What is the right vehicle and caravan for me??

Barcoo · Newbie

What is the right vehicle and caravan for me??

Bushpie · Guru

Welcome Barcoo.......

To me off the beaten track implies......do not take a caravan or a 4x2 anywhere near the place. If you seriously wish to get into these out of the way fishing spots a 4x4 is a must...with a camper trailer no wider than your vehicle.

Otherwise if you must have a van park it up in town and do an overnight or two in a tent but you still should go 4x4.

Enjoy your planning.......its a challenging adventure in its own right.

Barcoo · Newbie

Off the beaten track to me means brisbane to cairns, sydney-melbourne. I talking longreach, birdsville, ect.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Welcome to the gang Barcoo, enjoy here and out in the playground.

Tugs and Dens are a personal choice thing so I keep out of it sorry. Just reading what your rig is though, sounds good but agree with others, should really be a 4x4 for that rough stuff. Council roads included, even their black ones are dodgy at times.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

macka17 · Guru

A 4x4 ute is alright towing UP to around 2.5 ton MAX.

4x2. I shouldn't think you'd want to tow much above 2 ton.

PLUS.NO traction in the wrong places,for a start.

New. VEH.
Go an ex demo or superseded models. Lots cheaper and maybe cover extra costing to get 4x4.

or buy a yr or two old with full books and warranty to cover you.

ANY...... 4x 2 ute. Is really ONLY a town car.

I bought a 3 yr. 3 months old Ute. Been magic and nearly 1\2 retail price.

Whatever you get.
Make sure the tug weighs around 400kg Minimum..
MORE than weight of loaded van. For safety and control of rig reasons.
My tug is 2.7plus. van is 1.9t.
Just about right I reckon. But I'd never have 2.5ton on back.

NEVER tow with an EMPTY TRAY ute. Always have a decent load in tray.
to get grip on the road and less sliding.
Specially in any wet conditions. IT WILL.
Apart from that.
Have a ball. just set yourself up right and there'll be no hiccups hey.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Barcoo, I agree with the chaps above.
If you can afford it, go for a 4x4 but in saying that we did a trip three years ago out through SW Qld to Innaminka & down the Strzlecki Track (oops highway) & didn't once use the front axle. Same for a trip from SW WA to Ceduna, up through the Gawler Ranges eventually to Marree & the Birdsville Highway. These & one to the Kimberleys were the last trips we did in our Jayco Eagle Outback. The only minor trouble we had was within 300Kms of home at the start of one of the trips.

Having the extra drive is insurance if you strike sand/mud. And yes, the authorities & other road users do not appreciate some fool driving on a muddy road & churning it up. In some areas you can be fined by the wheel!

Tyres are important - must have the LT rating & be willing to reduce pressures on dirt/gravel/sandy roads. The tyre dealers can assist there.

Can you hire a rig for a weekend? Could be a lot less expensive than buying something that is not suitable.

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TheHeaths · Guru

We are from SA, so base these comments on our travels out from here.

Where you propose to travel, you will do a lot of dirt road driving that can be done without 4WD. That is true of much of Australia.

That said, I always engage 4WD in the 100 series when doing any distance on dirt. It does give additional feel of control, and is ready if and when we hit any rougher stuff.

Places like the Birdsville, Strzelecki, and Oodnadatta Tracks can be a well graded easy dirt road drive, but can turn into a rough, painful experience after rain, and in the weeks or months before the graders get back over them, with severe rutting and corrugations. As such I would always recommend 4WD if possible for them. I have had similar experience of dirt roads through Qld, NSW, Victoria and the NT.

The other consideration is that your will not always be towing the van while travelling and may come to places where you would like to go, but need 4WD. It is a long drive to get to these places, and costs a lot of money, so it would be sad to get there and then find you are stuck because you have 2WD and not 4WD. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!

Thus I would always recommend 4WD if you can afford it.

As for your van, I really can't comment as I haven't spoken to people with that make. I do know they seem popular and appear to be a decently made unit.

Whatever you decide, enjoy your time on the road.

macka17 · Guru

""The Heaths"
""The other consideration is that your will not always be towing the van while travelling and may come to places where you would like to go, but need 4WD. It is a long drive to get to these places, and costs a lot of money, so it would be sad to get there and then find you are stuck because you have 2WD and not 4WD. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!

Thus I would always recommend 4WD if you can afford it.""

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And that says it all.
The first time you sit there with rear wheels spinning. going nowhere. will tell you why you NEED a 4wd veh.
in this country..

Same as spare parts for the car.

When..I need. Not IF I need.

You WILL need it at times. Plus.
Much better grip on All surfaces.and normally better gearing to match.

I went round with a Falcon. Female and 2 kids 20 yrs ago.
FINE. Had a ball.
In bitumin accessed areas. End of story.

Any more than main and some side roads. Get a Ute or 4wd.
for your own peace of mind.

I've been round 14\15 times, only ever used 4wd with van on. Twice.
wet and steep gravel.
Over mountain back roads into Cania Gorge from coast.
Try it sometime with 6.5mtr 3 ton van on back Interesting.
Patrol just cruised it in.

Used the 4wd Many times without van.
-----------

"Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!"

That's been MY catch phrase for over 50 yrs.
It's soooo true. Specially at sea.

RustyD · Guru

Got a light van (1600kg fully loaded, 16ft but 19ft head to toe) with reasonable ground clearance and a Ranger 4x4. Does most of what I want. From what I can gather you need a very special van (read expensive) to take it real 4x4ing. I've needed by 4x4 many times free camping as I've actually got into a bit of sand. Also need the 4x4 to pull my van up over my kerb.

macka17 · Guru

Rusty.

Very few vans over 12 ft 6 in "Body" length,
are suitable for real OFF Road.

Ask the desert fossickers.
they live in the little Supremes and Regals.
plus a few small Phoenix vans.

Anything else is too big Physically.
to get anywhere serious.

dirvine · Senior Member

Sorry Macka I disagree. 12.6 is a bit short. It depends where you want to go. And how far in. But anything off the main roads a 4x4 is essential. Sure as you drive you wonder why I bought a 4Wd but tghings get pear shaped very quickly. I have taken my 17' Manta Ray into base camp at Wonangatta in Vic High Country, but not into real remote areas. If into real serious 4Wd then a camper trailer is the real only option

Hylife · Guru

I have a fourby to get me out of trouble should it happen, rather than to go looking for trouble.
So many wonderful places will either be inaccessible or may leave you stranded in a 2wd.
Lots of dirt can be done in a 2wd but outback is often sand and that's where you're gunna need a 4wd.
Leave the mad stuff to Jase and Simon or the Gall brothers.

macka17 · Guru

Fair 'nuf Dave.

I've been places we had to winch vans out.
Those Bin vans really will go 99% of places.

12ft 6in Wheelbase same as tug.

That's how the Serious O\R vans are made.
I have a few mates with them.
Fossickers.Gold miners,and the like

Those Supreme (11ft6-12.ft6) are the be all of O\R vans in real life.
for longer than a week in the real bush.
Several Mates disappear for months out in the Simpson every yr.

German and Dutch. Both older than me. and doing it for longer than,
WITH their wives.

Anything real serious.
Tent or Tarp (me) swags.
Are the ONLY way to go safely.
Trailers (camper) I wouldn't have on the back. Sorry.

msg · Guru

I did the Birdsville track in my 4x2. Though it is a van. Did a lot better than some 4x4's. They were getting punctures. Maybe because I have truck tyres. Doesn't like mud and sand much though but was OK even in the wet conditions. 4x4 BT would be better than 4x2. Go see Birdsville for the races or big bash. Fantastic.

RustyD · Guru

macka17 wrote:
Rusty.

Very few vans over 12 ft 6 in "Body" length,
are suitable for real OFF Road.

Ask the desert fossickers.
they live in the little Supremes and Regals.
plus a few small Phoenix vans.

Anything else is too big Physically.
to get anywhere serious.

Agree.

I would never tow a van off-road where I needed to engage 4x4 - unless it's a short wheelbase, high clearance real OFF Roader as noted.

For me, serious off roading requires everything to be in my tug and not tow anything.

Horses for courses and the choice these days is infinite which of course makes it hard to choose.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Barcoo & others who may drive later model 4WDs.
I only use the extra gear stick when I'm in sand/mud as my Nissan doesn't have a centre diff like the Toyota 80/100 Series. Transmission wind-up is a very dangerous condition for a mechanic/owner if a car is driven on a hard surface in 4WD.

Whatever you choose Barcoo, I trust the rig will give you many years of enjoyment as you "discover" the country.
If you end up with a 4WD, never go into a difficult location in 1st or reverse Low - always keep something in reserve if you get stuck. I once saw a Hafflinger attempt to go across Buffalo Creek in Darwin. He used "crawler" get where he got stuck! So the tide came in & went out again with the car being ruined!