Hello all, we have finally picked up our van, we had planned last year with the kids and grandkids to do up the middle to Darwin. Thank you Covid for vetoing that (although it did allow us to get our own!:) Anyway it's on again in about 5 weeks, no grandkids this time as work commitment have stopped them. Need some help if possible ? Where Or can we carry spare diesel. We know not legal on the back anymore but trying to get a straight answer from RMS in NSW is like trying to find hens teeth. Does anyone know? Am about to spend the morning ringing various state authorities to see if I can get a clearer pic for NSW.QLD,SA and NT. Any help / advice would be appreciated.
Greg 1 said
11:26 AM May 3, 2021
Is there some reason that you need to carry spare diesel for that trip? Is the range of your tug so bad you cannot span across between stops?
The run up the centre from Adelaide to Darwin is reasonably supported by fuel stops.
Different if you were doing the Great Central Road or Tanami
CharlieBucket said
12:17 PM May 3, 2021
Thank you for that. We wanted to know whether it's legal to carry on the drawbar as a general rule and for future trips. It never hurts to have a little spare fuel, so they say.
Possum3 said
12:31 PM May 3, 2021
I have to Jerry can holder on draw bar outside of Gas bottles - I always carry 20L of diesel nearside - old habits die hard - locked petrol jerry on offside for petrol for genny.
Buzz Lightbulb said
03:20 PM May 3, 2021
I carry a Jerry can on the floor of the car, behind the driver's seat.
dogbox said
03:41 PM May 3, 2021
Buzz Lightbulb wrote:
I carry a Jerry can on the floor of the car, behind the driver's seat.
what is in the gerry can ?
CharlieBucket said
09:41 PM May 3, 2021
Thanks for that.
The rules are confusing. However my wife did get an answer from the RTA regarding this issued.
The reply is they are concerned of what is to be carried on the drawbar regarding down force not the content of the containers.
Therefore i'm mounting my jerry cans.
Whenarewethere said
11:19 AM May 4, 2021
Have you thought about 10L containers, so much easier to hold up at the correct angle, 150 seconds to empty 10L.
-- Edited by Whenarewethere on Tuesday 4th of May 2021 11:19:51 AM
On my very first lap, (not knowing which roads I would take), my extra fuel was in a box in the rear of the caravan
Note that I did not use my extra fuel, as I found that I was never caught short, while travelling on bitumen roads
If I was doing my very first lap today, I would have my extra fuel in the vehicle
But with experience, I can confirm that when travelling the bitumen road, up the center to Darwin, there would be no need to carry extra fuel
CharlieBucket said
12:07 PM May 4, 2021
Thanks to all for the great advice. Will be carrying the extra few litres as we intend to do some free camping and who knows , one of those just in case thingys .
Only a few weeks to go and getting a "bit" excited. :)
Possum3 said
12:10 PM May 4, 2021
When I was a regular traveller over the Nularbor without the luxury of time to wait out the ferocious winds - having extra fuel on board was an absolute must.
Whenarewethere said
12:43 PM May 4, 2021
On the Eyre Highway a few years ago we started off with a nice tailwind at 7.0L/100km. The second half of the trip the wind direction changed to a pretty solid headwind at 12.0L/100km. I'm glad we don't tow!
Thank you for that. We wanted to know whether it's legal to carry on the drawbar as a general rule and for future trips. It never hurts to have a little spare fuel, so they say.
I carry a Jerry can on the floor of the car, behind the driver's seat.
what is in the gerry can ?
Thanks for that.
The rules are confusing. However my wife did get an answer from the RTA regarding this issued.
The reply is they are concerned of what is to be carried on the drawbar regarding down force not the content of the containers.
Therefore i'm mounting my jerry cans.
Have you thought about 10L containers, so much easier to hold up at the correct angle, 150 seconds to empty 10L.
-- Edited by Whenarewethere on Tuesday 4th of May 2021 11:19:51 AM
On my very first lap, (not knowing which roads I would take), my extra fuel was in a box in the rear of the caravan
Note that I did not use my extra fuel, as I found that I was never caught short, while travelling on bitumen roads
If I was doing my very first lap today, I would have my extra fuel in the vehicle
But with experience, I can confirm that when travelling the bitumen road, up the center to Darwin, there would be no need to carry extra fuel
Thanks to all for the great advice. Will be carrying the extra few litres as we intend to do some free camping and who knows , one of those just in case thingys
.
Only a few weeks to go and getting a "bit" excited. :)
On the Eyre Highway a few years ago we started off with a nice tailwind at 7.0L/100km. The second half of the trip the wind direction changed to a pretty solid headwind at 12.0L/100km. I'm glad we don't tow!