Remote Travel & Spares

This thread just goes to show how difficult it is to explain to foreigners just how harsh & dangerous the Aussie Outback is, esp those from the US. Americans are used to being rescued if something goes wrong, they depend on it as a backup plan. That's simply not a viable option for much of Australia. This esplains one of the fundamental differences between people from these 2 countries. Australians are good at working things out for themselves & being independent. I don't mean to offend anyone but Americans tend to want things explained to them more, & are more reliant on others

Even with modern testing grounds, the Aussie Outback is still used as an extreme testing ground for durability & reliability testing for car manufacturers around the world. Why? Because it's so extreme

With no real offroading on 4wd tracks, and over 10,000kms on major & minor unsealed roads in a thoroughly prepared Forester, I had the following breakages:

windscreen cracked
air con (not trivial, it meant driving with the windows open, so fine bulldust (google it) went all through the car
GPS/satnav
mobile (cell) phone
central locking
reverse switch in gearbox

These were all from the relentless & severe corrugations
 
^Yes, they use the Outback to test even 4x4s. The modern Hilux was tested in OZ where it traveled 650,000km in variable terrain while towing a trailer. Nothing broke. I have seen some clips from a dealership and they really punished the truck.

Talking about spares, it is more of a redundancy thing. A backup of a backup. In my most recent trip, my 37 litre/min cheap tyre inflator broke and 2 of my tyres were still aired down for sand treading. The closest station is just 30 km away but I had to travel really slowly to prevent the tyres with low pressure from heating up as they will do so quickly at highway speeds. It would be nice to have a spare tyre inflator but that may be a bit too much. I just bought a much larger and more robust unit after getting home.

What if such happened to somebody in much more remote places like many parts of OZ where the next station is 1000 km away and on black top? That trip would be painfully slow.

With tyres, I will easily carry 2 spares if I am to do some touring in the Outback. The extra tyre will be the backup of a backup. Cheers.
 
On this very pertinent topic has any one used "Slime" or such for tyre puncture repairs?
If so how did it go? Did the repair last and if so for how long?
If it is ok then it may be a useful emergency aid to keeping your tyres inflated.
I have used it in the flat tyre of a sack trolley where it is seems to work well holding about 20-30 psi, for several years so far, but a vehicle is a different situation. More so as it is not the most convenient thing to use being awkward, to say the least, to squirt into your tyre interior.
 
I've not used it, don't carry it and probably never will as both my vehicles have 2 spares, but when my Son couldn't get a pressure reading from a tyre he reckoned it was because the valve was clogged from such stuff (I'm not sure if it was he or his wife that put it in there)
 
I used to have about a ltr in each of my trailers tyres, carry spare valve inserts and warn the tyre guy before they replace the tyres. Both my smaller tractors are basically full of the stuff but thats more for ballast

Works for small leaks, requires movement to work properly and evaporates over time and always needed to check the pressure after sitting over summer. Tyre plug works better
 
I certainly wouldn`t put all my faith in it to get me out of a dire situation but for a short term fix it may be ok. Like most serious off and bad road road travelers I have two good spares.
 
It is very simple. If you go outback with only one spare and have the bad luck to lose a tyre, you spend the rest of the trip worried every metre of the way 'coz you know that one more slice of bad luck and you are screwed big-time. Would you be dead unlucky to lose two tyres? Yes. You'd be unlucky, and you might very well be dead before anyone comes along. Even then, you are faced with horrendous expense and serious inconvenience to get your car out.
Anywhere you can't walk out of, you take two spares. Always. Every time. You may or may not lose a tyre, but you won't lose any sleep.
 
I guess I may have said something to the contrary some years back :)

I will say it again: the two spare rule is just a generic rule like so many others.

Various tires have various levels of strength. I will be safer with 4 of my current tires than you would be on 6 street tires.

Would I go on 4? No, but I would absolutely rather have 5 of the strongest tires than 6 generic AT or street tires. Much safer.
 
JJB100 said:
What spares list would you recommend?
Click to expand...

Here's a basic list

TOOLKIT
Screw driver set; flat blade and Philips head
A metric spanner set
A metric 3/8 drive socket set with spark plug socket
A hammer
One small and one medium shifter spanner
A roll of tie wire
Cable ties
A test light
A set of side cutters
A set of pliers
A roll of electrical wire
A box of matches
A torch
Electrical tape
Duct tape
Self fusing tape
WD40
Jumper cables / jump pack
Bar of soap
Rags
Ground sheet
Tyre repair kit

SPARES
Air filter
Fuel filter
Fan belts
Radiator Cap
Top & bottom radiator hoses
Top up engine oil
Enough coolant or water to fill radiator in case a hose has to be replaced – 4-5 liters
A range of fuses

RECOVERY GEAR
CB
Snatch strap
Distribution strap (for smaller 4WDs)
Rated “bow’ or “D” shackles
Tyre pump (72/l min is good)
Tyre gauge
Shovel
Flat piece of wood for jacking on soft surface
Hockey straps (to attach groundsheet as a blind for water crossings)
Fire Extinguisher
12V Light
Gloves

First Aid Kit
 
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