MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: McGirr on February 23, 2012, 01:43:05 PM
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This should be interesting to see what tough tracks are out there !
For me living in Cairns would have to be the OTL track at the Cape as it changes every year depending on the wet season.
The water crossings, narrow washed away tracks and the steep drop offs are what makes this part of Australia a challenging and exciting one.
Mark
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I'd have to say for me that apart from my track to home after heavy flooding :( , the road to Cape Leveque (out of Broome), into Middle Lagoon and then onto Cape Leveque itself, was probably it for me.
The combination the road (deep corregations, dust and deep soft sand) combined with drivers who were trying to set land speed records, really tested me out. After that trip I needed a holiday.
The Gibb River Road into El Questro rates an honorable mention. It too had it's fair share of 'speed is the best way to cope with corregations' style of drivers. Loads of prangs too.
Keen to see what others reckon - Wayne
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We did the CREB Track the hard way .... we had a Pajero in our group that blew a clutch , and we had to tow him out .
I remember a track they called the Camel's Hump that went up the Toowoomba Range : that was pretty crazy . :o
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The track on the Mitchell Plateau can be quite corrugated and rough at times,but NOTHING compared to the track that leads from the plateau down to the coast at Walsh Point. Full of washaways,rocks, potholes, cane grass etc, it' can sometimes be an all day event to do the 20 odd kms from the top of the plateau down to the water.
I reckon it's worth the effort though :D
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The Old Ghan railway between Finke and the turn off to Chamgers Gorge.
It was corrugation hell that claimed the front springs on a KJ Jeep, a home made offroad trailer was falling to bits along the way, the Trak Shak spring came out of its cradle, and a Kimberley Kamper had parts of it's kitchen rattle off. Plus you have to keep and eye out the whole way for the old railway stakes that would go through your tyres like butter!
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I was talkin to a mate that spends a lot of time out west they done the Connie Sue last winter
he reckins it was a solid drive
:cheers: sheeds
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I still have never seen anything tougher than the tracks we tackled when I was in the Army. Nothing says "give it a go" like driving someone sles 4wd ,lol ... especially when it is as capable as a land rover or unimog. Puckapunyal training area had some seriously gnarly 4wding, such a pity it is not accessable to the public. There was also some great tracks up at tin can bay and shoalwater bay. And most of the time I was towing a trailer or a 2 tonne gun ...
In terms of public access areas there are some pretty tough tracks down at sundown NP. And the rocks have a tendency to tear your tyres apart if you get a little too excited ...
Cheers Chippy :D
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Most of the stuff we did at Moab was tough but the hardest was Upper Helldorado and the final waterfall
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There is a short track above the diggings campground at Eungella. Not very long but it is heavily rutted and is definitely lockers country, especially when wet.
The CREB track was interesting with a camper on, it would be just plain crazy in the wet.
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X 2 on the old Ghana railway (finke desert race track) testing a mates off road race car average speed 110 kmh for 2 hours, top speed of over 170. My kidneys new about it for the next 2 weeks, and that was with a kidney belt!
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The track into Halligan Bay for me but I am only new to 4wding.
It did claim a battery after it broke the clamp.
Plenty of corrugations and wash outs.
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The CREB's been the most challenging for me, thus far.
I'd love to take the Quantum but the Bush Pin Striping combined with the Minister's angry look when I mention it, put me off. :'(
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A year or so a go I spent 9 hours doing 5 kays around a forestry plantation.......the first couple of hours was fun.....................
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Pacific Highway.
seen the state of it lately 8)
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I still have never seen anything tougher than the tracks we tackled when I was in the Army. Nothing says "give it a go" like driving someone sles 4wd ,lol ... especially when it is as capable as a land rover or unimog. Puckapunyal training area had some seriously gnarly 4wding, such a pity it is not accessable to the public. There was also some great tracks up at tin can bay and shoalwater bay. And most of the time I was towing a trailer or a 2 tonne gun ...
In terms of public access areas there are some pretty tough tracks down at sundown NP. And the rocks have a tendency to tear your tyres apart if you get a little too excited ...
Cheers Chippy :D
Ah.. Man after me own heart. Done all those areas but usually I was driving the ACV, pulling out all the bogged Mk5 gun tractors.. LOL Serious fun ;D
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After travelling to Cape York (via the OTL both ways) and then travelling around the Victorian High Country six months later, both times towing our camper trailer everywhere we went, I'd have to say that the High Country offers some of the toughest tracks I've ever driven on, and makes the famed OTL of Cape York pale in comparison. The High Country was tough not only on the vehicle but also on the skill and nerve of the driver, and I have never been so far outside my comfort zone when touring before, let alone when four wheel driving.
I've driven some other tracks which were not easy at the time, but more so because they were slow and time consuming. An example of these would be going into Bathurst Bay/Cape Melville via Starke Station years ago where it took 10 hrs to travel 70 kms, however most of this was washed out rutted tracks where 1st and 2nd gear was used most of the day, rather than four wheel drive. I also spent a very long night back when I had my 60 Series, getting into 5 Rocks Queensland, where around every corner was a bog hole, or sandy climb, or wash out track.
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My driveway.
Thanks!
Matto :)
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Any road west of Ipswich ;D ;D ;D :cheers:
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This was 7 years ago, but the track into Jowalbinna to Maytown.
Another one was Fraser Island 5 years ago during the QLD drought as the sand was that dry it was just like powder and made using the inland tracks a real effort.
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I did a track many years ago in my 01 Hilux, it was stock other than a winch and ARB canopy which wasn't going to help this day. I was running split rims with Super Grippers wrapped around them. Myself and Cruza Driver were on this trip out the back of Warburton, it was the track where Roothy rolled Milo.
The ruts were so deep and it was raining all day I needed to winch the hilux all the way DOWN this particular track The hiux didn't have the flex or clearance. It was nearly on its side on more than one occasion. Cruza was in a 45 series tray fitted with coils and even that was belly up. The X9 Superwinch was awesome and performed all day without a hiccup!
Water was running down the ruts like a river it was comparable to the Malaysian rainforest challenge...almost but the clay was the same ;D
This is what it looked like when I sold it. It took us to some great places in SA,NSW and QLD
(http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s159/utedriver/hiluxfireMedium.jpg)
If I can find a pic of the hilux when I bought it I'll post it up too
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Pacific Highway.
seen the state of it lately 8)
x 2 - especially Macksville to Ballina
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Although all the funs been taken out of it due to the enevitable thing called progress (bitumen) the road to Cape Leveque in days gone by would have to be up there.Along with the Renyolds River Track into Litchfield.
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Its closed now sadly, but Abbot Creek Track near Woods Point was the hardest ive done. It was closed due to too many roll overs & after doing the track I could see why. The Weekend before we went some of the 4wd Monthy guys had a roll over on the track.
Its funny to see some of these other tracks listed as hardest. When we did some of them they were extremely disappointing & easy ie OTL. Time can change many things.
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Taking people on trips to the Cape it is interesting to hear their perceptions of what a tough track isand their thoughts after driving it.
Driving the Cape peoples expectations can be so different depending on what they have driven on prevously and also the reputation of the OTL plus the names of the crossings has alot to do with it.
Mark
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Driving the Cape peoples expectations can be so different depending on what they have driven on prevously and also the reputation of the OTL plus the names of the crossings has alot to do with it.
Too true, another example from me is "Sky Trek", we got to the end & said to each other "When does the 4wding start??"
I love taking people new 4wding to the Vic High country. Typically their first statement to me is "Were NOT going up there are we???"
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The toughest I have ever been on was in Kimbolton army range 2 weeks to do 150km. one day we did 600meters and walked back to our previous campsite to set up camp again. I have done the OYL quite a few times with varying wet seasons and I would have to say that it is a bit of a let down when you are expecting big hard 4wd stuff. The toughest singe trail I have been on for a day trip would be In the Watagan's I have seen it break gear with big lift and well engineered stuff too. I tried in my cruiser and didnt even make it 200m up the first hill. There were some big scrapes and gouges in rocks.
But by far the most consitantly tough stuff I would have to say the Victorian Alps. Day after day different changing weather. Turn a corner and there is a new challenge. A tree down, looking down the edge of a cliff on both sides of the car. Anus sucking the buttons off the seat type stuff
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Toughest track is hard to gauge due primarily they all have different characteristics. I personally wouldn't put the Cape as challenging. Some consistent hard tracks I have done are around Yalwal near Nowra. Some really crazy stuff in there.
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Darwin 1980, now Litchfield NP my cousins G60 Nissan, said to him it was to deep and as usual he did not listen. It was that wet my old FJ 45 only made it back towards our camp about 2K leaving us a 5K walk the wifes were not happy ;D
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Too true, another example from me is "Sky Trek", we got to the end & said to each other "When does the 4wding start??"
I love taking people new 4wding to the Vic High country. Typically their first statement to me is "Were NOT going up there are we???"
I agree, I loved skytrek for its scenery but it is not what us Tasmanians call a true 4wd track as such.
I am very keen to get to Vic high country in the near future, I have a lot of Vic dirtbike friends who come down to Tassie and some of the Taswegians have done a 7 day high country trip on the bikes and they all say our riding/4wd'ing in Tassie is similar to the high country just not as big.
I find it odd that people name the Oodnadatta track as a hard one, and even the Old Ghan line between Finke and Alice (the service road, not the race track), when I was last there they were both like national highways. So it has a lot do with weather conditions and how long since the grader has been through.
As far as bad 'roads' go, the road out to Dalhousie springs for me was an absolute shocker, not because of the corrugations but just the general road condition. It was a shock absorber torture testing ground that's for certain.
But besides obvious rutted out tracks, steep hills, step ups, boggy mud etc I think its fair to say that 100's of klm's on bad corrugated roads is as bad as it can get on equipment, does everyone agree with that?
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Googs Track - Ceduna to Tarcoola SA, 196 steep, tall and deeply rutted sand dunes, corrugations about 30 inches apart and about 15 inches deep running diagonally across the track always on the run up to the dunes.
Well worth the trip though, would go back in a flash!
:cheers: Cracka
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Googs Track - Ceduna to Tarcoola SA, 196 steep, tall and deeply rutted sand dunes, corrugations about 30 inches apart and about 15 inches deep running diagonally across the track always on the run up to the dunes.
Well worth the trip though, would go back in a flash!
:cheers: Cracka
I think might be my next adventure 8) I have talked about it for long enough! I was only thinking about it this morning whilst out mountain biking!
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What about if your ( EX )wife allegedly told lies , stripped the bank accounts to spend on drugs & stuff to appease her demented slant on how life should be . Is that a tough / tuff track or what ???
Just a thought to ponder ??? ???
:cheers:
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What about if your ( EX )wife allegedly told lies , stripped the bank accounts to spend on drugs & stuff to appease her demented slant on how life should be . Is that a tough / tuff track or what ???
Just a thought to ponder ??? ???
:cheers:
Yep. That's a tough track..........
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Strange Cattle Indeed . :cheers:
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But that was then ;D Things have only got better :cup:
:cheers:
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But that was then ;D Things have only got better :cup:
:cheers:
Things certainly looked OK at Whroo................ :cup:
:cheers:
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Told you So ,,,,,, Very Happy Now :cup: :cup:
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Any road west of Ipswich ;D ;D ;D :cheers:
And some roads north, east and south of it as well.
Kit_e
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peoples expectations can be so different depending on what they have driven on prevously
Mark
[/quote )
On that note, when i lived in Charters Towers, myself and the young fella spent alot of time exploring around the banks and river bed of the Burdekin River in my old '84 dual cab hilux........ i always got a kick out of taking a few of his young mates along, especially the ones that had non adventurous parents.... the looks on their faces were priceless when we started bush bashing our way down river banks, low range crawling over river boulders, crossing patches of water and spinnin the muddies to ensure the whole roof was covered in mud... (well, ya got to make it fun)......
One young lad that springs to mind had parents that owned a brand new Nissan Patro with the lot..... the big Nissan never left the bitumen...... however looked very high end when picking up kids from school etc (if you know what i mean).... anyway after taking the young fella out fishing and 4wding for the day, i dropped him home, and his old man was in the drive way polishing the already gleaming Nissan.... the young fella, still full of excitement told his old man...... "Dad, you shouldn't of bought that car, you should have bought one of these" pointing at my ól'Hilux...... ;D ..... Gotta love kids!!....... don't reckon his old man seen the humour in it though.
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For starters
Strickland Spur http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=449_Strickland-Spur-Track (http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=449_Strickland-Spur-Track)
Ellis Track http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=260_Ellis-Track (http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=260_Ellis-Track)
Rocky Track http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=225_Toolangi--Rocky-Trk (http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=225_Toolangi--Rocky-Trk)
Then there is the old Fischer Creek track through the swamp (these are pics from a mate)
(http://blkmav.com/myswag/f1.jpg)
(http://blkmav.com/myswag/f2.jpg)
(http://blkmav.com/myswag/f3.jpg)
The new Fischer Creek track isn't much easier
(http://blkmav.com/myswag/f4.jpg)
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The Inlaws driveway. It scares the sh!t out of me, every time I drive up it. You know the feeling you get, when you commit to something, and ya know there's no positive outcome....... that driveway scares me a lot.
Shane.
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The Inlaws driveway. It scares the sh!t out of me, every time I drive up it. You know the feeling you get, when you commit to something, and ya know there's no positive outcome....... that driveway scares me a lot.
Shane.
Yep agree........any trip with the mother in law on board...
Ian
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The fabled and eched in offroad folk law Wirraba Ridge Off old Putty Road. And came out near Dunnns Swamp.
every rig bar one sustained some type of damage.
One complete Rollover and I ended up on my side in my old 4runner.
did this with the guys from Out of Town 4wd and he Terace 4WD club in the 90's.
Cheers, Chris
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For starters
Strickland Spur http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=449_Strickland-Spur-Track (http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=449_Strickland-Spur-Track)
Ellis Track http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=260_Ellis-Track (http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=260_Ellis-Track)
Rocky Track http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=225_Toolangi--Rocky-Trk (http://www.4x4earth.com.au/tracks.html?site=225_Toolangi--Rocky-Trk)
Then there is the old Fischer Creek track through the swamp (these are pics from a mate)
(http://blkmav.com/myswag/f1.jpg)
(http://blkmav.com/myswag/f2.jpg)
(http://blkmav.com/myswag/f3.jpg)
The new Fischer Creek track isn't much easier
(http://blkmav.com/myswag/f4.jpg)
Ahhh the good old days of Melbourne wheeling back in the 90s
Vic Range was always fun as well
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Vic Range was always fun as well
Oh yeah I forgot about Vic Range, the starter motor killer track :)
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Oh yeah I forgot about Vic Range, the starter motor killer track :)
Looks like fun :D Which one was yours D4?
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Well for me...the toughest track would have to be Blue Rag......the last 100M..........I had to get out and walk that last 100M.....but the 4wd did it easily, thanks to another driver.....
Oh, forgot to mention.....I'm sh#t scared of heights ......and my mind just wouldn't let me do that last 100M..... ;D
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VIC High Country and Tassie are very similar - very good challenges with the camper on the back.
For pure low range 4WDing (outside of a few ADF bases) it would be close between the Watagans and Nowra - both tested drivers and vehicles to the very last degree and there was always damage. The amount of starter motors and alternators that I rebuilt is embarrassing. But a great place to 'play'.
CREB Track with a trailer is comparable to the VIC High Country/Tassie IMHO.
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I think might be my next adventure 8) I have talked about it for long enough! I was only thinking about it this morning whilst out mountain biking!
So when are we leaving mate? ;D
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VIC High Country and Tassie are very similar - very good challenges with the camper on the back.
For pure low range 4WDing (outside of a few ADF bases) it would be close between the Watagans and Nowra - both tested drivers and vehicles to the very last degree and there was always damage. The amount of starter motors and alternators that I rebuilt is embarrassing. But a great place to 'play'.
CREB Track with a trailer is comparable to the VIC High Country/Tassie IMHO.
Thanks to overuse, there are parts of the Watagans that would test out a few tuff truck competitors..
I may not go extreme 4 wding, but mud is one place I try and avoid....give me a steep hill and dust anyday !!
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Thanks to overuse, there are parts of the Watagans that would test out a few tuff truck competitors..
I may not go extreme 4 wding, but mud is one place I try and avoid....give me a steep hill and dust anyday !!
Just as long as the steep hill isn't Blug Rag, eh Greig ;D ;D sorry mate :-*
Cheers
Carl
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Looks like fun :D Which one was yours D4?
It is fun, until you have to clean it. The black gq shorty was my old 4wd.
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Probably the CREB towing North to south the days after it opened due to rain. Most fun I've ever had. But a close second would be when Frostd and us did the wenlock when the main track was blocked and had to use a by pass. 8 hours with winches and ever other piece of recover gear know to man made it for one hell of adventure . Was the best recovery with a mate I ever done - EPIC
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Well for me...the toughest track would have to be Blue Rag......the last 100M..........I had to get out and walk that last 100M.....but the 4wd did it easily, thanks to another driver.....
At least you are honest Greig :cup:
Oh, forgot to mention.....I'm sh#t scared of heights ......and my mind just wouldn't let me do that last 100M..... ;D
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The Watagans, Sugarloaf, and Wallaroo areas are our local tracks, and they provide plenty of challenges. Around Lithgow has some great play areas too, with some stunning scenery around Newnes. We're not hardcore, but we have lots of fun, get ourselves into some sticky situations, and have been able to get to some amazing places (namely the Mitchell Plateau in the Kimberley) all because we have a 4wd. I don't think the guys enjoy the days as much though when we haven't had any recoveries ;D
Looking forward to the Old Tele Track, Frenchman's Track, and conditions permitting, the CREB and Maytown-Laura Old Coach Road this year. Can't wait.
Some of our exploits (ignore the hardcore and extreme titles, they're just DH exaggerating, he's in Advertising):
http://www.youtube.com/user/JamieOGilmore/videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/JamieOGilmore/videos)
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Just as long as the steep hill isn't Blug Rag, eh Greig ;D ;D sorry mate :-*
Cheers
Carl
Mt Pinnabar...no worries.... ;D
;D ;D
Blue Rag.......???????????
Funny as you get older ( for me anyway ) I tend to not worry about " macho " stereotype stuff...
I'm more worried about my beer being cold.... ;D ;D
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My toughest track would have to be coming down the last downhill section of Billy Goat Bluff track without any engine power. ??? Couple of spots a tad hairy ;D ;D
Copper wire to fuel pump had broken inside casing, took 2 days to find the fault.
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I think might be my next adventure 8) I have talked about it for long enough! I was only thinking about it this morning whilst out mountain biking!
Let me know when Rich, If I can free up the time I'll be there!!!
:cheers: Cracka
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Seeing D4D's pics reminds me of a saying I heard years ago "4wding in the mud is like a dirty woman. For 5 minutes of fun you get a lifetime of pain.
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Seeing D4D's pics reminds me of a saying I heard years ago "4wding in the mud is like a dirty woman. For 5 minutes of fun you get a lifetime of pain.
Yup, I did my clutch here
(http://blkmav.com/myswag/mavclutch.jpg)
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not sure if it's been mentioned before but the blue water forestry track is one of the hardest tracks I've done.
troy
(http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af294/TroyAE/mebluewaterforest.jpg)
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The fabled and eched in offroad folk law Wirraba Ridge Off old Putty Road. And came out near Dunnns Swamp.
every rig bar one sustained some type of damage.
One complete Rollover and I ended up on my side in my old 4runner.
did this with the guys from Out of Town 4wd and he Terace 4WD club in the 90's.
Cheers, Chris
Another couple from that era were Porters Road, technical but could get ugly if you got it wrong, and Freds Hill, on the Yengo side of Putty Rd north of Colo had a couple of spots where sill damage was unavoidable.
Both are now closed
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And some roads north, east and south of it as well.
Kit_e
Cunningham Hwy is quite ordinary at the moment between Aratula and The Gap, i came back from The Springs on Sunday morning and was dodging large potholes left right and centre. the amount of water they had out that way over the weekend must have been substantial, the paddocks were covered in floodwater.
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Number 1 THE WIDOW MAKER coming out of the Wonnangatta now closed due to the deaths from rollovers, Number 2 Noonday in the Otways very steep no traction, has a sign at the bottom (Watchout for falling 4 wheeldrives)
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I reckon the Wonnangatta river in the Vic High Country with it's 21 crossings was pretty tough . It was made worse going back up the super steep track out of the valley and getting 2 x flat tyres with damaged side walls .
Cheers
Ross
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Hardest 4WDing I have ever done was in Tassie. We worked our way down the west coast starting at Arthur River, didn't get to Sandy Cape as the tide was coming in and we found quicksand so we did Balfour track, both tracks in / out of Montezuma Falls, Pieman Heads and Climies Track to Trial Harbour which had a difficult spot where the bypass around where the Granite Ck bridge used to be (took me more than a couple of attempts and some coaching from others in our group to get up the other side), went down to Remine I think where there was a big whale skull and an interesting little museum but then found a track that I can't remember the name of which went to Cumberland Lake. There are some huge washouts on that track, as wide and deep as a Patrol... That was hard!
I have found though that weather conditions play a huge part, what is easy today can be a huge challenge with rain added, this is probably true with most tracks but very much so in the high country where conditions are so changeable and tracks are often steep with huge drops to at least one side. Experience and confidence in both yourself and your vehicle also plays a massive part. What I used to think was really hard / extreme when we first started 4wding I now find quite easy as I have learnt how to pick a line and know that the vehicle is capable. I don't necessarily go looking for double black diamond tracks though, I just enjoy the drive and being out in the bush, the harder tracks are just a bit of a bonus along the way... Personally I think a lot of the "double black diamond" tracks are rated as such to get people to stay on tracks that are pretty safe and really not all that hard instead of them heading off and looking for tracks that actually are really hard.
:cheers:
Dave
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Twodays ago drove up the Oodnadatta Track and camped at Coward Springs then it rained about two inches overnight. Tried to leave next morning but the cruiser and CT was sinking about 100mm into the Track with 18psi in the car and trailer. After 2 klm had to call it quits and wait...............after 6 hours of sun and cloud set off for Marree and finally got through after flood way crossings mud and more mud. Had to go through several 1metre crossings,,,,thanks for the lift and sorkel. At one time south of Maree 6 semies were lined up waiting for a creek to go down and after I went through it they decided to give it a go WTF some people just dont know their rigs capability.
When I washed all the mud off I started to build another country!!!!!
Trevor
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Deddick Trail in eastern vic.
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Clearwater trk in the Otways which is now closed.
Started at 9am Saturday didn't get out til 4am Monday. At one stage I had 4 Sierras strapped to the back of mine as I pulled them up a muddy track to finally reach bitumen
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I used to drive Porters Rd in Sydney every weekend, it was fun. Some may know it, it got dozed in 2003 or something.
Not my car, the only image I could find - you get the idea, man I busted some junk on that track!
Image removed due to hosted on a site suspected of having malware - Cheers Brett
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The toughest (low range) track i have driven would easily be Gee's Arm South/Wheeny Creek 8)
It takes about 7-8hrs to get 5 or 6 vehicles the 6km's out to the lookout and back.
(http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu135/bws50/DSC_0610.jpg)
(http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu135/bws50/DSC_0315.jpg)
(http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu135/bws50/DSC_0622.jpg)
the toughest track i have towed a camper along was actually the silver city highway :o We left Tibooburra under grey skies, locals and the signs said the road was open........same story at packsaddle, so we continued on our way.
A few mm's of rain further down south turned the last 50 odd k's of clay based road into an ice skating rink..........kinda fun when you look in the mirror and the trailer is 90 degrees to where your truck is pointing ;D Kinda scary at the same time though..........