One mystery that I cannot solve

Serg,
The whole problem is purely lack of traction and directional stability because of the road surface.

4WD low is probably the best option although travelling slowly in 4WD high can be OK too. Narrow block tread tyres are generally better than wides in this situation, but obviously one cant carry a set of skinnies just in case.

IMHO the problem is compounded by the road camber and the fact that at any particular time any one tyre will have better traction than the others (and this is constantly changing). This is what causes the directional unstability and apart from driving slowly and making every intentional directional change very gently there is not a lot you can do about it.

Driving on a slick surface can be a real challenge, as you have found out.

Just being pedantic, you are not skidding but rather sliding

Cheers

Disco.

Was in same situation on same road , but in a convoy about 12 years ago Serg.

It left me with many hard learnt lessons.

The outcome for the vehicles in the convoy was not as good as yours.

The lead car was a Patrol which have the longest wheel base of standard cars and are hence the most inherrently stable.

I was second in convoy I think, also in a Patrol and I noticed my car get flighty as the light rain commenced.

The convoy leader probably did not appreciate how hard is was for the short wheelbase cars.

Soon, on the slightest bend the car behind me rolled and I tried to stop and get back to help.

I only used to have single lockers then , but it soon became apparent that I had real trouble turning round on this flat dirt road.

With 1 occupant thrown out of the rolled car and one still hanging upside down in a seat belt it was a very difficult time for all by the time we could help.

I put the difficulty down to the super slippery surface , and even a good lsd like my patrol had was enough to not allow diff action.

Maybe this was your issue to ?

In the long wait till the ambulance and police arrived , another convoy went past us very slowly, a Pajero in their convoy slipped of to the side of the road taking out every side panel while we watched
With great difficuly they turned around and headed back away from Mungo.

I have only ever experienced conditions so slippery before on an ice lake in the high country.

Never go anywhere without chains these days.

I had a similar fun experience on the Cordillo Downs Rd a couple of years ago.

Bowling along on dry road at about 80kph, crested a small rise and found myself on a skid pan! The tail started to wobble slightly, and then fishtail. I kept my feet off everything (that was also fun!); the fishtail got progressively worse until I eventually did a 180 in the middle of the road at about 5kph.

I've often asked myself what I should have done. The vehicle had ABS brakes - should I have stood on the brakes?

George

I agree disco theres no way windup would force the car off the road, as you said it would simply dissipate while driving.

Serg

Tyres pumped too hard.

Drop tyre presssures down low on the mud surface and you will have the same effect as in sand by giving the vehicle a bigger footprint.



Cheers

Serg, there is only ONE thing you can do if your vehicle starts sliding uncontrollably on a greasy road.

STOP. Wait for the road to dry out a bit.

I have been working down in that area for a long time, and I have had this experience many times at work, with a vehicle up to 110 tons. It ain't fun slipping sideways towards the tabledrain.

It doesn't matter if you are only going <5kph, and you can start sliding on that clay stuff.
I will try and dig up a photo where I slid over a foot sideways at about 2 Kph, and that was with 81 tons.
I thought I would have some washing to do when I got home.

The only safe way is to stop and sit there for a while.
It was only last week I had to ring the boss at 3.00 am and get him to drive 200 k's to pick me up because I wasn't going to drive anywhere in conditions like that.

Your safety is paramount, the average 4by loaded with holiday gear isn't set up to do a bit of rally driving.
It is impossible to 'read' the road in that sort of country with just a bit of rain.

Dave

Sounds like we’re talking of the Pooncarrie to Menindee road?

I have been driving for 38 years, all sorts of vehicles (motor bikes to heavy trucks) on most of the continents including lots of ice and snow and I rate the dark night, about six years ago, my sons and I found ourselves caught by the rain on that road as the worse drive of my life. The tyre treads fill up with clay and become slicks providing virtually zero traction. We completed the journey at speeds around 15kph – it took a long time with lots of slides into the edge of the road. With the wisdom of hindsight if caught by rain on those roads again I would find the first available place and set up camp until the road dried.

And to the truck driver who nearly wiped out my son’s Suzuki Sierra and both my sons that night by driving like an idiot consider yourself lucky you missed them because I wouldn’t have missed you.

Mike Harding