Trailers and the Simpson

Hendo me old son.

Search harder. Not saying it's been done to death, but there was a most interesting discussion on this very subject only a short while back.

Can't give you the number but ... "Search and yea shall find".

You never know .. you may pick up a few extra tips on your peregrinations.

Cheers ... ;-]Fidei defensor

Rosco

Hendo,

I have done it twice before, had no problems and minimised the impact on the environment unlike many who simply do not know how to drive in the conditions........ie vehicles (not towing) going too fast with tyre pressures far too high for the conditions; from what you say above I would not expect you to have any problems as an experienced sand driver provided you are prepared to run your tyres on car and trailer at appropriate pressures for the dunes.......ie from as low as 13 psi if you have to but generally around 16 psi dependant of course on tyre type and load. You need to take it easy (the Simpson is delicate country) and keep your weight down to essentials. Naturally a vehicle that is not towing is preferable in this delicate environment and you will get many pushing this view........an experienced sand driver however can do less damage with a trailer than many (who don't seem to care less about the environment) do without a trailer.

Cheers geoff

Hendo, here is something you will have to consider when towing a trailer over sand dunes. By dunes I mean the larger, many humped kind, as I encountered on the Canning north of well 23. I am assuming there are similar ones in the Simpson desert though I have not been there (yet).
While you may be able to tow a trailer up and over these dunes you will have great difficulties backing down a dune with it. And you also will have problems unhitching it and trying to push it down. On a deeply rutted dune the only way is forward while towing a trailer.
Just with a car, should it run out of grunt partway up, its no problem to back down and try again with a longer run up/ different gear selection etc. A trailer will most likely jack knife then and give you lots of grief.
Forget winching up a large sand dune unless you like digging in a considerable size anchor lots of times at each dune.
The only way to cross a dune with a trailer, IMO, would be to walk it first, checking the lay of the track, the ruts and if there are obstacles requiring a stop, like another vehicle on the far side. Then you need sufficient grunt to easily get over it, no gear changing allowed unless you drive an automatic. If you think you can manually change gears while charging up a winding dune you are a better driver than me :-)
Walking every dune will get you very fit, I know, I've attempted the Canning once from well 9 to the Talawara track with an unsuitable vehicle (not enough ground clearance) and learned a healthy respect for the terrain out there -we got through back then but lost near 10kg each from shovelling sand :-)

Having said that, we did come across a Landrover club convoy at Durba Springs who were towing "trailers". These were rather special beasts and resembled a 200 litre drum on wheels. It was all custom built, using a similar suspension & wheels as their cars had ( presumably so they could use parts for spares) and they had a towball front and back of the trailers. They also carried solid tow 'rods' with a hitch on each end. In fact, they could link up several car and trailer combinations ( the cars also had front tow balls fitted) like a giant caterpillar and cross dunes with multi wheel drive.

I have also seen several abandoned trailers on the stock route, possibly by people who were not as thoroughly prepared as the above group.

You will have no problems at all towing the trailer in the valleys between the dunes.

I carried 150l diesel in two car tanks and another 120 in 6 jerry cans which got us from well 23 to Halls Creek via a detour through Balgo due a swamped track at weel 50, with 40 litres to spare. My troopie then still had the original 2H motor.
Klaus

Hendo,
When you searched the threads I trust you came across 8436 and 7590 both relevant to your query.
The chopped up dunes are caused by cars hitting the dunes too fast, the car bounces, the rear wheels lift and, spinning, thump down on the sand and spew it out, causing ruts in the process.
By driving slowly with low tyre pressures there's no bounce and thus no chewing out and wrecking the dunes.
The CSR with its multi-humped dunes presented no problems to my LC and KK this year.
The reference to backing down and taking a longer run-up worries me as it implies speed - exactly the wrong approach; you'd be better off lowering your tyre pressures. I trust you have a compressor.
The broken trailers on the CSR were grossly inadequate, one with 2" x 2" angle iron frame TACK WELDED, another out of water pipe - totally inappropriate.
Have fun balancing out the usual cross section of replies.
DB

Hi Hendo,

I agree with your comments about getting informed comments/experience from people that have actually crossed the Simpson with a CT. I have spent many hours searching this very same question and have found more conflicting information than the discussion between what brand of Fridge to buy !

I am planning to cross the Simpson from Dalhousie to Birdsville next year with my CT, and with all the searches I have done on many forums the consensus is that it can be done quite easily if you have the correct tyre pressures (car & trailer).

Good question !

Phil P

We towed a tandem wheeled trailer across the Simpson from Birdsville to Mnt Dare in 2001 as backup for a film crew. Our vechicle was a Nissan 3.lt Patrol auto with 15 x 39 tyres run at 12 lb same as on the trailer. We had no problem tho a couple of the windy dunes took a couple of atempts Momentum was the key made much easier with the auto. Backing down a windy sand dune was interesting as it would have been impossible to go forward again without momentum. Our trailer was much heavier than a CT and I feel an experienced well prepared driver with a well setup CT should have no problems specially in an auto. Cheers Rob Cairns Offroad Training & Tours

On this site look under the Topic Search area (left hand side) then go to All Trek Fuel Data and scroll down to 6 cyl to get an idea on fuel useage. Doesn't say whether they towed. Use your Cape York trip as a guide and add a bit for sand driving.
Another point - depends which way you plan to cross - W to E is much easier and which tracks you take. Those factors too will have a bearing on fuel consumption. However I can't imagine a diesel Patrol having a problem with range.
BTW - I know who's going to win the arguement as to what to take - have fun towing that trailer across the Simpson next July!

Hendo
I've towed a camper trailer across the simpson four times since the early 80's, we've crossed the simpson about 13 times in this period, every direction, all the tracks so am very familiar with the country.
Since then the tracks have on the hole become progressively rougher and on the whole conditions are harder now than when the exploration crews were still present in the desert.
It will vary from season to season and also with weather conditions and traffic volumes.
Keep the tyres down, keep the weight of fuel and water in the truck ie keep the trailer as light as possible, have a good quality off road coupling (no towballs, I use a pintle and ring), a tow hitch at the rear of the trailer, allow plenty of time so you don't have to rush, if the weather is hot try to travel early in the morning knocking off around midday as the sand becomes softer as it heats up and travel with a group if possible so that if you do have problems on a dune help is a snatch away. Believe me it is very hard work unhitching and skulldragging trailer in sand.
Again if it is hot be prepared to drive over dunes like the trailer isn't there (it will cop a hiding!)
Personally I'd reccomend against towing trailers across the simpson as NP suggest but if you are experienced give it a go.
Peter

G'Day,

Along with quite a few ppl I have towed a trailer wvery which way across the desertnI have an article at this address http://www.direct4wd.com.au/tours/trailers.htm

Cheers Jol Fleming

Hi Hendo,

Have you made a decision on wether you are takin the CT ?

I'm heading over the Simpson in Aug 2004, I still can't make my mind up !!

Regards
Phil P