BIG RED How many ??

Hi all,
We drove over it easily in a NS Diesel Pajero in October last year. No problems at all, it felt as though it could have been twice as high and still would have done it.
A landcruiser just before me made three attempts before they went over. I believe they didn't lower their tyre pressures. With a bit of momentum and the tyre pressures down it really isn't to much trouble.
The softness of the sand at any particular time can make a difference.
Regards from Col.

Drop your tyre pressure and low range 3rd gear easy as, no run up required.

There was a mob (20 odd) all hitting it at 80 - 90 kms per hour. Smashing their vehicles and getting stuck about 3/4 of the way up.

4.2 Patrol Diesel

Cheers

Tour groups can be a bit of a mixed bag - very few have had 4wd training or experience from what I've seen. Thats why they join a tour group.

Autos do it easier than manuals because gear selection is a no-brainer.

Gday,
Not all! But lots of tour guides are full of ......stories.

I achieved it in a 3.5l petrol auto trans Jackaroo wearing Bridgestone duelers, but did not put the boot in.
Dropped the pressure to 18 and drove up at moderate speed.
Then again, I am Sand Man:-)

The achievement is somewhat overrated I think. It may well depend on how many have "chewed" the track up before you make the attempt.

Still, it is a quite achievement to complete successfully when you have made the effort to drive out there.


Bill.

Hi once again Wherehegon,
We did it in a Toyota 80 series diesle but we deflated our tyres after the first failed attempt.
We also didn't have our revs correct at first either we underestimated it a bit. took it too easy and only got 3/4 way up.
Diesle motors are a lot heavier than petrol so they can sink in the sand
The lighter your load, the easier it is of course. Are you heading accross the Simpson? Should look fantastic after all the rain.
Hope all is going well for you.
With best wishes. Take care, safe travels.Ma

What a load of rubbish. I reversed up it in my diesle 80 some years ago.

I think there is more in the technique than the vehicle.
I have reached the top on many different occasions , firstly in a V6 petrol Pajero & more recently a ZD30 Diesel Patrol. Both cars did it easily.
No run up, No spinning wheels, No screaming engines.
Tyre pressures around 22psi & low 2nd (Pajero) & low 3rd (Patrol) I move off from the flat just at the bottom of the dune. Keep revs up & just cruise over.
I've watched many unsucessfull attempts & reckon it's lack of experience that lets them down. I've see one dill take a run up from half way to the next dune(towards the desert) Still didn't make it.
I also have watched non turbo diesels run out of puff half way up, But I've never driven one of them so I can't comment on why they were unsuccessful.
PMK

If you do a search this has been 'chatted about' on numerous occasions.

I drove all three western approaches in a fully loaded colorado diesel auto just to say we had done it.

The Northern track is the one that gets the bragging rights, and took pretty much everything the little car had to get there on the day we were playing - and a few goes to get the gearing right.

I agree a petrol will 'do' the diesel version of the same vehicle when it comes to playing in the dunes. They simply have a much larger useable rev range for every gear.

Hi Steve
This would be the biggest load of c--p that you have been given. It is not speed but tyre pressures that get you over Big Red. I have been over it countless times in my old 2.8 diesel Pajero and even have video proof of me reversing all the way up, and succeeding in doing it. I find it the exact opposite, a petrol loose its revs and the vehicle bogs down, where as my diesel kept keeping on. It will also come down to the drivers ability in sand driving and not the vehicle.

I was also speaking to two tour operators years ago about their Simpson tours and they were saying how hard it was, having ruined 2 snatch straps to recover a bogged vehicle. When I asked how they were ruined, they said that they looped the two together and where not able to separate them, now giving them a permanent 18m strap. When I asked why they did not place a piece of timber, old towel or newspaper between them, so they could be removed it and in doing so undo the two straps, they called me a smart ass and walked off.

Like others have said above, there are good tour operators and them you have the cow boys.

Cheers

Stephen

Drove it in a diesel Courier last Sep.

We started from the base of BigRed & drove up both sides, drop tyre pressure & had it in low range 3rd gear, easy as.

Cheers
David

Hi, i am just wondering by the replies as to weather you are refering to the sandhill straight on from the info bay "little red" or in fact big red 2 kms north of little red. cheers mark

I did it in our 1989 non turbo diesel hi lux in 2004, had to work hard, but I did it.

Presume this is big red ?? I havnt been their YET so just found this pic

Went over in a D40 Navara 2.5 diesel auto in August 2009 - select D - tyres were already at 22psi and no problems at all.

I think you get the picture from the posts above.
we got up in a 4.2 gu patrol, also in our group a td and naturally aspirated 100 series and a paj. up there we saw a variety of jeeps both modern and very old. I reckon I'd get our 1 litre suzuki up there as well as our 2.8 non turbo hilux.

Madcowz

Back in the 80s when Ford were testing their new Longreatch ute,Big Red was conquered with consummate ease.

Back in the 80s when Ford were testing their new Longreach ute,Big Red was conquered with consummate ease.

Have you seen the Saudi you tube videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCpsd0duCok&feature=related

Hi Wherehegon, we did it in a 4.2GU Patrol, and that was Big Red not Little Red

Cheers

D

4.2 TD GUIII
Bout 22psi.

Didn't even scare the missus. And she scares pretty easy....

Dave

Look out for the Datsun:

Who needs 4wd to get over Big Red

Been across the Simpson, but couldn't see the point in driving up a sandhill "just to say I've done it"..... Did watch a number of people take almighty run ups, just to get stuck, churn up the track, stuff around with recovery gear....then do it all again exactly the same way.

Just can't figure the mentality really.

Cheers,

Mark

The newer Euro style diesels don't have a problem, I'll take them over petrol any day. My Landrover went up it without a problem. The older style Jap diesels can't pull the skin off a custard and I see them getting stuck anywhere a bit of grunt is required all the time. Mike

1985 subaru 1600 with standard 13" road tyres

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In most years Nappanerica Dune (Big Red) is not the most difficult dune on the journey across the Simpson. However in some years it is a considerably more difficult climb than other years. This is my 15th trip and I am yet to find Big Red requiring more than one attempt. The last two years I've done it in 2nd low (Patrols are higher geared) with the hand throttle set at 1300 rpm and walked beside the car with my hand sterring through the window, just to prove to the lunatic brigade a run up is not necessary - I can kill the engine remotley if I need to. I did the same yesterday.

Last year went over BIG RED on my push bike

Righto, have read all the posts and replies - if you want to have a real go at Big Red (not Little Red but when I am suggesting it can be just as much of a challenge) - try crossing east/west and west/east in late January. Don't wait until late August or late September - because by then the top of the dune has been knocked down - up to a metre or more. Come out in late January and see how everyone goes.
Driven properly - no one should ever have to be towed over a dune in the Simpson Desert - and rarely, should you have to back down.

2002 watched a bog stock Holden Kingswood 3 on the tree autobox up and over ,

i drove up it last week in my diesel 105 series cruiser, took me a couple of attempts at 12 psi rear tyres and 10 psi fronts, a mate tried in his diesel Patrol before me about a dozen times with same pressures and gave up. when i drove over he dropped his tyres to 8 psi rear and 6 psi fronts and drove over easily. he then stopped at the bottom of the hill with no run up at all and using 1st gear lowrange he idled up the hill and straight over the top with no problems what so ever.
it's all about tyre pressures !!!

Wherehegone, have a look at this video clip. It's of a guy doing Big Red in a Datsun 1600.

Dato 1600 going up Big Red