The Gibb and the Pentecost.
Submitted: Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 14:30
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Oldsquizzy (Kununurra)
It may not be deep but it is a tad rocky . Am waiting for the third one as we had two Nissan Xtrails on friday with destroyed tailshafts on the pentercost crossing. The old adage of all wheel drives aint four wheel drives. Grin. The other good one this week is people who dont let there vehicle cool down enough to let viscous hub free wheel. Fan turns into a prop and cuts a lovely circle in radiator. We are up to three from El-Questro going through 750 mm water to get out to some of the gorges.
The other thing cooling down car does is it lets wheel bearings cool down. Remeber at school the egg and the milk bottle on the bunsen burner, When you turned the burner off it pulled the egg into the bottle, Same thing happens with hot wheel bearings immersed in water.
Also watch out for graders as they push windrow into centre of road to fill in holes and on next pass push it back out.
Some of the rocks are a decent size, 3 litre 2005 Nissan patrol steering is behind front diff, Bent steering rod back far enough to take out sump of motor lucky for him he heard and felt the thump and shut down straight away. But it is a remote location here and recovery takes time, then sourcing parts and getting them here takes more time which can make a serious dent in your holiday plans.
You cant see the road in the dust, Slow down is better to loose a couple of minutes here and there than to loose weeks of your holidays, Add to that the stress factor.
Reply By: Oldsquizzy (Kununurra) - Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 14:31
Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 14:31
Egads am going to have to start using spell
check. Must be getting old.
AnswerID:
304480
Reply By: SPRINT-GTO - Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 14:58
Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 14:58
How do you solve the problem with the hot wheelbearings??
Wait for them to cool prior to driving through water?? Or what??
AnswerID:
304483
Follow Up By: VH-GU4 - Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 16:05
Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 16:05
Yes, go to the
toilet or
check over your car or have a drink. It wont take long to cool down.
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Reply By: Member - nrb1748 (VIC) - Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 17:30
Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 17:30
Squizzy,
We're heading your way next week for our first trip to the
Kimberley. Thanks for sharing the information and advice.
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304508
Reply By: tukka - Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 23:46
Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 23:46
Excellent advice there mate. Very good indeed, coming from someone who obviously first hand of other peoplpes misfortunes i think everyone shold really take in that advice
If travelling from south to north up Gibb road,when you get to the Pentecost, park up and have a drink and something to eat and snap some trademark photos of the crossing with the
Cockburn ranges in the background. It really is a
well known snapshot that one, might aswell get yourself one with your vehicle in the foreground. That will give you time to assess a good line through the crossing and also allow your car to cool. You will also be able to show the photo off to your mates when ya get
home.
And slow down there is no rush. Too many travellers go back
home from a trip to the
Kimberley with a ruined vehicle, no vehicle at all or even worse without there loved ones. Take your time and enjoy, dont let any idiot rush you.
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