Fendy getting ready for Simpson

[fatcat]

Hi Guys,


Happy days the mrs has given us the green light to do a Simpson trip,

thinking of upgrading the old roof rack, i am in Brisbane is there a place i can go to that makes them up, i like the Baja rack,

i am thinking of redoing the suspension is there anything special i should get, for the 110.

Any other ideas would be good, i would really like to mount the spare on the bonetent

cheers

[weeds]

I reckon the front runner wind cheetah is good value for money

Which model 110 do you have????

I ran a bonnet mounted spare on my Simpson trip.....well all the time actually. I assume kits are still available, sometime member are up for a swap of bonnets.

Suspension, if you are still running 235's like I did than just heavy duty front springs and airbags inside the rear springs (I am uncertain what the rear spring rate was). I know a guy that runs one set of rear springs for when I'm touring mode and another set for round town.

Shocks......invest in good shocks, I ran Billy's which performed well.

Adjust tyre pressures to suit different conditions.

That about a I have, get
It there and enjoy it.

Oh you need a flag and follow a radio procedure......other will give you a heads up.

[fatcat]

Cheers Weeds

its a 2001

[weeds]

Ya don't see too many TD5's with bonnet mounts, pretty sure you need a TDI bonnet, maybe somebody can confirm that.

[Tombie]

You can get a bonnet mount kit for TD5s.

Although the Simo and 2nd spare are not really necessary as long as you have basic repair gear and good tyres to start with.

[PAT303]

Sounds like your trying to carry too much,KISS. Pat

[Tombie]

Sounds like your trying to carry too much,KISS. Pat

Amen brother!!!

People get so worried about breaking down they load up so much and it almost becomes inevitable...

Well maintained, good rubber, basic tools, water and food..

Then go for it, and drive with mechanical sympathy.

Correct tyre pressures and you'll walk the Simo, wrong pressures + excessive right foot &/or speed is a recipe for breakage.

I'd happily go bush in a well maintained vehicle with just food, water and fuel... And regularly have.

[AndyG]

Hi Guys,


Happy days the mrs has given us the green light to do a Simpson trip,

thinking of upgrading the old roof rack, i am in Brisbane is there a place i can go to that makes them up, i like the Baja rack,

i am thinking of redoing the suspension is there anything special i should get, for the 110.

Any other ideas would be good, i would really like to mount the spare on the bonetent

cheers

I wouldn't mind joining you in 2016 if that's suits your plans, I will probably get Murray's spare wheel piggyback kit and no roof rack.

[wollomi1962]

Did the Simpson last year in my 3.9 110. Only mods I did were Terra Firma shocks and springs, front and rear with a 2in lift all round.
Sat in 1st, high range and "walked in the park".Still do not know what the diff lock talk was all about......still trying to wipe the grin off.
Best part was the wife looking at the 1st decent dune, saying, "how do we get over that ?"...she only asked once.
Enjoy.
PS. I do not give advice....but might I suggest, go when it's cool, and run at 17psi on soft sand and 25psi on the gravel and gibbers.

[RVR110]

Standard 110 suspension is fine for the Simpson. The trip doesn't require a lift - if anything you are better off without the extra height. The basics are:

• Ensure that your servicing is up to date and that all aspects of your vehicle are in good working condition including A/T or M/T tyres with adequate remaining tread. As mentioned above, one spare plus a repair kit is fine.
• A UHF radio
• Sand flag
• Cargo barrier or other form of strong, secure load restraint
• A good amount of drinkable water, including a reasonable allowance for an extra few days worth if something goes wrong. The Pink Roadhouse sells water in 10L containers. Showers and non-drinkable water are available at Dalhousie Springs. Take your swimmers.
• Enough fuel to make it between Mt Dare/Oodnadatta and Birdsville. A rough rule is to assume 50% additional fuel consumption (due to the resistance of the sand) for the crossing plus an additional 20L as a safety net
• As others have said, don't take too much "stuff". The less weight and the less volume it consumes the better. Sure, it's remote, but in reality you're "just camping out for a few days". There is plenty of traffic on the French Line, but less on the WAA Line & Rig Road.
• Keep the weight (centre of gravity) as low as possible
• Do without the roof rack if you can! You didn't mention if you are taking any passengers or not. If you don't have any passengers (other than the missus), then a 110 should have ample capacity to carry everything you need for a Simpson trip without needing a roof rack (unless you need to carry items that shouldn't be in the cabin - assuming that you have a wagon and not a ute). I've done the trip with my wife and 16 year old son without a roof rack. If you'll be passing Parachilna, spend the roof rack money on a night at the Prairie Hotel and have the Feral Mixed Grill

It's a brilliant trip and you'll have a blast!