Which "essential" mods for Forester touring outback?

gregmacc

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Adelaide, South Australia
Which "essential" mods for Forester touring outback?

My wife and I want to set-up our stock 2012 manual Forester for camping/touring the outback. With just the 2 of us everything can be stowed inside the car with the rear seats laid forward and the cargo barrier in the forward position ... no need for trailer, roof racks etc. - We've purchased a 52 Lt fridge and I've just completed the dual battery/isolation/charging system. We are based in Adelaide and will be heading to some of the more isolated areas in The Flinders Ranges, The Gammon Ranges, Gawler Ranges and The McDonalds.

We won't be taking-on any extreme 4X4 heroics ... we just want to get to those places safely and with as little damage to the Subie as possible. Any suggestions regarding essential modifications?
Cheers
Greg
 
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Welcome!

Sump guard and good tyres are "essential". A lift would be useful but not essential. I would recommend a second spare but not essential if you are prepared to take the risk.

Can I assume you have CB radio and things like a puncture repair kit and recovery straps etc?
 
A late model Forester is perfectly capable of outback touring without any modifications. You certainly don't need a lift, breathers, underbody protection etc. Drive to the conditions and you will be fine. Take it easy through the rough sections, stay on the tracks. If you want to go off the tracks, then you'll need to start thinking about AT tyres, sump guard etc. Carry a decent tyre repair kit, a couple of spare tyres, compressor, plenty of fuel and water, and a UHF radio. My vehicle is completely stock, with no mods at all, and I do a lot of touring - have a look at some of my trip reports here:

Flinders Ranges / Oodnadatta
Mungo / Kinchega
Nullarbor

I'm heading to Birdsville via Cameron Corner and Innamincka very soon, and will be totally stock (but carrying spares). I travel solo, and need to be self sufficient, and I have complete confidence in my stock, unmodified Forester.
 
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G'day gregmacc & :welcome: to ORS.
There is some very good info there.

The only other thing that I can think you might want to take with you is an Emergency Beacon of some type, just in case.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
Thanks all for the responses ...

Kevin: Where in Oz (SA preferably) would I source a good sump guard? And can anyone recommend any specific A/Ts ... I have been pondering the idea of having some A/T tyres on a second hand set of steel rims just for outback trips (so we don't have to do everyday city driving with the noisy and fast wearing A/Ts) ... No CB, puncture repair kit or recovery stuff ... All essential?

SJM ... Like your approach ... and the journals are extremely inspiring ... Was that a Trangia cooker? ... We have used ours lots on our bicycle touring adventures. We don't plan to be leaving the tracks ... but I'm thinking we might have to do some research on some sort of radio and tyre repair strategies. How/where do you carry extra fuel?

thunder039: Car has only 9,000 km on it ... Damage to struts? ... I thought these things were supposed to be tough?! ;-)

mr turbo: Yes, we were thinking EPERB for seriously remote sorties. They are getting cheaper these days.

Thanks again
Gregmacc
 
Subaxtreme is the most popular source for sump guards. They're in Goulburn NSW but will ship to you.

Minimum recovery stuff would be a snatch strap and rated D shackles to suit. Also a jacking plate e.g. block of wood, on which to place the jack in soft stuff.

I wouldn't go anywhere in the outback without a CB or tyre repair kit (metal handle type). CB's are not only useful for communicating with other drivers but also for contacting farmers in case you have issues.

For EPIRB maybe have a look at SpotTracker.
 
And of course, once you've repaired your puncture, you'll need some way of pumping the tyre back up again, so a compressor is required. A snatch strap is not much use if you're by yourself - sure, you can attach it, but then you'll have to wait for someone else to come along, and that may be many hours. You could have dug yourself out by then. Yep - you'll need a shovel ;)
 
Probably a bettrer question to ask first is where abouts are you looking at traveling?


  • a sump gaurd, whether or not you think you need one alot of bush roads are very high crowned.
  • uhf talk to other drivers if you get stuck might be able to find someone around, and talk to the road train drivers on the hwys so you know when to get off the road!
  • compressor and tire repair kit, make sure you've used it before you leave on an old tire wheel barrow neighbours car. if your going to go further off the beaten track a spare tire and leavers or a spare wheel (re seating a tire can be a 'fun' job)
  • a nice cammera for all the pictures is essentail
  • is you dont have a snatch strap or similar yet just a tow cable or length of road you can be surprised how much a gentle pull will get you out of a bog if someone comes past.
  • and a long handled shovel! if all else fails start digging.


If your just driving dirt roads and touring there you should be right with mininal stuff, just tuck under the drivers seat a decent first aid kit, space blankets matches and carry some fresh water and spam!

I first started traveling around in a corolla wagon (4wd kinda lol) and only had a hand held uhf shovel and tow cable (used the tow cable to pull out an x5 in the otaways) first aid kit, a roll of gaffa tape and never really got into to much trouble, went through the vic high country that way!
 
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Pack of cards, billy and your Trangia.

1/. Boil billy for a cuppa;
2/. Start playing patience...
3/. Within 10 minutes some b@stard will appear from nowhere and say over your shoulder"move the black 10 to the red jack"...
4/ First make him a cuppa ... then have him pull you out / drive you for help! :rotfl:

For some more serious suggestions have a look at the gear at the start of my thread. https://offroadsubarus.com/showthread.php?t=1078 I got out as far as Innamincka - via Winton and Old Cork Station in my 05 Outback with this gear and never felt unsafe.
Post hole shovel and sand tracks game in handy on the Murty Murty Track - as per one of the banner photos. I'd much prefer MaxTrax, in terms of weight.
Wasn't lifted when I did the trip, but the sump guard saved my engine on a washout near Coopers Creek - still have the chunk out of the guard to prove it.
Didn't have the winch then either, and wouldn't have taken it unless doing 'serious' off-road. Too bl00dy heavy.
It is 'polite' to have your own snatch gear - so it is your gear, not the other blokes, which gets dirty when you need extracting.
 
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Also pack some zip (cable) ties too.
It's amazing how handy they are & how many things they can be used for.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
Thanks for the handy hints people ...

idw: Yes a sump guard seems to be a sensible (and not all that expensive) piece of insurance. And the consensus is definitely for a shovel! ... Are the hand-held UHF units as effective as the in-car models? ... I reckon if I'm going to cary around an extra spare tyre it might as well have a rim inside it (for the sake of an additional 10 kg or so) ... Don't think I want to get involved in re-seating tyres if I can avoid it ... A handy skill to have though nonetheless. And carrying traps and/or a cable wouldn't be any big deal.

Barry: We actually go upmarket from the trusty Trangia for our car travels. We use a very posh Coleman twin burner gas cooker. Will always have a soft spot for "the Trange" though. They are an institution with touring cyclists and bush walkers. - Can't see us having a powered winch ... nowhere to mount one for starters ... possibly a Tirfor ...

mr turbo/thunder039: Yep ... never go on any type of journey without cable ties in various sizes ... and some duct tape and a wire coat hanger ...

Thanks all.
 
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gregmacc said:
. Are the hand-held UHF units as effective as the in-car models? .
Click to expand...

There are some very good hand-held units available. I tend to trust GME.


sjm said:
A snatch strap is not much use if you're by yourself -
Click to expand...

True - but because snatch straps have a limited life based on the stress placed on them, it's not considered fair to be using other people's gear i.e. if you expect to be pulled out you should have your own equipment.
 
Yep, and I do carry one although I've only ever been pulled out once in more than 30 years of off road driving. But there are times when you just have to swallow your pride or when self recovery is not practical. For example, if you're blocking a narrow track and there's a queue waiting to get around. In that case, being pulled out is simply being polite, and you have to let the ego take a back seat.
 
gregmacc said:
... Are the hand-held UHF units as effective as the in-car models? ...
Click to expand...

If possible, get one with a removable antenna. That will allow you to connect it to a higher gain antenna in the car, but you can still fit the small antenna and walk away if required (eg, you're stuck in a valley, but you can only hit the repeater from on top of the hill).
 
you can get a base radio as a kit from online stores for under 200 and you'll get better range out of them and easier to use while driving. but if you only have a little bit to spend atm just get a little handeld try to get one with or has the ability to attach a car charger to make life eaiser. if you ever get a base radio for the car you've then got a hand held to give to the poor sap grading the snatch strap or winch, or even a mate or family member in another car who might not have one.

What essentails to most seems to just be when your hip pocket starts to hurt, my brother toured south america and death road in a land rover 1 series that was bog stock and only had a driver seat for the 6 people! as most blokes will tell you here, if it looks like you might not make it pull over walk it and if you still think its not gonna work grab the map and look for a way around, another hours driving cost less than a beat up subie. You'll be far happier at camp knowing you got there and can keep going in the morning without stopping at the mechanic. Alot of the national parks around vic and lower nsw are driveable with a 2wd falcador, its just alot more comfortable with a 4wd or awd and the little extra clearance gets you just that bit further to those camp sites with less people in them
 
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