Cape Leveque WA
Submitted: Sunday, Jul 30, 2017 at 20:08
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Member - Diamondaze
Hi.
Has anybody recently (in the last few weeks) done the
Cape Leveque road and if so, what was the condition of the dirt section please?..
Cant decide whether to take the van or not....
Cheers
Reply By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 10:01
Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 10:01
I was on it in late June, mixed bag from not bad to damn sight dangerous.
I say dangerous only because in one section in particular the continual grading has left the track fairly narrow in one section and with high steep banks and was corrugated to buggery as
well. We encountered a B Double semi fully loaded who was having to use the center of the track and to be honest I don't think there would have been room for the two of us in any case even if he stuck to his side, so I headed up the bank and on to the shoulder. If I had been towing it might have been very interesting.
The track into
Middle Lagoon was soft corrugated and atrocious but better than last year.
As Sigmund said plenty of people take their vans in. If your vans made for it then steady as she goes, tyres down and drive to the conditions on your day.
Keep an eye out for the donkeys around
Beagle Bay and up to the
Middle Lagoon turn-off.
Crap sand and gravel roads but the destination oh so worth it!
Cheers
Dunc
AnswerID:
612767
Follow Up By: Dean K3 - Tuesday, Aug 01, 2017 at 21:43
Tuesday, Aug 01, 2017 at 21:43
Know the exact section your referring to sand ridge maybe towards 8-10m high both sides. I had same fuel tanker so just called him up said keep coming I'll wait
just heard a couple of clicks in acknowledgement.
Cape levque unless they have changed status only allows 27.5m b-double or 25m truck and trailer, not that I would recommend taking a b-double on that road semi is big enough
Middle lagoon a little place in paradise (2014 visit) drive as you see it like everything had some decent yumps semi filed with water from previous weeks thunderstorm
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Follow Up By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Wednesday, Aug 02, 2017 at 12:47
Wednesday, Aug 02, 2017 at 12:47
Hi Dean yes those beeping humps were definitely in evidence last year but this year they had been ironed out almost to the point where you didn't notice them.
cheers
Dunc
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883186
Reply By: CSeaJay - Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 13:28
Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 13:28
Plenty take their on-road vans up, that is true; but most of them suffer the consequences. Some minor (internal shelves, light fittings falling, etc) and some more serious
Sometimes the damage done only becomes evident much later when something fails.
Had numerous similar discussions on our recent trip up the WA coast, listening to (on-road van owners) experiences of damage suffered. Not specific to the Cape road, but similar roads with similar conditions.
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612770
Follow Up By: Sigmund - Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 16:10
Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 16:10
Long stretches of dust and corro will also damage or prematurely wear so-called offroad vans, CTs or 4WD vehicles. It's a fact of life in the outback.
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Follow Up By: CSeaJay - Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 16:36
Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 16:36
Absolutely right. Some makes however will deteriorate much more and much faster than others. I guess the point I was making was that just because "you see them on that road" should not imply that they survive that road without damage.
S to get back to the OP, you do not mention whether what van you are referring to. If you have a TVan for example the replies will be different to if you had a 21ft duel axle onroad van.
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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 17:38
Monday, Jul 31, 2017 at 17:38
FWIW I stayed at Midnight Lagoon and there was all manner of trailer. Lots of double axle units whose offroad cred was as deep as their black checker plate skirt. A few ancient Jayco poptops. A swag of cheap CTs.
(BTW don't go there in the school hols or if you don't like the noise and smell of gennnies.) I'd say there were regulars there used to doing repairs. And re the OP if that's not your cuppa leave the van behind.
I towed my Pioneer offroad CT. That's pretty tough. But by last year c 3000 kms of outback dirt, including some of the popular but punishing roads, was enough to trash both Pedders shocks. Hatch locks jammed with dust. This year they did again. The water filler leaked (both ways). My Isuzu 4WD had been breathing dust, had developed a couple of engine oil leaks (and it's known as a tough engine) and a couple of of front inner guard cracks.
Well you soon learn that standard shocks don't cope out there. Neither do standard air filters regardless of how they're fed. Panel types on some models don't seal
well enough and paper elements have trouble with bull dust.
Anything exposed on undersides will cop a hail of stones and probably some snags.
I could go on.
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