double question time

Camper trailers across the Simpson are suspect - I would think a jayco across there is asking for trouble.

Can you do a trip over Simpson in vehicle only before attempting a crossing with a Jayco on the back. (fuel range??)

Personally I would take a trailer across. Have driven both ways twice.

Alan

Hi there. Can't comment on the Eagle. At 1100 kg tare its probably lighter than the Ultimate: in 2007, I was in a convoy that included a new Disco towing an Ultimate, and he got through the Rig Road (the easy one) with the help of TWO Landcruiser V8s towing/snatching him over the dunes.
Apart from the fact that we are all asked not to take trailers (after all, the National Parks are given bugger all for maintenance), the practicalities do not stack up, unless you have good friends in your convoy who are willing and able to drag you over dune after dune.
I'd be particularly nervous if it was my rig, rather than someone else's - there's enough to worry about with a solo rig.

Chris (SA)

i have the jayco swan and it has been great. just got back from a week away with son and we were in those terrible winds and came thru unscathed. the eagle is same layout as swan and as i have said on here heaps of times, look whether the layout is practical, and in this case it is due to the fridge being directly opposite the door which gives direct access without the need to wind it up.

i have not done the simpson so cannot comment about that. the only thing i would say after reading a couple of the other responses is that if you are going to tow thru sand, you need the track width of the van or trailer the same as the vehicle. also great if tyres and wheels are same all round too.

you need to be wary of opinions which may come from those who operate on hearsay and may have a set against a certain brand (in this case jayco) so you maybe better off asking on their forum or one of the van ones. or even better ask on various van, camper trailer and 4wd forums and ask what would they tow to match your budget, vehicle, family size and destination plans etc. then you can make a valid decision from that.

if you look on ebay as an example, you can hire a jayco eagle etc rather cheaply, so maybe worth a short weekend away in one to guage your own opinion on their worth against your own requirements which will be different to everyone else. whatever you decide i am sure you will have plenty of good times. cheers

Greg

I have towed my trailer along the known tracks of the Simpson abnd offtrack through the NT section of the Simpson. My trailer however is a robust bush trailer.

A friend towed his Kimberley Karavan over some of the Simpson and including Big Red.

You could do the trek with your Jayco but I would be wary of the potential damage you may do to it. Depending on the suspension set-up the CT may bounce a lot and in turn break either internally or externally.

How much desert driving and sand towing have you done?

Think carefully about it.


Cheers

Hi Greg
we !! just purchased a new jayco dove outback 6 months ago.
probably would not take it across the simpson, but we have taken it down some average bush tracks. provided u take it easy, it's Ok.
we are planning the GRR in july.
planning to upgrade the tyres to 17" to match the tow vehicle
our tow vehicle is a 07 prado d4d.

I would have liked the bigger van, but the dove is the only one that would fit in the garage. have a look @ the jayco hawk. only difference is the kitchen table & lounge are combined, which I think is better, for us anyhow.
if i remember rightly in the eagle they are seperate. ???
good luck Tom

Gidday Greg

I don’t know how many times I have to say this. Camper vans such as the Jayco are not designed for areas such as the Simpson Desert. Even the manufacturer will tell you that.

The other thing you need to consider are the prevailing conditions in the desert. Hard packed sand with a good moisture content make the driving considerably easy, compared to soft dry sand that has had six months to build up on the dunes.

You take a significant risk of losing the van in these conditions. Or at the very least face a $5000 removal cost.

I don’t want to sound as though I’m criticizing, but it appears to me that you don’t have a great deal of experience in the desert country.

If you have'nt done the crossing before, it might be wise to do so, then make an informed descision.


Regards
Kim

thanks for the response people.
no, we dont have desert experience. we have little outback experience, but have done things like vic high country, boarder track, south NSW vic and SA country 4wding.
we are pretty excited about this trip in 2011 (note 2 years away and already planning) and are trying to prepare as much as we can.
the question about a trailer came up when the misses said we should get one.

i like a full off-road camper trailer (all terrain camper) and the bride wants a caravan. the middle mark is a outback version of the jayco camper (or similar).

just trying to figure out if it can be done or not. if not, it doesn't really matter, we have the roof top tent and all the equipment for that very reason.

but it would be good to work out the achievable. it would be good to take it as it is only 3 days out of 45 on the trip we will be on the Simpson. but if its going to break it or not make it, its not worth it.

even if its not doable, we are still looking at getting one for those tracks we can do in a camper.

its good to hear that a lot of people like the jayco camper. and i will look into it further.

there is a place in Vic that does hire jayco outback campers, so i guess that will be the next step