road trip in july

Hi Shaker,
The essence of what l was getting at was that if l need to go through an area where one needs to drop tyre pressures, then l'm not interested in going there. I do realise that alot of the dirt roads, you need to be aware of what pressures you run compared with travelling on sealed roads. l don't want to get into a discussion of what pressures to run and having to go out and purchase an air compressor for one trip.

One trip, 3 daughters a capable car and an opportunity to show them the outback and the occasional side trip to a idyllic spot/camping trip.

Thanks for your reply..

A bit silly to try a trip such as that and NOT have a compressor for ANY inflation needs.
Of course you will have to modify your tyre pressures for such a trip. If you don't know what to do it has to be learnt/discovered BEFORE getting out there.

Just knowing how to select low range is simply not enough understanding for outback travel, even if the trip is free.
The lives of family members are also important to most folk.
Capable vehicle are useless if the driver is incapable.
Read lots, learn good and remember it, your life may depend on it.

PS, A cub camper will, as stated, probably require a few tyres is the conditions are not ideal. Sudden sidewall cuts also disable landcruisers too.

BE Prepared!!!!

..
$99 for a good compressor Nick, 150lt/min, 150psi, all you need.

If you aren't prepared to listen to what people say, then stick to the blacktop mate, forget Cordillo Rd, Birdsville Tk, Strz Tk, or Ood Tk.
If you don't delfate just a little on most of these (most of the time) from bitumen pressures, you are asking for possible tyre problems, and making the trip not quite as comfy for the team on board.

You won't be 'staying away from the "touristy" places' as much as you could if prepared to travel wisely.

As mentioned, 2 weeks is pretty slim anyway, it'd be a pretty fast trip.

I'd say the best option for you is through the back blocks to Yunta on the Barrier Hwy, up the back routes to the Flinders Ranges, say 3 days to get there, 3 days there exploring, then up to Marree, and on up the Ood Tk, you could take 3 or 4 days doing this as there is heaps to see.

Then, time permitting, up via Dalhousie Springs, Mt Dare, up to Alice via Maryvale, maybe a Chambers Pillar side trip.

There is 13 days, so in reality doing the red centre / Uluru is probably asking too much.

Agree with Allan re two weeks being optimistic for your itinerary. How sturdy is your Cub camper? Even well maintained gravel will take its toll on soft suspension and light construction. Jon W

Thanks for all your replies

We have been to Broken Hill in a day previously - just left early and expected a long day.

Have had plenty of trips to the high country with mates and the like but l'm not the type to go looking for roads that require low range, just nice to have it there if on the way to a camping site and you come across a patch that a 2wd wouldn't make it. Wasn't even thinking of going to the Simpson desert - too remote/risky and hard and l certainly wouldn't attempt it with a trailer unless properly equipped which l won't be.

Was hoping to get to Birdsville and Uluru and was hoping to go via Camerons corner - ain't going to happen apparently. I have no experience with the outback - hence the question.

Looks like l'm heading to Uluru via Adelaide and back down the same way and take my time through the Flinders Ranges, sounds much easier/less risky - no experience with those gravel roads up there. Might be able to get a few extra days if l'm lucky. I don't mind at all staying at Pubs/motels if needed if we are taking out time on a given day. Will just mainly stick to the bitumen. Just was hoping to get some good spots to stay - plenty of info on the web, just good to get some opinions from people who have travelled these parts before.

Yes, know it can get cold out there and was intending to ensure we have enough gear to stay warm.
Have been checking out this site:http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/australian-tourist-attractions.html
Anybody know of any other sites that give info on good spots to go to whilst travelling Adel to Uluru and the Flinders?

Again ta for the replies, much appreciated. Nick

Central Aus is very cold at night and with a south easterly blowing even the days can be very cold. With the wind you never seem to be able to get warm. If the family is not the touring type don't turn them off for life by a constant 500 km per day. With such a distance you never have much time to stop and look at things along the way. We find that 300 km per day gives you the opportunity to stop and take in the scenery.
With respect to tyre pressures you really need to reassess in this regard. Dirt roads at blacktop pressures do not offer a safe grip. Not having a compressor is quite ill advised. Remember that you do need to moderate your speed when you lower your tyre pressures.
I have just spent two weeks travelling from Canberra to the Flinders and back. Thoroughly recommended, however even this 4200 km trip was rushed to some extent. We spent about 7 days exploring the Flinders. Stayed at the fantastic Rawnsley Park Station. Did SkyTrack at Willow Springs and RidgeTop at Arkaroola. Plenty to do and fantastic scenery.
Don't try to do too much. It took us 3 days to get to the Flinders and 3 days to get back.
Best of luck wherever you go, however as stated many times keep your travels realistic.

True, as much as I love long days drives :) :D and doing the BV Tk is a day is easy enough, Mungerannie is one of the best half way stops you could do too, hard to go past the camping there with another outback pool to have a dip the OP is looking for to cool off in.

The Flinders would be a great alternative. Heaps of gorges, old ruins, history, old towns etc. You could easily fill in your 2 weeks poking around there checking out all the stuff, have a nice relaxed time and not have to drive the wheels off your truck every day. Who knows, the family might enjoy it and want to go again.
I will be in the Flinders around that time. Who knows, we might see you there.
Rusty

Hey Tom
No idea, 6 months is a long time. I will buy what l "need" then go from there, just want to focus on doing the trip, have what l need, have fun on the trip and what is after that, who knows?? Probably keep it as l usually only buy quality stuff - your're a long way from home for the sake of a few dollars....if the car sells, will work it out from there - we do have another car, 2wd that will happily do the trip also and stay in paid accommodation and stick to bitumen only, really don't mind as it's the experience of it that counts.
Ta.

Forgive me - CT?

"brother-in-laws cub Camper Trailer."

Yep, going to get that from him in the next 2 months and give it some new tyres, check spare/maybe thrown another spare on it and service wheel bearings and generally go through the whole thing just for my peace of mind.


"Don't assume anything".

-
But Splits, you can pick that thing up with one hand! lol

"you can pick that thing up with one hand!"

You sure could Allan. I think from memory the 850 only weighed about 500kg. The S would have been slightly heavier.

You could buy an after market key to stick on the back of a VW so they looked like a wind up toy. Maybe a plastic brief case handle on the roof of a Mini would have sold well.

Manufacturers only care about ride comfort, not tyre durability!

" Manufacturers only care about ride comfort, not tyre durability! "

I have heard that argument more times than I could possibly remember. I have never heard such BS.

For every k those TG s did on unsealed roads, they did at least ten on highways and freeways at those same pressures. They did not overheat or crack the sidewalls or wear the outer edges due to under inflation.

I know

" Manufacturers only care about ride comfort, not tyre durability! "
--------------------------------------
I have heard that argument more times than I could possibly remember. I have never heard such BS.

For every k those TG s of mine did on unsealed roads, they did at least ten on highways and freeways at those same pressures. They did not overheat or crack the sidewalls or wear the outer edges due to under inflation. I changed them because of age. They still had a few ks left in them.

I know Cooper, and maybe a few others, do recommend reducing pressures but Coooper do not make a 205 x 16 or a 7.50 x 16 LT. The TGs only come in those sizes. They are commercial tyres that are used all over the Outback and rural areas with the 7.50 being the most common. The 697 LT that I currently have are the same specifications and work at the same pressures.

I have worked for long enough in the motor industry in rural areas of NSW to know that local people don't get out and fiddle around changing pressures every time they go from sealed to unsealed roads.

Goodyear also told me the weight that each 1 psi increase in the rear tyres would support. That made it easy for me to adjust the rear pressures according to the load.

The other issue with pressures is the handling characteristics of the car. Tyres distort in corners resulting in them no longer pointing in the same direction as the wheels. That is called the slip angle. There is a certain ratio between the front and rear slip angles. The front is almost always higher than the rear. This determines whether the car understeers or oversteers. Just about every car is set up to understeer because very few drivers can handle oversteer

When my car is correctly loaded, the weight on the front wheels should not change. That is why only one front pressure is recommended. This leaves the slip angle constant.

The rear angle will increase as the car is loaded but the pressure should be increased accordingly. That will reduce the angle resulting in no change to the the front to rear angle ratio.

Changing tyre sizes and using your favorite pressures will change these vital angles and there will be a fair chance that it will not be for the better. Unfortunately if you have created any adverse effects, you most likely won't find out until it is too late.

Study the design of cars and don't worry about claims that the manufacturers are only interested in smooth rides. There is far more to it than that.

I wonder why tyre services don't recommend to go with vehicle manufacturers pressures, but what would they know?

I've always run manufacturers pressures. Tyre shops and mechanics always pump them up too hard in my opinion. I find the ride and handling crap when the pressures are high, I can literally feel everything rattling off the car.
It doesn't seem to have affected tyre life for me. I get good enough mileage, my current car is on its 4th set of tyres after 266k kms from new and there's probably 40k left on this set.

Perfect Michael! That's what l wanted to hear - it'll be a push for time (probably won't do the complete trip but it's good to know that it could be done at a push - but too many variables with mechanicals/weather etc.
Might give camerons corner and beyond a miss and do another time.

Have plenty of experince with tyre pressures - alot of that is just commonsense and experience. - bit like a "which oil do you use thread" -no right answer just mechanical empathy and a bit of experience. Have all the spare belts/hoses and tyre gear with me all the time anyway - that's just me and how l like to travel.

Yes, l don't have time to smell the daisies but prefer to take it a bit slower on the dirt roads and enjoy the journey and arrive 20 mins later. I'm the one who usually gets overtaken by the lout doing 90km/h+ out in the bush anyway and the one who usually has "the never used spare tyre" under the rear cargo - yes l keep it there as l've never had a problem with clearance - if in doubt don't do it!! The extra tyre sounds like a good idea to put on the roof rack though - thanks for that..

Dalhousie springs seems like a nice spot to go for a few days. Thinking we'll give Birdsville a miss also as then we spend more time on the oodnadatta track and the flinders and spend a few extra days camping.

Again, ta for the replies, it's always good to get differing opinions. Everybody's journey is different...

With the tyre empathy and speed on the Oodnadatta Tk, there is no reason why you can't go Flinders, out to Marree, Ood Tk, Dalhousie, Mt Dare, up the Maryvale Rd to Alice, no probs.
Maryvale Road is the old Ghan for quite a ways, it can be corroed, but find the right speed and not a bad run.
The return run to Chambers Pillar is a decent road too most of the time.
This then Uluru is what I outlined in previous post, not rushed 13 days puts you in Alice, so maybe too long.

I wouldn't camp Dalhousie, dusk to dawn mossies will kill the families outdoor desires permanently, nice place for a daytime desert dip though for sure.
Oh, and no campfires there either, not a big outdoor night time sit up a while kinda place.
Mt Dare has a great campground and excellent facs with shower / toilet block.

Maybe a loop back from Mt Dare, out to the Stuart Hwy, and down to home via the blacktop is more achievable, you could explore around Coober Pedy then for a day or two.

I just feel the way you described the familys travel habits, asking them to sit in the car for 8 - 10hrs a day for 2 weeks is too much for them.
A shorter trip with more out of car activities might just be more interesting for them and you, and whet their appetite for more remote travels.

Thanks Les
Will look at those areas you outlined, was told by a friend Dalhousie is a must see - thanks for the no camping tip - this is all gold - thanks very much.

I have been to Camerons corner via Mildura on motorbike a couple of years to wet my appetite and then back the same route and it was awesome - just took my time and had a manual tyre pump with me to lower tyre pressures slightly when needed but 2 wheels was hard work as l'm pretty conservative with my riding/driving habits but it gave me an idea of what's out there and l would never go into these areas on a motorbike again because it's just so much easier on 4 wheels and l've heard too many stories of motorbikes being stranded because of fatigue and mechanical issues and then nowhere to find shade - but that's anothere story...
Ta again, Nick

One big tip if you end up going from Dalhousie to Mt Dare, don't take the obvious direct route, there is a terrible geographic band through there, no matter if it gets graded, these bolders come up after a week or two again, from cricket ball size to basketball size.
Ok if you take it slow and drive very carefully, but in my drives through there would rather take the turn off to Bloods Ck, then up to Mt Dare on the other route in.
You'll see these 2 routes easy enough on the maps of the area.