Roof cage storeage

Submitted: Friday, Jul 29, 2005 at 23:00

ThreadID: 25174 Views:2607 Replies:3 FollowUps:2

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MrMagoo

Hi,
My wife and I are heading QLD-NSW-VIC-SA-NT in 2 weeks. We have a XTrail. Yes a real one would have been better but I spend 90% of my travel on bitumen. a few questions.

1. I have purchased a cage to bolt onto the factory roof racks. I have a second spare; 2x 2kg gas bottles;10ltr feul container and tarp poles to put up there. The guy in the 4x store said I should build a kind of segmented wood housing to slip the bottles and petrol can into so that I dont have metal on metal in the racks as well as creating a handy way to store and get the gear as we travel. What do you think? Any better cartage ideas?

2. We have 6 weeks. Skiing for a week then Flinders Uluru Katherine Kakadu. Whew - sounds like I should take 6 months off. Not possible. So if I get into the Flinders how long would it take me to get to Coober Pedy from Leigh Creek via Oodndatta Track. Is that track Ok for XTrail?

3. If I have 33 days how long should I spend at these 3 places. See, I dont want to spend a week at Flinders then get somewhere else - Kakadu- and say - I should have come straight here.

4. Is it worth fishing around Kakadu in September for bara? what can I expect - besides crocodiles - Any tips on the right gear?

Thanks.
Magoo

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Reply By: Shaker - Friday, Jul 29, 2005 at 23:18

Friday, Jul 29, 2005 at 23:18

In some states it is illegal to carry gas bottles on the roof.

AnswerID: 122816

Reply By: Member - Andy C (WA) - Friday, Jul 29, 2005 at 23:20

Friday, Jul 29, 2005 at 23:20

Mr Magoo

Roofrack - I have a Forester and went over the Gunbarrell from Wiluna to Alice a couple of years ago.

I got some "sports bars" to go between the roof rails. But after a test trip before the big one decided to get some Rhino bars that sit "over" the roof rails and the basket on top. I got some large ss pipe clamps to tie the basket to the bars - 3 at front and 3 at back (insulated with a bit of an old leather belt) . Bars over the rails have far more strenght and if the basket is well fixed, it will also add rigidity to your setup.

We carried 3.5 jerries on top plus 2 swags + little stuff - about 120kgs. Just checked everything each day and tightened fixings daily. Didn't have a problem over some of the roughest corrugations in the world! I'd go the carpet (not wood partitions)

Packed everything down tight with carpet under and over - and a tarp around the fuel. Keep in mind that you need to grab things handy and not have rattles that will drive you around the twist within a mile!

Tent poles - get an old pair of overalls - slip the poles up the leg and out an arm wrap it all up in the other bits and tie it all up!

Will never rattle and you can get everything down from the rack in one hit.

Good luck!

Andy

AnswerID: 122817

Follow Up By: MrMagoo - Tuesday, Aug 02, 2005 at 00:36

Tuesday, Aug 02, 2005 at 00:36

Thanks Andy,
all good info - 2 weeks to go
Got the pole bag sorted - $20
Got some chain and Dshackles to bolt down the bottles - $10
Put each one in a small crate and U bolted to the racks and lined with carpet to stop rattles etc - $free.
Got boat straps to tie down the tyre - $10
My basket came with U bolts designed for the fac fitted Rola cross bars.

FollowupID: 378332