Hi all. I've just downloaded a few photos of margaret and me on our Birdsville Innaminka trip last month. The sand dune is in the simpson. As we all are used to by now it surprised the landcruiser lot. Enjoy. Bill.
Nice pics.
I am very jealous.
Looks like a heap of fun - even if the Mrs didn't enjoy
it.
Cheers,
Scott
----- Original Message -----From: muddy3267Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 6:23 PMSubject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Bill and margs desert tripHi all. I've just downloaded a few photos of margaret and me on our Birdsville Innaminka trip last month. The sand dune is in the simpson. As we all are used to by now it surprised the landcruiser lot. Enjoy. Bill.
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Dear Bill,
Thanks for sharing these interesting photos with us. My (twin) brother has just arrived back from an East/West crossing of the continent, Byron Bay to Steep Point having previously done the reverse a couple of years ago. He was chiding me that my Syncro wouldn't make it over the Simpson Dunes particularly in the more difficult East/West direction as his mainly HiLux and Prado group had their difficulties.
He reckons I should bow to his greater years (he is 15minutes older than me) but I reckon your pictures speak for themselves. (Just between you, me and the w.w.w. did you get stuck at any stage?) What did you find as the best strategy/gear to get over? Did Marj reckon where there's a Will. there's a way? Cheers
Roger
--- On Thu, 3/9/09, Mr Scott Pitcher <spbconsulting@bigpond.com> wrote:
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I've downloaded a pic of the Birdsville recovery vehicle which thankfully we didn't need. 16lb pressure and g gear on the steepest dunes just sailed over. Didn't engage diff lock. We didn't do the full simpson crossing just went in and played for the day. The main adventure was through the great stony and strzleckie deserts via walkers crossing track. If you travel 120km south on the birdsville track then turn east on walkers crossing track.(need a gps to find turnoff. its easy to miss.) Walkers crossing really is a track unlike the birdsville track which is a high speed dirt highway. Walkers crossing has lots of variety,sand,gibber desert, dry lake crossing, and sand drifts obliterating road totally. ps Missus loved it just standing in a gale. Cheers Bill
Bill,
I can see you have a secondary fuel tank in the syncro. Was
that enough fuel between fuel stations to get you through or did you carry some
extra jerry cans?
Also what is the story with the trailer - it seems to be in
one photo and not the others?
Did it make the sand dunes difficult to traverse with it
attached?
The trailer looks a little flimsy - did it survive the
corrugations?
Sorry for all the questions - just with my brood I will need a
tandem axle trailer or possibly a B-Double Semi trailer to follow me with all
the girls stuff.
Cheers,
Scott
----- Original Message -----From: muddy3267Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 7:48 AMSubject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Bill and margs desert tripI've downloaded a pic of the Birdsville recovery vehicle which thankfully we didn't need. 16lb pressure and g gear on the steepest dunes just sailed over. Didn't engage diff lock. We didn't do the full simpson crossing just went in and played for the day. The main adventure was through the great stony and strzleckie deserts via walkers crossing track. If you travel 120km south on the birdsville track then turn east on walkers crossing track.(need a gps to find turnoff. its easy to miss.) Walkers crossing really is a track unlike the birdsville track which is a high speed dirt highway. Walkers crossing has lots of variety,sand, gibber desert, dry lake crossing, and sand drifts obliterating road totally. ps Missus loved it just standing in a gale. Cheers Bill
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Hi Scott. There was ample range in the main tank for the longest stretch, about 400km. The main tank is good for comfortable 450km. The auxilary 30litres, 200km and 20litre jerry in the trailer.
The trailer was sometimes left in camp when playing in the sand. I would not recommend a trailer in sand, they act as an anchor. We passed through some very soft stuff on the walker track but just kept the momentum going. Don't stop. No problems at all with the trailer. After 6500km we arrived home. Walked out the front the next morning and the trailer had a flat. Nice timing. I've owned this trailer for over 20 years and used to tow it with a 750/5 bmw. Before we left i had our local engineering shop go over it with a welder and reinforce all the welds. Then the secret is not to overload and drop the tyre pressure to 20lb as soon as you hit the dirt. We saw lots a busted trailers out there. All of them super heavy duty things. I think they bust under their own weight. Light and strong is my solution. Anyway hope this helps. Regards Bill.
The trailer was sometimes left in camp when playing in the sand. I would not recommend a trailer in sand, they act as an anchor. We passed through some very soft stuff on the walker track but just kept the momentum going. Don't stop. No problems at all with the trailer. After 6500km we arrived home. Walked out the front the next morning and the trailer had a flat. Nice timing. I've owned this trailer for over 20 years and used to tow it with a 750/5 bmw. Before we left i had our local engineering shop go over it with a welder and reinforce all the welds. Then the secret is not to overload and drop the tyre pressure to 20lb as soon as you hit the dirt. We saw lots a busted trailers out there. All of them super heavy duty things. I think they bust under their own weight. Light and strong is my solution. Anyway hope this helps. Regards Bill.
Thanks Bill.
Just wondering if the fuel consumption increases in the
off-road driving significantly. So if your regular highway driving gets you
450kms what does the soft sand and corrugations get you?
Cheers,
Scott
----- Original Message -----From: muddy3267Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 12:01 PMSubject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Bill and margs desert tripHi Scott. There was ample range in the main tank for the longest stretch, about 400km. The main tank is good for comfortable 450km. The auxilary 30litres, 200km and 20litre jerry in the trailer.
The trailer was sometimes left in camp when playing in the sand. I would not recommend a trailer in sand, they act as an anchor. We passed through some very soft stuff on the walker track but just kept the momentum going. Don't stop. No problems at all with the trailer. After 6500km we arrived home. Walked out the front the next morning and the trailer had a flat. Nice timing. I've owned this trailer for over 20 years and used to tow it with a 750/5 bmw. Before we left i had our local engineering shop go over it with a welder and reinforce all the welds. Then the secret is not to overload and drop the tyre pressure to 20lb as soon as you hit the dirt. We saw lots a busted trailers out there. All of them super heavy duty things. I think they bust under their own weight. Light and strong is my solution. Anyway hope this helps. Regards Bill.
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Thanks Bill. Those photos got me thinking about the trip we did to Birdsville in 2003. Was a great trip. It's not much of a photo but that is my van on the top of Big Red. We only went as far as Eyre Creek and camped there the night. Gave us a taste of about 20 or so sand dunes. Saw a few other cars and 2 of those went through well after dark while we were tucked up in bed. I just love camping in the desert, when there isn't a sand storm of course.
Bruce
On 04/09/2009, at 7:48 AM, muddy3267 wrote:
I've downloaded a pic of the Birdsville recovery vehicle which thankfully we didn't need. 16lb pressure and g gear on the steepest dunes just sailed over. Didn't engage diff lock. We didn't do the full simpson crossing just went in and played for the day. The main adventure was through the great stony and strzleckie deserts via walkers crossing track. If you travel 120km south on the birdsville track then turn east on walkers crossing track.(need a gps to find turnoff. its easy to miss.) Walkers crossing really is a track unlike the birdsville track which is a high speed dirt highway. Walkers crossing has lots of variety,sand, gibber desert, dry lake crossing, and sand drifts obliterating road totally. ps Missus loved it just standing in a gale. Cheers Bill
Scott. Soft sand driving is horrific on fuel consumption. We only did short stretches of sand so it wasn't an issue. We found on the corrugated tracks we slowed to 60kph or less which kept our fuel consumption acceptable. about 13l/100km for the trip. NORMAL CONSUMPTION AT 90KPH WITHOUT TRAILER IS 12L/100KM DEPENDING ON HILLS AND TAIL WIND. CHEERS Bill.
I get phone calls from people about the capabilities of the Syncro and driving on very loose surfaces or sand. I usually point out that a standard Syncro is capable of comfortably and easily maintaining way on surfaces that defeat a lot of vehicles. I am talking about fire trails and sandy tracks, not the extremes of deliberately seeking out next to impossible terrain.
Bill highlighted this in a recent post when he said that he was able to comfortably cross sand dunes without even using the rear diff lock. This is confirmation of the broad capabilities of the Syncro drive train and an indication that a Syncro without a rear diff lock is going to go just about anywhere a normal user would like to go – again, this excludes seeking out next to impossible terrain.
As many owners have found, the lack of a rear lock, as in the ex-Telecom vans, is little impediment to a very broad use of the vehicle.
Les
I agree with Les. I have read much information of how syncro's are crippled offroad due to poor articulation,approach/departure limitations, etc etc. Thing is reading a lot of this information almost caused me to give the syncro a miss and buy a jap 4x4. I'm glad I didn't. Before modifications I tested it to the limits on our farm. I could not believe how far I could go before having to resort to the tractor for a tow. It was then that i realized that those who criticise the syncro's offroad capability must be referring to the struggles they've had driving at the local motocross track.
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: leslieharris@optusnet.com.au
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 10:23:14 +1000
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Sand Driving & Bill's Trip
Check out The Great Australian Pay Check Take a peek at other people's pay and perks
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: leslieharris@optusnet.com.au
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 10:23:14 +1000
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Sand Driving & Bill's Trip
I get phone calls from people about the capabilities of the Syncro and driving on very loose surfaces or sand. I usually point out that a standard Syncro is capable of comfortably and easily maintaining way on surfaces that defeat a lot of vehicles. I am talking about fire trails and sandy tracks, not the extremes of deliberately seeking out next to impossible terrain.
Bill highlighted this in a recent post when he said that he was able to comfortably cross sand dunes without even using the rear diff lock. This is confirmation of the broad capabilities of the Syncro drive train and an indication that a Syncro without a rear diff lock is going to go just about anywhere a normal user would like to go – again, this excludes seeking out next to impossible terrain.
As many owners have found, the lack of a rear lock, as in the ex-Telecom vans, is little impediment to a very broad use of the vehicle.
Les
Check out The Great Australian Pay Check Take a peek at other people's pay and perks
Les,
I noticed my info wasn't on the list. (Remember the strange file that you couldn't read?)
I noticed my info wasn't on the list. (Remember the strange file that you couldn't read?)
So, have converted it to a word doc for you.
Cheers,
Phil
From: Les_Harris <leslieharris@optusnet.com.au>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, 5 September, 2009 8:23:14 AM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Sand Driving & Bill's Trip
Cheers,
Phil
From: Les_Harris <leslieharris@optusnet.com.au>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, 5 September, 2009 8:23:14 AM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Sand Driving & Bill's Trip
I get phone calls from people about the capabilities of the Syncro and driving on very loose surfaces or sand. I usually point out that a standard Syncro is capable of comfortably and easily maintaining way on surfaces that defeat a lot of vehicles. I am talking about fire trails and sandy tracks, not the extremes of deliberately seeking out next to impossible terrain.
Bill highlighted this in a recent post when he said that he was able to comfortably cross sand dunes without even using the rear diff lock. This is confirmation of the broad capabilities of the Syncro drive train and an indication that a Syncro without a rear diff lock is going to go just about anywhere a normal user would like to go – again, this excludes seeking out next to impossible terrain.
As many owners have found, the lack of a rear lock, as in the ex-Telecom vans, is little impediment to a very broad use of the vehicle.
Les
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Phil,
I did get the file earlier and your membership was renewed accordingly. You are also showing on the District List.
Les
From:
Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
[mailto: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com ]
On Behalf Of Philip Torkildsen
Sent: 06 September 2009 15:05
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia]
Sand Driving & Bill's Trip [1 Attachment]
Les,
I noticed my info wasn't on the list. (Remember the strange file that you
couldn't read?)
So, have converted it to a word doc for you.
Cheers,
Phil