Hello everyone,
Well we have made it back safe and sound from the CSR. From talking to fellow travellers this appears to be rare. Many suffered shock failure, fuel
tank mounts cracks, roof racks breakages, drive shafts bent, blown tyres, busted rims, broken wheel carriers, busted laptops.....we feel a little cheated with two of our cokes cans hissing and a small leak from one custard container. Oh
well, what more can I expect if I don't speed like the others and have lower tyre pressures then the rest :-)
It only took us 15 days. As we had no other travellers to run with us, we had the last 3 days long ones in order to finish to Route. We got sick of setting up tents and swags.
It was a great experience. All the time over the radio you could hear people have problems with
sand dunes...but this must have been due to lack of experience as some travellers that we met every couple of days had a GU and Tvan (lovely couple) and they had no problems with the dunes at all. It seems the tour groups had problems....some of them were driving way too fast (10-12 days in total) and tyre pressures way too high at around 30 psi.....18 in front and 22 in the rear cold was perfect for my Truck. The occasional tour group chose not to use Channel 40 and preferred to have almost head-on crashes in the dunes....these operators really lack intelligence. The people on the tours were great to talk to. One group got to know my little boy really
well and said G’day at every opportunity.
Corrugations.....
well that killed many cars. 3 100 Series at
Well 33 confirms this, as there front ends are really not built for this type of work (if you travel too fast and only have factory shocks). Live axles had mostly no problems except for a few crazies in some GU's and 80 Series breaking the odd shock. Petrol powered with independent front ends....you really need to be careful...one had a close call. You need to keep an eye on the spinifex catching in the bash plates (maybe take these off).
Met up with a couple in a GU Ute....the Black Widow Man Mark Oliver and his wife Karen. Real nice couple. We helped them change a flat in not the best spot to do so.
Caught up with Terry….KiwiAngler at
Well 28, and also Blaze on the way up North at
Ellendale Pool. Make sure you have an Exploroz Sticker on your truck and you will always have a friend to chat to at a
campsite.
A
Sorrento was taken back to
Alice Springs from
Well 33 on a truck....totally destroyed from the corrugations (once again they were travelling way too fast with a tour group…..2nd hand info from someone camped at
Well 33). Terracan also towed to Port Headland and the day before a new 200 Series TDI retired and headed to Headland due to factory
snorkel, sides steps and battery tray falling out...they also complained about dash lights always on to do with the rear
suspension….thought Toyota tested this Truck in Australia ??
We came across 2 Audi Q7's (one a 3lt TDI and the other a 4.2 V8 Diesel). I complimented them on giving it a shot but when the 3lt TDI owner told me he was carrying 100 Litres of Diesel....my jaw dropped....I was carrying just over 200 litres and my average was 15.3 from 33 to
Wiluna, and 15.9 from Billiluna to 33....they were obviously given some poor advice as this stretch was 1000kms long, and their average was 15.5...I hope they make it. However they were travelling with a GU Ute, and a 200 Series TDI towing a 2 tonne Pioneer Camper Trailer (even with this amount of grunt he needed a tug over many dunes).
Would I do it again.....YEP !!!....but not for about 5 years or more and the secret is a roof top tent I reckon.....for ease of setup with bedding all in place, and to keep high away from those Dingoes and the Camels (they come very close to the tent at night).
People….remember to talk to stop and talk to your fellow travellers, stay on Channel 40….and burn your bloody
toilet paper :-)
Brett........