Member - Vince B (NSW) posted:

Geoff.
Totally agree with Mick's comments.
We were there in July(very cold) & had a great time towing a camper & exploring the area.
Enjoy your trip.
Cheers.
Vince

Member - Patrol Geoff (QLD) posted:

Vince, we'll be there in January. I gather it can be quite warm.
-geoff

Member - Stephen L (SA) posted:

Hi Rangiephil
We have spent more time in the Flinders in passenger vehicles than in our four wheel drive. Have been up there well before the black stuff went to Wilpena. All of those early years we drove to our cars ability with stock standard tyres. I think that it all comes down to your driving skills. We always were very careful when in rocky conditions and had no problems. Back in those days (the early 70's) the roads never had the upkeep that they receive today. The person that you described in the GU sounds like the type of person that gives people in four wheel drives a bad name - I've got a 4X4 and can go anywhere and at any speed I like.
We have travelled every track in the Flinders and to do 3 tyres through the gorges - well he simply did not know what he was doing.


Cheers and Seasons Greetings

Stephen

Blaze posted:

Stephen, you may be being a bit harsh IMHO. I have driven just about every piece of road and track you can in the Flinders and touch wood in 30 years have only had 1 flat tyre, but having said that when we did the EO Gathering there a couple of years back, Lucy steaked a tyre, Des Lexic got a screw through one and a about 7 other members got either steaked or just small penetration flat tyres. Most of these are very experience capable 4X4 drivers and it's just the luck of the draw. I know quite a few members on here that have had 3 or even more flats in one day.

As mentioned I have done some pretty nasty tracks over the years and the one flat tyre I mentioned getting was just the dirt road going into Chambers Gorge, bolt from a trailer I believe was the cause, so it can happen, and if the passenger type tyres that the GU had on it as mentioned by Phil were good for this sort of country, why do tyre manufacturers make AT and MTR style tyres and lastly why do you have non standard tyres on your Toyota?

Member - Stephen L (SA) posted:

Hi Blaze
Anything can happen out of the normal, on any track or road where ever we travel. As you would know, a very high % of the tracks driven by all types of vehicles in the Flinders are over well formed and maintained tracks. All the tracks usually through the gorges are over large, smooth water worn rocks. As for a bolt through the tyre or a screw, that can happen anywhere and I am not talking about that.

How many times have us experienced drivers (raised and lived on dirt roads all my life in the country) been taking our times over rough roads, when you are passed like a bat out of hell by some person in a four wheel drive doing a million miles per hour, only to find that same person on the side of the road a half hour latter with a flat tyre. Stopping to lend a helping hand, the tyre is a complete wreck, shredded from being driven flat and fast over the rough road. The then driver then says, how bad the roads are, nothing of how fast or over inflated his tyres were.

Why do I have non standard tyres on my Prado?. Simple I usually travel about 10,000 kilometres a year. Does not sound much, but living in the country, I walk to work ever day, so the car does not get out at all during the week. When we head bush, we usually head for remote places and clock up about 6000 kilometres in 3 weeks. So in theory, my tyres would spend about a minimum of 70% of there life on surfaces from sand, rock, Mulga scrub and everything in between.

Our four wheel driven in driven on the type of terrain that it was made for, and not afraid of theat scraping branch down the side while cross country travelling or spinifex clogged under the vehicle.

Drive to the road conditions and most of the time the tyres should be fine. The Flinders is a top spot and the peson heading there should have a great time and hopefully no problems.

Have a great Christmas and take care.

Stephen

Member - Patrol Geoff (QLD) posted:

No worries. I don't know what the brake mechanism is called. But it does work. The towball receiver is attached to a horizontal rod that slides into a cylinder directly behind it on the drawbar. When the car brakes, the momentum of the trailer forces it down the rod and causes tightening on the wires that attach to the brakes.

For reversing, there is a latch that you flip over to stop the towball receiver being forced into the cylinder (and hence prevent it from applying the brakes).

That's all good and I'm happy with how it works from a "normal speed" and having to brake. My concern was more on its ability if we have to crawl downhill a lot. I could imagine that such a scenario might not generate the momentum required to apply the brakes in a timely manner.

-geoff

Member - Patrol Geoff (QLD) posted:

Thanks for the tips.

Yeah, my days of leaping from crazy heights into pools have long since diminished too. Though I'm pretty sure I never did it from some of the heights that I saw posted here a few days back.

-geoff

Member - Patrol Geoff (QLD) posted:

We haven't got a fixed date. We'll be in Adelaide up to January 10th, and then plan to head north. I'd read elsewhere (this site perhaps?) that it was fairly easy to get a place to stay and whilst bookings were required it wouldn't be difficult in January. We're happy to bush camp pretty much anywhere.

-geoff