Simpson desert trip ......winch needed?

I'd recommend a long handled shovel, a good tyre pressure gauge and a reliable portable 12V compressor for reinflating tyres (also a tyre-plugging kit is a worthwhile thing to have with you).

Many problems can be avoided by being mindful of correct tyre pressures, and a bit of digging (combined with airing down even more) can get you out of most sand traps... provided you have the means to reinflate afterwards.

Also, if you do air down to very low pressures for recovery purposes, remember to keep the steering as straight as possible so you don't roll tyres off the rims.

Probably most important of all - take enough water and a means of emergency communications (i.e. sat phone).

Have fun,
Cheers

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Originally Posted by The Cone of Silence

I'm also debating leaving the second spare at home as I don't think the Simpson is going to be that harsh on tyres and it's unnecessary weight on top of the pop-top. I'm more inclined to take a spare shock absorber for the corrugations!



Bobby

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True about the weight of the second spare but you'll continue to Birdsville, and home if necessary with 3 shock absorbers, but not with 3 tyres. It's unlikely you'd stake 2 tyres but Mr Murphy has this law...

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Originally Posted by 2stroke

.........................., and home if necessary with 3 shock absorbers,....................

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No you won't.

On a coil sprung vehicle (with a busted shocker) the only direction your wheel will go is up and down as you try and ascend a dune. There is absolutely no natural dampening with coils. So as your wheel bounces up and down and loses traction you spin the wheel and go nowhere, though coil sprung vehicles with traction control will still get some traction as the brakes nip up. With leaf springs you will get some natural dampening as the leaves slide on one another.

Your biggest problem in mid June crossing the Simpson desert will not be getting stuck but finding peace and quiet, it'll be like Bourke St / Pitt St or whatever out there. Pack light, have good shockers (not fancy trendy bull**** brand name ones) from Pedders or another reputable company and carry a good snatch stap/tow rope, shovel and quality compressor. Don't be afraid to let your tyres down, way down and yes carry a second spare wheel (or tyre and changing tools and have the expertise to change it) as pinching a tyre/tube at low pressures is a possibility. Carrying a hand full of plugs and a spare tube is also good idea.

Leave the winch at home, it's just useless ballast. Did I mention pack light. :)

Tip. Get off the French Line ASAP and heads south to the WAA and Rig Road for a much 'quieter' and pleasant journey. :)


Deano :)

My point is I'd rather try my luck on 3 shocks than 3 tyres. I Have Bilsteins and have never found myself mid Simpson without all four. I have had to repair tyres though and changing a tube on a hot windy arvo in the sand isn't what I call living the dream.:) And yes I am aware of the difference in inherrent damping between leaf and coil springs, I'd imagine the bounce on the dune approaches wouldn't be great but I reckon low 2nd would still get me over.
Edit, forgot not everyone else has a rear locker.

Have to disagree there.

350km through the Great Victoria Desert and then another 360km to Ceduna with only 3 shocks didn't seem to present any huge problems.


Martyn

Done the Simpson desert, Maralinga, and many other trips with only the single spare without issue...

Patches, tubes and tools are lighter and more useful. At most take a carcass.

Keep the weight DOWN...

...............350km through the Great Victoria Desert and then another 360km to Ceduna with only 3 shocks didn't seem to present any huge problems.................


Different sort of terrain Martyn and with open diffs then there's all sorts of trouble on the badly scalloped Simpson dunes. Though some sort of anti wheel spin device, locker, lsd or traction control will help a lot, especially with a crook shocker. I found that a combination of 'polyair' bags and TC compensated well for stuffed rear shocks in the D2a. :)


..................I'd imagine the bounce on the dune approaches wouldn't be great but I reckon low 2nd would still get me over................


It's my experience that what's needed on sand dunes, especially the chopped up Simpson dunes, its low tyre pressure and momentum. Low 2 may get you nowhere other than bogged down. You'll do a lot better with High 2 and 2500-3000 RPM, (diesel), the biggest problem being bouncing on the hidden scallops where good shockers are essential to stop both bottoming out and to stop lifting a wheel to avoid wheel spin (and no traction with open diffs). Finding the 'best' speed for a vehicle will take a bit of experimentation but it's unlikely to be low speed crawling. :)

Deano :)

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Originally Posted by DeanoH

...............350km through the Great Victoria Desert and then another 360km to Ceduna with only 3 shocks didn't seem to present any huge problems.................


Different sort of terrain Martyn and with open diffs then there's all sorts of trouble on the badly scalloped Simpson dunes. Though some sort of anti wheel spin device, locker, lsd or traction control will help a lot, especially with a crook shocker. I found that a combination of 'polyair' bags and TC compensated well for stuffed rear shocks in the D2a. :)


..................I'd imagine the bounce on the dune approaches wouldn't be great but I reckon low 2nd would still get me over................


It's my experience that what's needed on sand dunes, especially the chopped up Simpson dunes, its low tyre pressure and momentum. Low 2 may get you nowhere other than bogged down. You'll do a lot better with High 2 and 2500-3000 RPM, (diesel), the biggest problem being bouncing on the hidden scallops where good shockers are essential to stop both bottoming out and to stop lifting a wheel to avoid wheel spin (and no traction with open diffs). Finding the 'best' speed for a vehicle will take a bit of experimentation but it's unlikely to be low speed crawling. :)

Deano :)

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Initially high 2nd was my first choice but the one of the vehicles following had a camper trailer on and I was slowly pulling away from them, meaning I had to go too far back when they got stuck. I ended up leaving it in low 4th, even going to 5th on a light throttle on the smoothest swales, then back to 4th before the next dune, if the climb was choppy just slipped it back to 3rd and eased her up. I was surprised how well it worked. I have never tried low 2nd on a dune out there but have on beach dunes.

That's a good point. I have airbags inside the springs. If I do a shoc I can always firm them up to get back to civilisation. There we go, just saved a few kilos.

I had a look at my mate's ground anchor the other day, wondering if I should get one for solo trips and I just can't justify it - those things weight a ton....and take up too much space.

I figure that if there's no trees around or rocks, digging oneself out and using tracks is the way forwards.....or making a ground anchor substitute from whatever materials are lying around, if it's possible.

You will find in the Simpson there is nothing lying around, but with sensible tyre pressures and sensible driving, the only time you have any possibility of getting stuck is on an uphill - and you can always back down. If you screw things up, then a shovel really helps, but it is amazing how much sand you can move just with bare hands!

One thing nobody has mentioned, which is perhaps so obvious that everyone assumes you know about it - if you need to jack up the vehicle in sand, you need a suitable sheet of something to spread the load. It can be dedicated to the purpose, or something such as a barbecue plate or a small table that has other uses, but when you need it, you need it.

John