spare tyres for strzelecki

Submitted: Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 14:19
ThreadID: 56808 Views:2864 Replies:4 FollowUps:3
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Hey, travelling to sturt national park, cams corner and out to innamincka then down the strzelecki in a few weeks. Driving a nissan patrol, do the road conditions require an extra spare wheel? Thanks
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Reply By: Vince NSW - Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 14:24

Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 14:24
Julie, a lot of the roads you will cover are quite rocky and can damage tyres. We have allways carried 2 spares. Never had a flat (touch wood) but if we did not have the 2 spares, you could lay monoy we would need them.
Haveing said that, you can get repairs / tryes at innamincka.
You will love the area, we are heading out in july for our third trip.
Vince
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Reply By: deserter - Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 15:11

Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 15:11
In my opinion the majority of punctures on those tracks are caused by speed. Keep under 80 you will be fine. More you go over that the higher the chance of flats. I learned the hardway on my first Birdsville track. You get fractures straight through the tread if you hit some of those bigger rocks too quick. Course it goes without saying that you will run the tyres a bit less pressure.
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 15:31

Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 15:31
Agree with all that deserter said.
In addition, its nice to have tyres that have more than 50% tread because newer tyres are less likely to get tread punctures.

But if you destroy a tyre, you'll feel a bit vulnerable if you're using your only spare. Sometimes its wise to bring a spare casing, particularly if your tyres are an odd size.
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Follow Up By: splits - Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 16:39

Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 16:39
I also agree with deserter.

I will always remember my first outback trips when I made four crossings of the Nullarbor in the early 1970s when there was still about 500 ks of unsealed road. I have never seen a road with so many shredded tyres, buckled wheels and pieces of exhaust systems strewn along the side of it. The people in the roadhouses said it was all caused by speed.

On one of the trips a young couple in a V6 Capri went flying past on the dirt. Minutes later I saw them replacing a flat tyre. They soon went screaming past again and flaged me down about half an hour later with a second flat. I had to drive his wife about fifty ks to Nullarbor Homestead with one of the flat tyres sitting on her lap because it would not fit anywhere else in the car.

One of my air force mates witnessed a Monaro blow all four tyres instantly when it hit a deep hole at high speed.

Just take it easy and enjoy the trip and you will not only save the tyres but the car as well.

Brian
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Apr 21, 2008 at 11:46

Monday, Apr 21, 2008 at 11:46
Whilst a lower speed is the better and safer solution, it still will not guarantee protection against tyre damage.

I destroyed a tyre traveling at relatively low speed down the Borefield Track to Roxby Downs. The tyre pressure was set at 28psi.

My mate traveling behind in the same model Jackaroo "refuses" to lower tyre pressures when on dirt roads and guess who has a visit from Murphy? Maybe the fact I was towing the camper trailer made a difference. Maybe the lower tyre pressure "exposed" the sidewall to the rocks more. More likely I was just unlucky.

The Borefield has a section or sections where the rock base is made up of sharp edged rocks and it only takes one to slice through the sidewall, as happened to me, and the damage is well and truly done.
In this case an extra spare tyre casing at least gives an extra comfort level as no tyre repair kit would be practical in this situation.

An extra tyre casing and the means to fit it if necessary is a good compromise. Not carrying a second (full) spare will save weight and is easier to carry and providing you can use one of the tyrepliers or beadbreaker kits you will cover most situations.

If towing a camper or similar, another practical solution is to ensure you can swap wheels from camper to vehicle, or vice versa, then you have two spares anyway.

Bill


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Reply By: Voxson - Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 16:30

Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 16:30
If you have AT's.... Yes....
If you have MT's.... Yes....

IMHO...
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Reply By: Julie E - Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 17:24

Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 at 17:24
Thanks for the info, will take note of all.
Julie
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