Simpson desert travel

An X Trail in the right hands will get across the Simpson, but why would you want too?. I fail to understand why any one would even contemplate going into the very remote parts of Australia in vehicles that are unsuited to the task. You have a responsibility to be able to look after yourself and not put at risk the lives of people who may have to come and rescue should problems arise.

Your single biggest issue you will have will be under body clearance, as far as the vehicle goes it may be up to the task but cresting dunes where there are ruts will put you at a huge disadvantage, not to mention the extra weight needed to carry will make the problem worse.
I remember reading on here about an owner having issues driving in sand with his x trail, might of been auto trans fluid overheating and de-rating the engine.
There's probably been a gazillion X trails, rav 4's, freelanders and the like make the crossing with out too much drama, but it would be interesting to find out if they would do it again, for me, I wouldn't
Shane

Have a look at thread 97134, oh wait a minute, you already know about that.

Johno,
I'm not going to say it wont because there was a time that people said to Columbus that he'd fall off the end of the earth if he sailed past the horizon.

The first part of your question.... in my opinion the easiest way is the QAA line travelling from West to East. It used to be the Rig Road (clay capped dunes) but it's pretty cut up these days. The French line is the most direct line but the sand dunes are pretty steep. West to East has you approaching the dunes from the least steepest angle.

OK...now for the second part. For this question I will assume that you have done your homework and know that fuel consumption will be greater than usual driving (need to carry fuel, need water, tents/swags blah blah blah.
The most critical things in my opinion are:
1. Could you conduct simple repairs if needed eg: replace a burst hose, fan belt, fix a minor electrical issue, flat tyre etc? Do you have the spares?
2. What sort of condition is the car in? If it's done a million miles and isn't well serviced - forget it. The Simpson is brutal, the corrugations deep and the punishment relentless.
3. Assuming the worst was to happen, eg: vehicle fire, roll over, serious illness, how would you get on? Communication is critical and if it's your first time across - consider going in a group.
4. Get your car out somewhere with a full load of fuel, try to replicate a couple hundred kilos of dead weight (cement bags, water containers etc) and see how it handles the sand.

At the end of the day, every off road activities has risks. The risks though can be managed and reduced by being prepared. The hard part is how do you prepare for the unknown? Read threads on this forum, ask lots of questions, do your homework and always assume the worst. But above all of that, maintain a spirit of adventure.

Hope this helps.....
Fab-io.

BTW.... I went across the QAA earlier last year in my Pajero io. The same car I plan to do the full length of The Canning Stock Route in someday. Possibly being the first ever io to make that trek. Somebody has to be first. :)

Johnno
In 2006 I coached a 16 year old kid, on L plates, up Big Red in his mother's Subaru Forrester.
2 know it all meat-heads, turned up in their "200kw 76 series Toyota TT. And they had "diff locks", and laughed at the Subi.

Should have seen their faces when the little "Subi" got up dune, 3rd attempt, first 2 attempts failed because his mother was hysterical.


The Subi had 15 psi in the tyres, and no Mother, and with those tyre pressures, virtually no run up was needed.
The "know it all's" tyre pressure was 44psi. They took 12 trys, till they eventually dropped their pressures to 18psi. (From memory) and they too got up

I hope you and the X Trail, buddy up with some mates. Don't do it alone.

It may pay to raise the little Nissan, 3 " if possible, and put some real tyres on it (BF Goodrich All Terrain, are my personal choice)

Tyre Pressure is the key, I did the Canning with 12psi front, and 15 in the rear, and my Patrol ate up the dunes.
I did the same in the Simpson, but that was in a Navara, standard height, but with some Cooper ATR tryes (one and only set).
It may well pay to try your X Trail in something a little less challenging, and then work up to the Simpson.

Do not be put off by the knockers, but please do your homework first.

I reckon the X-trail is a pretty good SUV.

Beware though of clutch burn-outs on the manual.

Hi Johno

Driving in sand is an art and you do not have to have a four wheel drive to do it.

I am surprised that it has not been mentioned, but what I am now say will make many people surprised.

Those that have been to Birdsville will all have heard of Birdsville Auto, run by the famous Barnsey.

He is now officially retiring and Birdsville will no longer have any mechanic. Barnseys son is going to take an old VW Beetle across the desert, and before any smart person claims it can not be done, then they died not see the News on TV the other night.

They showed people out on Big Red, in there flash four wheel drives trying to get up the real soft sand. Many gave up and looked on in surprise as Barnseys son and his girlfriend, sailed up the steep western side in their old VW Beetle, just standard two wheel drive. They sailed over the top and put the four wheel drives to shame.

So when you know what you are doing......nothing is impossible.


Cheers


Stephen

Here was my answer last time you asked the same question. Basic answer is that you'll need a backup vehicle and don't go solo. And the cost of extracting an Xtrail from the desert might be as much as the Xtrail is worth.
..............
A few years back I took a group across the French Line which included a stock standard Kia Sportage. Like the Xtrail, it only had a 60 litre petrol tank, so he carried an extra 3 jerry cans and from memory used about 105 litres from Oodnadatta to Birdsville. I carried a lot of his other heavy extras such as 60 litres of water and his second spare tyre in an attempt to reduce the strain on the Kia. We towed him over 3 dunes after he got stuck through lack of clearance - vehicle sitting high and dry on its belly - couldn't back down the dune. The vehicle had heaps of grunt and we aired down the tyres to about 15 psi (any less and he would have had almost no clearance!)

Problems? He split a sidewall when it hit a tree root on the edge of the track (only tyre I've ever seen destroyed in the Southern Simpson desert). He had the engine warning light come on half way across for no apparent reason (sat phone calls to dealer in Adelaide suggested just keep driving - no cause was found) and the vacuum operated 4wd mechanism failed, locking it in 4wd - had to disable it in Birdsville so he could drive home in 2wd.

But we had a good time, and I'd do it again if a very good friend wanted to take their small 4wd.

I've owned two Xtrails, but have to admit my sense of adventure is not great enough for me to want to do this myself - much happier with my Landcruiser which is made for the job.

We've had quite a few Subarus and XTrails go out into the Simpson on trips with my club. I wouldn't go solo in an XTrail but would in a group. The biggest factor in it all is the driver. Also, get decent AT tyres and go up a few sizes. XTrails only run around 27-28" tyres standard which doesn't help if the cars making ruts are running 33's plus.