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towing a trailer across the simpson desert
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 6:34 am
by Barry Jeffery
what are your thoughts on towing a offroad trailer with camping gear for a family of 5 behind a petrol 100 series cruiser across the simpson desert,
anyone that has done it what did you think,no worries or was it a hassle.
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 7:12 am
by bazzle
Im just thinking that you will need all the space on the trailer for fuel (petrol) ????????
Bazzle
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:33 am
by Slunnie
I wouldn't ever tow a trailer through the Simpson.
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:41 am
by RoldIT
Nope, you're gunna struggle.
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:08 am
by shortie
no probs.
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:22 am
by planb
i cant imagine you will have major hassles.
you have driven with a trailer offroad before right ?
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:51 am
by christover1
With a family, you need a lot of extra stuff. There would be much more risk of breaking your truck, or injuring family, if you tried to load everything into the truck.
Try imagining carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders, then the same weight in a wheel barrow, much less straining.
Obviously it will be harder going, with a trailer, but pack sensibly, light as possible, and drive accordingly.
I'd recommend treg coupling or similar, and whatever off road extras you can afford for the trailer.
I personally haven't towed through the deserts, but have done a few desert trips with people who did have trailers, and have minimal offroad towing experiences.
Only magor hassle, is when you need to backwards forwards to get unbogged or similar, but most just decouple trailer, drive thru, then pull trailer thru with a winch or snatch.
In a nutshell, its easier without a trailer, but without a trailer I'm guessing the family couldn't come too.
Travel with other family types, or with other trailer types, they will be more understanding
christover
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 10:41 am
by Sixty
Have done the Simpson twice with a trailer, pulled by a 60 with 2H na. Both times was after big storms and just after the Simpson had been 'opened'.
The damp sand made it easier mostly, but some days by midday the crests of the dunes were very dry making the final bit difficult. Even with that, a mate only snatched me twice. (trailer jack knifed during reversing, no forwards or backwards...)
Make sure the trailer is a 'heavy duty 4wd' trailer/camper, and is good mechanical condition.
Take a winch extention strap or similar to tow/winch the trailer over a dune if needed.
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:09 am
by bogged
search the archives on
www.exploroz.com.au been asked a billion times... also more travellers there than here.
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:12 am
by sarg
Try searching archives on
www.exploroz.com.au plenty of old farts who seem to think that they know everything about anything ; whether they are right is your decision.
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:19 am
by droopypete
search the archives on
www.exploroz.com.au
a billion old farts who seem to think that they know more about travellers than here
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:22 am
by chimpboy
sarg wrote:Try searching archives on
www.exploroz.com.au plenty of old farts who seem to think that they know everything about anything ; whether they are right is your decision.
droopypete wrote:search the archives on
www.exploroz.com.au
a billion old farts who seem to think that they know more about travellers than here
Are you guys sharing one brain between you or something?
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 2:49 pm
by ats4x4dotcom
Depending on which crossing you use, the lower 2 being preferable to the french line, because everyone with trailers, and wrong tyre pressures have dug up the less steep side of the dune, making it rough, for no reason.
The K1 from mungerannie, to knolls and across the WAA, or via the rig road, with your trailer would suit best, in either direction, just make sure your running around 16 psi in the tyres, and trailer.
A petrol 100 towing on an "indirect" sight seeing trip will use around 140-165lt of fuel, depending on the route taken.
Some details from my 2004 trip here [with the vehicle fuel usage there too i think somewhere]
http://www.lcool.org/trips/double_simps ... eport.html
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:18 pm
by Ruffy
Holy shite Darren that's pretty good economy for a simpson croosing in a petrol. Obviously wasn't a Yota! A Hunjy with a trailer, I'd be expecting nearer 200-250. Depends on the weather and speeds of course.
Either way i can't see a problem taking a trailer as long as your not in a hurry and you've got some good self recovery skills.
Good luck, Have a good trip!
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:22 pm
by bogged
sarg wrote:Try searching archives on
www.exploroz.com.au plenty of old farts who seem to think that they know everything about anything ; whether they are right is your decision.
what they told you something you didnt want to hear? poor buttercup..