tyre pressures

beedee,

I did the Birdsville Track in May this year. As soon as I hit the dirt at Lyndhurst I dropped all the pressures to 26psi that includes the trailer as well. I am running 275/70R16 on the Prado. The ride was smooth, the road was reasonable to Birdsville then on to Windorah it got worse (very stoney) but I was still able to do 80km and the ride was still comfortable. In some places the Birdsville track was better then the dirt roads around here on the coast and sometimes as good as bitumin. No punctures. I do travel light, only the wife and I so not too much gear.

Protect your rear windsceen from stones bouncing of the trailer if you are towing and protect the front of the trailer as well or you will sandblast it.

Beedee

From Brisbane we went down the Stezlecki to the Flinders and back up the Birdsville last month.

Pajero (1996) with 235/85/16 AT light truck tyres, and no tyre problems anytime out there (3rd visit ) touch wood. Run about 35 psi front and 40 psi rear on the 'tracks', but tyres are 10 ply rated and will go to 80 psi. Run 50/55psi on the bitumen.
The Strezlecki was in better condition than the Birdsville.
Strezlecki was a highway good for sitting on 90 (some mining people doing 120)
and the Birdsville a little rougher but still good. Did 80 with locals doing a 100.
Both clay capped or similar until the gibber country.

Came across 4 people who had done in tyres, 2 of them had done in three each.
One a new Prado with 245/70/17 HT and another a jackaroo with 245/70/16 HT.
Loaned one of our spares to the Jackeroo to get them into Birdsville and followed them in. He did 3 tyres in 70km.
Spoke to Theo at the shell at Birdsville (the local guru about tyres) about tyres and he recommends running what is on the tyre placard. About 25 to 28 psi.
He personally runs about 25, (but he is running reasonably empty) as he reckons it allows the tyre to give when hitting a gibber. Most tyres seem to bleep ter on the inside.
On his car trailer when doing a Simpson desert rescue he runs 8 to 10 psi. Asked him if he keeps the speed down for the gibbers and he says he still does 80kph.

Worst country for stones is around Birdsville and Inamincka.
Genrally small gibbers about the size of grapes up to a small fist. Occasional one (200 to 300 metres?) about the size of an orange up to a half house brick. Look where you are going :-).

Have a good trip.

John Crossley.

26 to 30psi and keep your speed down. I run 265/75/16 and have had no issues.

Yep the patter of success is established - I got my ideas from here and elsewhere - common experiences of others all seems to add up - I've had 2 flats (1 car, 1 camper) on many trips to the centre - the 4 golden rules for me: 1. Choose quality light truck tyres (mine are now BFG - were DD) 2. Soften the tyres down (high twenties) - 3. Drive slower on those stony sections - 80k tops (give the tyres a holiday) 4. Drive round the risky stones as best you can......... IMO, people who scoot along over 100k + on mixed gravel and stone surfaces are either foolish or not paying for maintenace, repairs and tyres.

Just got back from there only 4 weeks ago (from Adelaide). Ran 28psi back and 26psi front. I actually got some chipping in my tyres (Cooper ST's) but Coopers are replacing them no questions asked (now that's service).
Looking back I could have gone a little bit lower. Road out to Burkes dig tree is very back for big rocks so slowly does it there. There is a sand track which runs along side it at times which was very smooth so keep an eye out for that.

Take spare tubes as well as two spares. It may sound like an overkill but it's a lonely place if you are stuck! Found a brand new Landcruiser on a sidetrack where the driver had made a sign out of rocks and toilet paper for a plane to see asking for tyres. Must have taken a good part of a day to make as it was approx 50m long. Small note on the windscreen saying that he eventually got a lift to Birsdville. He had road tyres!

Make sure you have a compressor also. Found a couple of the servo's (Marree and Lyndhurst) did not have air connectors for their hoses. 4 had been stolen in one month so they stopped buying them. Had to pull out "Big Red" to pump up our tyres again.

We did survive 3000km's (2 cars) with no punctures because of the lowered pressures and basic driving for the conditions so hopefully you should be fine.
Oh - as a side track. Take your own firewood. Not much out there to scab off the side of the roads and anyway why take wood from the side of the road when you can just carry it and leave the poor little critters who use it as a home alone.
Also make sure you take a fly net for your head. They are shocking at the moment.

Enjoy the trip.

Brand new Landcruiser out of the showroom with road tyres. Did not see any recovery gear in the back and no antenna brackets. He did have a fridge at least with at least 10 empty water bottles in the back.
As I said, the sign would have taken a good part of a day to make considering the amount of rocks he had to move and to hold down the toilet paper. Hate to think how much Birdsville charged him for new tyres!

That's exactly what I said to the missus. I said that "I bet he was given the sales pitch in the show room that he has the toughest car on the road" and probably believed it.
I guess he now knows why the aftermarket accessories is a booming trade!! Straight off the showroom floor still needs a bit of money spent on them before going bush.