Desert Traveller wrote:

So from the sounds of it there will be no real hard core 4wdriving. Trailers are good for carrying gear but have a few inherant problems on gravel roads, the major one is stones can bounce off the trailer and smash your rear windscreen (big $).
Have a talk to the tag-along company to find out what problems thay have experienced on previous trips with what vehicles.
As your vehicle is near new and in good nick I'd carry the basics spares as covered by others in this thread.
Tyres, water, frig (or 2), fuses, basic spares (fan belt, bottom radiator hose, sealants etc).
You will probably have more problems with the trailer than the RRS so trailer spares need to be carried. I have seen the remains of a lot of trailers in the outback. Keep it light as more weight means for failures.

Bottom line, enjoy the trip, the chance of any real problems are quite remote.

This is the trip we would possibly like to do, with a trailer?? ( have not got feedback from the tagalong guys yet on a trailer )

Anyone had good / bad experiences with hiring an off road camper trailer?

Broken Hill, Sturt NP, Cameron Corner, Innamincka, the Dig Tree, a night in the Birdsville Hotel where dinner Bed & Breakfast is included, into the Simpson Desert, over the largest sand dunes in the desert including Big Red, Poeppel Corner, the French, WAA, and Rig Road (we criss cross the Desert), Purnie Bore, Dalhousie Springs, Mt Dare, the Old Ghan railway line, Chambers Pillar, special access to a private cattle station, 2 nights at fabulous Kings Canyon, the Mereenie Loop, Palm Valley, the Finke River NP, the amazing Boggy Hole, Henbury Meteorite Crater, Rainbow Valley and finally beautiful Alice Springs.

Would need 140 litres of diesel for this, maybe more as the V8 diesel is bit thirstier than the V6

Re: the spares I priced up with a dealer all the various belts and hoses and apart from most being out of stock it was about $700-800 for the lot, granted you may need them and it is unlikely I would have any spares from upcoming service due to low KM's. Do you think a dealer would let you "borrow" them in return for good publicity?

Desert Traveller wrote:

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You are doing a full Simpson crossing, trailers will be a problem, they are not recommended. IMHO to tow a trailer across you will need to an experienced offroader and have done a lot of sand work. I have travelled the Simpson numerous times and would not take a trailer across, but it can be done with a light weight trailer.
Even without a trailer you will use 120 litres (D3 TDV6) plus to cross from Birdsville to Mt Dare. You will need to run your 19" tyres at low pressures, my guess 15 psi and drive carefully. You will need a good tyre compressor.

How many persons in your RRS? Is the trip self catered?

It is very nice itinery, I'd love to do that trip but not heavily loaded.

PM me your phone number if you want more feedback.

simon_arch1 wrote:

Hi,
Pls excuse this semi-commercial response, but hopefully it will be helpful.

4x4intelligence has been doing accessories for the D3 for sometime, and we are now starting on the RRS. Very soon we'll have a spare wheel carrier for the RRS, similar to our D3 model, and I know that an aux fuel tank is available. Some of the underbody kit is available as well.

Cargo barrier - is sort-of available - though we need a local vehicle to initially measure-up - will be very similar to the D3 unit.

Definitely go for the traxide aux bettery system - well worthwhile.

feel free to contact me at sarch@4x4intelligence.com.au for follow-up.

cheers,

Simon

dukemasterpro wrote:

Downside is 1 less driver to share the Km's to Broken Hill and back from there or Alice.