800 mm tred recovery gear

Is obvious from the post - he doesn't mention tread but talks about 800mm Tred - a brand name of recovery boards.

For the Op I think they will be suitable for your vehicle, just do not spin your tyres and you will melt the knobs off.

Garry

Here's a picture children............


Similar to the Maxtrax they can be very useful in un-bogging.
But don't forget to also carry a shovel, preferably long-handled.

Thanks for making my post a bit clearer !
Yes I will have fuel, for the spare, it will be what I can...no spare engine :)...but belt, hoses, a few bits and pieces. The car have been checked and rechecked and whatever was find to be futur potential problem have been replaced (battery, bearing, clutch...all new fluid...)
Thanks

4WD courses have been done and I have added a few years of experiences but mainly as short day trip nothing like this.
I used the maxtrax before but the full size not the 800mm.
Mostly trying to find alternative to the basic :) to light up the car
Thanks

3rd para, some UV affected from keeping on racks :)

Same here. But we have never used our MaxTraxs and did a late quite soft sand crossing in August. Didn't get stuck in the desert.

Tyres at 20 to start with and then went down to 16 at Purnie Bore and just drove over the dunes. No racing to get momentum up and a darn heavy (GVM ? shhhh) 100 series.

I don't know the OPs skills or experience but if no sand driving then maybe a sand driving course wouldn't hurt.

If new to 4wd then stick to the popular French Track and QAA line. More numbers there if you get caught out. I hope you have a UHF radio. Ch 10 was the go when we went through.

Thanks all
The Tred will be in the car, the outside will be for the fuel and swag.
I will be travelling solo (one car but with my better half...she is reading behind my back!), not by choice but the other couldn't make it. I also have a hand winch (I need to find a small sand anchor) a bit on the heavy side but very happy to have it when things goes wrong.
Yes I have an UHF radio, and a sat phone have been booked from Mt Dare.
I am trying to get the car as light as possible, as I understand that weight is not your best friends with sand. This said, fuel and water will be there...no chocolate and no beer :(
Thanks

Maybe not all would agree withe me but I would forget the hand winch and anchor. Their extra weight may be the very reason that you get bogged.

The most likely place to lose forward traction is going up the dune face. If so it is usually possible to simply reverse down and try again with either lower gear or lower tyre pressure. You can go as low as 15psi without a problem. I run the heavily loaded Troopy at 18psi and only once needed to take it down to 15psi to get out of trouble.

Late in the day when the sand is hot and soft is the most likely time for difficulty but you can always make camp there and proceed in the morning on firmer sand.

If you are taking the direct route using the French Line then there are always plenty of other travellers who would be only too happy to give you a tow out of trouble. These days the Simpson may be somewhat remote but no longer lonely.

paj, sounds like you're on the right track, and understand what's important . . . just take a few bottles of red for the crossing, might as well enjoy with dinner etc, but really a carton of beer isn't going to make a lot of difference (of course you may or may not have a fridge, or plan to take icebox / ice etc).

Mate, leave the hand winch at home, it will honestly be useless in the desert and frankly will be a PITA, in the way in the truck, etc . . . even using a spare wheel buried as an anchor, you are more likely to just pull any sort of anchor out of the ground up there, before moving your 4B.

You will honestly be all right generally reversing back down BEFORE you get bogged to the axles, and having another go with more momentum / lower tyre pressure / different line, etc.

The only places a few got stuck was ramp over on a few peaked dunes, and this was probably taking the straight up route instead of curving around the bypass on a few of the bigger dunes.
Only happened maybe 3 or 4 times with 10 vehicles in the group.
Tracks devices are useless there as they can't get the traction on the ramps with light downwards pressure while marooned up there, so just make sure you're giving it enough stick, OR if it looks pretty peaky, take a quick look first and go from there.

As mentioned, go French Line all the way, and you should be able to get a snatch before long form another vehicle, if you can't extract yourself.
OMG, I have saying that (relying on someone coming along) . . . not really a good plan.

Also don't worry about a sand anchor.

I would leave the winch and anchor at home if you are just taking it for the Simpson
The negatives of its weight far outweigh it's usefullness in that situation
Have you considered carrying 'light' beer and Aero chocolate to keep the weight down lol

Hum...it seems that all are agree to leave the winch behind. This might be a good option. Having doing lots of day trip by myself, I like to be able to recover the car by myself and while the hand winch is not easy and have not been used much...it does help :)
Light beer...lol...I told some friends that I will take dry water to be lighter ! Please don't ask me where I get it from !
The bottle wine is already in the car...
Thanks for the input...

'I told some friends that I will take dry water to be lighter ! '

Ah, that'd be dehydrated water mate, just add water :P

I think that we are saying a bit of the old "horses for courses". Not a lot of suitable trees to winch off in the desert but a winch is quite appropriate for the high country. Especially in the snow.

I have a very light stone jar bottle of Brown Brother very old Milawa port that is about 20+ years old by now that I am putting in a very safe spot in the car for our next trip. And even a set of port glasses with it. Does anyone think that I should pop the cork and try it first????

Thanks Robin
Yes, I will be alone and have been thinking to take 4 but instead I have fitted a large bit of carpet on a homemade storage (to keep everything in place) that could be used for extra traction if needed. A hand winch is in the car too...I have to get a small sand anchor or alternative.
Thanks

Dont't worry about a sand anchor. Someone will come along and will help. If you are worried about weight. Leave the hand winch home and have a snatch strap on board.

I heard of this method by I think that could be a lot of digging...but it should work...
Thanks

In our group April, my mate Gunther had his '88 Paj (petrol), went like the best of 'em !!
He only used 118lt ULP too.
He just walked up Big Red, while one late-ish Patrol, and one 80 series couldn't make it after a few goes each ! (They had to go round to little Red.)

Thanks,
Sorry, I have a tirfor type winch...

A bit out of my first subject ( the smaller recovery tred) but I didn't want to open another thread....if you think that I should...please tell me :)
My new question
For my trip to the Simpson,
I am going from Canberra to Coober Pedy, then what is the best, quicker way to go to Mt Dare. And where to stay the night or not to stay ! I am mainly after something comfortable, clean, a good shower and a nice meal....or my darling wife will never come back with me :)

Thanks in advance

It would have to be Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta then Mt Dare via Hamilton station I think? I seem to recall Oodnadatta to Mt Dare being a couple of hours drive if the roads are in good shape. Somebody correct me if I'm not remembering correctly?

..
pajerio, yep quickest way blacktop to Coober Pedy, then to Ood on the Ood Road . . . CP cara park is likely the best spot for shower etc, if that's where you planned overnighting.
You haven't mentioned (that I can find) when you're actually going, but if soon roads should be in good nick, dry, and fairly reasonable driving.

You should make Coober Pedy - Oodnadatta 190km in 2-1/2 hours no probs.
Top off fuel, then you would head to Mt Dare turnoff (~ 20km) and then on to Hamilton Stn ~ 107km.

Then you have a choice, to Mt Dare via Perdika Tk, or via Eringa / Bloods Ck.

Perdika Tk is usually pretty rough and slow, there's the old Perdika siding ruins 17k up the track, and Dalhousie ruins site is more up the top end, more on that below.

I would avoid the Perdika Tk (unless you particularly want to do this), and go ~ 74km further to Eringa, turn right to Bloods Ck, then the left to Mt Dare, ~ 69km more.
So, total day CP to Mt D ~ 460km.

Next day, the first of the crossing, you can do a detour down to Dalhousie ruins from just short of Dalhousie Springs, worth the 16km odd return drive.
Have a quick swim at Dalhousie hot springs, before heading onto the Simmo.

What route are you doing ?
French Line all the way ? Or other ?

FWIW, if you have an extra 2 days, consider driving up the Ood Tk, there is so much to see, time permitting.
Camp Farina (toilets), then Coward Springs (good facs), from there you could get to Mt Dare in a day (for the showers) or camp Eringa waterhole the night (very nice, but no facs).
..

Thanks, as this is my first trip to this area, these info are precious !
I will be leaving on the 17/07/14...so soon ! I have been led to think that at this time of the year I should meet plenty of people.
I was going to do Dalhousies, Purnie, Rig road, then I am undecided to keep on Waa line then up to Knolls track back on French line or go up Colson Track, French line, Erabena track, Waa line up to Knolls track and finish on the Qaa line to Birdsville.
Again, this is just an idea, I would like to stay close and under my (very) safe the 600 km, mainly because of fuel.
Do you know if there is timber for the fire at night. I will take some for a couple of very small fire, but if supply is there...
I planned 5 days from Mt Dare to Birdsville....open to other way to do this crossing....
Thanks again...

paj, we did Rig Rd, then WAA to Erabena Tk, followed that south to Rig and Lone Gum, then Rig to Knolls and up to FL.

It's a good route, WAA is similar to French Line, but if you are worried at all about fuel / water you need, then French Line is the shortest way, and I have been told it's the most fun driving with the best sand hills etc.
Many people think that FL all the way is a great choice for first crossing.

We found 4 days was more than enough to do the way we went.
FL would be a slightly more relaxed 4 dayer, or even a comfy not rushed 3 days.

If I were you, I'd go 4 days either way, less water / food needed.
Just plan to take water needed and a safety margin on that.

The shortest route you'll do Mt Dare - BV is 520km, with no detours, and using possibly as much as 60% more fuel that you would on the blacktop.

Take at least 170lt fuel with you from Mt Dare, unless you are very sure what soft sand mileage you get . . . then add enough to do another 200km comfortably in case detours are needed.

You should be ok 99% of the time, but it's always the unknown that'll get ya.

Firewood.
We took all our own, 6 or so Bunnings / servo type bags of hardwood splits for firewood, and a couple of bags of kindling in the group.
Our 10 vehicles had more than enough for our entire trip up, across and back to Adelaide.
You can get some small stuff out there ok, but it is sparse, usually half rotted etc, and we preferred not to take it to keep the place as we found it.

I bought the 800 Tred while supercheap had they 20 % off. I might try them this week end to test.
Thanks