Shaker replied:

Plenty have done it with camper trailers, commonsense would tell you that it would need to be as strong & as well prepared as the tow vehicle. If it leaf sprung make sure you carry a spare spring assembly, greasable shackle pins would be preferable & so would the fitment of shock absorbers.
There will be times when you may need a snatch to get over some dunes, but take it & enjoy the trip!

desert replied:

Not trying to be a smart arse, but this question often arises and the advice is always - Don't take the bloody trailer! The CSR is one of the harder treks that the average Joe blow is ever going to atte,pt, so why stuff it up for your self, by putting yourself at an extreme disadvantage from the start, by trying to drag a sand anchor along with you? The amount of grief that some people have due to Trailers is not worth the hassle. Secondly, those with trailers DO damage to the dunes and stuff it up for the next bloke following. It is bad enough having mechanical problems with a vehicle on it's own, let alone doubleing your chance of trouble with a trailer. And it's not always the trailer that suffers, because it loads the towing vehicle so much more that everything is taxed that much more. Cooling systems, clutches, suspensions, all cop more loads. Then if you do need recovery, it's twice the hassle for somebody to help. twice as expensive to recovery, for what? To say you've driven the CSR? Leave the trailer and enjoy it much more stress free!

Member - Ozdyssey (QLD) replied:

there was a recent post on this 29468

good dvd in the shop

Member - Michael replied:

Snailbait
Leave the trailer behind, sure there are those that have done it, but towing a trailer will double your chances of problems, also acess with trailers is restricted at the Wiluna end of the CSR.
Mike

geocacher (djcache) replied:

A few points.

I was there in May 2005. Did it with two 4wds and 3 bikes.

I wouldn't tow a trailer up or down it for many reasons - some of them mentioned above and in other posts. Do a search - if there aren't a dozen posts on this I'll go he.

Another crew travelling north that we came across had done an axle on a trailer they were towing and I believe they encountered other problems further north. Now to qualify that point I don't think the trailer they were towing was appropriate but it cost them several days and a round trip to Kalgoorlie from Pierre Springs for a replacement axle the first time, and I believe they were last heard of getting trailer parts flown in to Kunnawarritji. Not a cheap trip - not to mention the delays and the extra delays placing added demands on food supplies.

The sign on the Kunnawarritji office window reads as follows:
Vehicle recovery from Kunnawarritji to Port Hedland
$5000 inc GST
50% up front deposit

That's to get the vehicle out of Kunnawarritji - not from where ever it broke on the Canning to Kunnawarritji and then to Port Hedland.

This is extremely remote country and at times the terrain is harsh. IF it breaks, and maybe in some cases IF could be WHEN, it's going to cost you nearly $10,000 for the recovery and repair attempt. IF you can find someone to do it.

The added stress on the tow vehicle increases the chance of problems with the vehicle even with the best setup.

It is already a tall order to carry enough food, fuel & equipment to undertake the trip. The additional fuel load is difficult to calculate as setups vary. If you under calculate you are STUFFED. If you get it right you are probably at a very rough guess going to need to carry half as much fuel again.

That means leaving Billiluna or Willuna with something like 300-330 litres of fuel and taking on a similar amount ($2.25/ltr in May '05) at the half way mark.

It's a great trip. But don't underestimate it by even one tiny little bit, it could cost you a lot of time, money and risk.

Dave

Member - Ed. C. replied:

snailbait,
go to

www.direct4wd.com.au

and have a look around, & specifically at the article on trailers....

FWIW, I towed a tandem-axle c/t N>S down the CSR in June/July '05 without difficulty, and I absolutely guarantee that I most definitely DID NOT "stuff up the track for the next bloke following".....
In fact, we had comments made to us by other travellers who had caught up with us from behind (we were in no hurry) on how much easier it was for them after the (3) trailers had "rolled" the sand....

vehicle.. '99 GU Patrol TD42T
tyre pressures... 10-12psi (front), 14-16psi (rear), 8psi (trailer)....
Needed a second attempt (after adjusting t/pressure) at 2 (TWO) of the sandhills north of well 41.... Found low-range 2nd. to offer the best combination of power, and ability to maintain momentum (NOT SPEED!!).... At no time did I even consider the "Run-ups" that too many ppl seem to think are necessary....

On the issue of track damage... We saw LOTS and LOTS of evidence of LOTS and LOTS of vehicles (which were NOT towing) doing LOTS and LOTS MORE damage than we did, simply because they insist on charging at the dunes without reducing tyre pressures.... The reason they CAN'T reduce their tyre pressures enough is because they are carrying too much bl@@dy weight!!!! These are the same folk who drive too fast over the corrugations (again, on too-high tyre pressures), in the process making these worse all the time as well as destroying their suspension......

The reason I choose to tow is specifically so that I can keep the vehicle weight to the minimum possible, which in turn allows me to run LOW TYRE PRESSURES when necessary, and it WILL be necessary on the CSR (whether you choose to tow or not!!)....

Make of this what you will......

Regards,
Ed. C.

Chris Drew replied:

snailbait,

Last July I travelled the CSR in a group of three vehicles. We travelled from Newcastle to Halls Creek via Tanami, down the track to Wiluna and back across the Gunbarrel to the centre. As long as you take the CSR at a leisurely pace (3 weeks from end to end) and your gear is in good condition there is no reason why you cannot take a solid trailer. There are many discarded trailers along the route, evidence that if something goes wrong you just have to leave it behind.

Of the 1,000 sand dunes there are a few that are long, high and have deep soft sand. Invariably even for the most experienced 4WD'er there will be some sandhills that will need a second run up. To reverse down these for a second go is easy for a single vehicle, but would be very difficult with a trailer.

My choice would be to leave the trailer at home and take a tent. Also go with at least one other vehicle.

Chris.

Member - Willie , Epping .Syd. replied:

Snailbait ,

I know you said no smart answers , but ............... I think a camper trailer will make it but I don't know about the Landie .

Cheers ,

Willie .

Wayne (NSW) replied:

snailbait,

I also would have to vote to leave the trailer at home.
Your vehicle will do the trip, but to put a trailer behind it will put a extra strain on it.

The big difference between the Canning and the Simpson is the way you go over the sand dunes. In the Simpson the dune run north south and we travel east west. On the Canning the dunes run roughly north east to south west and the track goes in the same direction. To get over the dunes a hard turn has to be made at the base of the dune, and this washes off any momentum to get over the dunes. The dunes are not that high but they still require some momentum.

Having a dual axle trailer would be easer to back up, but it would still put a lot of strain on the vehicle. On most of the dunes vehicles have backed up and instead of following the track around the corner they have made a new track so that they can get a straight run at the dune. This makes it hard for the vehicles that stay on the track and make the turn at the bottom of the dune as they now have to cross the ruts made by the the vehicles have a straight run.

To see how you go why not go to Stocken Beach with the trailer and try and get over some dune by doing a 90 deg turn just before you start to climb. Have the trailer packed as you would if doing the Canning, this should give you some idea for what you will be in for.

Wayne