Lake Eyre Trip preparation

[Iain_B]

Hi all, just getting my D1 ready for a 4500km to Lake Eye via Camerons Corner/Merty Merty/Lyndhust/Marree/Birdsville. The other couple we were going with have pulled out - so this will be a solo trip - just my wife and myself. The other vehicle was a Prado, so it will probably be better I we won't be constantly stopping to pull them out of puddles and be fixing their truck :D

So far I have stripped out the back seats, removed the heavy drawer system etc to reduce the weight. I've moved the cargo barrier forward and will build a light weight aluminium/cubelock frame to hold the jerry cans for water and diesel and will add tie downs to hold the rest of the gear in place. I will have a roof top tent, and a second spare wheel on an half size roof rack on the roof. I'll have all the necessary recovery gear, winch, maxtraxs, Hi lift, ground anchor etc. Spares include a full set of hoses, two fanbelts, pulley bearings and fan belt tensioner, water pump, filters, oil, transmission fluid.

The truck has 360,000km on it, but I replaced most of the drive train - less than 100,000km on it and most of the suspension has only 20,000km on it . Timing belt has been done 5000km ago, I've just fitted a Allysport header tank (more on that in another thread) Bilsteins and BFG KM2's.

I will carry a UHF, sat phone, EPIRB, and will be tracked by our Securatrak system by the guys back in the office - testing out the new satellite link system for remote area travel that updates our location every 15 minutes and have a "man down" trigger as well.

What are the usual suspects as far as breakdowns are concerned that I should be looking at?

[SiddersC]

Main issues I guess are tyres, but with a second spare you should be fine.
If your D1 is in good mechanical condition I can't see you having many issues, just comes down to maintainence, take spare hoses as a precaution and the usual fluids.
I have just returned from a trip up the birdsville track and there is plenty of water around which made for some fun, the track was well rutted but pretty good in all but a few areas, just watch out for the washaways and dips as my suspension didn't like them much.
It is beautiful up (or down?) there, just enjoy your trip.

[bblaze]

spare hoses, spare belts, tyre repair kit. I also carry a spare bearing for the idler pulleys (tdi300), only break down part I have used along with the belt.
Brake fluid and a pair of multi grips for blanking off a set of brakes (had a gibber through up onto my brake line and snapped it off at the feral nut and did most of the birdsville track with no brakes.
have fun
cheers
blaze

[d5disco]

anyone with a d2 td5 doing this trip is well advised to:- . 1....secure the heater hose at bottom of radiator so it doesn't get cut by the fan blade!. . .2....instal one of the electronic temperature monitoring devices that typically bolt to the block or head and have an audible alarm. I KNOW !!!!!!!

[weeds]

sounds like you are well prepared, take it easy and all should be right

my heater matrix failed, make sure you keep the coolant running through the engine i.e. do not blank off both hoses and i'm guessing you have an auto so need to carry a clutch master cylinder

[Iain_B]

Thanks guys - I'll add brake fluid to the list I have some spare brake hoses when I replaced the lot after the suspension change.

[scanfor]

Iain

I don't want to hijack your thread, but we are heading out from Brisbane to Cameron's Corner then up to Innamincka and Birdsville on the 20th September.

Don't know if that coincides with your timing, but it would be nice to know who else is in the area at that time.

Scott

[digger]

do a search on AULRO for "CLAYTON SPA", make it an overnight stop...its a great addition to a camp site!

theres lots of other stuff to see...mungerannie, etc etc...if you have seen the 'BACK OF BEYOND" movie its not too hard to visit half or more of the sites they call into! depends on your interests...

check out GEOCACHE or GEOCACHING - fun way to see things you'd normally miss. and a fair good number up that way.

Enjoy your trip, give someone your itinery (<= sp?) and if you are late/missing etc leave them the local police/ses numbers so they can call for help on your behalf,,Police dont monitor trps now due to so many ignorant bastards advising theyre going etc but not advising they made it,hence searches with police, ses, station people, townsfolk etc until confirmed they were OK somewhere sipping lattes (bastards!)


Enjoy your trip... Dont go off road where there is no established track and even walk that first as if its slightly wet you can sink and pan the car!. I learned this the hard way about 20 years ago, walking 20+ kms into Oodna!
(3' taller because of the clogging mud on my boots)

digger

[Zute]

Do you really need to carry extra fuel ? Weight is your biggest enermy. On my last trip across the Simpson, we passed a nummber of D1's which had broken springs. They where very over loaded. Had every spare including the kitchen sink. If you've fixed every thing thats might break, than you shouldnt need a spare. Leave it with someone who can post it out overnite express if need be.

[Iain_B]

I thought about leaving the jerry cans behind, I've not driven in that area, so not sure what the distance between fuel stops is. I can do around 600km easily in heavy conditions, 800-900 on the open road.

Good idea about the spares - but posting them out will need me to be at a station or settlement - not much help if I break down in the middle of nowhere.

Our trip is from the 9th to the 19th - we want to be on the way back when the schools close.

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

Don't forget the speedos and a camera.:D
Probably a long time before you can say
"I swam in lake eyre "

[Iain_B]

Both are permanently stored in the truck :)

I'll have our two main camera, video ( windscreen mounted for a lot of the trip) and my wife will have here camera as well. I'm hoping to get some good star trail photos since the new moon is on the 8th so it should be fairly dark most nights.

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

Both are permanently stored in the truck :)

I'll have our two main camera, video ( windscreen mounted for a lot of the trip) and my wife will have here camera as well. I'm hoping to get some good star trail photos since the new moon is on the 8th so it should be fairly dark most nights.
Then we shall expect a full trip report With :rulez::D

[Iain_B]

Just a few photos of the work done to date:

First - the Alloysports tank - it didn't fit properly and I have to make a few brackets to secure it.

Second - the new aluminium rear door covering - ready for the table to be attached.

Third - the extension arms of the rear cargo barrier

Finally the roof top tent - letting it get a bit of air

[Iain_B]

Looks like I will need a boat - I'm hoping that the road to Birdsville drys out by the weekend, we will be doing the trip in reverse - to give Leigh Creek time to dry out.

[2stroke]

Instead of crimping brake lines with vice grips etc, a small brass screw inserted into the end of the flare seals well and allows you to bleed such brakes as you have left. Good enough to get me from the Ernest Giles rd via King's Canyon, Ayres Rock, Finke to Mt Dare (first flaring tool I could get my hands on). You have a good water pump and lift pump? Also check wheel bearings.
I know how it feels regards the weather, we're leaving for Birdsville on the 17th to do Hay River, and that's already plan B, (originally were heading there via Innamincka to see how green it's become in 12 months), plan C will be entering the Simpson via Mt Dare.

[Capstan]

1 gerry of fuel will be more than enough, you can easily do the trip with just the std tank. Try and top up at every bowser you pass out there.

The extra fuel in the gerry is only if you pass a fuel place and it is is too early or too late

[Iain_B]

All packed up and ready to go - I finish work at 3:00pm and then it's off to Chinchilla :) Thanks for all the suggestions and advice - trip report in a week or so

[brianwood]

Hope all goes well Iain. Look forward to the trip report...

[Iain_B]

We're back safely.:

Where do I put the trip report - it's a long one with lots of photos :)

[TonyC]

We're back safely.:

Where do I put the trip report - it's a long one with lots of photos :)

Have a look here, there is a spot for each state and one for multi state trips.

Tony.

PS
I must remember to go and look for it.