Trip planning - essential bits of kit - on a budget

Yes it isn`t always easy but if you do a good job it will last for literally years as long as no dirt has entered the cut.
Speaking from experience.........
 
tuckerbag said:
Cracked cv boot can be repaired using super glue, then you can easyly wrap the outside of the boot.
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good to hear -- I didn't know superglue was any good on rubber.
 
That was my sense, too, but was not sure about the distances.

Sounds like a good plan to not go solo, in the first place.

There are places you can die if you break down around here in the Southwest as well though it seems to me that a fit person with enough water and some energy bars, unencumbered by kids, should be able to walk out of pretty much anywhere between October and May. Utah is a little better but Arizona heat starts early and does not relent until Halloween.

In terms of distance, it would be hard to find a trail or forest road that takes you more than 100 km away from a paved road.
 
Judging from a few dozen pics on Google, for whatever that's worth, it seems that stretches of the Simpson desert look very much like parts of northern Arizona.

It also looks like Subaru-land to me.

I did not see any rock obstacles on those pics; the kind of thing that has come to define "offroad" here and that is not Subaru friendly at all.

Anyway, looks like a great trip!
 
Thanks, nice videos! The type of terrain surely looks familiar :)
 
MiddleAgeSubie said:
In terms of distance, it would be hard to find a trail or forest road that takes you more than 100 km away from a paved road.
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In the Oz outback, it can be difficult to find places that are as close as that ... :iconwink:.

The main problem here is the lack of any landmarks at all! Most of inland Australia is either desert, or uniformly similar mulga/brigalow scrub. It is so very easy to get lost, and once lost, dead ... :(

About half of Queensland (300,000 sq. m.) and two thirds of Western Australia (600,000 sq.m.) qualify for these conditions. Victoria and Tasmania are the smallest states, and even in Victoria it is still possible to get one's self into hot water.
 
MAS in Australia if you breakdown and leave your vehicle you will die! Outback Australia is incredibly remote. For that matter so are many other parts. Google map outback Australia (I.e. Simpson desert) and zoom in, not much there! There are only 24 million of us here.
There is more chance of spotting a broken down car than a person. I can speak from experience having been stranded in the outback and being found.
My brother has just got back from a Subaru club crossing of the Simpson and I was very glad that they had a Spotme so we could track progress.
 
tuckerbag said:
Cracked cv boot can be repaired using super glue, then you can easyly wrap the outside of the boot.
Click to expand...

Works well, but not on the front inner CV's due to heat from the engine and exhaust.

Silicone or similar is another solution if its a small hole. Inject a small amount in the boot to make a hernia, let dry, and it should be ok for a while.
 
duncanm said:
.. ok. Here's what I'd do on a budget

Water/Fuel - goes without saying. Take plenty of spare, especially water.

Then considering a minimal repair kit, depending on how far away you will be from the nearest town (ie: drive to a workshop) and roads with daily traffic. Also consider what you are capable and willing to fix on the side of the road / in the dirt.
  • Belts - just take a spare Alt/PS. You don't need AC if that belt goes.
  • Rad hoses -- consider repair tape instead of spares. Maybe take top/bottom hose.
  • Filters - why? What's going to happen? You could clog your air filter -- brush/knock the dust out. Fuel filter you might clog if you get crappy fuel, but again, it can be cleaned out to be serviceable - take a bottle of meths to chuck in the tank if its contaminated. If you get a holed air filter (which you probably wouldn't notice) - you could plug the hole or put a t-shirt over the lot.
  • Sensors -- I can think of six or seven that might fail. How are you going to even diagnose the problem? The most common failures (MAF, O2, knock) are not likely to completely strand you.
  • Tyre diameters -- it matters less if you're on dirt where there's easy wheel slippage. Still a risk. Consider a tyre repair kit to plug up small punctures. You need a compressor.
  • Some goop to plug rad (and exhaust) holes would be good.
  • Busted CV boots can be bodgied with plastic bags and tape for a short time.
  • Communications -- again, depends on where/size of party/etc.
  • Basic useful stuff like cable ties, hose clamps, wire, tapes, decent shovel, jack plus soft-ground plate, WD-40 or similar.
  • Tools to do reasonable repairs - 10mm, 12mm, spark plug socket, socket set, screwdrivers, pliers, hammer, etc.
  • Consider 5l of spare oil in case the worse happens and you dump all your oil.
  • maybe a couple of old spare spark plugs

And don't forget to listen to your car constantly, and just to spend 10min every day looking over your car (under, engine bay, etc) before you set off (or when you have a beer at the end of the day). Observation is 9/10 of fixing problems, and they're all easier to fix early.
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This is pretty much where I would start too. 10,12,14,17,22mm sockets and wrenches. Both long handed and standard length. When was the timing belt done last? Bring extra coolant. Don't need to overheat in the outback. If possible, grab a small solar panel that you can hook to your battery when stopped during the day after driving to ensure your car will start the next morning. Wish you the best of luck in your travels. Enjoy!
 
Socket set-----check!
Timing belt------30,000km ago-check!
Coolant----must buy.
150W solar panel----check!
Dual batteries-----check!
Compressor------check!

Great suggestions. Thanks!
 
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Works well, but not on the front inner CV's due to heat from the engine and exhaust.
Can use a piece of Sarking over the repair job to, hopefully reflect some of the heat from the cat converter.
 
Haha yep, I know that one for sure...

Usually after I've used the boot as a seat and then noticed the red sports stripe running across my backside.

A mini dustpan also comes in handy inside the tent.

Got the Grabbers fitted yesterday, will post photos soon!
 
Photos as promised.

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