Thread: Gunbarrel Highway and CSR Spares

Originally Posted by Mike57

I know that there is a sticky on remote area spares and I already have most of the items mentioned there. I have some specific questions so I thought I would put them here.

I am planning a CSR trip in August 2021. This will be an 8 week trip from Melbourne and return heading via the Great Central Road to Warburton, the Heather Highway and then the Gunbarrel to Wiluna via Carnegie station than up the Canning. Returning via the Tanami Track.

I just purchased the Off Road Extreme Pod Trailer to keep the vehicle as light as possible so keeping the trailer weight down to less that 1 tonne total I can carry around 600kg in the trailer. That will include 140 lites of diesel and 100 litres of water (both subject to some more detailed calculations) plus tools, spares and camping equipment plus the vehicle second spare.

Attachment 147919Attachment 147920

Considering the thousands of kms of corrugations I want to beef up my remote area spares kit (and also some more of the specialised tools).

What I have so far:

• GAP IID tool........YES
• Crank angle sensor........NO
• GOEs emergency air up kit........NO
• Serpentine belt........YES
• Selection of suspension bolts........NO
• Air filter........YES
• Fuel filter........YES
• Brake pad........NO
• Wheel speed sensors (front and rear)........YES
• Vehicle height sensors........YES
• Brake light switch........NO
• Coolant hoses........NO
• Fuses........YES
• Spare wheel nuts........YES
• 18 “ compomotive rims and a second spare with BFG 265/60/18 KO2s
• Engine oil........NO
• Radiator Coolant........NO
• Brake fluid........NO
• Power steering fluid........NO

What I am thinking about:........NO TO ALL

• Turbo hoses
• 1 x front hub
• Left and right rear hubs
• Alternator
• Suspension compressor
• Additional tyre carcass for the car and trailer (trailer has larger diameter tyres on 17 “ rims as it was not possible to get a LR rims to fit).

I will also have spare wheel bearings and shocks for the trailer.........YES

I am interested in hearing from anyone else who might have done such a long difficult trip in a D4 before. Particularly:

1. Whether any of these additional spares are warranted
2. What sort of problems you might have encountered that I have not thought of
3. What needed to be replaced when you got back
4. How do the LR shock absorbers hold up in heavy corrugations

I will have a good range of tools including everything needed to fit any of the above spares.

My D4 will have around 85,000 km on it by late 2021. It is a 2014 3 litre model.

Any knowledge would be useful. Many thanks

Mike

Did this last year, 23,000ks in 10 weeks a tyre repair kit is a priority and don't use mud tyres, stick with ATs, a good comprehensive tool kit and a second jack, also the gap tool is a must and maybe some MAF cleaner.

If you take the trailer you'll need to join the CSR at Well 5 no trailer allowed Wells 1 to 5, we also did the entire Gunbarrel from Warakurna Station, you'll need permits for that, free online, the first section is the best part of the Old Gunbarrel, make sure you checkout the Giles Weather Station too.

If you haven't got a long range tank, either get one or carry at least 3 minimum 20ltr jerries, 4 to be safe, fill up at Warakurna if doing the Old Gunbarrel.

Enjoy, Baz.

Originally Posted by Odysseyman

Quote - “My advice is - keep weight to a minimum, but take what you believe you will need (nothing worse than stressing about the 'whatsit' you should have packed), go slow, run low tyre pressures (especially your trailer), go slow, prepare your vehicle well, go slow and enjoy the trip slowly.”

i agree here, ESPECIALLY the trailer. The Pod is very light and on rough tracks and dunes it will bounce! I watched Ronnie Dahl on YouTube tow one similar (but not the same) to these across the Simpson and, if I remember correctly, he ended up running the trailer pressures at 5-10 psi and even then he was not happy. That particular trailer didn’t have shock absorbers and only leaf springs and it appeared he didn’t like it at all.
I have also seen a Pod trailer being towed by a young family with kids, in the Vic High Country, that did a complete 360 degree roll on a reasonably sensible access road. He said it had been bouncing too...
cheers
David

This is a bit of the topic now but the trailer Ronny Dahl had on the Simpson was a DOT with fixed axle, leaf springs and no shocks. The bounce was terrible. He now runs a Patriot X2 with a Criusemaster independent suspension and it does not bounce. The Pod Trailer comes in three variants. The basic one has a fixed axle, leaf springs and no shocks and would most likely bounce around a lot. I have off road extreme with the Cruisemaster independent suspension. If loaded to say 50% of its capacity I don't expect it to bounce and that is consistent with observing these off road.

Originally Posted by Mike57

This is a bit of the topic now but the trailer Ronny Dahl had on the Simpson was a DOT with fixed axle, leaf springs and no shocks. The bounce was terrible. He now runs a Patriot X2 with a Criusemaster independent suspension and it does not bounce. The Pod Trailer comes in three variants. The basic one has a fixed axle, leaf springs and no shocks and would most likely bounce around a lot. I have off road extreme with the Cruisemaster independent suspension. If loaded to say 50% of its capacity I don't expect it to bounce and that is consistent with observing these off road.

Mike, Thats great. I didn’t want to mention the other brand but it seemed to be totally unsuited to the task. Wasn’t sure about yours but could see that it at least had shocks. That’s a very good trailer and the Cruisemaster suspension is very good. Looks like you’ve done a lot more homework than some you see out on the tracks. We might see you out and about somewhere. We’re in Melbourne too and get away a fair bit with our AOR Odyssey. Happy travels.
David

Just to add to my comments, I towed a 1.5t camper for the entire journey, in fact all our trips have been with a camper behind the Disco, Cape, Gulf, Flinders, Vic/NSW high country, NSW/QLD Outback, Simpson Desert, GOOGS track.

If you set the trailer/camper up properly bounce shouldn't be an issue, getting the heavy weight over the axle and getting it level with the ball weight correct is the key.

Just my extra 1 cent.

Two spare wheels/tyres is my strong recommendation.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Two spare wheels/tyres is my strong recommendation.

Yes I agree a second spare is a must, repair the tyre if you can first as tyres for later D4s can be hard to find, evens 17s as we found out.

Again I wonder why people carry two spares. I have never carried two and I have never had trouble in remote areas, and I mean far more remote than the CSR. If going remote, I buy brand new tyres (LT construction is a MUST) before I go. I have a TPMS and a good repair kit along with tyre levers and a spare tube . They have all gone for the ride, but are considerable less weight than a 2nd tyre. You MUST drive to the conditions, and be aware of tyre placement and pressures. Most of the tyre problems I see are because they are old tyres ie +40k on them, high pressures, driving too fast and not looking at the road surface to avoid the stakes etc. Maybe I have been lucky.....

Originally Posted by dirvine

Again I wonder why people carry two spares. I have never carried two and I have never had trouble in remote areas, and I mean far more remote than the CSR. If going remote, I buy brand new tyres (LT construction is a MUST) before I go. I have a TPMS and a good repair kit along with tyre levers and a spare tube . They have all gone for the ride, but are considerable less weight than a 2nd tyre. You MUST drive to the conditions, and be aware of tyre placement and pressures. Most of the tyre problems I see are because they are old tyres ie +40k on them, high pressures, driving too fast and not looking at the road surface to avoid the stakes etc. Maybe I have been lucky.....

I agree with fitting new boots before a major outback trip, I did this for the Simpson and didn’t have an issue ......and tyre pressures.

My last trip to the big country was in 2/3 worn tyres and a probably running a little high in pressures and got a slow leak. Plugged it and it’s still good eight months on.

I’d still carry a second spare mainly because I changed too many tyres by hand many years ago...Im happy to carry the extra weight on the roof rack.

For those consider tyre changing gear, do a test run.....the few I know took a second spare and levers as a back up.

I am convince TPMS is a good preventative measure.