Thread: Caravan towing fraser island

I have towed our 1100kg camper trailer on fraser with the d4 and passed many a bogged vehicle when there was enough space to do so. I would normally stop to help but figured I already had my work cut out for me. I found the d4 was fine simply in sand mode with dsc on. I also found the d4 in off road mode mostly sat clear of centre mounds on tracks as many a car is lower and knocks it down for you. If you encounter anything that looks difficult just tie one or two cars to the front of the d4 and tackle it as a unit. Also use low range everywhere except on the hard packed beach where speeds may warrant high range.

I would also suggest 4 max trax or similar very quick and relatively safe method of recovery for your situation.

How heavy is the van is it twin axle? If so you may have better floation than some singles.

I

Yes twin axel . Fully loaded about 2400kg.

Originally Posted by Meken

Would snatching the van cause any damage ( like cabinets off walls ) I 'm sure the chassis would take it but the jerk might damage some of the internal fixings? How heavy is the van?

When I snatch it out I mean to tow it with the snatch strap not really snatch.

If the track of the trailer is wider than your disco (which is probably the case) and it's quite soft, I would expect you will have fun. It's like pulling dead weight.

The lowest I have been down to with a tandem axle 2.5 tonne trailer, was 18 and the tread lengthened reasonable well.....but I sure felt it in soft sand. Luckily I did not have a huge distance to cover and it was very flat.

The last time I went on a Fraser ferry was from the launch just around from Rainbow Beach about 20 years ago.....and at that time I would have had no chance even getting a trailer of that size to the ferry and it was quite flat and very soft. Our small camper trailer made it though.

Good luck....I hope the sand is nice and hard for you mate.

Brett....

Mate that's a big van. The area around the barge, if it has been dry - no rain for a while - and heaps of vehicles through is VERY boggy. Its a real trap because you would think Fraser itself would be where you are going to have any dramas. Plus you have to slow right down. If high tide you dont get any advantage of harder wet sand, so suggest low tide for your trip only - there and back. Same comments generally for the beach not just barge access.

I wouldnt do what you are doing, despite my sand driving experience towing, without having max tracks or similar x 4 (preferably 6-8), high profile tyres on the truck (as high as you can go at least) and van, AND someone coming with you, in front, in a genuine 4WD who knows how to drive and having the right recovery gear. I think the recovery points on the D4 are very good from memory, but are they both sides and if so use a bridle. Whether they would take a snatch with a total weight of close to 6 tonns if very stuck might be another story!

Cheers

Disco 3/4 recovery points are in the centre so don't require a bridle. I don't know how they handle shock loads of snatching 6 tonnes, but they seem to do well with static loads of around that figure....

Disco 3 - The Big Lift (demonstration)
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3LIWXCuUUc]Land Rover Discovery / LR3 The Big Lift - YouTube[/ame]

Having come to the rescue of a couple of large vans on Teewah Beach would serious recommend 2 sets of maxtrax or similar.

One set for your front wheels and the second on the leading wheels of the van, as you move up and forward the trax become solid platforms for the trailing wheels to aid in lift and forward movement.

Would suggest also putting long bright coloured rope on them to easily locate and pull from soft sand. If it wasn't for the rope wouldn't have found one trax in a pink fit

So much is going to depend on the conditions at the time! I was there in May and the barge was an issue as others have mentioned but there were a few other problems. Hook point was out, so definitely do the inland road no matter what the tide as so much sand was gone there were sheer walls about 3 m high and water within a meter or two at bottom tide. But worse was the rocks. Because of the lack of sand huge areas of coffee rock were exposed, for hundreds of meters and no way round. I was literally climbing up and down reasonably large outcrops and it was a pain without a 23ft van.
I'd be checking with Parks and Wildlife and the Cathederal people about the conditions at the time, because all the sand may be back, or it may not.
It will certainly be an adventure and plan for a very long trip up the beach.