Wirraway Motorhomes

vik351 · Senior Member

Wirraway Motorhomes

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

It would be a mistake to expect too much more from this style of 4WD European vehicle than hat they were designed for which is to provide extra traction while driving on icy bitumen roads in a Euro winter.
They will be somewhat more useful than a 2WD version for sure, but they will never be a competent off road tourer due to limited ground clearance (as pointed out in the article) and because of limited suspension travel. Fuel capacity is not stated, but it is likely to be well under the requirement for remote touring, as is the water capacity. I don't know how they would handle simple outback roads like the Tanami, but I doubt the tyres fitted or the suspension design would be ideal.
If you wanted a mostly black top tourer with a bit more capacity for dirt, go for it. If you want something for more remote long distance travel, the choices are typically the Iveco 4WD or the Canter 4WD (with significant modifications to wheels and suspension).

Cheers,
Peter

Geeco · Senior Member

Hi Vik,

compliments of the season to you.

with my very limited understanding of things off road I think what Peter has written makes sensE. Having said that if you want the Euro 4x4 experience have a look at the Trakka Jabiru 4x4 As an option to the Wirraway.

vik351 · Senior Member

Thanks Peter
I get your concern of it to be used as an off road beast, would fail miserably in the hard going I'm sure

But I dont think that was the intent of it, just a putt putt down by the river on a bit of a track, find a quiet spot for a bit of a free camp, it rains over night and that track turned to mud...

No worries mate ,got a button to push for a bit of help...first... IMHO...

well thats my thoughts on it...

vik... I like the idea ...

vik351 · Senior Member

Geeco wrote:
Hi Vik,
compliments of the season to you.
with my very limited understanding of things off road I think what Peter has written makes sensE. Having said that if you want the Euro 4x4 experience have a look at the Trakka Jabiru 4x4 As an option to the Wirraway.

Thanks mate, Seasons greetings... you and all I should say...

will do, got some shows in Feb... will have a good look at whats out there...

vik...

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

If you want to go to more places than most 2WDs can take you, the priorities I think would be ....
1. Larger diameter and high profile tyres and a compressor.
2. Better ground clearance.
3. Better suspension and suspension travel.
4. A set of snow chains.
5. 4WD.

You can argue about the order of the first 4 depending on exactly where you want to go, but 4WD is definitely last.

Cheers,
Peter

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

1974 Kombi trip 2&3 044E.jpg

1974 Kombi trip 2&3 045E.jpg

Further to my previous post.....

This was in 1974 between Curtin Springs and Mulga Park. The VW had the first 3 on the list to get this far and then we added the snow chains and it continued up the hill and all the way to Adelaide in the very wet conditions, no problems at all......

I suggest that this vehicle would go places that the 4WDs that are the subject of this post would not go.

Cheers,

Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Tuesday 26th of December 2017 07:45:20 PM

Cupie · Guru

You're right about the use of chains ...

In around 1972 we were going down the track (just wheel tracks thru the bush) on the 'north' side of the Darling from Louth to Wilcannia. Wife, Elderly Mother & I were in a Holden Commodore. About 50k from Wilcannia we hit a section where a big rain event had crossed the area. Not enough fuel to get back to Louth. The road had been graded several times making it just one long lake with a clay bottom.

Of course I quickly got bogged.

Luckily my brother who did a bit of bush driving had thrown a chaff bag containing a set of chains in the boot.

Fitted them and off we went as easy as ...

Yep ... chains are a good insurance in the mud.

Edit .. Back to the OP ..... and the MH comes in at under $250,000.

-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 26th of December 2017 11:28:04 PM

vik351 · Senior Member

Cupie wrote:
You're right about the use of chains ...
In around 1972 we were going down the track (just wheel tracks thru the bush) on the 'north' side of the Darling from Louth to Wilcannia. Wife, Elderly Mother & I were in a Holden Commodore. About 50k from Wilcannia we hit a section where a big rain event had crossed the area. Not enough fuel to get back to Louth. The road had been graded several times making it just one long lake with a clay bottom.
Of course I quickly got bogged.
Luckily my brother who did a bit of bush driving had thrown a chaff bag containing a set of chains in the boot.
Fitted them and off we went as easy as ...

Yep ... chains are a good insurance in the mud.

Edit .. Back to the OP ..... and the MH comes in at under $250,000.

-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 26th of December 2017 11:28:04 PM

How much fun fitting chains to dual wheels...???

Too old for those games cry

vik... ohh me hip...!!!

Cupie · Guru

vik351 wrote: snip
How much fun fitting chains to dual wheels...???

Too old for those games

vik... ohh me hip...!!!

That's what you take the missus for isn't it?

But just think of the fun you'll have cleaning all the mud off yourself (just a stick and a handful of leaves in a nice muddy pool of water beside the road. Just leave your clothes on a handy bush & tie your boots to the bullbar) and then attack the seats & floor of the vehicle. Of course you could do the job in the raw to save on the cleaning up effort.

Jaahn · Guru

Hi smile

My . I have had a few Kombies and some converted light buses and a MH on a 3T truck. The dual rear wheel light buses and trucks are pretty good on the rough tracks IF they are loaded properly with the weight on the rear wheels. I have never got stuck but I do not go "off road". However we do go on any track that looks ok anywhere and usually free camp. If I confronted a road like Peter showed us, my better half would "counsel me" biggrin about turning around and going back. Wise woman. After all we do it for fun not punishment ! Ahhh my hips too, and knees.

So most people IMHO would be more confident with the 4WD version of this MH. What they want probably is to get that extra 100 meters to the water and feel that if they spin the wheels a bit they can press the button and it will go foward. YES will work OK with a bit of common sense. Not sure if all people who drive these MHs have that in abundance but if they do it will work. If not then they will be wise to carry a good sat phone. hmm

Jaahn

PS in that review the guy make the usual silly point about calling it "all wheel drive" instead of a "4WD". These writers are stupid, as are any readers who care about the semantics of that IMHO. Perhaps it should actually be 6WD !! That's what I counted. aww

-- Edited by Jaahn on Wednesday 27th of December 2017 01:03:59 PM

vik351 · Senior Member

Permalink Reply Quote

vik351 wrote: snip
How much fun fitting chains to dual wheels...???

Too old for those games cry

vik... ohh me hip...!!! no

That's what you take the missus for isn't it?

But just think of the fun you'll have cleaning all the mud off yourself

" Thats what the missus is for "is right... as in Jaahns case...

My sweet SWMBO would gently say "turn this friggin thing around...!!! were not goin down there...darl!!!"

vik...

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Fitting snow chains to dual wheels is easy.
Run the inside wheel up onto a couple of pieces of wood and fit the chains to the outside ones only.

Cheers,
Peter

vik351 · Senior Member

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Fitting snow chains to dual wheels is easy.
Run the inside wheel up onto a couple of pieces of wood and fit the chains to the outside ones only.

Cheers,
Peter

So where does the wood come from...??? Oh , ya bring it with ya, of course, so in the slush trying to drive onto a 4x2 with the inside of a dual wheel set up, would you recommend both sides at once,or do one at a time so you can really savour the moment...??? while ya mate in the fancy Merk drives past...

vik... there's mud in your eye... disbelief

Tony Bev · Guru

vik351 wrote:
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Fitting snow chains to dual wheels is easy.
Run the inside wheel up onto a couple of pieces of wood and fit the chains to the outside ones only.

Cheers,
Peter
So where does the wood come from...??? Oh , ya bring it with ya, of course,
Cupie above has already said
Edit .. Back to the OP ..... and the MH comes in at under $250,000
This tells me that you should be able to afford a full sack of firewood, with your small change
so in the slush trying to drive onto a 4x2 with the inside of a dual wheel set up, would you recommend both sides at once,or do one at a time so you can really savour the moment...???
You will probably find that a 4 x 2 with duel wheels on the rear, does not have a diff lock, so you would probably have to try and do both sides at the same time
while ya mate in the fancy Merk drives past...
Never worry about your mate in the fancy Merk, not stopping to help, because he was never your mate in the first place
vik... there's mud in your eye...

Try and remember that unless you get a RV built to your exact specifications, it will be very hard to find one which ticks all your boxes

We are all different, I find it easy to adapt, to whatever vehicle I am travelling in

I hope that you find the vehicle you are looking for, and that you have many happy road trips, ahead of you

Jaahn · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Fitting snow chains to dual wheels is easy.
Run the inside wheel up onto a couple of pieces of wood and fit the chains to the outside ones only.

Cheers,
Peter

Hi smile

If you do intend to use chains then I would also suggest you get the wheel arches cut away a bit at the back. When you are in knee deep mud and you need to put the wood under the inner wheel and then get the chains around the outer wheel a bit of space to get your hands in there would be good biggrin biggrin

All MHs have the wheels set inside the bodywork quite a long way as you will know if you have had a puncture and had to change the wheel. The sleek faired in look seem a less attractive idea when you are on your knees hmm

Jaahn