Comment: Simpson Desert

It is well signposted, there are plenty of people doing it.
If your car is reliable and you are prepared it is a fairly easy trip, that is well worth doing.
There is tons of info on this forum, just search Simpson Desert.

You probably know about tyre pressures being the key to driving on sand.
Have a bit of an experiment from day one you hit soft stuff.

My little 15s usually run 32 - 34 on bitumen, usually drop to 25 - 26 on outback roads, and usually start on sand at 18.
With a good touring load, I don't usually go under 15, unless very slow, and air up after problems spots.
Unladen or light loads, not worried about going to 12 or 10, but easy on the steering.

A pair of Maxtrax or Treds might not go astray, they are great for solo sand recoveries.

Take HF, sat phone, or Epirb, but then if you've done lond distance solo, you probably have one more of those.

Have a great trip !

I have done the Simpson 3 times and I offer some advice.

1. Don't do a solo trip, it is much too dangerous, become a part of a party of vehicles. There is safety in numbers for example, if you become bogged in the sand there is someone there to help dig you out. If you have a roll-over, there is someone there to save your life!

2. You must have a sat phone in the group because a mobile just will not cut the mustard. You can hire a sat phone at Birdsville and drop it off at Mt Dare or vice versa if you are travelling from west to east (supposedly the easier way).

3. You must have a quality CB radio in you vehicle and on channel 10. This is not only for your safety but for the safety of others you might encounter on the track.

4. Tyre pressures are extremely important and it is not unrealistic to lower the pressures to 10 p.s.i. in an extreme situation. Just remember to raise them to about 18 p.s.i. once free of that situation.

5. Water, water, water and more water. You ought have about 10 litres of water per person per day for the duration of the crossing.

6. The desert can deliver extreme temperatures. In the summer (although the desert is closed over the summer months), as high as 50 degrees C and during the nights for most of the year below zero temperatures are not uncommon.

7. This probably preaching to the converted but I would feel remiss should I not mention that you must have your vehicle in tip top shape. Also you need to be able to get your vehicle going should you have a failure of some sort because to recover your beloved 4by can cost upwards of $4000.00.

Regards and best of luck, the Simpson Desert is one of the most wonderful experiences that one can have.

Ajay and Fletch.

Thanks to everyonefor takingtime to share your experience and advice.im trying to organize friend that he can travel with me and able to drive my car.its a 100 landcruise td. 4"lift,front and rear lockers.35 M. Thomson bajas,roll cage.second spare.i allready got maxtrax and sand anchour(dont know if thats works). Sat phone planning to hire from Mt.Date hotel.
Thanks