Canning Stock Route

[Grant052]

Had a call from a mate who's thinking about doing a fully escorted tour on the Canning Stock Route (don't ask me why, probably because he owns an Adventra!) This is the crowd he was talking about doing the trip with...
http://www.diamantina-tour.com.au/ex...ock_route.html
Anyway, they also have 'Tagalongs' so, being the curious type, decided to have a look at what they have to offer. Note, I would ONLY do this trip with fellow D3/D4/RRS owners (AULRO or Range Rover Club) as I reckon it's just a bit too exxy, but I digress. In the 'Trip List for Tagalong' section, under the heading 'Vehicles' reads the following.....
We regularly have trouble with Land Rovers, Range Rovers and Discoverys. They don't seem to like the extended travel on huge corrugates and the suspension seems to go down to highway mode and stay there. If you have one of these ensure your electronics and suspension system has been thoroughly checked prior to departure.
So, having travelled the Gibb River Road and the Tanami, and not had anything like the afore-mentioned 'problem', has anyone, is this common?

[Ean Austral]

Had a call from a mate who's thinking about doing a fully escorted tour on the Canning Stock Route (don't ask me why, probably because he owns an Adventra!) This is the crowd he was talking about doing the trip with...
http://www.diamantina-tour.com.au/ex...ock_route.html
Anyway, they also have 'Tagalongs' so, being the curious type, decided to have a look at what they have to offer. Note, I would ONLY do this trip with fellow D3/D4/RRS owners (AULRO or Range Rover Club) as I reckon it's just a bit too exxy, but I digress. In the 'Trip List for Tagalong' section, under the heading 'Vehicles' reads the following.....
We regularly have trouble with Land Rovers, Range Rovers and Discoverys. They don't seem to like the extended travel on huge corrugates and the suspension seems to go down to highway mode and stay there. If you have one of these ensure your electronics and suspension system has been thoroughly checked prior to departure.
So, having travelled the Gibb River Road and the Tanami, and not had anything like the afore-mentioned 'problem', has anyone, is this common?

The guy runs a tagalong tour company, so I guess you need to believe to an extent what he is saying, If you read what the guys who have done it in a air suspension car say is you need to carry the emergency air up kit. If that is the only warning then it doesn't say they never make it.
We did the Canning in 2010 and were told our D2's would never make it, and we even met people along the trip who had sold their Disco's because of the amount of people who told them the same.


Look in the WA trip reports if you want to read of our trip. Its not to be taken lightly, and overloading would be the single most common problem I would think, oh and the people who want to do it in 5 days.


I know Disco WA is looking at a trip next year, he came in 2010, and now has a D4, maybe PM him if its on your mind to do it in the near future.


Cheers Ean

[Graeme]

the suspension seems to go down to highway mode and stay there.

My guess is that he has encountered vehicles with failing compressors that resort to 'normal height only' when the reservoir doesn't get up to pressure quickly enough with constant height changes. Going down to highway mode implies off-road height was in use, compared with fitting shorter rods or LLAMS to keep the suspension up and not be overworking the compressor.

[go-disco4]

I think Gordon (GOE) did the CSR in his RRS with a few other air suspension Disco/RRS some years ago

Maybe he can comment

GD-4

[Billandy1]

Isn't the air suspension height directly related to travel speed?? Maybe OL and wanting to travel above 50 kph is the issue. I saw a video of a guy in an 80 series who failed to cross Nolans Brook who still had tyre pressure at 38psi. So they are out there

[DeanoH]

Air bag suspension is magnificent when it works, when it doesn't it's a nightmare.

I can understand the tour operators view of air bag suspension. It is likely that the market he is catering to (inexperienced off road travellers) would also be inexperienced in the ways of how the air bag system operates and how to fix/manage it when it fails.

Coils, leaves and torsion bars are much simpler.

The itinerary is interesting, dropping off the bottom 5 well sections on the CSR sort of limits the bragging rights a bit and the run from Warburton on the Great Central Road super highway to the rock is very picturesque but I reckon a much better way would be to ignore the Olgas/Ayres Rock circus and go up the Sandy Blight Jn Rd and into Alice this way.

Deano

[Graeme]

Isn't the air suspension height directly related to travel speed?? Maybe OL and wanting to travel above 50 kph is the issue.

The air suspension wont allow off-road height above 50kph so either shorter rods (eg GOE multi-hole rods) or my LLAMS can be used to have the vehicle at off-road height while the suspension ecu thinks the vehicle is still at normal height, thereby preventing the vehicle from lowering when above 50 kph.

[Ean Austral]

Isn't the air suspension height directly related to travel speed?? Maybe OL and wanting to travel above 50 kph is the issue. I saw a video of a guy in an 80 series who failed to cross Nolans Brook who still had tyre pressure at 38psi. So they are out there

If you travel the CSR at anywhere near 50km/h you are in to much of a hurry and wasting the time and effort of doing it.


IMHO of course


Cheers Ean

[101RRS]

If you travel the CSR at anywhere near 50km/h you are in to much of a hurry and wasting the time and effort of doing it.


IMHO of course


Cheers Ean

I agree - but the chances of getting to 50kph even momentarily is quite great - hence the advantage of of LLAMS or rods and as a minimum getting the air compressor serviced - like the rest of the car - before going on the trip. Better still is having Gordon's air up system fitted.

But then too many people think they can just raise and lower the suspension at will without longer term ramifications. Set your height and leave it there unless something unusual happens.

Garry

[lpj]

I can understand the tour operators view of air bag suspension. It is likely that the market he is catering to (inexperienced off road travellers) would also be inexperienced in the ways of how the air bag system operates and how to fix/manage it when it fails.

Deano

I tend to agree. While I wouldn't consider myself an overland expert by any stretch, there's no way i would pay someone else for the privilege of "tagging" along. Talk about handing in your bloke card!