will get to follow the trailer and see how gently I really do take it.

Sounds like the Simpson was fun and the new girl went well. I loved my GQ and in many ways I was sorry to see it go. I'm sure you will learn to love yours very quickly.

Duncs

Willem posted:

Andrew needed his Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa the other night !..hahahahaha

Willem posted:

C'mon Ray...what have you bought? Maybe a Ford Territory? Gold Coast...nah, been there, done that :-o)

Mad Dog (Victoria) posted:

I can get the Territory at a massive discount of course but it aint me.
Click on the pic and read the vehicle description. I hope to have the pics updated next week when the missus returns with my camera.

Willem posted:

Hi Glenn

I hope to update my website within the next xouple of months as there are quite few new pages to be added. It is good to have had a successful trip with no major problems.

Willem posted:

Hi Bernie

Yes I always seem to strike the rain in the Flinders. Andrew and company had a night to remember..hahahaha

The Wog Pole worked well over the 1000 or so dunes we traversed but I had to reinforce each join with insulation tape as the construction of the pole is not robust. Other travellers definitely saw me coming even when the vehicle was out of view. I could not use the last skinny tip but the length ended up at 5 metres. Thanks for the idea.

Willem posted:

G'day Richard

The tourist is back for a week. Then a day in Adelaide and a few days later another trip to Melbourne. Then at the end of the month the EO Robe trip comes up and we still want to go to Perth this year. Then I an staying home for 4 months!!!!!....true........

Nudenut posted:

i believe all except the last bit....4 months home....cant believe that willem ...sorry

Willem posted:

G'day John

Yep, It was aircon all the way....still the flies managed to get in from time to time. Pure luxury after 'Rosie' BTW I caught up with 'Rosie' in the Flinders where she was on a rescue mission for stranded travellers.

Coming to Anglesea mid month but probably won't have time for a visit.

Willem posted:

Yep..the clacker valve was just about to get in to overdrive when I swung the GQ out of the track and on to higher ground. For while it was quite nervewracking sitting on an island in a sea of rushing water which kept on creeping higher. Not worrying so much for myself but for those who do not experience these things in daily life and as they were under my leadership I had to make a split decision. But it all worked out in the end. See you at Robe.

Willem posted:

GQ

The device is known as a Squid Pole but its colloquial name in Melbourne is Wog Pole.

Not wanting to offend anyone I went into a fishing shop in Melbourne and asked for a Squid Pole.

"Oh, you mean a Wog Pole" the middle aged sales manager replied.

It would seem that ever since the TV skit 'Wogs out of work' and various other plays containing that name, the term WOG has been demistified and is no longer regarded as a derogatory term. So that is why John and I and others have termed it a Wog Pole.

If you have been offended by this term I beg your forgiveness but the term is not intended to offend.