Thread: I'm Back!!

good feedback thanks. I had heard many people air down when they start the track, but don't think to air down again for crossings with sand or looser bottoms.

Loved those landies going through the water though, they just looked so at home.

As Steve said, the sand on the bottom was very soft and churned up by all the traffic. As soon as we walked it and felt the sand, I knew I was dropping my tyres to 15psi.
We did a pretty much text book water crossing, ie, walk it (a pleasure in that climate), assess the depth, assess the bottom, choose the best line to drive, prepare the car appropriately for wading, drive carefully, but have fun.
This is the deepest water crossing I've ever done, so we didn't take it lightly, although we were confident we would not have any issues.

Obviously you do a lot of preparation at home before you head off on a trip like Cape York where you know there will be water crossings. Make sure your snorkel/intake is waterproof, don't assume your snorkel is waterproof just because it was 'professionally' fitted, check your diff and gearbox breathers etc etc.
Basically, all we had to do was drop tyre pressures and fit a wading blind. You could get away without a wading blind if you have a viscous fan.

It would've been interesting to camp at Nolans for a day or two and ask each driver what pressures they had in their tyres (after they crossed........ or didn't get across )

Cheers, Murray

must be fun trying to get anything wider down the drop at gunshot.... best leave the mog at home!

Originally Posted by rijidij

As Steve said, the sand on the bottom was very soft and churned up by all the traffic. As soon as we walked it and felt the sand, I knew I was dropping my tyres to 15psi.
We did a pretty much text book water crossing, ie, walk it (a pleasure in that climate), assess the depth, assess the bottom, choose the best line to drive, prepare the car appropriately for wading, drive carefully, but have fun.
This is the deepest water crossing I've ever done, so we didn't take it lightly, although we were confident we would not have any issues.

Obviously you do a lot of preparation at home before you head off on a trip like Cape York where you know there will be water crossings. Make sure your snorkel/intake is waterproof, don't assume your snorkel is waterproof just because it was 'professionally' fitted, check your diff and gearbox breathers etc etc.
Basically, all we had to do was drop tyre pressures and fit a wading blind. You could get away without a wading blind if you have a viscous fan.

It would've been interesting to camp at Nolans for a day or two and ask each driver what pressures they had in their tyres (after they crossed........ or didn't get across )

Cheers, Murray

we made stupid mistakes as you will find out in my trip report....

we didnt walk Nolands we watched a couple of cars get dragged through phil went through first and basically told us it was fine..

hahahah I think some of our crossing were luck

Originally Posted by dullbird

we made stupid mistakes as you will find out in my trip report....

we didnt walk Nolands we watched a couple of cars get dragged through phil went through first and basically told us it was fine..

hahahah I think some of our crossing were luck

As long as you learn by them Lou, even the experts make mistakes.

The biggest mistake people make when doing crossings like Nolans, is they do it too fast, just troll through the vids on Nolans, most of them try to drive in way to fast.

Originally Posted by rijidij

It would've been interesting to camp at Nolans for a day or two and ask each driver what pressures they had in their tyres (after they crossed........ or didn't get across )

I should point out, this comment was directed more at the one's who act irresponsibly and don't give deep water the respect it deserves. Also, a lot of people forget how far they are from help if they end up with a drowned car. Apparently before we got there, there were some guys showing off how they could drive across in 2 wheel drive, that's not only stupid, but selfish too as it just makes it harder for everyone.

I'm always amazed how some people treat their cars in remote areas. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's seen guys doing donuts on the salt pans half way across the Simpson Desert.........I certainly wouldn't be offering them a tow after they blow a diff.

Cheers, Murray

I got through Nolans without any problems in my D3 in 2010. I didn't deflate my tyres, nor did I have a snorkel, but with careful planning of the route and getting my mate to stand in the water to mark the REALLY deep section helped.

Only got bogged twice on the trip, 1st at the mud hole at the bottom of the steep entry at Gunshot, and 2nd at the beaches run out of Somerset near the tip.

Originally Posted by Redback

As long as you learn by them Lou, even the experts make mistakes.

The biggest mistake people make when doing crossings like Nolans, is they do it too fast, just troll through the vids on Nolans, most of them try to drive in way to fast.

I think the other mistake is that the drive straight through it. If you skirt the brook it's much shallower.