Spares on the Canning

G''day Nick,

I am sure 99% of travellers on the Canning would have spare shockies with them or be in a convoy with a few spares amongst themselves.

Havn't been there yet but the planets look like they might line up next year with any luck.

We will take one of each with us. Two of each gets too much weight to keep carying.

Hi Nick

I would recommend on of each. After numerous trips on parts of the CSR and three doing the full length, I've had to replace shocks and or have seen so many others with shockie probs.

To keep the spares out of the vehicle, I made a bracket that holds both shocks in position under the vehicle, between the chassis rail and side step. it keeps them out of the way but always there.

Make sure they are bolted in a way that allows any water to run out or they will rust out.

cheers

Image Could Not Be FoundHi Nick

Nick

I did the New Shocker thing, before we went, and also the new fanbelt thing.

Put the new ones on, and take the old ones as spares.
That way at least you know that everything fits, and works OK.
Nothing would be worse than finding out, in the middle of a remote trip, that your new spares don't fit.

Cheers
Bucky

Same as Bucky. We did the same for the Cape and the Kimberley and took two as spares.

Travelling alone, and maybe in convoy, it's not worth the risk. Most of our long trips are on our own. We actually broke one on the Cape drive on the Starckie Track. And compared to some roads it was a piece of cake. Amazing how they will break when you least expect it.

If you shockers are in good conditioning, you vehicle's suspension is set up correctly and suited for the weight and conditions and you drive sensibly to the conditions and slow down where it's needed is there any reason to carry spare shockers......

There must be 100's if not 1000's of vehicles that transverse the CSR with nothing breaking.

How far do you go with this "spare parts you must have" syndrome..... no wonder things break when you carry so much gear exceeding the suspension and vehicles capability.

I think it is more important to carry light weight welding gear as you can always do a temporary fix and limp in somewhere for proper repairs.

The main problem is most people travelling think a 2 inch lift kit is also designed to carry extra weight.... it's not, if you design the component to increase it's load and shock abilities chances are of it failing are greatly reduced...... most 4x4's set up for touring far exceeds the vehicles GVM and place extra uncalculated loads on everything.

Design something for the purpose and it will last.

The biggest problems are that most vehicles are overloaded and the second is that people have unrealistic travel times and expect to be able to travel at stupid speeds for the track conditions.
Trying to travel the CSR in anything much less than a few weeks is pretty silly in my view.
You've spent a heap of money setting up the vehicle, fuel and equipment in order to travel one of Oz's iconic trips in the shortest possible time frame, doesn't make sense. Do it much slower, stop and take plenty of walks, explore around all the wells and read the history in the Garde's book " The CSR a travellers guide" rather than the mad dash to say I've done it.
That being said and to get back on topic shockies pay a huge part in coil sprung vehicles suspension and they can be pretty much uncontrollable without them so a spare is probably a good idea, leaf sprung vehicles will survive ok wtihout shocks as the leaves movement against each other does have some damping effect.

Very good advice Ozhumvee.. I'm sure many on here get sick of having to listen to knob jockeys in pubs boasting about how they did "The Simmo" in two days, 4hrs and 34 minutes

Blokes I know who have done the CSR - I haven't - reckon on taking a complete spare set of dampers. If the conditions damage one, you'll do all four...

Then keep the weight out of the vehicle elsewhere eg by leaving equipment such as heavy fridge slides, and double spare tyre carriers at home in the garage and use a roofrack instead (if the roof rating allows it)

Slow down and you will not have problems with shocks.

The faster you travel the more spare parts you need.

I travelled the full length of the CSR by myself slowly and did not break anything.

Make sure your tyres are aired down (mine were 26psi) and you drive to the conditions and you'll be fine, just did ita few weeks ago and neither 4wd had any issues apart from the side mirrors - fold them in and tape them with gaffa tape with cardboard as they will get a belting

Cheers

Colin

The one item I did not see mentioned is the steering damper - looks like a shoxckie.
I had one break on the troopie and it was just about undriveable unless going less than 10kmh - and that was driving in town on bitumen.

Thanks everyone for your valuable advice we will take a front and a rear shocky and air down to 20 PSI or below. Got a second battery fitted to the cruiser today and will get a second fuel filter and an 80 000 km service tomorrow (wheelbearings etc) New tyres next week and rebuilt roofrack friday.

see you on the track Big Nick