VW Transporter AWD

Can it be done . . . probably.

Would I be doing it. NO WAY.

I haven't done the Simpson, but with all the reports of people getting upset about trailers and inexperienced people doing damage, I would be discouraging this type of thing . . . big time.

Hey, My opinion only though.

I know of a 'Mighty Boy' ute- those l'il Susukis or Diahatsu- that crossed the Simpson (East to West). It was in convoy with other vehicles and had to get snatched over a couple of dunes, but no great dramas.
I don't think its wots underneath the vehicle that counts- I think it's wots between the ears. A bad days sailing sure beats a good day at work

Paul,

Mini mokes have crossed the Simpson, in a convoy, however. Lots of hard work too.

Your biggest problem will be the front end body overhang. The VW is quite a capable vehicle in certain respects but crossing the Simpson you are asking a bit much of it. Another problem you will face is wheel ruts in sand. Once you have bottomed out and bogged the VW you won't be going anywhere. A Tirfor winch will keep you fit!! You will have to take travelling companions so that you can winch off their vehicle. Having single range means that you will have to flog the vehicle to get over the dunes.

Mate, its not impossible but it will be far cheaper renting a Toyota or a Nissan from the rental Companies and taking that over the dunes.

The flowers should last 3 to 4 weeks.

Cheers, Willem
Never a dull moment

I crossed the Simpson in a Prado and didn't use low range at all so lack of it should not be a problem. The key to sand driving is to have momentum and flotation - that is a bit of speed and wide soft tyres. Low range is likely to get you bogged. There was a group of 4 old Ferguson tractors crossing at the time I did it and they weren't able to get over Big Red - they had low gears and heaps of grunt but couldn't get the momentum to get over it and just got buried in the sand. I think your most likely problem is lack of clearance and perhaps lack of horsepower to get over the steep ones. Good luck if you try it!!

Sorry Willem but if you used low range with your narrow tyres you would dig into the sand. I repeat that momentum and flotation are the two key requirements to traversing sand and if the 4wd vw can get up a bit of speed it'll do it. Believe me if you attack a dune slowly in low range you'll sit on it with wheels rotating and going nowhere.

Paul,
You will also need a thick skin because you are going to have a lot of upset travellers waiting for you to get to get out of the way while you are trying to get out of the bog. Take you car up a soft dry rutted beach and climb a few dunes (on ready made tracks, don't make new tracks!) and see how the car fairs. When a car is flat on its floor pan I would not like to be on the other end of a tirfor. Not much to winch off in the Simpson you will need a sand anchor. What is it 1000 dunes?

Good Luck you'll need it,
john

Just got back. Did the French Line Eastbound in a Hilux.
I think that ground clearance problems will be a major, major concern for you.
Some of the dust/sand ruts are deep and some of the (dried) mud ruts are deeper. For example, I passed a vehicle refitting a fuel tank that got rubbed off by one of them.
Comment on front and rear approach angles. Although most off-road vehicles have adequate entry angle, some are a bit limited at the back. Saw lots of evidence of tow hitches and long range fuel tanks touching down.
Regarding the comments about using momentum, I idled up the last little bit of most of the dunes in high first, mainly for comfort and safety. They're often very rutted and bumpy near the top (ploughed I suspect by powerful vehicles towing trailers) and make the momentum approach a bit uncomfortable. Also, there's that nagging thought that some mug is coming up the other side of the dune with... well.... momentum.
With 18 psi max in the tyres, a light vehicle and a light touch on the pedal, there was no slipping or churning using these low speeds, except the last 10 metres or so of Big Red, which was so bloody loose, I think someone went down it, towing a disc harrow, just before I got there.
Big Red was a high range second gear run because although it's high and soft, it wasn't bumpy and with my passengers watching from the top, there are no safety concerns of on-coming vehicles.
Say hello to Ruth at the Birdsville Caravan Park for me. She's a great "ambassador" for the town and the region.

Paul,
Try birdsvillecvanpk@growzone.com.au . Alternatively, try phoning her at Birdsville Caravan Park.
Birdsville during race week will be a very busy town, so book ahead.
Cheers