What 4x4 recovery kit to take on Kimberley trip?

**joel0407** · 4th May 2015, 03:31 PM

Wow. Some interesting ideas.

Dont worry yourself too much. We did it last year and honestly, I'd be happy to take an old Honda civic across there. Personal choice would be a 1979 Corrolla but I'm just giving you an idea how easy it is.

There are a heap of people out there too. The biggest problem is the distance to a major town should you do something major.

The only time I engaged Low Range or the Centre Diff was on the Beach north of Broome. Oh and Pigeon Hole at Elquestro. We were the only people to go into Pigeon Hole and it wasn't that good to look at but worth it to get away from the crowds.

I think just about everything else would be 2 wheel drive accessable. I imagine in the old days you could drive to the water falls and maybe that would have required a 4x4 but these days you have to walk a damn long way to everything.

The worst thing that could happen is something breaks and stops you travelling. We met a guy at Mitchel Falls in a new Jeep. He said the last thing on his mind was his suspension (just giving you an idea what type of bloke we were talking to). He had down a shock and it was costing him $2500 to get one flown up from Perth.

I think the going rate for a tow at Dunmara was $3000 or $5000 with a camp trailer.

We didn't see of hear of a single person getting bogged, just plenty broken down for what ever reason.

GRR is easy as. I know the corrugations vary through out the year but we went at the end of School holidays, a time know for it to be the worst.

Kalumbaru road on the other hand was the worst corrugations I have seen in my life, hands down. Both myself and my mate had brand new shocks. I was running Bilstien 7100 with external cnasters and he had new Tough Dogs in his 100 series cruiser. You will hear people say you will find a right speed where your wheels are just boucing on the top of each corrugation but that doesn't quite happen as the corrugations aren't constant. It's like 2, miss 1, 3, miss 2, 4, miss 2, 2, miss 1, 4, miss 3. All over the place. That's what breaks things.

As for recovery gear. Your not going to need a hand winch unless you think you are going to find a place that know one else knows about and given the number of people out there, that's not likely. Same for max trax, There's plenty of people around that will tow you out.

Tamini Rd services a couple of mines so it's just a Dirt Highway really.

Happy Days.

Pateyw · 4th May 2015, 04:01 PM

I think the best thing to take would be a DEFENDER

**joel0407** · 4th May 2015, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by Pateyw

I think the best thing to take would be a DEFENDER

I just don't get you guys with so much over kill.

**Redback** · 6th May 2015, 09:19 AM

OK I thought that I would give the reasons that some of the gear I and others may have considered good to take away for BSM, if I was going to travel straight there via the tar, then things like sand tracks and the like, you would leave at home

So this gear is more for the over 3000ks to and from the Kimberley, that you may encounter.

Baz.

**BSM** · 6th May 2015, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by Redback

OK I thought that I would give the reasons that some of the gear I and others may have considered good to take away for BSM, if I was going to travel straight there via the tar, then things like sand tracks and the like, you would leave at home

So this gear is more for the over 3000ks to and from the Kimberley, that you may encounter.

Baz.

Yes Baz, that's the info I was seeking. I don't know the WA region North of Perth at all, so was seeking thoughts from the vast experience available in this forum. And thanks all for helping.

**pprass** · 6th May 2015, 03:56 PM

What we found the most useful of all was good tyres! What sort of tyres are you currently running? Road tyres or offroad type tyres and how much tread are on them?
We had just about brand new tyres on 2 big separate trips through central Australia with absolutely no problems while others were getting staked here and there or delaminating, or just plain punctures through the tread. However on a 25,000km trip up the west coast of WA including the GRR and then down the Stuart Hwy on tyres that had a 3rd of their life left - bang! We suffered with the inconvenience of having to find suitable tyre stores in the outback and at their prices.

**BSM** · 6th May 2015, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by pprass

What we found the most useful of all was good tyres! What sort of tyres are you currently running? Road tyres or offroad type tyres and how much tread are on them?
We had just about brand new tyres on 2 big separate trips through central Australia with absolutely no problems while others were getting staked here and there or delaminating, or just plain punctures through the tread. However on a 25,000km trip up the west coast of WA including the GRR and then down the Stuart Hwy on tyres that had a 3rd of their life left - bang! We suffered with the inconvenience of having to find suitable tyre stores in the outback and at their prices.

Tyres are sorted. Just fitted a set of Bridgestone Dueller 697 ATs 265/60/19LT construction

. Plus carrying a 2nd spare.

**pprass** · 7th May 2015, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by BSM

... Bridgestone Dueller 697 ATs 265/60/19LT...

Looked up the Bridgestone range and can't see a 19" rim tyre - only goes upto 18". Is the 19" just recently available?

**SBD4** · 7th May 2015, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by pprass

Looked up the Bridgestone range and can't see a 19" rim tyre - only goes upto 18". Is the 19" just recently available?

I think that's a typo, should be 18".

**BSM** · 7th May 2015, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by SBD4

I think that's a typo, should be 18".

Yes it's a typo. Should be 18. typing on an iPhone is not recommended.

Thread: What 4x4 recovery kit to take on Kimberley trip?

Thread Tools

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions