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Post Info TOPIC: Off road or on road rig?


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Off road or on road rig?


All of a sudden there seems to be heaps of off road vans around. some big 22 footers that are as high as a block of flats, and not cheap to buy new. I tow at about 90kph and they go past me like I'm nailed to the fence. They seemed to have a very high centre of gravity, surely that wouldn't enhance stability? I only stay in caravan parks and don't have any inclination to go free camping and alike, thats just us, each to there own, I've done all that rock hopping & off roading 45 years ago when I was rally driving around state forests. Is it trendy to have an off road rig and see what she can do off the beaten track? Most of the adverts are pointed at off road rigs or at best semi off road. Am I in the minority about just staying in van parks?? What do you think? smile



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Just poser value mostly . Don't think your going to get far in serious off road conditions towing 22ft and 3.5t . We tow 20ft on road van with a 2wd dual cab and have never had a worry getting to any free camp I chose to use .

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A lot of people like to get away from the masses, can't blame them surely!!
One way of achieving that is to not be put off by travelling down long, often corrigated, dirt roads to remote destinations
I think it would be fare to say the majority of caravanners try to avoid these types of roads, gee, I've met people who won't even drive down 5kms of dirt to get to a camping spot!!
Offroad vans should, although they are not always, be made structually stronger than a standard caravan and are geared up for longer off grid camping.
And yes they are getting bigger(huge), and yes there are some idiots driving them, just the same as the on road types of drivers!!
I think part of it is, "my dicks bigger than yours" syndromebiggrin
Ian

PS: remember we are all different, just do what you want to do and stop worrying about othersbiggrin



-- Edited by Wanda on Sunday 1st of May 2022 09:16:36 AM

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????? Its quite simple really ...I chose an off road van because I need one to get where I want to go?
I have a mate who has an on road van and it lives in the driveway because its so limited with our camp spots.....another mate has a semi off road and weve had to dig and chock wheels up with rocks to stop the draw bar dragging in places I drive through comfortably......Would have thought it was quite obvious.
Sounds like jealousy or someone trying to start an argument to me.....throw in the race card and you'll get more bites.....Bwahahahaha

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We've had an on-road caravan with an underslung axle for 12 years. We've taken it to plenty of hard to get to, remote places. We bush camp almost entirely. We wash our caravan & car about once a year. On the rare occasions when we do stay in a CP for one night we're always amused by the number of shiny off-road caravans lined up on cramped sites being constantly pampered by their owners. Some people like their rigs to permanently look like they've just left the showroom.
As others have said, each to their own.

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Horses for courses, yep each to their own really. I bought an offroad type van for the extra ground clearance and being more self contained for off grid camping. Plus it will soon see some beach driving / camping as well as some quite ordinary roads where a regular low clearance van would have difficulty traversing.

I see some very big off road vans around being towed by vehicles that would plainly not be up to the task of dragging the things through any type of off road scenarios. Though I am sure most have a reason behind the purchase...not just to impress the neighbours...





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My rig is not new by any means. My in laws have been caravaning for 27 years, there rig an old patrol and an old 22f Golf caravan that are looking a bit worse for ware, they say that others are a bit stand off ish towards them probably because the look of there tired old rig.



-- Edited by Bulldozer on Sunday 1st of May 2022 11:29:55 AM

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youtu.be/_ScBK7JgSTQ
Cheers,
Peter

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We just have an on road van these days, and dont take it too many klms off the hard top, and if I do I take it very slowly. We generally free camp for a few nights, then into a caravan park for another few. Some free camps are noisier than caravan parks, and sometimes worrying when the ferals show up, and nobody to restrict activities. My main worry with free camping for more than one night is when we drop anchor, we like to explore the general region, go out for a meal at a pub, sight seeing, or the like. I'm very reluctant to leave the van unattended in a free camp area while we explore in the car. A caravan park offers more security to leave our van unattended, and enables us to do day trips around the region we are in.

As far as off road vans go, a bit of checker plate, fancy mag wheels, AT tyres etc does not make an off roader, things still rattle loose/break over corrugations no matter what van is used.

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Phlipper wrote:

We just have an on road van these days, and dont take it too many klms off the hard top, and if I do I take it very slowly. We generally free camp for a few nights, then into a caravan park for another few. Some free camps are noisier than caravan parks, and sometimes worrying when the ferals show up, and nobody to restrict activities. My main worry with free camping for more than one night is when we drop anchor, we like to explore the general region, go out for a meal at a pub, sight seeing, or the like. I'm very reluctant to leave the van unattended in a free camp area while we explore in the car. A caravan park offers more security to leave our van unattended, and enables us to do day trips around the region we are in.

As far as off road vans go, a bit of checker plate, fancy mag wheels, AT tyres etc does not make an off roader, things still rattle loose/break over corrugations no matter what van is used.


 

Too true Phlipper...many of the articles we read about what makes up an "offroad" van point out that a dose of chequerplate and bling doesn't make a van "offroad".

I am sure pretty well all vans would be capable of some "offroad" towing providing their limitations are taken in to account. We actually went away from a camper trailer as it and the contents are too vulnerable if left at a camp site while we go exploring. We didn't ever get broken in to but it was always in the back of the mind when away from camp.

The van gives us a bit of peace of mind in that it can be locked up if we decide to explore...but again there is always the element of risk of vandalism while away from the van.

Fortunately such occurrences are relatively rare. A van park does offer some security...but that said, when arriving at a van park not long ago we were told to make sure everything is secured or locked away as there had been a spate of thefts in the park. Mainly of portable gas BBQ's and pushbikes apparently. Opportunists I guess are everywhere so we cannot be too complacent.



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Hitting the road wrote:
Phlipper wrote:

We just have an on road van these days, and dont take it too many klms off the hard top, and if I do I take it very slowly. We generally free camp for a few nights, then into a caravan park for another few. Some free camps are noisier than caravan parks, and sometimes worrying when the ferals show up, and nobody to restrict activities. My main worry with free camping for more than one night is when we drop anchor, we like to explore the general region, go out for a meal at a pub, sight seeing, or the like. I'm very reluctant to leave the van unattended in a free camp area while we explore in the car. A caravan park offers more security to leave our van unattended, and enables us to do day trips around the region we are in.

As far as off road vans go, a bit of checker plate, fancy mag wheels, AT tyres etc does not make an off roader, things still rattle loose/break over corrugations no matter what van is used.


 

Too true Phlipper...many of the articles we read about what makes up an "offroad" van point out that a dose of chequerplate and bling doesn't make a van "offroad".

I am sure pretty well all vans would be capable of some "offroad" towing providing their limitations are taken in to account. We actually went away from a camper trailer as it and the contents are too vulnerable if left at a camp site while we go exploring. We didn't ever get broken in to but it was always in the back of the mind when away from camp.

The van gives us a bit of peace of mind in that it can be locked up if we decide to explore...but again there is always the element of risk of vandalism while away from the van.

Fortunately such occurrences are relatively rare. A van park does offer some security...but that said, when arriving at a van park not long ago we were told to make sure everything is secured or locked away as there had been a spate of thefts in the park. Mainly of portable gas BBQ's and pushbikes apparently. Opportunists I guess are everywhere so we cannot be too complacent.


 Yes, thankfully breakins are fairly uncommon, or unreported ? However when it does it can be devastating to a holiday. These days with so many electronics onboard, TV's, solar arrays, E bikes etc etc etc it a thief can make good money from breakins. I used to have a sailboat permanently moored in a marina, breakins were not uncommon with a few other boaties, so many $$$$$ electronics to pilfer.

 

 Last year I had the misfortune of having to travel 120klms of rugged dirt road with my road van in tow, the corrugations were up to a foot high in many sections...rough as guts, but went slow and no damage done.



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The off road market seems to be heading in the "Hybrid" direction these days...smaller, narrower and more compact makes them easier to manoeuvre in and out of tight spots.
Plus they are lighter.
As someone posted earlier big 22ft 3.5 tonne vans are not all that suitable for many serious off road situations.


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This is precisely why we have a 4WD motorhome.
If you want to explore the other 60%+ of Australia, it is the only way.
It suits us that many say they don't want to do this (even if they do) because it means we can largely enjoy the country undisturbed.
Some of the country we explored a few weeks ago.....

https://youtu.be/g7Aba07-824

P1050363E.JPG

Cheers,

Peter



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Hi Bulldozer,
We're bird watchers so having a van with some off road ability is an advantage. So we have a Jayco Outback second hand van that serves us well currently. It hasn't been anywhere that our previous Jayco Outback Eagle went - yet. My other half isn't as adventurous as she was a few decades ago - getting rather nervous when I reach for the 4wd knob!

We're stuck in isolation until next weekend in a great caravan park in Cunnamulla until next weekend & we're certainly glad we bought one with a combination toilet/shower. Have observed some recent neighbours - they vary from the rigs you describe to the likes of us. I would have to damage a caravan that costs over $60,000 on some rough road, track but some do go on those - hope they enjoy the experience! A few years ago we did see a big Bush Tracker parked above the Eyre Bird Sanctuary - the owner obviously valued his van (yes, I have been down that track without anything on the back).
And when I looked up one of our past neighbour's vans, it cost way more ($138,000). And yes there are people who live in their vans full time but at the moment we prefer to retain our house in Townsville & use the van to see friends, relatives, nice birds, etc.

As the others said, it's horses for courses. You either go to hard to get places with a HD rig, or you don't. Everyone has to make the right choice.

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Agreed Warren, it is horses for courses.......And Peter you hit the nail on the head! BINGO! A 4WD motor home. Start saving.Who knows, maybe one day, should make it soon, I'm running out of time.

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We are glad that there is a lot who choose caravan parks only.That leaves more room in the free camps.

We have no concerns about leaving our van unattended when we want do day trips away,though we do put more things out of sight than we used too.

We went away last month for two weeks and spent two days in a C.P. at Yackandandah,nice park,but two days is enough for us.

Some nice big shiny off road rigs came in,first thing they do is set up,then they walk around it umpteen dozen times,then out comes the hose and sponge.

Went back to our out of the way free camps,hardly anyone around.

free.jpgfree1.jpgzzzzzzzz.jpg



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At Cobar CP we watched a guy go completely over his car & off-road caravan 6 times with a soapy sponge & gurnie gun.
The whole lot was completely immaculate when he first drove in.
There were water restrictions at the time & there were lots of signs around asking patrons not to wash their rigs

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KJB


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montie wrote:

The off road market seems to be heading in the "Hybrid" direction these days...smaller, narrower and more compact makes them easier to manoeuvre in and out of tight spots.
Plus they are lighter.
As someone posted earlier big 22ft 3.5 tonne vans are not all that suitable for many serious off road situations.


I think that many "caravanners" consider formed gravel/sandy/clay/dirt roads as "off road".  KB



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In my opinion the terms "off-road" and "caravan" should not be used in the same sentence. Additionally "off-road" is such a nebulous term it has almost no meaning.

I've spent many years 4WDing and swag/tent camping around the place and *no way* would you get any caravan into perhaps 90% of the places I visited.

My caravan (Snowy River SR19) is described as a "semi" off-road van which as far as I can tell means it has a little more ground clearance than "on-road" caravans, nevertheless I manage, with the help of a low range 4WD, to take it many places which are isolated and deep in the forest/bush; places where I can camp and not see another for a month or more. Of my 3.5 years as a nomad I have spent perhaps 20 nights in caravan parks the remainder being bush camping.

Decide what you expect from a caravan; carefully research the reality of your expectations and buy accordingly - but totally ignore the term "off-road" in relation to caravans, it's meaningless.



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The Gall Boys,do some crazy things, but I bet they have a full backup crew,with most probably a portable workshop with heaps of spares.But it helps sell heaps of off road vans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk6KJXeOM0k

 



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Plain Truth wrote:

The Gall Boys,do some crazy things, but I bet they have a full backup crew,with most probably a portable workshop with heaps of spares.But it helps sell heaps of off road vans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk6KJXeOM0k

 


 Not to mention the damage they do to the tracks. They should be made to repair them too, that might slow their stupidity a tab?

Cheers,

Peter



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Its actually illegal to drive OFF ROAD pretty much anywhere in Australia.
Federal & State native vegetation, flora & fauna laws forbid it.
Driving down an unsealed bush track is not going OFF ROAD.

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Some pretty naive statements in this thread. You can go legally down plenty of rough roads (call them what you want: unsealed, off-road, dirt) in an onroad van but how well will it age ? If you want to see why people buy off-road caravans, join Off-road Caravans Australia (ORCA) on Facebook. People regularly and legally travel to very remote sites in various parts of the country, usually to stay at a special place with few or no others and more often than not in one of our less visited National Parks. Sure there are nice spots just off the seal but there are even more at the end of a 4x4 only track.

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dabbler wrote:

Some pretty naive statements in this thread. You can go legally down plenty of rough roads (call them what you want: unsealed, off-road, dirt) in an onroad van but how well will it age ? If you want to see why people buy off-road caravans, join Off-road Caravans Australia (ORCA) on Facebook. People regularly and legally travel to very remote sites in various parts of the country, usually to stay at a special place with few or no others and more often than not in one of our less visited National Parks. Sure there are nice spots just off the seal but there are even more at the end of a 4x4 only track.


 If you go OFF an existing track, that is classed as going OFF ROAD, its illegal to make your own track. It devastates the bush & there's a zero tolerance for that behaviour. You can drive down any existing bush track that you like, its not going OFF ROAD. Simple really.



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Your average modern onroad van still won't be worth much after you take it off the seal and over hundreds of km of corrugations and down 4wd only tracks. Call it what you like, but most people realize that wordplay doesn't amount to squat in the end.

 

Edit: For the pendants on board, the adjective "off-road" has an entirely different meaning to the adjective "off" + noun "road".'



-- Edited by dabbler on Sunday 1st of May 2022 11:20:36 PM

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dabbler wrote:

Your average modern onroad van still won't be worth much after you take it off the seal and over hundreds of km of corrugations and down 4wd only tracks. Call it what you like, but most people realize that wordplay doesn't amount to squat in the end.

 

Edit: For the pendants on board, the adjective "off-road" has an entirely different meaning to the adjective "off" + noun "road".'



-- Edited by dabbler on Sunday 1st of May 2022 11:20:36 PM




as far as what is classed as an off road caravan would not what is covered by warranty be an indication, have seen some that state gazetted road only and others that state you can take it where your car can go, but personally have never tested it some of those tracks can destroy vehicles an you would have to be a bit extreme to want to tow a caravan on some of them. the GALL boys i wonder what the inside of their caravans look like at the end of the day

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Here is Margaret driving "off track".
We helped muster 1,200 cattle that day. Unfortunately, they don't stick to the roads. biggrin

0806 (26).jpg

Cheers,

Peter



-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Monday 2nd of May 2022 10:19:11 AM

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dogbox wrote:
dabbler wrote:

 

Your average modern onroad van still won't be worth much after you take it off the seal and over hundreds of km of corrugations and down 4wd only tracks. Call it what you like, but most people realize that wordplay doesn't amount to squat in the end.

 

Edit: For the pendants on board, the adjective "off-road" has an entirely different meaning to the adjective "off" + noun "road".'



-- Edited by dabbler on Sunday 1st of May 2022 11:20:36 PM

 

 


as far as what is classed as an off road caravan would not what is covered by warranty be an indication, have seen some that state gazetted road only and others that state you can take it where your car can go, but personally have never tested it some of those tracks can destroy vehicles an you would have to be a bit extreme to want to tow a caravan on some of them. the GALL boys i wonder what the inside of their caravans look like at the end of the day


 When I say that its illegal to drive off existing tracks I'm not talking about cattle properties or private property.

In places like National Parks & State Forests it is not tolerated & you'll cop a hefty fine if you're caught doing it.



-- Edited by 86GTS on Monday 2nd of May 2022 01:22:40 PM

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Peter_n_Margaret wrote:

Here is Margaret driving "off track".
We helped muster 1,200 cattle that day. Unfortunately, they don't stick to the roads. biggrin

0806 (26).jpg

Cheers,

Peter



-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Monday 2nd of May 2022 10:19:11 AM


 Nice pic, love those old 35mm retro images from back in the 60's.



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86GTS wrote:

 Nice pic, love those old 35mm retro images from back in the 60's.


 ???????

Taken in the Pilbara on a digital camera in 2007. smile

Cheers,

Peter



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