We are heading to Alice Springs from Perth via the Great Central Road in a few days and I have been reading some conflicting commentary on whether or not it is advisable to adjust both caravan and tow vehicle tyre pressures on the unsealed stretches between Laverton and Yulara. We will have a 17ft tandem axle pop-up van (with tyre pressures set for the bitumen at 30psi) behind a Ford Ranger 4WD dual cab ute (with tyre pressures set for the bitumen at 30psi front and 40psi rear). Would love to tap into the knowledge bank of experienced travellers through that neck of the woods before heading off, just to be sure, to be sure.
elliemike said
05:00 PM Mar 14, 2016
I have done the GCR and will possibly do it again this year. As a rule, I reduce all round by 10% depending on the Load and the Road condition. I might even reduce this to a 15% reduction, or even more if the surface needs it.. When driving you can get a feel for the way the tyres are handling the road surface.
The GCR like all Unsealed roads can vary with, Use, When Last graded, Weather, Surface material. It goes from Good flat gravel, to Stoney, to Sand (compacted but soft at the edges) Corrugated sections, Very Corrugated sections. I carry two spares for each vehicle when out on these roads. Never had a problem on my last trip pulling the camper.
As always if I am lowering tyre pressures I need to think about lowering my speed accordingly. It's a lovely part of the World and very photographable
VanMangler said
05:27 PM Mar 14, 2016
Sound advice and good to know what to expect, thanks Mike ... 4H all the way, I assume?
TommyG said
05:50 PM Mar 14, 2016
We did the GCR a few years ag and lowered our tyre pressure 10% about 100 kM east if Laverton, then another 5% about 50Km further on. It's important to slow down and drive to the road conditions, be very aware that a really good section of road can turn to very dangerous in a split second.
There were 3 of us travelling together in motorhomes, we had a great trip, took our time and enjoyed several pleasant overnight stops, some of the views and things to see are extraordinary if you take the time to look.
The only tyre trouble we had was one backed into a overnight stop and spiked a tyre on a tree root, sheer bad luck.
It's a great drive, take care and drive slower than you would normally.
Tony Bev said
05:56 PM Mar 14, 2016
Hello VanMangler
I am sure that others more suitable than myself, will be along to welcome you, to this great forum.
In the meantime, from a very recent member
Welcome to this great forum.
To answer one part of your question.
A good friend of mine travelled this road in early November last year (2015). In the opposite direction as you wish to go. He said that the road was a bit rough, as the grader had not been over it recently. He saw a grader parked up, and assumed that it had broken down. He was in 2WD, until he hit the sandy patches at the Alice end. He was towing an old single axel caravan, (not off-road) with a reasonable high clearance. His speed on the rough parts was 70 KPH or less
elliemike said
06:02 PM Mar 14, 2016
VanMangler wrote:
Sound advice and good to know what to expect, thanks Mike ... 4H all the way, I assume?
Not necessarily, I went with a couple of people who did it all in 2 wheel drive and did not use 4H.
Though this is not my recommendation as I like to think I have more control in 4 H I alway go into 4H on dirt roads especially with the Avan on the back. When you hit a soft edge in the sandy sections you can feel the Tug doing it's job. Also when going around a bend or curve I could feel the vehicle wanting to drift due to the camper pushing the stern around. My two 2WD Mates ! Of course I thought they were nuts, and they thought me a wimp, using 4x4 all the way. We begged to differ, and still drive these roads together. I'm in a 4x4 club and you get the same variation of ideas when to engage 4 Wheel Drive. Well I suppose we all have our own way of driving.
-- Edited by elliemike on Monday 14th of March 2016 07:02:37 PM
elliemike said
06:18 PM Mar 14, 2016
When you get your Permits they have a travel time limit for your journey over the Road. Just do them on the Net, easy peasy. But I'm sure you know this, but for the benefit of others reading it.
I was told by a policeman in Laverton Police Station you must have this permit. No problem if you get to go through without incident or accident and no permit. But if stopped for a routine check (very rare but they do) or for something else, not having a permit is an offence.
The lady who phoned me when we did our last permits said you have to stick to the time limit of travel permit. Then ! But no one will ever check if you take longer driving over.
So take your time, no rush. You also hear terrible stories of the locals like marauding Apaches Hmmmmm The ones we met were all OK and shy to talk but still friendly.
Have a great trip.
VanMangler said
08:29 PM Mar 14, 2016
Great feedback all round, thanks heaps folks (those pictures are worth a thousand words to help illustrate the conditions, Mike). I reckon I will be slipping into 4H and sucking out 10% of my tyre pressures on the road out of Laverton based on what I have learned today. With only one spare for each vehicle, it will be steady as she goes.
Cheers
VanMangler
Woody n Sue said
08:40 PM Mar 14, 2016
Well hi guys now I have never been on this road but if the pictures from Elliemike are indicative of it then this road is 50 times smother than the roads I drive on every day around my farm for someone like me who is used to this type of road and much worse then this looks like a highway to me
But
Drive to your own abilities and get to your destination safely
Woody
The Phantom said
08:57 PM Mar 14, 2016
elliemike wrote:
When you get your Permits they have a travel time limit for your journey over the Road. Just do them on the Net, easy peasy. But I'm sure you know this, but for the benefit of others reading it.
I was told by a policeman in Laverton Police Station you must have this permit. No problem if you get to go through without incident or accident and no permit. But if stopped for a routine check (very rare but they do) or for something else, not having a permit is an offence.
The lady who phoned me when we did our last permits said you have to stick to the time limit of travel permit. Then ! But no one will ever check if you take longer driving over.
So take your time, no rush. You also hear terrible stories of the locals like marauding Apaches Hmmmmm The ones we met were all OK and shy to talk but still friendly.
Have a great trip.
Mike & Ellie
Just a small heads up regarding the Australian Aborigine and one of their cultural quirks.
They will seldom look you in the eye when talking to you and this is often mistaken for shyness when, in fact, it is a mark of respect.
Our white culture demands that we converse eye to eye and to not do so is regarded as a sign of shiftiness or untrustworthy behaviour, at worst, or shyness, at best.
This sign of respect from an Aboriginal has often been used as proof that they are not to be trusted. Do not fall into that false belief.
They are worth listening to as they know many things that we don't take the time to learn
The Phantom
-- Edited by The Phantom on Monday 14th of March 2016 08:58:52 PM
elliemike said
09:08 PM Mar 14, 2016
The Phantom wrote:
elliemike wrote:
When you get your Permits they have a travel time limit for your journey over the Road. Just do them on the Net, easy peasy. But I'm sure you know this, but for the benefit of others reading it.
I was told by a policeman in Laverton Police Station you must have this permit. No problem if you get to go through without incident or accident and no permit. But if stopped for a routine check (very rare but they do) or for something else, not having a permit is an offence.
The lady who phoned me when we did our last permits said you have to stick to the time limit of travel permit. Then ! But no one will ever check if you take longer driving over.
So take your time, no rush. You also hear terrible stories of the locals like marauding Apaches Hmmmmm The ones we met were all OK and shy to talk but still friendly.
Have a great trip.
Mike & Ellie
Just a small heads up regarding the Australian Aborigine and one of their cultural quirks.
They will seldom look you in the eye when talking to you and this is often mistaken for shyness when, in fact, it is a mark of respect.
Our white culture demands that we converse eye to eye and to not do so is regarded as a sign of shiftiness or untrustworthy behaviour, at worst, or shyness, at best.
This sign of respect from an Aboriginal has often been used as proof that they are not to be trusted. Do not fall into that false belief.
They are worth listening to as they know many things that we don't take the time to learn
The Phantom
-- Edited by The Phantom on Monday 14th of March 2016 08:58:52 PM
Yes I am aware of that.
Mike
elliemike said
09:09 PM Mar 14, 2016
Woody n Sue wrote:
Well hi guys now I have never been on this road but if the pictures from Elliemike are indicative of it then this road is 50 times smother than the roads I drive on every day around my farm for someone like me who is used to this type of road and much worse then this looks like a highway to me
But
Drive to your own abilities and get to your destination safely Woody
Exactly.
Peter_n_Margaret said
11:14 AM Mar 15, 2016
Note also that if you have permits (which are free) to travel this road, you will not need to purchase permits to transit Uluru (from either direction), but that is all you can do - TRANSIT, you are not permitted to sight see along the way.
We are heading to Alice Springs from Perth via the Great Central Road in a few days and I have been reading some conflicting commentary on whether or not it is advisable to adjust both caravan and tow vehicle tyre pressures on the unsealed stretches between Laverton and Yulara. We will have a 17ft tandem axle pop-up van (with tyre pressures set for the bitumen at 30psi) behind a Ford Ranger 4WD dual cab ute (with tyre pressures set for the bitumen at 30psi front and 40psi rear). Would love to tap into the knowledge bank of experienced travellers through that neck of the woods before heading off, just to be sure, to be sure.
I have done the GCR and will possibly do it again this year. As a rule, I reduce all round by 10% depending on the Load and the Road condition. I might even reduce this to a 15% reduction, or even more if the surface needs it.. When driving you can get a feel for the way the tyres are handling the road surface.
The GCR like all Unsealed roads can vary with, Use, When Last graded, Weather, Surface material. It goes from Good flat gravel, to Stoney, to Sand (compacted but soft at the edges) Corrugated sections, Very Corrugated sections. I carry two spares for each vehicle when out on these roads. Never had a problem on my last trip pulling the camper.
As always if I am lowering tyre pressures I need to think about lowering my speed accordingly. It's a lovely part of the World and very photographable
There were 3 of us travelling together in motorhomes, we had a great trip, took our time and enjoyed several pleasant overnight stops, some of the views and things to see are extraordinary if you take the time to look.
The only tyre trouble we had was one backed into a overnight stop and spiked a tyre on a tree root, sheer bad luck.
It's a great drive, take care and drive slower than you would normally.
I am sure that others more suitable than myself, will be along to welcome you, to this great forum.
In the meantime, from a very recent member
Welcome to this great forum.
To answer one part of your question.
A good friend of mine travelled this road in early November last year (2015). In the opposite direction as you wish to go. He said that the road was a bit rough, as the grader had not been over it recently. He saw a grader parked up, and assumed that it had broken down. He was in 2WD, until he hit the sandy patches at the Alice end. He was towing an old single axel caravan, (not off-road) with a reasonable high clearance. His speed on the rough parts was 70 KPH or less
Not necessarily, I went with a couple of people who did it all in 2 wheel drive and did not use 4H.
Though this is not my recommendation as I like to think I have more control in 4 H I alway go into 4H on dirt roads especially with the Avan on the back. When you hit a soft edge in the sandy sections you can feel the Tug doing it's job. Also when going around a bend or curve I could feel the vehicle wanting to drift due to the camper pushing the stern around. My two 2WD Mates ! Of course I thought they were nuts, and they thought me a wimp, using 4x4 all the way. We begged to differ, and still drive these roads together. I'm in a 4x4 club and you get the same variation of ideas when to engage 4 Wheel Drive. Well I suppose we all have our own way of driving.
-- Edited by elliemike on Monday 14th of March 2016 07:02:37 PM
When you get your Permits they have a travel time limit for your journey over the Road. Just do them on the Net, easy peasy. But I'm sure you know this, but for the benefit of others reading it.
I was told by a policeman in Laverton Police Station you must have this permit. No problem if you get to go through without incident or accident and no permit. But if stopped for a routine check (very rare but they do) or for something else, not having a permit is an offence.
The lady who phoned me when we did our last permits said you have to stick to the time limit of travel permit. Then ! But no one will ever check if you take longer driving over.
So take your time, no rush. You also hear terrible stories of the locals like marauding Apaches Hmmmmm The ones we met were all OK and shy to talk but still friendly.
Have a great trip.
Cheers
VanMangler
But
Drive to your own abilities and get to your destination safely
Woody
Mike & Ellie
Just a small heads up regarding the Australian Aborigine and one of their cultural quirks.
They will seldom look you in the eye when talking to you and this is often mistaken for shyness when, in fact, it is a mark of respect.
Our white culture demands that we converse eye to eye and to not do so is regarded as a sign of shiftiness or untrustworthy behaviour, at worst, or shyness, at best.
This sign of respect from an Aboriginal has often been used as proof that they are not to be trusted. Do not fall into that false belief.
They are worth listening to as they know many things that we don't take the time to learn
The Phantom
-- Edited by The Phantom on Monday 14th of March 2016 08:58:52 PM
Yes I am aware of that.
Mike
Exactly.
Cheers,
Peter