Canning Stock Route

Yes I'd suspect that most of the armchair do-gooders have never towed a trailer offroad so how could they possibly know. The benifit though of the "don't tow a trailer in the desert" brigade is that those who think they have a good camper trailer & know how drive when in fact they dont, will hopefully be put off enough to leave them behind.
All that aside, what many seem to forget is that the conditions on tracks change from year to year, after a heavy shower of rain or a sandstorm. I'd suggest that if you did the Canning back in 1990 when I was there that you may never have made it running the preasures you mentioned where as in 2001 it would have been possible to do it in 2wd.
Cheers Craig............

Crackles ,

I am not an armchair do-gooder. I want to be one of the clever guys like you . I do see that you are quite obviously a lot smarter than those of us that made the "leave the camper " comment .

So an expert such as yourself would not chop up the dunes towing your well laden 4WD and camper and I would appreciate your advice on how I might also sail over them in the same manner .

Let us take it a a given that we are running low tyres pressures - what is the next thing to do ( leaving aside the heavy showers of rain or sandstorms - but I won't forget them , no way )

Thanks Craig ,

I really look forward to your advice ,

Willie .

Crackles,

As one of the "leave it at home" brigade and a guy that's done a lot of cross country bushwork as a prospector for a living:

A. My main concern is not about chewing up sandunes.

B. Neither am overly concerned about whether or not a camper trailer can get through without breaking something.

My main concern is that the trailer adds about 200% to the overall problem of getting stuck somewhere. Then some poor bugger has to go out and rescue 'em.

Been there, done that, lost days looking for 'em & never even got a thank you - twice!

When ya go serious bush - ya swag it.

Bilbo

The do gooders are those who Dicky refers to in post 7590 that told him its too hard to tow a CT on the Canning & where wrong. Anyone else who fits the description can wear the hat too if they choose ;-)
As for towing in sand my experience for what it's worth has shown me damage to a track has far more to do with how a dune is tackled than if a trailer is towed. Many when they get stuck near the top keep the power on until it digs great big holes instead of stopping imediately & backing down to try in a different gear or getting snatched over. This applies equally to cars not towing as well. Reducing tyre preasures is obvious but far more important as weight is increased, so for that reason in most situations tyres should be a couple of PSI less than a car not towing.
With abundant space, many carry far too much weight in campers & this is probably the biggest reason for snapping off tow hitches & suspension failures not forgetting getting bogged. Keeping the trailer if possible under approx 1.2 tonne will make it towable behind the average 4by. The size of the tow vehicle is important & not wanting to get into any brand wars but a suitably powered, high clearance dual range 4x4 would be a minimum requirement. Many manufacturers claim their campers are for offroad use but in reality aren't. And there lies the biggest problem of broken down ones. People need to be realistic where they can tow the brand they have bought. To group all trailers together & say you cant or shouldn't tow them into remote areas is unrealistic particually for someone who has an Ultimate or a Track T Van .
Experience too is important as it doesn't matter if you have the best gear, if you haven't practiced a little closer to home on a patch of sand (like the Big Desert) then your risk increases jumping into the deep end 1st up. Drivers for example should be able to back up 50m in a staight line using their mirrors. This would alleviate the problem of getting stuck behind those who can't.
Lets not believe for one minute that it wont be more difficult to tow a trailer as it will & drivers need to realize that if conditions are too dry or wet then they may need to take an alternate route. Being one of the first to cross the Simpson for a season with the fresh wind blown swales is one time a trailer would make it near impossible.
Many tow trailers because they have large families, have disabilities, are elderly or just like the luxury of a decent bed instead of a swag. To tell these people you shouldn't or can't go into remote areas with their trailers is a little over the top. With some Pactice, Pepatation & Pecautions added to Robs other 6 "Ps" towing on the Canning is quite Possible.
Cheers Craig.............

Crackles ,
The average CT driver gets a big run up at each dune using the newly gouged out "jump jet" runways to get up speed . Then they lurch and wheel spin their way up and over . Result , a rooted track .
I am not against campers . I just completed 14,100 klm / 8 week trip with my Trak Shak around the edges of the Great Sandy and through Rudall . There is a place for them and places not for them .
People can get their trailers through the CSR , but at what cost to others .
Cheers ,
Willie.

Willie,

I have a great interest in the Rudall area of the Great Sandy. I'd love to have your recent knowledge of the area.

Can you please email me on leslowe@iinet.net.au

Thanks,

Bilbo

These "newly gouged out "jump jet" runways" you mention Willie were well established on all the bigger dunes back in 1990 well before camper trailers even became popular so I think we can safely say they were created mainly by non trailer towers, most likely running 40psi. The "rooted track" (particually the dunes)you seem so hung up on blaming camper trailers for was in far worse condition back then to what it was in 2001. From my observations CT drivers tend to be more cautious & drive far slower but that may just be the group I hang around with.
Rather than banning them would it not be better to educate them if they are having trouble? I know if an environmentalist said close all the 4x4 tracks I'd be up in arms so suggesting CTs have no place in the desert is just the same.
What's the 4WD associations curent motto......."Access for all"
Cheers Craig..............

Gee Rob ,
I bet you don't do tagalong trips down the CSR or you would not say such a thing . And you actually train people ?
With advice like yours , we can expect the track to deteriorate pretty rapidly .
Cheers ,
Willie .

Rob,

Stick to Cape York where you may know something about conditions. Anyone who thinks they are experienced and clever by crossing the Simpson [with or without a trailer] will soon learn how much tougher the Canning is. No trouble on the Simpson has no relevance to the Canning. Think about it, Simpson 4 days give or take, Canning 3 weeks give or take. The pile of dead trailers on the Canning says it all. Oh yeah the campers are tough so out you go and belt them through, don't worry about adding to the corrugations, don't worry about holding people up as you get stuck on dune after dune, really enjoy it as two campers approach from opposite sides and you work out who is going to be the one backing down. Next we will have the camper towing brigade lobbying for passing lanes.
The increased traffic with campers in remote areas is going to lead to trouble depend on it. On narrow tracks in the deserts and the high country it is often difficult to pass other oncoming single vehicles without a bunch of selfish clowns towing trailers adding to the mess. If these people can't manage without all the home comforts and need to have a camper to go away perhaps a rethink of where they go is in order. And don't go for the big families need a camper bulldust, plenty of large families fit into a tent and don't need a tent on wheels to get away.

Ken

I don't do tagalongs anywhere and never have. I do however do a lot of miles in the bush, over 60k klms in my own 100 series so far this year all over OZ including Broome, Birdsville the Alice and Tasmania and about 35 k klms in a variety of tour vehicles for the people I contract for plus training people in their own vehicles. I train people to be safe sensible and competent and to know their and their vehicles limitations. If you read my post I refer to SERIOUS well designed camper trailers and precise planning. I would consider that people who spend $20k plus for a serious camper trailer would or certainly should be competent sensible 4wd drivers. To say point blank you should not take a camper trailer to X,Y or Z is impractical. Every situation should be judged on its merit at that particular time and in those particular circumstances and conditions. This is all carefully explained in the theory segment of our training. Ken I didn't mention going out there and belting them through, if you have been to the Cape on the OTL you would know there are many very narrow sections where peope towing camping trailers often meet each other and either have to back up or make room for each other this is usually done with commonsense and courtesy. Our tucker trailers weigh nearly 2 ton behind our 14 seater Canters. With good equipment, knowledge and skill, I believe there are very few places a SERIOUS well set up camper trailer towed by a competent experienced driver could be taken in this country. Isn't that why we buy them in the first place? Cheers Rob

Rob,

I'd reconsider the statement below if I were you.

"I would consider that people who spend $20k plus for a serious camper trailer would or certainly should be competent sensible 4wd drivers."

If it's true I'd consider that people who spend $20K - $100K on a 4wd should be competent sensible 4wders too. But if that were the case you'd be out of business.

There are plenty of people out there buying off road campers who haven't a clue the limitations of their own vehicle let alone what it can or can't do with a trailer on it. Then there's the limitation of the driver also.

You can spend around $20k on some of the Jayco so-called off road models now, and a few other brands too, but they are hardly in the same league as a T-van or Even a well setup cheaper off the top tent trailer.

The safer assumption some think to make is that anyone considering the Canning should be competent sensible 4wders too but this year on the Canning we encountered a group of morons from Melton who towed what wasn't much better than a garden trailer with a 44 of fuel and the 4 wheeler motor bike they'd already stuffed by the time we met them. They were running a 100 series and an F250. They had 4 2 stroke motocross bikes with them - unregistered with under age riders wearing inadequate protective gear.

By the time they got from Wiluna to Pierre Springs they had to send a vehicle back to Kalgoorlie for a new trailer axle. The last I heard talking to another VKS member who was unfortunately travelling in their direction (thankfully we just passed them going the other way and didn't have to share camp sites with them) they were again stuck up near Well 33 waiting for another axle to be flown in! The first one cost them 3 days and a 1600km round trip for an axle worth a few hundred dollars. The same thing the second time round was costing them some ridiculous amount in the thousands. Without the trailer they would have had to abandon the 4 wheeler and couldn't carry all the fuel required for the 2 vehicles and remaining 4 bikes.

They were apparently very inconsiderate neighbours to share a camp with and a tag along group had cleaned up several of their camp sites and put their fires out after they left them.

While many people on this site are conservative with their recommendations, unless you know the person asking questions well you have to aim for the lowest common denominator.

After having completed the Canning this year I'd never return towing even a very well setup camper. The conditions are unpredictable and fuel usage on a non-towing vehicle is already an issue. While there is no question that many do it, there's no question that the long run up tracks and heavily corrugated approach tracks (deep wide bouncing corrugations) are significantly contributed to by camper towers. Finding a speed that will get you over the top, particularly heading north, that will not have the tow vehicle exploring the limits of suspension travel in both directions is going to be difficult.

Our group was a GU Ute, GQ Wagon & 3 bikes. We holed a radiator on one bike, and the GQ went into the panel beater to get some spot welds repaired after the trip.

Having said all that friends of mine did it this year S-N towing a Kimberley and only got stuck a few times.

Lastly it probably depends on your budget also. The sign on the window of Kunnawarritji Community's office states: Cost of vehicle recovery from Kunnawarritji to Port Hedland - $5000 inc GST. 50% up front. That doesn't include the recovery from where ever you break down to Kunnawarritji either.

This is nearly 2000km of punishing track. It breaks stuff. The litter of previous breakages is strewn the length of the Canning - springs, shockers, bull bars, roof racks, campers, Rankins Trolley :-), and even a couple of vehicles. There's no need for increasing it further.

A recovery effort could nearly buy a new camper depending on where you are when you break it.

I'm not saying don't do it but think very carefully about whether you have the ability, the equipment and the money for Plans A, B C etc if it all goes pearshaped. It's not good for the track either but if that's a significant part of the argument it could be demonstrated by all the crap left behind that 4wders and campers aren't good for the area either - and I don't think we want to go there....

Regards,

Dave

Cotton Creek on the edge of Rudall Nat Park has fuel too. A few hundred kays west of well 23($2.20 per litre July 05). As for camper trailers, if it is a decent, well made off road trailer then I see no problem with it as long as the driver drives to the conditions.
We travelled the CSR this year (and got the rain!) and the only place that was a real bitch was the corrugations between well 32 and 35. We left our camper behind for the trip because of all the doom and gloom about 'piles of dead trailers'. Didn't see any at all! Did see broken shocks on vehicles that were overloaded and on others that were bealting along way too fast because they had to be at the other end in ten days!
Cheers

Yes Dicky Beach I have driven the Canning south to north and enjoyed it immensely. The trailers we saw in 2000 were pulled discretely off the track behind bushes. Not dozens but enough to make you think about things.
My opposition to trailers in these situations has nothing to do with if they break down or not, that is the owners lookout. My concern is the additional damge they cause and the inconvenience to other travellers.
For every competent driver like those who proclaim their skills here there are dozens more who have far less ability and are a menace.
How many tow vehicles will have diff locks like the bloke in 7590. Sweeping endorsements for people to undertake trips with trailers without knowing their skills experience or equipment aren't helpful.

As for camper envy you would have to be kidding ! $25-30 k for a glorified tent on wheels. For comfort we use a pop up van, for remote stuff a southern cross tent, far quicker and a hell of a lot cheaper.
Enjoy it while you can fellas, as someone said the local cops don't like it, before long CALM, Parks, DSE and the other land managers will make the call.
Ken

Already you can't tow them through the station country in the south end.

If you want to do ALL of the Canning you can't take a trailer.

We wanted to do all of the Canning - isn't that why you go?

Dave