Fendy getting ready for Simpson

All the above is pretty good advice.

I took a 2nd spare which I didn't regret, as I took no tyre repair gear. I only got a flat on the Oodnadatta track on the way back. I took about 7 jerries of fuel as I only have a 60 lt tank. A roof rack was no drama, but keep the load as light as you can. Take warm clothes and togs for a swim in the hot springs.

It's a great trip. We did it east to west with ease. I have a front LSD but no locker. I did get stuck on top of a dune once, but there was an easier track I could have taken.

I did it last year. Bloody good trip, I would suggest you take your time/make time, to stop and smell the coffee! 2nd & 3rd low range with transfer locked, worked well for me in the Simpson, I settled on this after a few attempts using speed! Lol. Birdsville is excellent, very friendly people. Enjoy it a very unique trip. We travelled from Brisbane to Cameron's Cnr to Inaminka to Birdsville to Mt Dare to Finke to Chambers Pillars to Uluru to Alice. Enjoy...

Last year's trip report here.


I arguably took too much stuff but the benefit was that the missus wasn't worried about something going wrong because we had plenty of spares and tools. You can't put a price on the right kind of silence.

I crossed from West to East (easiest on fuel) and didn't use low range once.

Plenty of great advice here already regarding your tyre pressures and load, water and more water so I shan't bother adding to it.

• Take a fly net for your hat and get yourself some of the rosemary and cedarwood fly repellent cream - it totally works...and don't tell the missus you have it for a day or so. See how long it takes before she notices that she's the only one being attacked by seventeen trillion flies at once. Then ask her if she wants to have some of your fly repellent cream....and then run. Run like the wind.
• Don't buy fuel or beer in Mt Dare if you can avoid it.
• Have the Oodnaburger with the lot when you get to the roadhouse...but also try the Transcontinental hotel up the road.
• Try not to lose your temper on the gibber. Harder than it sounds. Keep calm and carry on.
• Don't pee in the spring
• Maintain discipline of using your UHF and calling out from time to time so you can hear if there's chaps coming the other way. Avoid a collision out there at all costs.
• Give it the beans up Big Red.
• If you're taking a thunderbox (or similar), chuck it up on the roof and take a map/ book/ newspaper. It'll change your life.

I'm jealous now I want to go back....you'll have a great time, Fatcat, it's a smashing trip.

Take a million photos.

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Originally Posted by RVR110

......... If you'll be passing Parachilna, spend the roof rack money on a night at the Prairie Hotel and have the Feral Mixed Grill :)

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I've been to the Prairie Hotel in Parachilna a few times (awesome spot!), but I didn't think the feral grill was THAT expensive....!!!:p

Lots of good advice.
Re. fuel, our 300 Tdi auto Disco, which in normal driving averaged 10-11 l/100 km, used 130 litres between Mt Dare and Birdsville. Your consumption will depend on how you drive, the route you take etc.
I suggest you travel light and don't plant the go pedal if it can be avoided. Gearing and tyre pressures are the key, not power.

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Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Lots of good advice.
Re. fuel, our 300 Tdi auto Disco, which in normal driving averaged 10-11 l/100 km, used 130 litres between Mt Dare and Birdsville. Your consumption will depend on how you drive, the route you take etc.
I suggest you travel light and don't plant the go pedal if it can be avoided. Gearing and tyre pressures are the key, not power.

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130L sounds pretty high......is that crossing the French.

Pretty sure I used around 80L via the Rig Rd.....from memory it did have a lot of clay top sections

If your suspension is in good order don't mess with it, save for probably a good set of shocks to handle the heat generated from corrugations. I was there in June this year and the trucks with softer coil rates handled the dunes better than the HD rated coils. The softer coil allowed the axle to move under the truck rather than the truck body rocking and rolling over the corrugations in the face of each dune which were dug out by over enthusiastic drivers. Air pressure is the key. Don't be afraid to drop them into the low teens if the sand is dry.

You truck doesn't need any fancy upgrades, a good pre-trip service, a full tank of fuel, spare fuel for the Simpson part, food/water and accommodation. You will be surprised by the amount of traffic. You won't wait long for a vehicle to come along should you have a mechanical stoppage.

First high with CDL was my sweet gear.

Burned 117ltr from Oodnadatta to Birdsville. Mt Dare to Birdsville is less kms than Oodnadatta to Birdsville.

Unless you go off-piste you won't need a second spare. The rider to that is the assumption you have quality AT or MT tyres with a solid side wall. It also assumes a dose of sensibility not to knowingly drive over dead branches.

Take your time and absorb it all in.

Everyone else has done a great job of covering the basics. I will add, buy your alcohol provisions in a big town same for food. I know it denies the local businesses money but it hurts when you pay $70 for a case of beer that costs $50 elsewhere. The other hint is don't stock up in mining towns. I found there was a "mining town money" premium on basics.

Even with the trip so new in my history i long to get back out there and see more of the desert.

MLD

RVR speaks with much wisdom. Good post. Thanks

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Originally Posted by weeds

130L sounds pretty high......is that crossing the French.

Pretty sure I used around 80L via the Rig Rd.....from memory it did have a lot of clay top sections

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Agree 130 sounds high
We used about 90 Mt Dare to Birdsville via WAA line
That was about 560 km from memory so about 50% more than usual but had MTs on that were too chunky for sand.

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Originally Posted by DieselDan

I've been to the Prairie Hotel in Parachilna a few times (awesome spot!), but I didn't think the feral grill was THAT expensive....!!!:p

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Well, there is the cost of accommodation, and the rest went on some rather nice Shiraz... :D:D:D:D

As for Fuel, we used about 100L from Oodnadatta to Birdsville via the WAA line in a 2.4 Puma 110 SW.