snow driving -mt skene area

Submitted: Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 11:27
ThreadID: 15022 Views:2550 Replies:5 FollowUps:12
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havent done much snow driving so just asking for a few opinions and advice

is it best to have low tyre pressure like on sand to stay on top of ice/snow or better to have normal pressure?

technically are you supposed to carry chains around mt skene area?

any particular tracks worth taking around area-know it depends on if any snow around at time of travel

have to pick up map this week of mt skene as have other maps around but not mt skene itself

looking at melb to mt skene and onto jamieson then back to melb in day-probably pushing luck here-suppose depends on how much snow and whether can get through tracks in one go or not

also other question relating to alpine diesel-what is recommended additive for fuel to stop lines freezing???? in case spend longer than expected getting through rds ie overnight stop
thanks in advance

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Reply By: Utemad - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 11:34

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 11:34
In general I would not go into any alpine type area without chains. Same as you wouldn't go sand driving without a snatch strap or to the movies without ice cream or to ARB without wads of cash :-)

Utemad
AnswerID: 69699

Follow Up By: fozzy - Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 at 13:35

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 at 13:35
thanks utemad
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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 12:45

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 12:45
First rule. Dont travel up there alone.

2) yes Alpine Diesel
3) FULL recovery gear, inc winch of some form. Turfor or elect.
4) Chains - Depends how many cars with you and where you are going... 6 odd trips, been stuck, but always used other cars to get out.. even Diamonds crappy 3.0 GQ (waiting for reply) :P Chains cheap insurance.(except for 34in tires :( )
5) Take spare warm gear, and food... If you DO get stuck, and are dumb enough to go on your own and cant get out, you are there for the night, specially if alone.
6) Tracks. Stick to the main road. heading up, theres a few tracks around there, get some maps. First trip out, just go up and play on the road, it can be a challenge in itself, anything up to Bonnet Deep Snow, which you dont get past. You can also lose sight of the road.
7) Tire Pressures, trial and error, theres different types of snow,Wet and dry. Dry is good to drive on, wet is like crap, turns to ice instantly. We went everywhere in the Dry powder, then week or 2 later couldnt even get over the hill in wet snow at all.
8) Take a shovel or 2.
9) Camera for those evidence shots.. ;)

Melb to Mt skene, from... Licola? For your first trip up there, why not try Mansfield, Jamieson, up the hill, have a play, then back down the same way. easy, you get to know your cars limits, yours, and have more chance of getting out in 1 piece. Going over the hill from one end to other, recently twin locked cars running 36/38in tires have been having issues with deep snow.

Theres a trip up there in few weeks time the Sunday the 8th.. Wont be hard, more of a play for the kids, and some newbys. 9am mansfield probably.

YMMV
AnswerID: 69705

Follow Up By: fozzy - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 12:56

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 12:56
truckster-thanks for info
will be apprx 6 cars with me-my turn to lead
only been up mt terrible when snow was not very deep
had heard mt skene could be dificult at times
have done fair bit of other types of conditions just lack of snow experience

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FollowupID: 329940

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 14:53

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 14:53
What specs on the trucks? EG tires?
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FollowupID: 329953

Follow Up By: fozzy - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 15:16

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 15:16
285/75/16 BFG A/T TD LC100 slightly raised (ifs)
LC100 285/75/16 MT BFG 3 inch lift
LC100 315/75 /16 COOPERS? 5 inch lift
HILUX M/T 3-4 inch lift
GQ -M/T 285/75 3-4 inch lift
GQ A/T little above standard
80 SERIES 285/75/16 MT 2-3 inch lift

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Follow Up By: GO_OFFROAD - Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 at 13:28

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 at 13:28
In deep soft snow, the best technique is ultra low pressures [needs tubes or secondairs or beadlocks] I run down to about 3 psi for real deep snow, and you need low 1st get up onto the snow with very gentle throttle application, by building a ramp, drive, back up, shovel more of a rmap etc, and once up on the snow put very gently to stay there.

For normal snow driving where you can make good tracks and run higher gears 8-10 psi just like sand works well.

Chains are for ice, hence fitting them on mountain roads, to give traction, chains arent for snow, they just stop the ramp up effect you try and make with low pressures.

I generally wait until I hear no one has been over mt Skene before heading up to try, I stay in a hut below the snow line normally, then get up nice and early while the snow is still firm, to attempt getting over Mt Skene. And it is closer to Licola than Jamieson and generally less traffic if going up from the Licola side.
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Follow Up By: fozzy - Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 at 13:39

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 at 13:39
thanks go offroad-harder to find places where less traffic-virtually usless every long weekend-need to venture out on off weekends tjhesedays
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FollowupID: 330089

Reply By: Member - Browny (VIC) - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 14:59

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 14:59
Fozzy,

Truckstars advice is spot on, me and a mate were up there a couple of weekends ago, there was heaps of snow and no need to head of the main track over the top, we couldn't reach the top with fairly stock 4by's so would have been asking for trouble seeking any harder tracks.
I reckon a long handled shovel is your best freind in the snow also a ground sheet/tarp etc would be good to lay on for digging underneath chassis etc.

I've only done a couple of snow trips and the most recent trip was the only time I've been stuck, the old ride the clutch in and out trick so you rock back and forward compacting the snow is a good trick, wheel spin is a no no.

I'm pretty shore all servo's in the Mancefield area sell alpine Diesel, I know the last servo on the left on the Merrijig rd definately does (BP I think) I allways leave home with about half a tank and fill up there with the Alpine stuff!

Melbourne to Mt Skene and back is no problem in a day, just beware of the Mt Bulla traffic when coming home the roads get verry busy after about 4pm.

Cheers............Browny
AnswerID: 69714

Follow Up By: fozzy - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 15:23

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 15:23
thanks browny
most likely will be cutting across through woods point-(only had quick look at map last night and need to get another one) and hopefully through to jamieson and along eildon /jam rd and home. some will possibly stay in town(jamieson for night )
just sussing things out ie if cant get through an alternative
might be better taking truckster/yours advice and starting jamieson end but some of group hoping to stay sat night jamieson and have a couple of quiet ones and continue driving sunday
last time we were in area the jamieson pub/brewery was a pretty big night

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FollowupID: 329956

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 16:07

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 16:07
I still gotta upload them photos too :(
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Follow Up By: Member - Browny (VIC) - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 21:53

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 21:53
No problem Truckster..............Your call.

Browny
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Reply By: Leroy - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 18:28

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 18:28
Does anyone know if it is possible to go from Licola to Jamison? Or is the snow too deep?

Leroy
AnswerID: 69738

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 22:16

Monday, Jul 26, 2004 at 22:16
The other day it was too much for dudes with 36's and twin locked cars.

But it changes every few days.

will find out in 2 weeks time
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Follow Up By: Leroy - Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 at 13:59

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 at 13:59
Was thinking of doing this and then head back up NE Vic to make it back Sunday night to be at work on Monday but if I can't get through!!!! It's a long drive around....

Leroy
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FollowupID: 330093

Reply By: awhit - Thursday, Jul 29, 2004 at 09:24

Thursday, Jul 29, 2004 at 09:24
I had a very bad expensive experience 2 weekends ago at Falls Creek 'cos my diesel waxed up (froze) and I had to get RACV tow the car 30km down off the mountain to Mt Beauty so as to thaw it out. (BMW X5).

Incidentally Rob, the mobile RACV man from Bright gave up trying to heat my engine with a gas heater as I had waited for 3 hours form him to arrive and by 6pm it was getting pretty damn cold. He said too much plastic under the BMW bonnett and did not want to risk it getting messed up. Rob tried hard and had same probs with lots of diesels that weekend.

Car was towed to Pyles coaches in Mt Beauty to thaw out and they sell Alpine Diesel.They also sell a miracle addative to fix what you have remaining in your tank at ~30cents per litre.
I keep getting conflicting reports of what to do to prevent same again and have called Shell, BP, RACV and BMW and searched the web wide and far..

Some recommend a cup of kero as an addative to stop the waxing (BMW say definitely not as it wrecks the injector system) some say only Alpine Diesel but that freezes at -4deg C (I probably had BP's winter diesel in the car and that freezes at 0 deg C---and it is colder than that there now in the evenings say minus 5 deg C! Some say an addative but what one? Most S/stations closeD when I go through each weekend say Mt Beauty (which has Alpine Diesel) and Myrtleford (may have but not confirmed yet). If that is the only solution it is hard to balance the tank to arrive empty for fillup.
Some say add heating oil but I cannot believe thas.- others say add "diesel power"- an addative.
I am very confused and this weekend go to Mt Buller for ski races.
What to do?????
I do not even know that Alpine Diesel is availble in Mansfield following a check on your website.
Anyone have any experience with this problem.
I called BMW Courtesy number and they guarantee free towing in first year but refused same as they said they had ~100 cars stranded that weekend between northern NSW and southern Vic. Said it was my problem.
Spoke to son of Bib Stillwell BMW and they are "looking into it but said it was new to them as they only started importing Diesel BM's into Oz recently 'cos of aussie fuel probs with sulphur."
Cheers
Andy W
AnswerID: 70175

Follow Up By: fozzy - Thursday, Aug 05, 2004 at 12:53

Thursday, Aug 05, 2004 at 12:53
bit slow to respond but just a bit more to confuse us all
have been told for aussie conditions for a landcruiser diesel that wont need any additive for diesel and to use alpine diesel at own risk(from oil company)
another fuel company said had mostly to do with engine oil not diesel waxing-may be worth seeing what temp range engine oil bmw are using in cars out here-most likely not genuine ie from aussie supply)
but thinking about this would have problem with petrol engines as well
really doesnt help you or me in solution
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FollowupID: 331575

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