Towing a van on Teewah beach.

Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 21:44

ThreadID: 109693 Views:3831 Replies:7 FollowUps:3

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Member - Nutta

Hi all.

I'm just wondering if anyone has towed a caravan on this stretch of beach in the last few months, mostly concerned about conditions, and also towing on the beach!.

We are heading up there next week for about 5 days and I'm hauling the van along, single axle 16 1/2 to 17 ft pop top, weight should be around 1500kgs loaded, tare is 1300kg, atm is 1740kg, I will be dumping most stuff at home and keeping it a lot lighter than usual.

Thinking of leaving tyre pressures as is in the van, even at 35-40 psi they belly a fair bit. Obviously lower tides are better so will be timing that, I'm hoping the in/out track on the south end will be reasonable, from memory the other end was fairly flat into the campsites, can't quite recall the rocky outcrop on the way up?

The rig is a 2012 RG Coloado auto, tyre pressure will be lowered to suit the sand, I will also be removing as much weight as I can from it also, guessing it's best to put some van gear, food etc in the colly.

There are 3 rigs going, one of those with out a trailer so I have a bit of back up if needed.

Its been around 18 months since I was there last so cant quite recall the beach.

I know some will say leave it behind and if I really have to I will, I've seen 2 1/2 to 3 ton boats on Fraser so figure it can't be impossible, and the wife will be extra happy! Especially if I don't sink it!

Any help or thoughts appreciated.

Regards Wayne.

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Reply By: Member - Nutta - Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 21:47

Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 21:47

Edit, also forgot to mention the van is a semi off road with bigger than standard wheels and is fairly high, I'm pretty certain it will stay well and truly above the sand.

AnswerID: 539824

Reply By: scandal - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 16:24

Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 16:24

I'm traveling that beach north to south on Sunday, so i will have good info for you Monday if that is any help, regardless of any track condition reports you get, you really need to lower the pressures in the van tyres to suit, even if they appear to bag out, its not the tyres getting wider thats makes them float on sand, tyres need to get longer to make the bigger footprint, my cruiser weighs around 3 ton and is on 235/85 tyre's, that's about 750 kg per tyre, your van is about the same weight per tyre, i would lower it to about 20 psi, that's what pressure I run, it is little on the high side for soft sand, but remembering once your are on the hard sand that tyre pressure is too low for speed, 20 is the happy medium
The issues, if any, will be getting on and off the beach, once below the high tide mark it will be easy, just getting there may be a problem, keep the helper tow tug in front so if you get stuck on a track he is already where you need him, take more air out if need be,
Shane

AnswerID: 539872

Reply By: rumpig - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 16:41

Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 16:41

if you travel up the beach from Noosa end a few hours before lowtide it should be easy going with vehicles reduced tyre pressure. I haven't towed up there in a while, but myself and friends used to take our onroad vans up there regularly without a problem. I never let my van tyres down just the 4wd, and most of the time travelling a few hours before lowtide gives you hard compacted sand you can drive up the beach in just 2wd, you just need to engage 4wd for the exit / entry track and getting into your campsite. Anyone that says don't take the van has no idea how easily it can be done, or doesn't have a clue about tide times or about reducing tyre pressures properly IMHO.....it's not a hard thing to do if you time it for the right tide time.

AnswerID: 539873

Reply By: Chris_K - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 21:28

Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 21:28

Was up there a couple of weeks ago - at low tide you should have no problems. I trust that you know that you need a permit now to drive on that stretch of sand? Cheaper I think if you get one on-line. Have fun! :)

AnswerID: 539881

Reply By: Member - Nutta - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 23:08

Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 23:08

I hope this reply ends up in the right spot, I'm on the iPhone.
Thanks for the advice, that Monday update would be great too thanks.
Are the rocks still exposed on the beach?
Now just have to weigh up the tyre pressures!!
Glad to hear vans have been pulled over that beach plenty of times too.
Cheers.

AnswerID: 539884

Reply By: Greg A6 - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 06:24

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 06:24

I've just spent the last fortnight camped at the beachside wilderness park and travelled up the beach every day fishing. The beach is in beautiful condition, very wide and no rocks exposed. Depending on the wind direction, there may be some "Whoop-de-doos" at the Noosa end before Teewah township but you can miss these by travelling further down the beach. I saw some massive vans being towed on the beach, and the only ones I saw in any trouble were at the 3rd cutting getting on to the beach, but they didn't appear to have aired down. Enjoy your trip..

AnswerID: 539886

Follow Up By: Member - Nutta - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:11

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:11

Thank you, just what I wanted to hear, alleviates the fear a lot!

FollowupID: 825548

Follow Up By: Member - Nutta - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:20

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:20

And keeps the wife extra happy! And me well fed!! Cheers

FollowupID: 825550

Reply By: scandal - Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 18:15

Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 18:15

I've just got home, traveled to beach from rainbow bay township south to Noosa, heaps of campers in there, lots of big vans, dual axle 2.5-3 ton jobs all set up lapping up the beautiful weather,
as for beach condition, as mentioned, there are no exposed rocks to worry about, you will only have about 25 meters of soft sand coming out of the 3rd cutting, it is bitumen to within 100 meters of the beach, then wooden erosion planks over a small dune then onto the beach, one thing that I did notice, driving of the plank highway there is a bit of a drop of, that might give cause for some caution, other than that I wouldn't even worry about dropping tyre pressure on the van, some random whoopy do's but speed limit conditions pretty much the entire length
Apart from getting 25 meters over the soft stuff, you wont have any problems any where else

AnswerID: 539961

Follow Up By: Member - Nutta - Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 08:07

Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 08:07

Thanks for the update.

How far from high tide hours wise should we be waiting, I just don't want to get there to early.

We're leaving Thursday morning, should be there around 10am ish, the high is at 8:15am.

Coming from the Gold Coast I dont want to be sitting there waiting, on top of that we'll probably be battling peak hour, no use going to early but my neighbour wants to, might have to let him go early on his own!

Cheers.

FollowupID: 825662