Two Month Trip East Oz

[Chrisso]

Well, our 2 month road trip has come to an end.  Mornington Peninsula Vic to Sydney, NSW coast, North Stradbroke Is, Sunshine Coast (lithium upgrade at Trayon), FNQ to Port Douglas, Savannah Way westwards, Lawn Hill Gorge, Limmen NP, Hells Gate to Borroloola, Katherine Gorge, Kakadu NP, Darwin, Litchfield NP, Alice Springs, East McDonnells (Uluru & parts too busy, next trip?), Coober Pedy, Mildura, Bendigo & home.

Have the diesel water/air heater and 4kg gas bottle. Still plenty of diesel and gas left after 2 months. Distance 12,500kms and $2,200 of fuel.

Some pics

   
Palmerston NP FNQ

   
Dusk approaching, drive into scrub.

   
Wetlands, Kakadu.

Sometimes it's best just to drive into the scrub and camp. That way you can avoid the annoying behaviour of some fellow campers that we experienced such as those who,
1. Think that everyone in the campground will appreciate their musical choice.
2. Pull out their chainsaw in the national park campground.
3. Put wet/green wood on the campfire
4. Behave obnoxiously well into the night.
....or am I just getting grumpy in my old age?

Looking forward to the western half of Oz (next year?)

Cheers, Chrisso

[#1277]

Wow Chrisso!! Well done mate, thanks also for the detailed post on travel costs and consumption figures!

No mate - your not getting old and grumpy.  I am 33 years young and I feel the same way.  I have become very cynical when it comes to camp site etiquette.  Your list sums it up nicely, spot on; i would however add a no.5 of "leaving rubbish behind"... whats so hard about leaving somewhere (a camp site, a friends house, a hotel) better than what you found it?

This is the joy of owning a Trayon Camper - we can go where others cannot (others who tow trailers or caravans or even have a slide-on but it is too heavy or has the wrong weight distribution which impedes their off-road ability) and add that to the blessing we have here in Australia where it is safe to free-camp and easy to get around (no boarders to cross)... we have it good!

Now that you have camped with AGM batteries, upgraded to Lithium batteries and camped with them as well - whats your report on the difference?

[Chrisso]

Hi Vernon 777;

Regarding the lithiums, first there is the weight reduction of 2 x 33kg down to 2 x 13kg or 40kg.  Usable amps from 
2 x 120 x 50% to 2 x 100 x 70%(conservative) or 17% increase. They seem to hold charge better and recharge quicker. Of course they (& the BMS) are expensive but you get the benefits described plus power surety if bailed up for a few cloudy wet days. Longevity over many cycles is also claimed. So far, so good.

Cheers, Chrisso

EDIT: The Lithium battery is 100 USABLE amps so there is a 20% buffer on top. Maths is more like 2 x 120 x 70% or 40% increase.

[DnP#960]

Great trip Chrisso, Savannah way is one of my great outback memories. Love your scrub camp, we are so lucky..
Forgive me if you have already written this up but do you have front recovery points under your bar?
I'm in the market and weighing up options. Appreciate your feedback.
D

[Chrisso]

Hi DnP;

After much research settled on the Road Safe front recovery points(RP-RAN02). Others were either non-rated, under-rated, required drilling or were matched to proprietary bull bars.  They hang a little low if you are into rock hopping but it means that they are accessible and the tow rope clears the bumper/bull bar.  They still sit higher than the following cross member and suspension arms. Fiddly to fit. Critical that bolts and nuts are first screwed on and off a few times using lubricant and kept as matched pairs prior to fitting. To stop nuts turning inside the chassis rail, use a round shafted screwdriver rather than the pins provided.

Superior Engineering and ARB offer a single centre mounted point but more expensive (come with matching replacement bash plate), hard to get at and rated at 4.75T to 5.0T (Roadsafe 5T each). A short permanently attached cable from the centre point to the factory tow point would improve access when required.
Hope this helps.

Cheers, Chrisso

[Tradey 350]

Hi Chrisso 
Can I ask is the road safe bar winch compatible and what does it weigh

[Chrisso]

Hi Tradey;

Are you referring to my bullbar? That is a 'Smartbar' whereas Roadsafe are the recovery points that are attached to the chassis rails. The Smartbar for the Ranger PX also comes in a winch compatible version weighing 40Kg or 35.5Kg for the non-winch version. See here for details.

Cheers, Chrisso

[Tradey 350]

I think the lithium Batterys are brilliant also 
We had two agm at 34 kg each plus a robust bracket to hold them.
Like you say they had a DOD (depth of discharge of 50% ) while the one lithium has a DOD OF 90% 
So the two had a capacity of 240 amp we had 120 amps and the lithium has 90
Considering it’s 56kg lighter in total weight I’m happy as 
The other thing is the lithium holds onto 13.2 volts till it stops dead 
The agm we would see drop to 11.6 volts  so the fridge is happier,

T

[rookie23]

Hi Chrisso, Had a look a at the Smartbar as i hadn't heard of that before, looks really good,  I suspect I don't want to give up the 35Kg but it is certainly a lot lighter that anything else I have heard of and seems very functonal!

Also,  the Roadsafe Recovery Points. I have something like these on the rear of our Ranger but I use the ARB single recovery point on the front and I agree that it looks very hard to get at (I haven't had to use it as yet thankfully).
Do your front recovery points use a bridle on the front somehow also?
Any chance you could post a photo of where they sit as this might be something to swap out to something more usable when bogged?

[Chrisso]

Rookie, yes you use an equaliser strap. Currently OS so can’t post an image however if you googke subject you should find a pic.

Cheers, Chrisso