simpson desert

hi guys
there are chicken runs to help off road campers over the dunes all 1100 of them i would not go in August as it is i little to hot i would advise that you may not be able to carry enough fuel towing a heavy off road camper others have done this but with light off road camper traliers also when the vehicle breaks down the people who give break down service use these chickin runs to o you out of the simpson
good luck
snailbate used 88 lter to cross the simpson

what sort of bus mate?

from snailbait to bonz i have a 2001 MODEL Defender which we came from the pink road house side going east we spent 5 days in the desert it was terrific when we got to Birdsville i filled up and put 78 ltr in and we had used 10 ltr of jerry cans i had another 50 ltr which i did not touch we used high range most of the way but some of the dunes did need low range also we had a problem with a broke kone shock which we found out later was the incorrect length for th year model we had agret crossing and we are plannining another with one with the same vehicle
snailbait

ahhh defender, THE most economical diesel ever sold in this country, that explains the low consumption. Thanx Snailbate

bonz
not only is it the most economical diesel ever it can keep up with a lot of petrol vehicles what do you have Bonz
Snailbate

3L patrol mate, should be fine but not as frugal.

hi Bonz
What a extra 1 ltr or so see your freinds about a chip up grade these early vehicles were down tuned becaused of fuel requirements also join a Nisson club and you will have a lot of knoweldge within the club
snailbait

I got the chip thing, and yes t will not be much worse, but the Landy engine is just a purler

hi member david
i would sugest you try out your rig on a sand beach fully loaded near your home with people to help you if you get stuck
the amount of fuel you need to tow a heavy camper on sand is high and you need to carry a lot of gear with your camper trailer test out the sand near your home first and then evalute,
snailbaite

Above should have read: ""it will be closed to except tag-alongs with tour leaders within 5 years""

I agree with your remarks about vehicle, driver and tyre pressure but you have forgotten the most important "conditions" I have seen the simpson as it was last year where I drove over Red in high range the desert was that firm. I have also seen it where 2 experienced drivers with an 80 series cruisers were snatched out 5 times each in the same day. without campers connected. Problem is Gary, kenn may not have lockers front and back like your vehicle and last year the simo was so firm I could have driven a commodore across, if he hits the desert after a few months of no rain and stiff winds, has a standard rig and is a little inexperienced then I wonder how he will feel when he has to turn around or head south as one guy we met 6 years ago did after spending 6 days out there and not even making it 2 thirds the way across. I love using my camper, and I know I would have had no trouble towing across last year (as a matter of fact, a disco was recovered from out past red and was towed over by the birdville recovery vehicle) but I just don't see the need to make the powers to be to look closer at closing another area. Problem is, if they do close it because of the campers along with other problems of course, I hope everyone enjoyed the use of their campers, because its a high price to pay for 3 or 4 nights of camper mattress.

Glenn,
I was the other 100 series with Gary, and agree with much of what you say. The point is, the conditions were a key factor in us deciding to take the campers across. The problem we had, and others would have too, is that we were not going out there just to do the Simpson. Gary's web site gives a good summary of where we went - Flinders, Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon etc etc. We wanted the campers for the other 90% of the trip, and how would we get them back again if we left them on one side of the desert, unless we crossed both ways? Didn't have the time for that. So, our thought was to see how we went from Dalhousie. If it was difficult, we would either turn around or take the Rig Road. As it turned out, at least the western side was quite easy going, and we had very little trouble over the whole crossing - the conditions worked in our favour. If they hadn't we would have turned around and gone around the bottom. In fact, we nearly didn't get into the desert because of the rain on the western side!

With respect to your comment about the desert being closed off to all except tour operators and tagalongs, the cynic in me says that this idea would be promoted by the tour operators, to corner the market........ good for business. I'm not convinced that any of them are more capable or caring than Gary or I anyhow, and a number of them are Duncans anyway - (sorry, only Gary will get that...).

Glenn,

Thanks for your comments. It is true that the conditions we faced were more favourable than they might have been and conditions are a key factor in how easy or otherwise a desert crossing might be so I accept your point in that regard.

I don't however agree that taking campers is the defining factor in track deteriation. We saw far worse track damage caused by non-towing vehicles than we ever caused ourselves even including the times that I had to reverse and retry no more than a few dunes (this due to tyres pressures being too high) - I would strongly argue that vehicle, driver & tyre pressures are by far the greater determinant in the same conditions than whether or not you have a trailer.

BTW although we had lockers and used them I think there are other forms of traction control that in sand would be equally effective. My lockers are more to compensate for lack of wheel travel inherrant in the IFS LC100's. Like Russell I think people should plan to take their trailer (provided their vehicle is suitable i.e power and traction control) but also plan an alternative if conditions are not suitable.

Like you I am concerned about how certain matters are portrayed and blaming trailers for track damage when it is more related to driver or vehicle runs the risk of unnessarily banning trailers - "too high a price to pay"

Gaz

Gaz