Firstly..................it's my website and I'll whinge if I want too.
After nearly 18 months travelling this wide brown land I have seen a lot of things, and seen a lot of people doing things that make me shudder.
Campsite etiquette. ........
A campsite or caravan site is personal space.
I walk around other peoples camp, even if it is further to get to the amenities.
After all you wouldn't walk through someone yard to get to the shops...............
I have seen numerous people walk blatantly through other peoples camp and even ducking under their awning on the way through!
I don't know if this is laziness, or what but is just plain rude and bad manners.
Don't walk across my mat at the bottom of my steps gawking inside, that's rude, if you are interested....... ask and 99.9% of the time the owner will proudly show you his setup.
Along the Gibb a guy was getting ready to light a camp fire not 3 metres from my rear door, when I looked out to see if he was really going to light a fire that close, he stated "I am going to light this fire, you can use it if you want"
When I questioned the intelligence of lighting a fire so close to someone else's property and filling their camper with smoke he grunted and walked off to another available fireplace.
You are not the only person there, consider others as well and don't be so selfish.
Back to personal space again.......several years ago I was camped in a large shady area. The only one there, as it was early afternoon, a camper trailer pulled in, and by the time they had set up their camper trailer I could not open the tailgate of the camper I was travelling in. They were that close......that's just rude.
The mornings. ......
Some people are early risers, some aren't!
I fall into the later category.
If you wish to leave early, good on you, but don't bang and clang and leave your diesel motor running at 4.30am so that everyone in a 2 kilometre radius is awake to wave you good bye. Thats just rude.
Travelling etiquette. ....
A few days ago I heard a noise from under my vehicle on the Gibb River Road, I limped to a long straight stretch with good visibility both ways and pulled to the side of the road and got out of see if I could find the source of the noise.
Let me set the scene...........over 100 kilometres from the nearest homestead or help......I am alone......the temperature is 35c.
Three vehicles screamed past at warp speed showering me in dust and rocks. Not one stopped to see if I was OK not one even slowed down.
To those three vehicles........I will remember you, and if ever I see you needing assistance I will find the loosest dustiest section of the road and accelerate.
When I see you coming along a gravel road I slow and move over to limit the dust............this is not an invitation that the road is yours to roar past at warp speed showering me with rocks and dust, it is done with the hope that you will do the same and we both don't end up with cracked windscreens and blinded by the dust!
I am over the selfish "fuck you jack" attitude that is so prevalent now in the outback. Save you attitude for the city.....leave it at home.
It might be YOU on the side of the road in the middle of no where needing help.
In the last 2 years alone I have travelled all over the Victorian High Country, the Painted Desert (SA) Oodnadatta Track, Palm Valley and Chambers Pillar (NT) Savannah Way, Katherine to Cairns, Cape York, the Bloomfield Track (QLD) Steep Point, Cape Leveque, Gibb River Road and Mitchell Falls (WA)
The first thing I need to say is don't go on original equipment tyres. These tyres are designed for a quiet comfortable ride around the city regions. They are not made for the harsh punishing rocky terrain of the outback.
Fit light truck construction tyres and they will reward you.
Next.....don't be afraid to let them down!
Highway driving I run 34psi front and 48psi rear with the camper on, when I hit the gravel the pressures are dropped to 24psi front 28-30psi rear.
Not only does the vehicle ride better over the corrugations but loses a lot of the jarring over them as well this together with a slower speed ensures you still have cupboard doors when you arrive at your destination.
Speed.........
I want to meet the person who once said "You need to ride corrugations at over 80 kph to ride over the top"
THIS IS BULLSHIT!
If you think you are in control over corrugations at this speed you are kidding yourself!
YOU ARE OUT OF CONTROL AND GOD HELP ANYONE COMING TOWARDS YOU
A blowout or washout at this speed can be fatal as you have NO chance of controlling the vehicle.
If you need to drive at this speed to achieve your schedule YOU HAVE OVER COMMITTED.
You cannot do the Kimberley in 2 weeks, go to the Blue Mountains instead! Then visit the Kimberley when you have more time.
You are endangering not only your life but other road users also.
Drive in Four Wheel Drive on corrugated roads with lower tyre pressures and keep the speed down.
Your vehicle, cargo, trailer, caravan and passengers with thank you.
My setup rides beautifully over the corrugations at between 55 and 65 kmh
Every vehicle has it's own sweet spot, where it rides the bumps best but I am yet to find one where that sweet spot is over 80 kmh!
SLOW DOWN if the rural folk take the time to erect a floodway sign they mean it!
Just ask the bloke with the Triton, with a bent chassis and 18ft van at Drysdale who hit a floodway too fast. The downward force going through some of these floodways would surprise you.
I saw numerous examples of stupid schedules, Mitchell Falls to Ellenbrae or Home Valley for example.
To do this is a full days drive with minimal stops over punishing roads. Everything gets hot and stressed, drivers, passengers and vehicles.
You need a break from the concentration, your passengers need a break, your vehicle needs a break. Shockers can get red hot and need to cool down a bit.
I passed 2 vehicles towing campers stopped for lunch at the Mitchell Falls turnoff. About 20km further down they passed me at warp speed.
I radioed them and told they they might like to stop and check the camper wheels. They did.....result one stuffed wheel bearing and hub and a night on the side of the road.
If 20km before while stopped for lunch, they had done a few simple checks things might not have been so bad.
EDIT same people on the side of the road a week later with the same problem.................
All that is needed is both hands on the top of your trailer/caravan/camper tyre and give it a shake.
Any movement felt is a potential wheel bearing problem. While there touch the grease caps on your hub comparing temperatures both sides. This will indicate if one hub is getting hot, this may prevent a wheel falling off and watching it bounce and disappear into the scrub on a 38c day in the middle of nowhere!
If travelling in convoy on the highway don't sit up your mates clacker................leave plenty of space so the faster person doesn't have to overtake 3 caravans and 3 four wheel drives at once.
Ok i have had my whinge in the hope of making travel in these regions a less stressful.
I don't enjoy driving the Gibb getting angry with all the Kamakazi fools coming at me with a death wish!!!!!
Moving on.................
Great Wall V200 4x4 diesel 6 speed manual
Purchased September 2012
current odometer 101987km
Apart from the several common problems very early in ownership (turbo induction hose and EGR valve) the Chinese truck that everyone smirks at has performed far beyond my expectations.
The Great Wall has constantly astounded me with the ease it tackles some of the worst roads
Australia has to offer.................with up to 800kg on the back!!!!!
About 20km after returning to the Gibb River Road off the Kalumbaru Road, I hit a bad section of corrugations and heard a strange noise.
I corrugations rapidly got worse, so I hit the clutch and the brakes as well, which is when I first heard the noise..............so failure or victim? I don't know and never will.
Anyway, this in turn gave the centre bearing a hard time on the rear tailshaft.
After a very gentle drive to Kununurra I was quoted 2-3 days from Sydney for the universal joint and 12 weeks from China for the centre bearing.
A quick "Google" confirmed what I suspected.................that the centre bearing is the same as Holden Rodeo RA. Both parts arrived at noon the next day and I am back in business.
If all I have to worry about after the hammering the vehicle has taken over some of the worst Australia has to offer, is a universal joint, I'm pretty happy.
Now with two and a half years of carting the camper around, the rear springs are looking a little sad and have sagged a bit.
Palomino Bronco B600 slide on camper.
purchased November 2012
I picked up the camper when the Ute had 5,000km on the clock, so both units have basically been a pigeon pair since new.
The camper has been virtually trouble free, but in saying that the "create a breeze" fan in the roof has failed for the second time.
 |
| roof fan |
Apart from that minor problem the camper has held up exceptionally well to the pounding it has had.
Torrential rain, storms, dust, heat and corrugations have been thrown at it and haven't phased it at all.
BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain Tyres
Fitted 47867km
Currently 101987km
These tyres have been amazing, but now after over 53,000km the sharp rocks on the Gibb have chopped them around a bit, but in saying that there a still quite a few kilometres left.
And "touch wood" no flat tryes.
Would I fit them again?..................in a heartbreat.
I have no regrets on the camper or ute, the reality is,I would love the capmer to be on the back of a V8 diesel Landcruiser, but I would still be working and dreaming instead of being in the Kimberley in 36c heat enjoying the Great outdoors.
I am heading out to Diggers Rest Station and ElQuestro, now the uni joint has been fixed, after spending a few relaxing days out at Lake Argyle.
I will cover that in my next update.
Bye for now......
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