Birdville Track

Came back from Birdsville to Adelaide about three weeks ago - track condition was excellent (100kph easy) so don't know why he had dramas with his tyres, maybe tyre pressures too high??

Maybe ...maybe not , some have all the bad luck you imagine, some have no trouble, some use brains and some don't, If you gawk all over the place when driving instead of looking for the larger stones and run over them of course you will fracture tyres, also speed plays a major part as well , I always found that 80klm was a critical speed , at that speed the front tyre can stand a large stone up just in time for the rear to run over it, I can remember actually feeling the tyre grab as it went over it , a few Ks down the road and it will expire, Some of you might say BS but then I guess you haven't seen those large rocks standing on end as if someone put them there ,
Cuffs your a bad driver ....lol

There is a certain place along the Birdsville Track where rocks JUMP out at you!

Seriously though, I think he probably just had a bad run of luck, or a leaky valve stem:-)
A flat doesn't necessarily mean a puncture.

Also, tyres that are getting towards the end of their useful life are obviously thinner and more susceptible to punctures.

Interesting thing, this tyre pressure debate.

I came down the Inside Track to join the Outside Track to Marree about 3 weeks ago too. Both tracks were in excellent condition.

My new TDV8 trayback came with Dunlop Grandtrek AT1 tyres and I was a bit nervous about leaving them on for such a big trip but I took the view that they must have got better over the last 15 years or so. However they bag a lot more than the BFG ATs I'm used to so I kept them at 40psi to protect the sidewalls and dropped my van tyres (BFG ATs) to about 30psi bevause they have stronger sidewalls and bagged a lot less.

Not a hint of any damage over 12,000kms including the Bore Track and Cordillo Downs road.

I too kept my eyes peeled for that nasty rock trying to destroy my tyres.

We've very quickly learnt that relying on others for a track description is to invite very subjective advice. e.g. we asked our 'neigbour' in Birdsville what the track was like - his response was positive and calm. His wife out of sight but obviously not out of earshot almost screamed words to the effect of 'don't ever listen to him, I'm never going on that road again no matter what he says . . '. then continued with the detail. We also spoke to a shearer in Boulia who travels the track every year in an HQ ute, and in his opinion it was becoming more like a highway every year (he was from Kangaroo Is though!)

We travelled the track in May - there are particularly stony sections north of Mugerannie, but you do obviously need to watch the road for the big stones when you're driving, and if you want to look then stop and look. Our speed range - towing - was probably 50-80kph, and we ran our AT tyres at 28psi. People we spoke to who had shredded tyres either had highway tyres, or they spoke of averaging 100kph. Hard to see the point isn't it?

It's a great trip

Cheers
John G

Nothing wrong with the track.
Too much speed, too much air, too much weight and too little tread = rocks thru the tread.

We did the "track" , more like a h/way, about a month ago pulling a AVan behind the Prado with Coopers no less.
Did the road out to Lawn Hill and some other dirt tracks between and as yet nary a thought of a flat tyre. Maybe I was lucky but I dont think so as I am a gawker and like to see all there is but I do try and drive around the big ones as well.
Presently in Cairns heading home to SA down the coast and having a ball.
M and D

Recently got back from a trip across the Simpson from Adelaide.
We were 3 vehicles and I left early going up the black road to Coober Pedy and then had arranged to meet the other 2 vehicles in William Creek.

They were late arriving and it transpired that one vehicle had done 3 tyres in about 40 mins (all on Oodnadatta track). All were Coopers. These were the only tyre problems all trip.

I was amazed when that night we were discussing the experience in the William Creek pub and everyone in the pub had very stong (but differing) opinions regarding whether he had too high or too low pressures.

Mine and many others was that he should lower his pressures a bit on stony roads to about 30psi (fairly heavily loaded). No problems after that.

The issue was that the views were so certain and so opposed.

I suggest luck and driving to the conditions (and looking ahead) is possibly the biggest issue!

Trevor