Well it's a bad day when you don't learn sumthn, planned trip to Lismore to see a mate for the weekend got dumped when his misses got crook so decided to try my first dunes trip (no dear I'm not gunna make the cute little thing do them jump things) first lesson is to make sure that u know when the boys are meeting at Anna Bay, saves going in alone and driving forever to TRY to find em. Second lesson is to not try taking the buggy in through deeply rutted sand when you just know it's not guna make it as it's been dropped too low, very embarresing, but you do meet nice people in a Paj. Third lesson is if you have recaps on (high performance recaps though) don't let them down to less than 10 lb, they just don't hold up, although you do meet the nicest people just 4 doors from the Anna Bay BP with a yard full of VWs who can sell you a tyre and rim that can get you home, handles better with one fattie and one skinnie anyway thanks mate if you are reading this, rude me didn't get your name Fourth lesson is if when leaving home you hear a strange noise coming from the engine bay, check it out, it may be a generator on the way out (yet to be confirmed) and the buggy won't get you quite home as you can only drive so far on the battery with no charge going in, tow truck driver reckons its the lightest load he's had on the truck ever, thank you NRMA. Fifth lesson is not to plan a day trip in the buggy to Bellingen for Sunday,your just not gunna make it and finally the biggest lesson of all, don't make such long winded posts, it makes the end of your finger sore.

And I bet you nice and hot tooooo
water, tools and block a of wood to place under jack if you stuck by yourself in the sand and one of those little fold up army shovels

WHAT !! you need tools, and a jack? Bloody hell there's hardly enough room for me and the dog, maybe he knew sumthn, he opted out today, next thing you'll say I needed a wheel brace, you fool.

and if the tyre would now hold air, it's hardly holding together let alone air

sounds like you learned a lot eh? those rotten dunes have always been painful for me. I reckon the trick is (like most offroading), never go alone and take a friend with a HUGE landcruiser. It's worked a treat for me.

That's something I really miss because of these new modern boring reliable cars - the chance to meet new people who help you out - and the chance to help out others.
It's probably been 20 years since I was able to help out a bloke on the side of the freeway who needed a lift into town - and I can't remember the last time I broke down and couldn't get going again.
Nowadays I guess there is 2 problems - first is cars usually don't break down - and the second problem is if they do there is a reasonable chance that you are going to get mugged if you stop to help them.
But that said, bring back the good old days of unreliable cars!

Yeah, well my car isn't unreliable, so there, I can relly on it breaking down most times I take it for a long drive (over 10k's)

so are you going up next month with the guys,??? on the Stockton Dunes Run 20/21/22 feb 09

Once is a mistake, twice is stupidity, mind u spose I could crank it up for a bit of clearance, I'll get back to ya.

Hey Donn
I have an exhaust jack kicking around here somehwhere i think.
I got when I had the Nissan Patrol but it didn't have enough lift height for the truck.
Would be perfect for a buggy. Prolly tip it over.
Guess oyu wouldn't be bogged then...lol

Yep, got one of them Red from when I had the Nissan duel cab, but why would I take it into the dunes?

Hey Donn, glad you got a spare from down the road. It was a shame the servo mechanic couldnt put a new tyre on in desperate times. Sorry we couldnt hang around, we were dying for a dip in the water it was so hot. When we got back you were gone so assumed you did ok.

The Dune gods wern't very kind that day, it was way too hot to do anything but go in the water and managed to blow up two engines. If you are keen to come out again wind up those front adjusters and raise the back suspension, should help you out a great deal.

yeah ratbug, the bloke in the servo was flat out but he didn't have a tyre the correct size anyway but he did help me out with a jack and wheel spanner, wasn't a bad bloke realy, the fella up the road sold me a tyre and rim so that got me home. Probably a good thing in a way as looks like I"ve done a genny so would have got stuck in there anyway (see tech talk).