We're back

[gghaggis]

Got back from the GOE trip up the Canning Stock Route Wed night. I'll post up some pics later, once I've sorted them out.

Basically we headed south to north, Wiluna to Wolfe Creek, which we did in 9 days (actually 8, but we had to wait half a day in Wiluna for diesel, and spent an extra half day at Durba Springs). Apparently that's quite quick, but we never felt like it, and still managed to visit most of the photo stops along the way.

We then split up, some of us doing the Gibb River Rd back to Broome, and some going straight there. From there we went our separate ways, I took the Borehole Line Rd through old Shay Gap and Marble Bar to Newman and then back home.

We had:

my RRS 3.0 ltr, on Cooper ATR 265/60R18
a D4 3.0 ltr, on Cooper Zeon LTZ 285/60R18
two D3 2.7 ltr, on Mickey Thompson MTZ 265/70R17


All were fitted with the GOE shortened rods, which we flipped to the high setting once we got to the start at Wiluna. This allowed us to sit at 50 ~ 60 kph when the track was reasonable without having to worry about clearance. At the start of the track I noticed I had previously torn the sidewall on one tyre, which gave us our one and only puncture 5 days later. Thought that was pretty good, considering one group of 4 we met had 15 punctures in 8 days, and another had 5 in about the same period!

Average fuel consumption ranged from 16.5 l/100 for the oldest D3 with us (actually RichardK's old D3, that had already done the CSR and clocked up around 230,000km) to 13.5 l/100 for my RRS (the lightest car, and running lighter tyres).

Only the afore-mentioned D3 had any issues - not surprising given its age. It had a worn lower control arm bush, that we think (once we found it, on around Day 6!) contributed to a suspension warning which required a restart/reset each time. This happened every other day. All the rest were trouble-free.

Must say we got some pretty odd looks from the normal Toyota groups that we met, most trying to figure out what my RRS was. We overtook the South Australian LR club on around Day 7 (they had started a week before us), but they were essentially the only other LR's we saw, save one Defender.

Corrugations were terrible (made the Gibb feel like bitumen), dunes were never-ending (yet we cruised up every one of them in high-range auto) and the rock outcrops were everywhere (and sharp). But a great trip with some great people :D :D

Cheers,

Gordon

[rainman]

Thanks Gordon! It's good to see some D3/D4/RRS's being "used". I look forward to the pictures.

James.

[Celtoid]

Thanks Gordon,

Look forward to the photo's.

I'm surprised you made it, someone on another post just relegated a D4 3.0l to being no better than a 'Soft-Roader'.....;)

Cheers,

Kev.

[TerryO]

Thanks Gordon,

Look forward to the photo's.

I'm surprised you made it, someone on another post just relegated a D4 3.0l to being no better than a 'Soft-Roader'.....;)

Cheers,

Kev.


Unfortunately some of those comments else where that you are referring to are just more proof Kev that the flat earth (leaf spring) society is alive and well and that any vehicle improvement that was introduced post 1980 is nothing but expensive and wasteful marketing BS.

Sounds like a great trip Gordon can't wait to see the pics, shame you didn't see and take a few pics of the low rider G-wagon brigade that were stuck out there for a short while. ;)

cheers,
Terry

[Geedublya]

Coopers OMG I'm suprised you made it.... My ATRs seem to be holding up well. What pressures where you running?

[Disco4SE]

We had:

my RRS 3.0 ltr, on Cooper ATR 265/60R18

Hey Gordon, I thought you were running Pirelli ATR's

[outasight]

a D4 3.0 ltr, on Cooper Zeon LTZ 285/60R18



What wheels is this car using?
I haven't found anywhere here yet listing 18" that fit 3.0 D4's.

Regards,

Les.

[CSBrisie]

Great to hear you are all back safe and sound (thats quite a trek!) and cant wait to see the pictures. Amazing tyres success - very valuable "real world" experience for all of us to digest ;)

[101RRS]

What wheels is this car using?
I haven't found anywhere here yet listing 18" that fit 3.0 D4's.

Regards,

Les.

See this thread http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/105896-18-rims-disco-4-3-0l-sign-up-here.html

[Celtoid]

Unfortunately some of those comments else where that you are referring to are just more proof Kev that the flat earth (leaf spring) society is alive and well and that any vehicle improvement that was introduced post 1980 is nothing but expensive and wasteful marketing BS.

Sounds like a great trip Gordon can't wait to see the pics, shame you didn't see and take a few pics of the low rider G-wagon brigade that were stuck out there for a short while. ;)

cheers,
Terry

LOL...true, true...

I suspect that it was a covert attempt to re-ignite the 19" wheel debate....LOL!!!

Cheers,

Kev.

[Celtoid]

What wheels is this car using?
I haven't found anywhere here yet listing 18" that fit 3.0 D4's.

Regards,

Les.


Sounds like another customer Gordon....LOL ;)

[gghaggis]

Unfortunately some of those comments else where that you are referring to are just more proof Kev that the flat earth (leaf spring) society is alive and well and that any vehicle improvement that was introduced post 1980 is nothing but expensive and wasteful marketing BS.

Sounds like a great trip Gordon can't wait to see the pics, shame you didn't see and take a few pics of the low rider G-wagon brigade that were stuck out there for a short while. ;)

cheers,
Terry

Well, we did come across 1 80series Cruiser broken down for 3 days - we tried to help, but in the end they were trying to organise a tandem tow across the dunes!! And another Toyo with snapped shockies. And another Patrol with the same - waiting at the Well 33 settlement for replacements. And. .....

No issues with any Landy's though.

The 3 ltr diesel on 18's really is unstoppable ;)

[isuzurover]

Sounds like fun Gordon - glad to hear you had a trouble-free trip!

[gghaggis]

Hey Gordon, I thought you were running Pirelli ATR's

I run the Cooper ATR's as my daily tyre, but have the bigger Maxxis muddies for harder stuff. I agonised for a while over which to use for this trip, knowing that the D3's were running muddies. But I had faith in the lighter Coopers, so went with them. I was impressed with how they came out of it.

Cheers
Gordon

[PAT303]

Well, we did come across 1 80series Cruiser broken down for 3 days - we tried to help, but in the end they were trying to organise a tandem tow across the dunes!! And another Toyo with snapped shockies. And another Patrol with the same - waiting at the Well 33 settlement for replacements. And. .....

No issues with any Landy's though.

The 3 ltr diesel on 18's really is unstoppable ;)

Maybe you need to post that on LCOOL,apparently there's been some real chest beating over there after MB's little mishap. Pat

[Ean Austral]

Sounds like a great but fast trip Gordon...

The D4 we passed had the standard Goodyear tyres, and the D3 we pasted had Perelli ATR's..

Glad to hear it was trouble free,


Cheers Ean

[Disco4SE]

I run the Cooper ATR's as my daily tyre
Must have mistook the ATR's that you mentioned in a previous thread as being Pirellis.
Had Cooper ATR's on two of my Landcruisers covering a total of about 160K. Great tyre . Only downside is that they pick up stones easily and flick them
Cheers, Craig

[Celtoid]

Sounds like a great but fast trip Gordon...

The D4 we passed had the standard Goodyear tyres, and the D3 we pasted had Perelli ATR's..

Glad to hear it was trouble free,


Cheers Ean

When you say passed Ean, do you mean they had punctures?

Cheers,

Kev.

[Ean Austral]

When you say passed Ean, do you mean they had punctures?

Cheers,

Kev.


Gday Kev,

No they were coming from the north, we were heading north and met along the track..

We never seen 1 car with a puncture, but thats not to say that none were had.

Cheers Ean

[CaverD3]

Welcome back Gordon. :D

Glad you like the ATRs.

Looking at replacing the GGs.

It is a toss up between GGs and ATRs but the ATRs are slightly oversize. Any rubbing?

[Redback]

Maybe you need to post that on LCOOL,apparently there's been some real chest beating over there after MB's little mishap. Pat

Who or what is MB??

Baz.

[gghaggis]

Welcome back Gordon. :D

Glad you like the ATRs.

Looking at replacing the GGs.

It is a toss up between GGs and ATRs but the ATRs are slightly oversize. Any rubbing?

No rubbing in the RRS, and you have slightly more clearance in the D3/D4's, so certainly shouldn't be an issue.

Cheers,

Gordon

[gghaggis]

Who or what is MB??

Baz.

MB = Mercedes Benz. 6 of the 7 new G Wagons required repairs (air suspension and AC) that needed parts flown and driven out to the CSR for them.

I'm kicking myself for not re-scheduling our trip by a few days. Could you imagine the photo opportunities? "Land Rovers recover new G Wagons on the CSR"
:D :D

Cheers,

Gordon

[Celtoid]

Gday Kev,

No they were coming from the north, we were heading north and met along the track..

We never seen 1 car with a puncture, but thats not to say that none were had.

Cheers Ean

Thanks mate, I wasn't sure if you had posted a thread somewhere and that had been lost when the site went a bit wobbly or whether you were referring to Gordon's comments about other groups bursting lots of tyres.

Cheers,

Kev.

[Celtoid]

MB = Mercedes Benz. 6 of the 7 new G Wagons required repairs (air suspension and AC) that needed parts flown and driven out to the CSR for them.

I'm kicking myself for not re-scheduling our trip by a few days. Could you imagine the photo opportunities? "Land Rovers recover new G Wagons on the CSR"
:D :D

Cheers,

Gordon

It would have been gold. The MB heavies would probably have confiscated your camera though...LOL!!!!

[Ean Austral]

Thanks mate, I wasn't sure if you had posted a thread somewhere and that had been lost when the site went a bit wobbly or whether you were referring to Gordon's comments about other groups bursting lots of tyres.

Cheers,

Kev.

I am refering to our CSR trip we did 12 mths ago, the trip report is in the WA section of reports if you want a read..

We seen more Landie's than Gordon seen by the sounds of it.

Cheers Ean

[RichardK]

Welcome back Gordon and crew, sounds like you all enjoyed yourselves and no real great problems. Your reference to the old D3 having the suspension problems reminds me that the same vehicle suffered those problems on the CSR when it was a lot younger, was traced to a loose earth connection.

I look forward to some pics............

[Redback]

Come on, where's the trip report:p

Baz.

[isuzurover]

We seen more Landie's than Gordon seen by the sounds of it.



Same here. However we only saw a few on our trip. My guess is that Gordon's party were travelling so fast, in air conditioned comfort with the stereo cranked up that they must have blinked and missed the other landies. ;)

[Ean Austral]

Same here. However we only saw a few on our trip. My guess is that Gordon's party were ravelling so fast, in air conditioned comfort with the stereo cranked up that they must have blinked and missed the other landies. ;)

:Rolling::Rolling::Rolling:


Cheers Ean