More Desert Splitty Adventures.

Desert Bug · 2004-09-06T15:30:31+00:00

G'day All, It's been a while but we've been having heaps of Desert Splitty fun and adventure up here in the Desert country of the East Kimberly region of WA. This weekend just gone (Sept 4-5-6), we drove 180 ks up the Tanami track to Halls Creek after work Friday, then Sat. went and checked out 3 Bays that I bought (now to work out how to get them home), then headed down the Duncan Highway to Palm Springs and Sawpit Gourge, a couple of nice spots to camp out. Sunday we headed further along the Duncan looking for the top section of the Canning Stock Route that is no longer used (the Canning now finishes at Billiluna where we live) with GPS in the Splitty we headed into the unknown but after 60+ks we lost the track and after an hour or so driving around the open plains looking we gave up and backtrack on the GPS and headed back to Halls Creek and on to home, total 622ks for the w'end. The w'end before we ventured down the Canning Stock Route to Well 49 and back and saw a couple of Camels, hundreds of Brolgas, Pelicans, Swans and thousands of smaller ducks and waterbirds. The looks on the faces of travellers coming the other way when they saw the Splitty was great (especially when we told them we were heading down to Well 49 for a cuppa then turning around and heading back). We did over 400ks that w'end. The Splitty is going really well and all the mods I did to the suspension etc while building it have worked out well without any adjustments needed so far. Allthough rear disc brake conversion is next improvement on the list as the sand in the drums is requiring adjustments every couple of weeks. The tilt steering column that I built for it is working very well and no more sore neck!!! Cheers, Ian. [Edited on 8-9-2004 by Desert Bug]

seagull Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,979 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 14 Sep 2004, 12:57 am

#232532

yes thats why I selling my wifes Jeep !

Looking for that special lady : PM me for coffee & cake

Andy Andy\'s Adventures

2,820 posts · joined Nov 2002 · 14 Sep 2004, 9:19 am

#232592

Wow Sounding great Ian.
Andy is set up quite similar, 100L fuel (2 tanks) gives 600-800km range depending on conditions, 45L water, and plenty of spares. I run the same tyres but have 40/50 psi on road (tyres get to hot otherwise) and my flats were due to 2xvalves perished, 2xcracked rims! That's with new Merc ET39's. I have gotten stuck a couple of times in soft mud. I also added solar panels to keep the fridge going while camped for a few days.
My BIG problem was weight, GVM of 2250kg and I would have been ~2300kg for the entire round oz trip. The other problem was keeping dust out, both the engine bay and cabin.
Keep up the great reports.
Richard

Desert Bug wrote:I'm currently running 215/75x15 ATs all round and haven't got stuck anywhere yet that I can't get out of by letting the tyres down to 15-18 psi, I run 22-25 on the gravel roads and 30-35 on the bitumen. I carry a Tirfor type wire rope winch, tree protector, three 600mm long star pickets, 2 snatch straps, 2 spare wheels, a reasonably good air pump, 2 fan belts, clutch plate, clutch and accelerator cables, axe, long handle shovel, few ropes, tie downs and a fare assortment of tools also al the camping gear, Engel fridge (dual batteries) and food etc to stay out up to a week at a time.

Cheers, Ian.

aggri1 Insano Dub Head

824 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 14 Sep 2004, 1:41 pm

#232712

Hey there, I thought that perhaps some of you might be interested in the 4x4 show, Thursday 21st October - Sunday 24th October, in Melbourne.

I've never been, but I might head in to see what's up.

I love reading about desert splitty too! Those adventures sound so cool!

Desert Bug Wolfsburg Wizard

687 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 25 Sep 2004, 11:23 pm

#237609

G'day Folks,

We've been down in Bendigo (Vic) for a week seeing all the kids and grandkids in particular Rhett and Michelles' 6week old Brodie Cooper, who is a real Cutie. It's been great catching up with Family and Friends after three months up in Billiluna WA.

Richard, I missed your question re: dust in the cab and engine bay. We get a fair bit of dust inside, so I am going to get underneath with a couple of tubes of Sikaflex Automotive Sealant and seal up all the gaps that VW left along the Sills in particular, and relook at my door seals and looking at fitting a fan in the freshair duct so I can close the windows and put the fan on high and pressurize the the inside to keep the dust out. The engine bay needs a few small holes filled also which should reduce some of the dust.

Cheers, Ian.