Corrugated roads?

[ted44]

Hello all, with abig trip coming up, I'm getting a little concerned about the tails I'm hearing about corrugations on some of the tracks that we will encounter, having never really driven on a Badly corrugated road for any period of time! I'm not concerned about myself but how the 110 will cope? LoL!

[Bearman]

Good quality shocks like Koni will help. With corrugations (they come in different depth and length) you have to experiment and find the speed that suits them.

[ted44]

Bilstiens all round with king springs!

[Summiitt]

All depends in how old your truck is and how fast or slow you drive...if it's not that old, the standard suspension is built to deal with it, just finding that sweet spot in speed is the key.. Fast enough to give airflow and smoothness and slow enough as to not damage anything

[whynot]

TYRE Pressure???

[Jacko44]

Good combo of tyres pressures and speed! Can be brutal though, teeth were chattering in places on the gibb !!!!!!!

[Ancient Mariner]

A good loud sterio helps too you dont hear the bits that are rattling off:D

[n plus one]

Hello all, with abig trip coming up, I'm getting a little concerned about the tails I'm hearing about corrugations on some of the tracks that we will encounter, having never really driven on a Badly corrugated road for any period of time! I'm not concerned about myself but how the 110 will cope? LoL!

Tyre pressures are your primary small bump/high speed suspension on a live axle vehicle.

As long as your suspension is in good condition, adjusting your tyre pressures and speed will be more than enough for a 110 to handle corrugations as good as all but the most supple independent suspension systems.

[scarry]

Bilstiens all round with king springs!

And lower tyre pressures to suit.
My sons has done thousands of k's on corrugations,no problems at all.One trip they were that bad the upper spring hangers,i think they are called,broke on his mates patrol.
Fully loaded Puma,Kings and Billys,no problems at all.

As others have said,the OEM coils and shocks are very good as well.

[austastar]

Hi,
we had some horrible corrugations up near Cameron's Corner and down on Top Hut Road going into Mungo National Park.

Lowering the tyre pressure to the low 20s (psi) changed what was a scary teeth rattling nightmare to a road that could be driven at a slow speed (20kph) knowing nothing was getting damaged.

You could possibly go lower with pressures, but I was carrying over 800kg on the tray of the D130.

cheers

[Sue]

Last year I encountered some of the worst stretches of corrugations I've ever seen on the Canning Stock route and the Gunbarrel Hwy.. some of them went for more than a hundred km stretches and while I watched nearly everything in the car fall to pieces (GPS, Radio, Car Video Recorder, Camera Lenses (yes that was plural) aftermarket diesel tanks cracked and numerous other things I can't remember right this minute) the actual car was fine.

Broken shock absorbers were hanging from the tree's at one point as a testament to how bad that particular stretch of track was but mine were fine (I have Bilsteins) as was the rest of the car. I did lower my tyre pressure and attempted several times to find the 'sweet spot' of speed which usually helps (no help this time though so I just knuckled down and drove getting it over with asap).. and still the car was fine. I think if your car is well maintained and you have it checked and serviced a couple of weeks before you leave home and you drive to the conditions you will be okay. I always make a point of having a peek under the bonnet daily when travelling over rougher terrain just to look for loose connections and hoses that may be rubbing etc.. it could just save you some heart ache later. I carry spare everything (including shock absorbers if the area is remote) for piece of mind too.

If I were you I would stop worrying, ensure that your car is in as good a condition it can be mechanically before you leave and get out there and have a great time!

Where are you off to btw? :)

[isuzurover]

A good loud sterio helps too you dont hear the bits that are rattling off:D

That worked fine until the stereo rattled off.

[Ancient Mariner]

That worked fine until the stereo rattled off.
Time for plan E then ear plugs

[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

[witchlizard]

Hi all, just been thru Port Augusta, Lake Eyre, Birdsville to Isa then Cape York and return to Tassie next week. Roads are all real good although now need a new LT85 if anyone has one in the Brisbane area? Had it rebuilt by the experts 6 weeks ago and now dead ! No probs with the roads at all though with OEM all round towing tandem trailer and 5 kids in 86 110 Isuzu. Cheers and happy travels all, Lizard

[Sirocco]

Just one more thing to add to the all ready good advice.

Weight it your enemy so travel as lightly as possible. That is why most people break things and get stuck, not inferior products etc.

well 2 things, don't listen to what people have to say either, just get out there and do it. You can read so much on these forums and get yourself right stressed out and worried. When you are finally out there you will be saying 'I don't know what all the fuss is about!'

Thorough check before leaving, travel light, reduce tyre pressures, check truck daily.

Relax.

Enjoy.

Post us some pictures.

G

www.siroccoverland.com

[joel0407]

Just one more thing to add to the all ready good advice.

Weight it your enemy so travel as lightly as possible. That is why most people break things and get stuck, not inferior products etc.

well 2 things, don't listen to what people have to say either, just get out there and do it. You can read so much on these forums and get yourself right stressed out and worried. When you are finally out there you will be saying 'I don't know what all the fuss is about!'

Thorough check before leaving, travel light, reduce tyre pressures, check truck daily.

Relax.

Enjoy.

Post us some pictures.

G

www.siroccoverland.com (http://www.siroccoverland.com)

Well said.

So true. Weight is the biggest killer. I learnt from my recent Gibb trip (Including Mitchell Falls). I was 100kg under GVM with a roof top tent. Next time I will tow a trailer and spread the load. I was able to sit on about 65km/h while most the other I passed were struggling to do 20 - 30km/h. Something I found hard was pushing past that really rough point of about 30 - 35km/h.

The faster you try and move a shock, the harder it will resist, there's a word for it but I can't remember. If you have your tyres down on pressure a bit and the shocks are resisting movement then the tyres will roll over the corrugations rather than the wheel boucing up and down. Vibration with a little bit of pace feels far better than the whole wheels, axle and unsprung parts smashing up and down. Also at speed as the shocks are moving up and down less combined with better air flow, they stay quit cool (just warm) and continue to work. The longer you stay slow the more the shocks travel, the more heat they build up, the hotter they get and the less they work.

Also so true about listening to what people say. We had spent alot of time setting our vehicles up for the trip and didn't have any trouble at all. Others did very little such as a Jeep driver who destroyed 2 shocks and said to us his suspension was the last thing on his mind. It's guys like that that turned a lot of other people off doing the Mitchell Falls becasue they didn't want to damage their vehicles. It's all subjective. For someone from the city for that was there first trip might think the road was just crazy but another person who lives there and travels the road frequently probably wouldn't raise an eye.



Happy Days.

[PAT303]

And lower tyre pressures to suit.
My sons has done thousands of k's on corrugations,no problems at all.One trip they were that bad the upper spring hangers,i think they are called,broke on his mates patrol.
Fully loaded Puma,Kings and Billys,no problems at all.

As others have said,the OEM coils and shocks are very good as well.

The spring turrets always break off the ''bulletproof'' Patrol,it's not your sons mates fault. Pat

[PAT303]

Well said.

So true. Weight is the biggest killer. I learnt from my recent Gibb trip (Including Mitchell Falls). I was 100kg under GVM with a roof top tent. Next time I will tow a trailer and spread the load. I was able to sit on about 65km/h while most the other I passed were struggling to do 20 - 30km/h. Something I found hard was pushing past that really rough point of about 30 - 35km/h.

The faster you try and move a shock, the harder it will resist, there's a word for it but I can't remember. If you have your tyres down on pressure a bit and the shocks are resisting movement then the tyres will roll over the corrugations rather than the wheel boucing up and down. Vibration with a little bit of pace feels far better than the whole wheels, axle and unsprung parts smashing up and down. Also at speed as the shocks are moving up and down less combined with better air flow, they stay quit cool (just warm) and continue to work. The longer you stay slow the more the shocks travel, the more heat they build up, the hotter they get and the less they work.

Also so true about listening to what people say. We had spent alot of time setting our vehicles up for the trip and didn't have any trouble at all. Others did very little such as a Jeep driver who destroyed 2 shocks and said to us his suspension was the last thing on his mind. It's guys like that that turned a lot of other people off doing the Mitchell Falls becasue they didn't want to damage their vehicles. It's all subjective. For someone from the city for that was there first trip might think the road was just crazy but another person who lives there and travels the road frequently probably wouldn't raise an eye.



Happy Days.

Your last paragraph is exactly right,too many experts with no experience at all giving advice,quality suspension/safe secure storage/quality tyres/driving to the conditions/being ruthless on limiting weight is more important than lift kits and ARB ''Bling''. Pat

[inside]

...being ruthless on limiting weight is more important than lift kits and ARB ''Bling''. Pat
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.

[uninformed]

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.

You dont NEED a bull bar
A second tyre with out rim can be carried.
less is more

just keep adding lightness

[Barefoot Dave]

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!

[scarry]

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.

[isuzurover]

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...

[PAT303]

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

[Sue]

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.. :D

[fitzy]

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.

[PAT303]

The reason I don't like long range tanks,I had one fall off my 75 series and it jammed under the tow bar and almost rolled the vehicle over,the back wheels lifted a few feet off the ground,it's very common for them to crack.It's supprising how much aftermarket crap collects on the side of the more popular tracks after winter. Pat