Thread: Corrugated roads?

Thus spracht Mr Chapmans ghost

As above. Quality dampeners and springs if carrying a fair load.
Work through the teeth jarring low frequency/ speed an into the sweeter 40-70kph zone if you have visibility to keep it safe. (Watch for bull dust holes!)
Once you hit the first real corrugations, stop every 30 to check the heat of the dampeners. If they aren't getting too hot, space that out to every 2 hours, you need a break anyway.
Once around the vehicle at long halts (lunch and end of day) to check things are staying put and tighten as required. take a couple of minutes to clean around the suspension mounts to check for cracks. A stitch in time....

When going through sweepers, keep to the high side but avoid going over the edge, it can be steep and/ or very soft.

Take it easy and enjoy the experience!

Originally Posted by inside

I agree that weight is the enemy but with the accessories it's hard to do without them isn't it? I mean a bullbar is a very good idea and you also need to think about two spares. Do you carry the second on the roof on a rack or a fancy rear wheel carrier? You could carry it inside I guess but it's all weight. You'll need a fridge, tent, camping gear, food, water, fuel, some tools, second battery and it's all weight unless you say this is not required. Sure there's some things that aren't really required like an awning or a coffee maker.

Not trying to stir just interested as I'm always looking ways to reduce weight.

As for OPs question my advice is good tyres and good suspension. What will fail is the stuff bolted to the car that LR didn't put there. Although I did have my front diff to housing bolts loosen on the Finke to Alice road.

Exactly.

And that Finke to Alice road is an absolute shocker...,or it was this time last year.Some of the worse corrugations i have ever encountered.

Originally Posted by inside

I agree that weight is the enemy but with the accessories it's hard to do without them isn't it? I mean a bullbar is a very good idea and you also need to think about two spares. Do you carry the second on the roof on a rack or a fancy rear wheel carrier? You could carry it inside I guess but it's all weight. You'll need a fridge, tent, camping gear, food, water, fuel, some tools, second battery and it's all weight unless you say this is not required. Sure there's some things that aren't really required like an awning or a coffee maker.

Not trying to stir just interested as I'm always looking ways to reduce weight.

As for OPs question my advice is good tyres and good suspension. What will fail is the stuff bolted to the car that LR didn't put there. Although I did have my front diff to housing bolts loosen on the Finke to Alice road.

when I travel in remote areas like the canning I take a 2nd spare tyre only, ratchet strapped to the main spare. plus tyre levers of course. That setup held in place on the worst corrugations imaginable, unlike the stereo...

Originally Posted by inside

I agree that weight is the enemy but with the accessories it's hard to do without them isn't it? I mean a bullbar is a very good idea and you also need to think about two spares. Do you carry the second on the roof on a rack or a fancy rear wheel carrier? You could carry it inside I guess but it's all weight. You'll need a fridge, tent, camping gear, food, water, fuel, some tools, second battery and it's all weight unless you say this is not required. Sure there's some things that aren't really required like an awning or a coffee maker.

Not trying to stir just interested as I'm always looking ways to reduce weight.

As for OPs question my advice is good tyres and good suspension. What will fail is the stuff bolted to the car that LR didn't put there. Although I did have my front diff to housing bolts loosen on the Finke to Alice road.

Don't need or have a bullbar,side pipework,roof rack,twin tyre carrier,armour plate underneath,fridge slide etc,there's 600kg gone.KISS is the word. Pat

Originally Posted by ted44

Thanks everyone, Sue, I'm off to Birdsville, to Mt dare to kings canyon to Alice, and hopefully up to Lorela springs, taking in some of the track along the way! Nothing written in stone we are going to talk to people and see which tracks are in the best condition and worth doing? Thanks ted

Nice trip! I did all of those routes last year (with the exception of Lorella Springs) and didn't have any problems on any of them.. of course tracks change from week to week so you'll just have to take it as it comes.

Don't be put off by what people along the way will tell you about the tracks as it's all relative... for instance last year I had driven up the Tanami and was camped at Wolf Creek and found myself chatting to a couple there who had driven to Wolf Creek from Halls Creek that day. As I was heading to Halls Creek the next day I asked them what the road was like and they said it was 'bloody awful' and that they had 'barely gotten over 40kms an hour the whole way in'.. I replied that they would be happy to know that the rest of the Tanami (over 500kms of it) was in great condition and they will easily be doing 100kms an hour on it.

The next morning I drove into Halls Creek on a lovely bit of road, it had been graded the week before and I saw no reason for complaint.. or for sitting on 40kms an hour. It's all relative, I found the track awesome while they struggled with it. I often wonder if they think I am some kind of mad lady as for sure they would have found fault with the rest of the road the next day lol..

We are now just north of Broome and in the last two months have travelled on the Talawana tk, Rudall river np, canning, Gary junction ,Mereenie loop, Tanami and a few others . towing a Camprite camper with 2 kids.
The 2004 defender is going better than the after market accessories, diff guard falling off, rear wheel carrier cracking, stereo shaking loose, shock eyes went from round to oval, and a few more.
Lower tyres but watch out for the rocky deteriorated roads and low tyre pressures, they have chewed out my rear tyres in 8000 k's .
Some times you can't get enough speed to get on top, don't streets too much, we travelled for 4 hrs at 15 kph on the canning, just enjoy it.
I have been putting a lot of thought into how to beat them.
Check tyre pressures hot and cold a lot to find what works for you.
Check shock temps a described earlier.
If something doesn't sound right stop get underneath and check.
I had the front diff guard fly off at 80 kph it was not pretty. I had previously heard a rattle but disregarded it . It could have taken out the sump quite easily.