Sydney to Birdsville snorkel?

[missleoniemay]

Hi all, Leaving for Birdsville late August via Bourke and Quilpie to go to the races and then camping in the simpson with the Ranger of the Simpson. With all the dirt roads etc. should I get a snorkel or any other mods for my Def 90. MY15. Am complete 4B novice... don't want to be a tosser and get stuff that isnt necessary but someone told me its good to keep dust out even if you dont plan deep water crossings..?

[landy]

I personally believe in the benefits of fitting a snorkel. Raised air intake, slightly forced airflow, less dust. Although I have been in some convoys and the only solution was to increase distance between vehicles as dust was so bad. So snorkel made little difference.
Should you ever get caught at a creek crossing or similar I think a snorkel is cheap insurance.

[travelrover]

I agree with landy, cheap insurance. You can get an external pre filter (Sponge looking things) that slide over the ram intake and remove a lot of the bigger particles for around $20 but you should still be checking/cleaning the main filter regularly - even daily if very dusty.


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[Don 130]

You don't NEED a snorkel for that trip. For the reasons others have mentioned you could have one, but you don't need one. Your choice.
Don.

[rick130]

You don't NEED a snorkel for that trip. For the reasons others have mentioned you could have one, but you don't need one. Your choice.
Don.


This. ^

And I have a snorkel.

There was a good thread on just this in the last week or so, Have a browse. ;)

[Slunnie]

Same, I have a snorkel also and you do not need one for that trip.

[MrLandy]

Hi all, Leaving for Birdsville late August via Bourke and Quilpie to go to the races and then camping in the simpson with the Ranger of the Simpson. With all the dirt roads etc. should I get a snorkel or any other mods for my Def 90. MY15. Am complete 4B novice... don't want to be a tosser and get stuff that isnt necessary but someone told me its good to keep dust out even if you dont plan deep water crossings..?

Hey there missleoniemay, agreed snorkel not necessary for the Simpson trip and best idea is to hang back out of others dust where possible. ...your 2015 90 is very capable with no mods. ...The most important items to take are some 20litre containers of water, an emergency box of food and extra fuel, be prepared for the unexpected. Also take a sat phone or epirb and at a minimum tell someone reliable what your itinerary is. ...with that back up plan taken care of you can relax and enjoy your defender and the journey �� If you plan to do lots of corrugated desert driving a heavy duty set of shock absorbers would be my first mod. A second spare tyre and a wide based jacking plate for soft sand wheel changing would also be wise. Take it easy, hope you have a great trip.

[manofaus]

even if you dont plan deep water crossings..?Lets not forget snorkels do not aid this unless properly designed and sealed.

[noyakfat]

I have been to Birdsville several times, and during the races weekend you will NOT be able to avoid driving in someones dust, somewhere.

There are thousands of visitors and lots and lots and lots of vehicles driving all over the place. Everything WILL get covered in dust. I'd recommend regular air filter inspections.

Enjoy yourself. It's a blast, and a beautiful part of the country :)

[weeds]

Nope you don't need one.......

the amount of dust between 500mm and 1800mm off the road would be pretty much the same no real gain in reducing dust into the air cleaner my opinion.

A sealed raised air intake is handy for water crossing.

[DiscoMick]

Have a great trip.
Check your air filter daily. Maybe take a spare.
Take a second spare tyre. Practice changing it before you leave. Take a block of wood or a jack base for the sand.
Depending on where you're going you may need a Desert Parks Pass - Google it. Also a sand flag to meet the specs.
Be prepared to let your tyres way down - maybe to 16 - to get over some sand dunes.
Might be a good idea to practice some low range driving before you go.
Your Defender is very capable as standard - more than most fourbys - so don't sweat it too much. Enjoy.



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[missleoniemay]

Thank you everyone for all the advice. Awesome!!

[AndyG]

As a fellow novice, i can recommend

https://www.google.com.au/webhp'sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1GGGE___AU510AU510&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=robert%20peppers%204wd%20handbook

[travelrover]

Oh, and one more thing. If you do go for the snorkel ensure the plumbing is correctly connected to the air filter. Don't won't to find out the is a big gap there the hard/expensive way. Just a thought ;-)


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[Tombie]

If your tyres are in good order and relatively new you dont need a second spare - too much weight for nothing...

Take a puncture kit and a spare tube or 2...

Some people here believe the Simpson may as well be the Moon :cool:

[MrLandy]

If your tyres are in good order and relatively new you dont need a second spare - too much weight for nothing...

Take a puncture kit and a spare tube or 2...

Some people here believe the Simpson may as well be the Moon :cool:

Easier for a first timer to take a second spare IMHO. And I wouldn't go anywhere bush without one. Each to their own.

[DiscoMick]

I once had two flats simultaneously in a remote area. Without a second spare we'd have been stranded. So, in a remote area, I think slinging a second spare on the roof rack is cheap insurance.

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[AndyG]

A TPMS can help you identify a slow leak and repair it before it becomes a ruined tyre

[weeds]

If your tyres are in good order and relatively new you dont need a second spare - too much weight for nothing...

Take a puncture kit and a spare tube or 2...

Some people here believe the Simpson may as well be the Moon :cool:


however.........if you are going to carry a spare tube than have a crack at fitting one in the front yard before you go, good chance it will convince you to carry a second compete spare. Keep in mind you will have 1000 willing helpers......1000 'flys'........by the way I have changed maybe 20+ tyres by hand, it's way easier swapping a complete wheel twice before having to get the elbow grease out......my take is you're on holidays, a garage eventually comes along.

FWIW I carried two complete spares, two tubes, tyre changing gear and plugs.

Oh and have never had a flat while touring.

[Tombie]

I once had two flats simultaneously in a remote area. Without a second spare we'd have been stranded. So, in a remote area, I think slinging a second spare on the roof rack is cheap insurance.

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Based on that logic you better take 4 in case of simultaneous punctures..

Add a spare diff centre, nope better make that 2..

And a complete engine in case something goes wrong there...

A large percentage of people on here rarely go truly remote. The balance do. I worked remote doing between 500-1500km a day for days on end.

We lugged 2 Spares around and **never** in over 70,000km of gibber, sand, rock, shale, dirt and corrugations and raw tracks into virgin areas did we change a tyre.

I suffered a single tyre leak due to mud into the bead which required pumping up twice to get back to the camp.

What we did do was replace suspension constantly due to the additional weight of the rear carrier, twin Wheel and tyre assemblies, water, extra fuel, ROPS gear...

Tyres were Silent Armour and run at 25psi on tracks and 38psi on formed roads (unsealed).

Basic tools, first aid/snake bite kit, a spare aux belt, compressor and plug kit was all I carried. Just have an itinerary and if you don't report in have the party advise rescue...

Most of all. Have fun....

[DiscoMick]

Based on that logic you better take 4 in case of simultaneous punctures..

Add a spare diff centre, nope better make that 2..

And a complete engine in case something goes wrong there...

A large percentage of people on here rarely go truly remote. The balance do. I worked remote doing between 500-1500km a day for days on end.

We lugged 2 Spares around and **never** in over 70,000km of gibber, sand, rock, shale, dirt and corrugations and raw tracks into virgin areas did we change a tyre.

I suffered a single tyre leak due to mud into the bead which required pumping up twice to get back to the camp.

What we did do was replace suspension constantly due to the additional weight of the rear carrier, twin Wheel and tyre assemblies, water, extra fuel, ROPS gear...

Tyres were Silent Armour and run at 25psi on tracks and 38psi on formed roads (unsealed).

Basic tools, first aid/snake bite kit, a spare aux belt, compressor and plug kit was all I carried. Just have an itinerary and if you don't report in have the party advise rescue...

Most of all. Have fun....


That's all true and I understand your logic, but it happened to me, so I'm cautious.

[KarlB]

Just out of interest, a typical tyre and wheel combo for a contemporary Land Rover weighs about 30 kg.

Cheers
KarlB

[Marty90]

Is that with or without air:imwithstupid:
Seriously,has anyone had any experience using a SY-KLONE

[KarlB]

Seriously, if at normal operating pressures, the air in a 4x4 tyre would add 25-50 g per tyre.

Cheers
KarlB

[n plus one]

Just out of interest, a typical tyre and wheel combo for a contemporary Land Rover weighs about 30 kg.

Cheers
KarlB

Closer to 40kg in my experience, just going to an MT and steel wheel bumps up the weight a bit (and more if you go up a tyre size or two).

Plus the weight of the roof rack or dual carrier you put it on!

[DiscoMick]

Hi all, Leaving for Birdsville late August via Bourke and Quilpie to go to the races and then camping in the simpson with the Ranger of the Simpson. With all the dirt roads etc. should I get a snorkel or any other mods for my Def 90. MY15. Am complete 4B novice... don't want to be a tosser and get stuff that isnt necessary but someone told me its good to keep dust out even if you dont plan deep water crossings..?

The OP said he's a novice, so I think having a wheel and tyre is much more practical than expecting him to remove a flat from a wheel and fit a spare tyre to it. The extra weight shouldn't be an issue if he positions the wheel in the centre of his roof rack.
Also carry a tyre repair kit, of course.
My opinion, works for me.

[MrLandy]

Agreed DiscoMick. A second spare is standard issue in northern oz, it's a non issue. Another good place to carry one is under a false floor between the box wheel arches in the back. This keeps the 40kg down low.