Track Touring & Destination E-MAGAZINE Issue 2 AUG 2013

&

SIMPSON EDITION Celebrating

ISSUE 02 / AUG 2013

Topaz Series 2 revealedinBirdsville

50 years since the first crossing!

Two continents 17 countries 16 months 70,000km

Viv & Ron

have been busy!

TRACK OWNER’S CONVOY SSixteen Tvans, T old ld and d new, tackle the dunes of the Simpson Desert.

TOw SChooL

WithRob Pepper

Intro G’day and welcome to the second edition of Track Trailer Touring & Destination E-Magazine. First and foremost I want to thank the team of people behind the scenes writing, photographing and publishing the content within this magazine. Without them, the world of camper trailers would be pretty bloody boring! So thanks :)

editor

Lloyd Waldron

Contributors: CAMPER TRAILER AUSTRALIA ARTICLES

Everybody else, pull up a seat! We’re here to stay!

This edition is our Simpson Desert special.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first crossing by the Spriggs, you’ll find our pages are packed full red dust, tyre ruts and unforgettable views, so buckle up!

16 Tvan’s new and old cross from Mt Dare Hotel to Birdsville. Join Mike and Anita Pavey as they lead our owners to the top of Big Red. As you dig deeper through the pages you’ll discover that we have unveiled our brand new Off-Road Caravan the Topaz Series 2 in Birdsville. So we’ll give you the low down on all things new and unique.

A telegram arrived earlier this month from Viv and Ron Moon, who have been MIA for the past year! Find out what they’ve been up to with a full trip summery featuring exotic destinations and breath taking views.

WORDS: MIKE PAVEY PICS: ANITA PAVEY

4WD TOURING AUSTRALIA

WORDS & PICS: CARLISLE ROGERS RYAN HEYWOOD

GUIDEBOOKS

WORDS & PICS: RON & VIV MOON

ON THE ROAD

WORDS & PICS: ROB PEPPER

GO CAMPING

WORDS & PICS: EMMA GEORGE

TOPAZ SERIES 2 ARTILCE:

SPECIAL THANKS:

PICS: MICHAEL BROWNING

ARB: MATT FROST KELLY TEITZEL

Carlisle Rogers takes on the Simpson with a Tvan Canning borrowed from Victorian hire agent Brian Saunders at Desert Oak.

NISSAN: CHRIS HOLLAND WARWICK DALY

And last but not least, Rob Pepper teaches us how to tow and the importance of decent off-road suspension under your camper.

ROB PEPPER MIKE & ANITA PAVEY CARLISLE ROGERS EMMA RYAN MICHAEL BROWING TOM SANCHEZ MARK MURAS PAT CALLINAN BRIAN SAUNDERS

Until next time! We’ll see you out on the Track.

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All or Nothing!

Sixteen Tvans, old and new, tackle the dunes of the Simpson Desert.

NEWS

There are some great things happeing!

Across the Americas Ron Moon checks in!

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No Limits

Carlisle Rogers crossed the Simpson in a Tvan Canning!

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Bush Camping

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Southern Comfort

Emma George and family check out House Beach Mike and Anita Pavey tour the SA coast easing into their year long journey.

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Bright Spark

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Getting Dirty

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Cameras Corner

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NEXT EDITION

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Desert GEM

ARB’s New TOY!

Michael Browings Simpson Shot

A towing guide by Robert Pepper

The Topaz Series 2 is released!

Questions and feedback: Track Trailer 403 Dorset Road Bayswater 3153 Ph: +61 3 87276100 Email: sales@tracktrailer.com.au

Allor Nothing!

Sixteen Tvans, old and new, tackle the dunes of the Simpson Desert.

WORDS MIKE PAVEY; PICS ANITA PAVEY, LUCIE PAUS AND ANDREW BOWE

FAST FACTS A short, two-part movie of the trip can be viewed at www.youtube.com by searching ‘Track Trailer Forum Simpson Desert crossing’.

Track Trailer Forum, http://au.groups.yahoo. com/group/Track_Campertrailers.

Map, VMS iTOPO Zone53 Central.

Desert Parks Pass, $110, 1800 816 078.

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Track Touring / AUG 2013

Participants celebrating their Simpson adventure. www.tracktrailer.com.au

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F

or many, the Tvan has long been held as the ultimate offroad camper trailer, with its military grade suspension and clever pod design. Keen to see how it would fare in the remote and rugged desert environment, we invited 18 families from the Track Trailer forum to tackle Australia’s most iconic desert – the Simpson.

The plan was to cross from west to east, starting at Dalhousie Springs and travelling along the French Line, Rig Road, Knolls Track, K1 Line, QAA Line and finally over Big Red to Birdsville. The Rig Road is widely regarded as the best option for trailers, with the remains of the clay-topped track providing better traction to propel a trailer over the sandy crests.

To aid in passage, the group was split into three teams of six vehicles, with each team departing on a staggered basis. Keeping in regular contact, each team carried a UHF radio and sat phone, with a Spot satellite tracker for the group as a backup, in the unlikely event of an emergency. To assist in recoveries, at least two pairs of Maxtrax were carried by each team, supported by quality ARB recovery straps for each vehicle.

The first day was easy going, loping across the gibber plains towards Dalhousie Springs for a dip in the hot baths. Beyond Dalhousie, the Spring Creek Delta Track eventually gives way to the floodplain, with diversion tracks to keep on firm ground. Pass a few small red dunes and you’re soon rolling into Purni Bore, sunk into the Artesian Basin. The surface water temperature is 80°C, pumped to a shower on the hill. The bore is surrounded by wetlands supporting animals and birdlife which come to drink, mainly in the morning and afternoon.

Day two saw the convoy heading towards the Rig Road over sand dunes averaging 15m in height, targeting Lake Griselda (120km).

Two years of high rainfall was clearly evident, with big ravines running parallel and across the track in many locations. Wiry cane grass encroached upon the track along with other shrubbery. We camped that night between two large dunes, lighting the communal campfire on a dry salt lake.

Lindsay Junction on the French Line was the destination for day three (148km), but it proved to be more difficult than expected with the Knolls Track significantly overgrown, causing distress for some of the newer vehicles, unaccustomed to pinstripe country.

Only two teams made it to Lindsay Junction for the overnight camp, with the last team bedding down between the gypsum outcrops of Approdinna Attora Knolls and the WAA Line.

In order to regroup, a target of Lake Poeppel was set for day four (39km) following the French Line. It proved to be a bit of a handful with soft, steep dunes, some with false crests. Imagine backing off as you crest a dune only to see another short steep, soft climb. The recovery gear copped a workout on this leg with the Maxtrax proving itself as the ultimate sand driving accessory. After a few lengthy recoveries, the team quickly adopted a best practice approach.

Following an unsuccessful attempt, the vehicle would reverse back down, with a pair of Maxtrax placed where the vehicle had been bogged. Other team members would fill in any scallops or holes in the approach to aid momentum. On some of the really tough dunes, the process involved multiple pairs of Maxtrax and use of ARB recovery straps. For some participants, this proved to be a stressful day.

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Track Touring / AUG 2013

“We camped that night between two large dunes, lighting the communal campfire on a dry salt lake”

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The fun factor returned on day five (93kms) along the QAA Line, with the dunes spaced much further apart. Many of the climbs were elongated and chopped up, resulting in a rough ride to the top. Still, the teams fared well, with the general consensus that low range provided better control in the conditions. That night, we camped together on a swale 27km before the vermin fence.

Overnight, the temperature was bitterly cold, dropping to -4.5°C, an example of the desert’s temperature extremes.

Day six brought another high with the crossing of the fast flowing Eyre Creek. A diversion track found its way through private property to the wetlands around Eyre Creek, teaming with waterbirds and plenty of greenery. Braving the current, two volunteers walked the stone base of the deeper southern crossing checking for holes and large rocks, flagging the best path across.

With water blinds attached and ARB recovery straps at the ready, each vehicle and trailer tackled the creek; the only evidence of our crossing, a pool of red dirt washed downstream.

With another major obstacle surpassed, we were left with Big Red, the biggest dune in the Simpson, to close out the trip on our final day. One of the solo vehicles led the charge and before long our convoy of Tvans sat proudly on top of Big Red. Rolling into Birdsville there were big grins all round as the Tvans circled the pub for the obligatory photo shoot. With the group scrubbed up in our best camping glad rags, we gathered at the Pub that evening to relive the highlights of the past week — the pristine salt lakes, the Eyre Creek wetlands, Big Red and the 1140 or so sand dunes.

It was an amazing experience to see the Simpson in all its glory, only made better by the group of people we shared it with.

Thanks to Track Trailer, ARB Camper Trailer Australia, Maxtrax, Mt Dare Hotel, all the group leaders, tail end charlies and participants.

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Track Touring / AUG 2013

NEWS Track Trailer has developed a bolt on front boot assembly for Tvan MkII owners.

MK11 Tvan owners can now upgrade their Tvan’s with the new “fridge storage boot”. This boot is designed to take a variety of fridges and simply slides out alongside your kitchen for easy access. This dust sealed compartment allows the fridge to breathe utilizing heavy duty 4wd air filters.

This boot also has a custom drawbar frame that allows you to carry 1x spare wheel, 1x gas 4kg bottle (upgradable to 2x 4kg bottles), room for 2x Jerry cans and 1x 105AH battery (upgradeable to 2x 105AH’s). This front boot allows you to increase fridge storage capacity between the van and car which is especially good for families, or long trips off road.

CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS Next Edition

thinking 2nd hand?

The Track Trailer Website now features classifieds!

We have some great news! You can now see a variety of 2nd hand Track Trailer products directly on our website! By providing one place to see all the second hand Track Trailer products (that we know about) we are hoping to save you time and effort.

Also don’t forget at any point in time more than 90% of components are upgradable, so you can always pick up a second hand van and turn it into your desired tourer.

Check it out here: http://tracktrailer.com.au/category/ classifieds/

Service specials: If you’re currently making plans to take your Track Trailer away before or over the Christmas break, now’s the time to book it in for a service! t t t

Avoid the queue from the holiday rush.

Ensure you’re ready to tour.

And take advantage of our fantastic deals!

Book your van in for a standard bearing service this month and you’re eligible to choose one of our Christmas gifts for free!

Click here to learn more!

TOUR MATE GETS SOME NEW TOYS!

*only avaliable from Track Trailer in Victoria. www.tracktrailer.com.au

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Tvan

Across the

Americas Š Ron & Viv Moon 2012

‘USHUAIA - THE END OF THE WORLD’.

Two continents, 17 countries, 16 months and 70,000km; Ron and Viv Moon relive their odyssey across South and North America.

O

ur final days spent in the America’s, before loading our trusty Patrol and T-van into a container for shipping back to Australia, was spent in the deserts of Nevada, Utah and Arizona. They were a far cry from the wind swept slopes of Patagonia, the jungles of Central America or the vast sweep of tundra leading to the Arctic Ocean in Alaska. But they were all part of our last overseas adventure that has seen us drive around the world.

In 2007 we spent 10 months and drove across Africa from its southern most tip to its northern most point, followed the next year by a nine month journey which took us the length of Norway to North Cape (the northern most point of Europe) and then across Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia to the Pacific port of Vladivostok.

Our journey through the America’s started in January 2011 when we shipped into Chile. Apart from the ship being three days late our planning went fine, but as soon as we could we headed south to the Lakes District, which is probably more like Switzerland than any other place in the world.

Our route swung east into Argentina meeting with the famous Ruta 40 and further south, entering Patagonia ... that seemingly ephemeral region that stretches across Chile and Argentina. We struck west meeting with the Carretera Austral, Chile’s famous road that slices south through the Andes, the occasional gap in the road network, over still impossible sections of country, bypassed by ferries or a quick detour through Argentina.

AREGENTINA D E H T G IN S S O N CR R ON THE ISLA CHILE BORDE OF TIERRA.

Near the tourist beat of El Calafate we took in the wonders of the Moreno Glacier - one of the dozen or so glaciers in the world still advancing. Adding to the experience, that night we had a great bush camp all to ourselves in the Los Glaciares Nacional Parque; the view when the clouds cleared, stretching across a lake to the high peaks of the Andes.

The highlight though for us in many ways was our travels across Tierra del Fuego, the mystical ‘Land of Fire’ named by Magellan on discovering the straits in 1520. In places you are amongst rolling, stream-cut plains that are reminiscent of the Victorian High Plains or the Snowy Mountains.

On the Chile side of the island there are some top places to camp and enjoy but time was against us to dilly dally too long and we had to push onto Ushuaia and the road’s end, or as the sign read, ‘Ushuaia - The End of the world’.

From here it was north along the east coast of Argentina (boring) and into south-western Brazil and the incredible Iguazu Falls that straddle the Argentina/Brazil border. With wet season rains flooding the Amazon basin and the vast Pantanal

PAN AMERCIAN HIGHWAY THRU ATACAMA DESERT, NORTHERN CHILE

Swamp our plans were completely disrupted as we drove through long sections of water and came to washed away bridges. After a detour through the flat lands of Paraguay and the vast untamed Chaco we headed for Bolivia.

We were left breathless by this country - not only because of the altitude (up to over 5500 metres) but also the incredible scenery and its every changing vistas. We camped on the edge of the greatest salt lake on earth, the Salar de Uyuni, which at 4000m lies in the heart of a cold desert and is surrounded by high snow capped volcanoes.

Even in summer the temperature plummeted to below -15°C at night!

Once we were sick of the Bolivia’s high country (or tired of trying to breath) we headed to the jungle and the headwaters of the mighty Amazon, via the infamous Death Road. Today the worse section of this road has been by-passed so it no longer carries the trucks, buses and heavy traffic that once, just a couple of years ago, made it so deadly.

SOUVINEER SELLER AT COPOCABANA, LAKE TITICACA, BOLIVIA

Back in the high country our crossing of the border into Peru was disrupted by a road blockade and a closed border, which meant a 1700km detour back down the Andes (we crossed the Andes nine times all up) into northern Chile, north through the border into Peru and then back up into the Andes to Lake Titicaca, less than a 100km from where we had been in Bolivia. Flexible - is what you really need to be for overland travel!

FIRST VIEW OF THE SEA FROM THE CREST OF THE SIERRA DE SAN

With the great temple of Machu Picchu behind us we headed to Ecuador and took two weeks off from behind the wheel and headed for the fabulous Galapagos Islands. Back on the mainland we crossed the border into Columbia and enjoyed every day of it, reaching the northern most point of the continent near the Venezuela border.

From the historic city of Cartagena (we thought it the best city in South America) we shipped our vehicles to Panama around the no-road, guerrilla filled Darien Gap then headed north through Central America. In what was a blur of border crossings, money changes and verdant jungle, we visited ancient Mayan ruins, enjoyed mountain lakes and strolled along sandy cays in the Caribbean.

We crossed into Mexico and officially into North America from the tiny, poor and crime riddled country of Belize. Bypassing Mexico City we cruised along the Pacific coast before grabbing a ferry to the Baja Peninsula as soon as we could.

To say we fell in love with Baja is an understatement. In all we spent nearly three weeks travelling this long tongue of land that is mainly desert, high mountains and sandy beaches surrounded by fish rich, clear waters. Think North-West Cape in WA, but make it 1600km long, and you’ll get the idea of what it is like.

Crossing into the USA was interesting with 24 lanes of traffic in what is the busiest land border in the world, but it was a cinch after our border crossings in Russia and Africa. Leaving our vehicle and camper in an RV park in Los Angeles we returned home for six months before restarting our overlanding adventures in April this year.

The US and Canada are easy and safe to travel in and there is some of the most spectacular country in the world to enjoy. We stuck to the western half of the continent taking in the magnificent Sierra Nevada’s and their giant Sequoia trees before heading to the desert lands of Utah and then through the Rocky Mountains to the Black Hills of Dakota - think Mt Rushmore, the Crazy Horse monument and Custer’s Last Stand for just a few of the attractions.

For a few weeks we wandered across Montana and Wyoming - Yellowstone and Glacier national parks being highlights - before crossing into Canada and heading up the eastern edge of the Canadian Rockies into the more remote country of the Yukon and North West Territories.

At the historic gold mining town of Dawson City, centre of the unbelievably rich Klondike gold rush, we headed north on the remote and gravel topped Dempster Highway, leaving most of the RVs and motorhomes behind to cross mountains, tundra and the Arctic Circle to the isolated town of Inuvik.

Once we were in Alaska we did the same on the Dalton Highway and got to the Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay - the northern most point you can reach in the America’s by vehicle.

“The US and Canada are in and there is some of country in the w

But our time in Alaska wasn’t over and we spent eight weeks watching bears at Brooks Lodge, catching halibut off Homer, visiting Sitka, the ancient Russian capital of Alaska by ferry from historic Skagway, viewing whales and sea otters in the Kenai National Park, walking and rafting in Denali National Park and finding remote roads that took us into old mining sites and delightful rivers to camp on.

From Alaska we took a ferry south through the Inside Passage (much better than any cruise ship) to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island before rolling south along the coast through the great redwoods of northern California, to our time in the desert country of Nevada and Arizona.

WE TRIED OUR HAND AT FISHING OCCASIONALLY

easy and safe to travel f the most spectacular world to enjoy.”

WATCHING GRIZZLY BEARS AT BROOKS FALLS WAS A HIGHLIGHT AS GOOD AS THE CAMPING GETS IN DEATH VALLEY USA

YOUNG KID ON WAY TO MARKET WITH BAGS OF PALM NUTS, BOLIVIA.

FRUIT SELLER IN WALLED CITY OF CARTAGENA, COLUMBIA

It has been one hell of a trip ... and one we’d do again in a heart beat!

E DEVIL’S RON & VIV AT THU FALL THROAT - IGUAZ

To find out more or to plan your own overseas odyssey check out Ron and Viv’s website,

www.guidebooks.com.au and follow the links to their travels.

BRIGHT Spark So, you want wow factor to impress everyone,

but You also need practical and usable auxilliary lights? -

Read on!

We’ve all seen the magazine comparisons and the boldly advertised performance characteristics of the big brands in driving lights, all wanting to impress everyone with how powerful and long ranging their beams are and how many candelas they produce. This might impress the boys down the pub, but really long bright beams are not all that practical.

At ARB, we are our own harshest critics. Because we are all enthusiasts to start with, we want to produce the products that we ourselves want to use. We want lights that give great optical performance that are durable enough to last in extreme climates and also survive the constant vibrations from our corrugated roads. We want lights that help us see better at night and give us the best chance of catching sight of that approaching kangaroo.

High Intensity Discharge (HID) alternatives to halogen lights have been available for many years, and as the technology is more widely adopted, the price of it has reduced. HID offers some performance improvements over halogen, of course, but it’s really just a new light source for the traditional style of

lamp and reflector design, and as such it has limitations and disadvantages especially for road use. Glare from roadside objects and signs is particularly bad with HID, and unless you also have upgraded low beams to match the performance of the driving lights, dipping back to low beam can be like turning all the lights off momentarily. We see people upgrading to even higher wattage HID and wonder why.

Light technology is changing, but keeping up for the sake of it is not ARB’s style—using new technology to solve old problems is what we love to do.

Enter LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology. Unlike halogen, which is electricity heating a wire filament inside a quartz tube filled with halogen gas, and HID, which replaces the filament with an arc struck inside Zenon Gas, LED technology generates photons from the movement of electrons inside a semiconductor. There is much less heat involved in the generation of these photons, and therefore the life expectancy and efficiency is massively increased.

There is heat generation in the LED process, however it emanates from the circuitry required to drive the electronics behind the LEDs, not the light sources themselves.

It was early in 2002 when ARB first saw the new generation of high performance LEDs. Several companies in the USA started using these light sources in a horizontal array that are now known as 18

Track Touring / AUG 2013

LED light bars. Great for off road racers and rock crawlers, these light bars are expensive and not easy to mount, and single units are illegal in most Australian states. Typically, these lights are flood style beams and put a lot of light out but with a relatively short range.

In 2009, ARB began a program to develop, from scratch, a range of lights that featured this cutting edge technology. The brief was an LED driving light that integrated well with other products.

We wanted to create a pair of round LED driving lights that fit seamlessly with ARB’s range of bull bars and other applications.

We also wanted to offer the choice of beam style, because someone who drives long distances on highways does need a different beam pattern compared to an off roader who spends time in the high country.

Developing the range When the engineering program first launched, there were no round LED driving lights on the market, and so two years were spent developing the light body alone. This involved a number of design challenges, including how to best fit square optics into a round light, attaining the maximum possible number of LEDs (thus ensuring maximum lumen output), and obtaining an optimum weight and aesthetic look of the end product.

Weight in particular presented a challenge. Initially 4kg, the body needed to be reduced in weight to address issues regarding vibration, fatigue and a viable mounting bracket. By reducing surface areas and the amount of aluminium without adversely affecting the light’s robustness, the engineers succeeded in reducing the light’s weight by 25%.

Another important aspect of the design was ensuring the lights were truly waterproof. Instead of relying on a standard, off the shelf O-ring, ARB’s engineers designed a fully moulded rubber seal specific to the new ARB range. Not only was it stronger and a better fit, the rubber seal helped ensure the lights could be safely submerged to three metres, regardless of whether the lights are on or off at the time.

Military specification testing on a shaker table was undertaken in a Melbourne laboratory to ensure the lights could withstand extended periods of heavy corrugations and extreme conditions. The military spec testing also assessed potential mounting bracket failure and fatiguing in an ARB bull bar’s centre pan, where the lights would be fitted. The lights, mounting bracket and bull bar all passed without signs of wear and outlasted the industry benchmark, the IPF 900 Series.

Countless engineering CADs and six physical prototypes were produced during the development stage, including a prototype machined from a solid billet of aluminium. The prototypes have since travelled around Australia, performing flawlessly in extreme conditions at locations including the Flinders Ranges and Barrington Tops in NSW.

Intensity LED Driving Lights by ARB All this effort, knowledge and know-how has resulted in the release of the new ARB Intensity range of LED driving lights.

Available as a spot or flood light, the Intensity LED driving range is engineered to deliver outstanding performance in all conditions.

32 LEDs with a 50,000+ hour lifespan produce a white light that is the closest possible colour to sunlight, ensuring the Intensity light reduces eye strain and driver fatigue. Unlike high intensity discharge (HID) lights, the LED range does not require time to warm up, and performs brilliantly on

corrugated roads by producing a broad field of light that helps diffuse visible vibration.

When you turn these puppies on for the first time, you will not be disappointed!

The Intensity lights feature an extremely strong, high pressure cast aluminium body with a virtually indestructible polycarbonate lens.

A hard coated, clear polycarbonate cover adds further protection and a classy look to the light.

www.tracktrailer.com.au

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The lights are dust and waterproof to IP68 rating and incorporate a goretex breather, waterproof Deutsch connectors and a custom moulded rubber seal for 100% waterproof sealing.

RoHS compliant, meaning the Intensity lights meet stringent restrictions for dangerous chemicals such as lead, cadmium and mercury, the ARB lights are also military spec vibration certified and protected against radio frequency (RFI) and electromagnetic (EMC) interference.

The light incorporates an ARB engineered heatsink with 15 fins to help prevent heat damage to the LEDs and surrounding components. The heatsink also ensures the LED circuits run cooler and produce an optimum light output while also extending the light’s longevity. Also incorporated into the design is integrated thermal management and over and under voltage protection.

Instead of a plastic moulded mount often found on other brands of driving lights, the Intensity LED includes a patented, multi-position stainless steel mounting bracket. Also vibration certified to military specifications, the mounting bracket features a big footprint, versatile horizontal and vertical positioning, and has a clean TIG weld for added strength.

Vastly more efficient than traditional halogen lamps, the Intensity range features a patented circuitry, optics and reflector array design. Utilising the latest technology, this design results in an impressive 94% efficiency for a very bright, consistent light that requires even less power.

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Track Touring / AUG 2013

Finished with the UV resistant, two-pack automotive paint, the ARB Intensity LED driving light range is made under stringent quality controls in the US.

The range will be available late 2012.

Cameras Corner SIMPSON DESERT Camera Make: Model: Shutter Speed: F-Stop: ISO: Focal Length: Lens: Copyright:

NIKON D300 1/500 sec f/9 400 105.0 mm 24.0-120.0 mm f/4.0 Michael Browning

www.tracktrailer.com.au

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Desert G The Topaz Series 2 has been released!

We look at what’s new!

re-born 22

Track Touring / AUG 2013

EM

www.tracktrailer.com.au

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More Internal space & large opening windows Under body Spare wheel

dO-35 V2 Coupling & solid swing jockey wheel

24 Track Touring / June, 2012

Watch Pat’s Review:

Integrated front boot with more storage

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FAST FACTS: Travel Specifications in mm: Over all travel mode Overall width Height unladen Interior setup height Interior length Wheel track Departure angle Suspension travel

6150 1938 2450 2070 4300 1650 Ă› 230

Weights in kg’s: Tare Mass Load Capacity Ball weight ATM

1670 530 88.5 2200

Lifestyle Specifications: Water tank (s) Jerry can storage Hot water service Total wet storage capacity Filler & pump (s)

Solar panel kit Waeco 12/240v fridge/ freezer 4 Burner cooktop & grille External BBQ

26 Track Touring / June, 2012

2x 70 = 140L 4x 20 = 80L 14L / Gas-Elec 234L 2xFiller, 1x hand pump and external shower 120W 80L Gas Gas

Sleek new areodynamic design

Mechanical roll out awning

IPOD PLUG N PLAY

LEARN MORE Visit our website & request a Brochure

10 highlight colour options to choose from. Make your Topaz match your 4WD or personality!

Ensuite with hot Water

www.tracktrailer.com.au

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NO LIMITS Track TTrailer’s Track railer s TTvan van CCanning anning iiss a ppocket ocket rrocket ocket w with ith tthe he llot. lot ot.

Words Carlisle Rogers Pics Carlisle Rogers and Ryan Heywood

W

here and how one sleeps while travelling can ultimately define the nature of the entire journey. Think about it: what would the jolly swagman be without his swag? The jolly man doesn’t quite have the same feeling. And those caravanners you’re always stuck behind on winding country highways for what seems like weeks at a time? You’d still be stuck behind them, but you wouldn’t know their names and UHF channel of choice.

Even within the cloistered and esoteric walls of the camper trailer fraternity, what you pull says a lot about who you

are. The soft floor guys normally have a couple of kids in the back seat. The hard floor crowd has money but less time, so ease of use is everything.

Just having a camper trailer implies you like a bit of adventure in your life, but when you see a Tvan emerging from a track onto the bitumen somewhere up north, bulldust swirling around its shape, like something from the naïve optimism of the pre-space-age 1960s, even the most hardened traveller gets a little pang of jealousy. The Tvan can go anywhere, and we imagine it has. The sad fact is, it probably has. Towing any Track Trailer product says that you’re a real man – an adventurer at heart.

Left: Heaps of storage at the foot of the bed, with overhead nets for smaller items.

Below: The Canning, fully set up for a ‘longer’ stay still only takes about six minutes to set up.

Opposite top: The clean lines of the Tvan aren’t just about looking pretty.

The hard floor is elegantly designed to transfer its weight smoothly all the way down, and the rear door is absolutely dust proof.

Opposite bottom: All of the Canning’s electronics are in one place, with straight to shore 240V and controls and metering for the 12V system.

There isn’t anything on the market quite like the Tvan. Its peculiar blend of function over form, led from an entirely different angle, that takes a bit of getting used to. But once you do, you understand how beautifully Track Trailer has amalgamated many of the disparate strengths of so many other types of accommodation into this small package.

A lot of campers have the capacity for quick overnight stops, but the Tvan can actually accommodate quick afternoon naps. There are three ‘sleeping modes’: open the door and close it, the quickest; open the door and put the mozzie screen up; and open the door and drop the tent down, which gives you in essence a hard floor camper setup.

The kitchen on the Canning is ample

for 90 per cent of cooking jobs. Most people combine cooking on the fire or in a camp oven when they go out, so the guys at Track Trailer have utilised

While it looks diminutive, the storage capacity of the Tvan rivals most soft floor campers the Tvan’s rare and valuable space for storage. While it looks diminutive, the storage capacity of the Tvan rivals most soft floor campers. I know: I’ve emptied

everything from a soft floor into the Tvan before mid-trip and it all fits.

Inside the Canning, the finish is clean and professional. There are four lights, all individually switched or controlled from a panel by the door.

With buttons for everything and a smart digital meter for the 12V system, you can see at a glance what’s going on and also that someone cares about their job at Track Trailer. A 105Ah battery is fitted beneath the floor, with provision for a second. A 70L water tank is also fitted below the camper, with 12V supply to the kitchen sink and a backup hand pump on the side of the camper – good for quick wash-ups.

Funny to leave it until the end, but

the heart of the Tvan isn’t its good looks or ease of use – it is the MC2 suspension. Developed for the military, this asymmetric link suspension is as tough as it is smooth. Its self-correcting geometry allows a huge degree of controlled wheel travel while maintaining a butter-smooth ride.

Completing the go-anywhere construction of the Canning is the Vehicle Components coupling at the front of a hot-dipped galvanised

chassis. These ADR-compliant offroad couplings are designed to take any abuse, and with a rated capacity of 3.5 tonnes, you could conceivably snatch your vehicle out of a bog via the trailer (although this should not be construed as a good idea).

From tip to tail, the Canning is one of the all time best touring campers ever invented. It isn’t for everyone, but for couples on the move, it offers a unique way to see every inch of Australia.

QUICK SPECS Tare: 970kg ATM: 1500kg Suspension: MC2 Asymmetric link Base price: $47,600 Battery capacity: 105Ah www.tracktrailer.com.au

Left: The breakfast bar in the Tvan’s tent and the quick set up (you only need to move two poles) are just two examples of the little things that make the TVan so endearing to so many people.

Below: The MC2 suspension is completely unique in the camper trailer world, and it keeps your trailer on two wheels no matter where you take it.

LIVING THE DREAM Issue 4, November 2012

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House Beach

BUSH camping

Words & photos: Emma George

34 Track Touring / June, 2012

“The pristine white sand squeaks beneath our feet, the beach resembles something from a five star resort brochure.�

www.tracktrailer.com.au

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I

t’s the middle of Easter holidays and we have this free bush campsite to ourselves, complete with drop-toilet and private beach just metres away.

Camping during school holidays can be a risky prospect but we were rewarded on our first visit to House Beach with a campsite that rates as one of our all-time best. The beach is a good hour’s drive from Bremer Bay, a small coastal town in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. At around 515km from Perth it is a great spot to visit.

With no other adventurers to be seen, we had a difficult choice. Do we set up on the grassy bank with uninterrupted ocean views or settle amongst the shady peppermint trees in case the inclement weather forecasted came our way?

Travelling with three young boys, Austin, 6 years, Cooper, 3 years and Bailey, 1 year, we decided to pass on the grassy penthouse site and settle for ocean glimpses. As we searched for our head torches, I made a mental note, try to arrive at camp before 5pm as setting up with three hungry kids in the dark with a few mozzies has its challenges.

Luckily our TVan is easy to access and I was cooking on the stove within minutes as my husband, Ashley, set to work on the ‘full setup’ which includes a kid’s tent and annex. The camper suits us as we prefer to stay off the beaten track and we need a van which handles rough roads and maintains the same wheel track as our car. The scratches on our Patrol and van are testimony that we love to explore and the TVan is capable of going anywhere the car can.

We only had one child when we bought our TVan but now we have three boys and space is at a premium. As our older two boys love their freedom, they now sleep in their ‘fun tent’ (an OZtent set alongside our van) and can drag as much sand and dirt in there as they like while Bailey sleeps in his portacot with us in the van. I am really looking forward to ditching the portacot, high chair, pram, baby backpack and nappies but we have at least another year before we can streamline to the essentials.

Getting into House Beach is not too demanding but judging by the wheel ruts on Gordon Inlet Road, it could become a lot more challenging when wet. Although the sandy roads were fairly firm, there were some soft patches so we let our car and camper tyres down to 18 psi to decrease track damage, avoid getting stuck and make for easier towing.

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Track Touring / AUG 2013

Exploring around Whalebone Beach, Corner Cove and Doubtful Islands is well worth doing as we enjoyed discovering countless quiet bays, beaches and fishing shacks, some of which were private and others used by the commercial salmon fishermen when the season is open.

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A stone-walled well built by explorer Matthew Flinders in 1802 can be found at the northern end of Whalebone Beach. Flinders was the first European to visit the area and he charted the beaches and cliffs as he sailed. By the 1820s, Bremer Bay and its surrounding bays became popular amongst sealers and whalers who hunted in the Southern Ocean.

The wildlife, flora and fauna were definitely a highlight of our four day stay. An inquisitive seal made several appearances as did a pod of dolphins, thousands of terns on the rocky point near camp and kangaroos dined on the penthouse’s green grass. The kids were fascinated by numerous creepy-crawlies including an intriguing caterpillar train, spiders, bull ants and an unwelcome dugite (a member of the brown snake family only found in south west WA) which was a reminder that you always need to be vigilant when in the bush.

If you are a keen snorkeler, pack your mask and fins as Bremer Bay and its surrounds are famous for weedy and leafy sea dragons which can be found among the kelp covered rocks in tidal inshore areas. Despite their colourful appendages, sea dragons camouflage very well and are a challenge to spot so look for ‘suspended’ weed floating in the water.

Whalebone Beach is a fitting name for this stretch of coast as we found several whale bones scattered along the sand and waterline.

During the winter months from June to end of October, southern right whales calve in the sheltered bays and can be seen frolicking in the waters.

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Track Touring / AUG 2013

Although there are many reasons to return to this beautiful and isolated stretch of coastline, I can’t wait to come back during winter and hopefully see calves suckle from their mothers and apparently if you are lucky, the whales come so close to shore you can actually hear them singing and communicating with each other.

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39

Southern

comfort Mike and Anita Pavey tour the SA coast easing into their year long journey.

I

t’s a beautiful morning in the Barossa Valley as we wake to experience another incredible sunrise. As the sun pops over the horizon, the sky is clear, the birds are chirping and not another soul is stirring. Perfect!

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Innes National Park After a quick squirt around Kaiser Stuhl Conservation Park, it was onward towards the Innes National Park on the Yorke Peninsula. The park is about 300km from Adelaide and boasts some of the best beaches with views to Kangaroo Island.

We camped at the Stenhouse Bay bush camp, set back from the water. We got caught in winds during our stay and had to lock down the awnings, despite the shelter.

A walk along the jetty brightened our spirits, however, as keen anglers tested their luck in the protected waters.

We followed the Inneston Historic Walk exploring the rail cart ruins at the jetty and remnants of a former gypsum mine.

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Pondalowie Bay is closer to the tip of the peninsula and provides the largest camping ground, sheltered

from the wind and exuding a lovely ambience. The showers were recently removed, but the long drop toilets and barbecue areas remain.

Cable Bay is another camping ground that’s worth a look, with a number of sites suitable for camper trailers. Or for something without facilities, check out the free camp on the cliff tops near the Corny Point Lighthouse. The clearings are exposed to the winds off the Spencer Gulf, but the ocean views are breath taking.

There are so many walks to help you take in the beauty of this seaside national park, including one to the remains of the Ethel shipwreck, and others with views from the park’s three lighthouses.

After four weeks on the road, our holiday routine is set.

Get up at sunrise, slap on the sun cream and get out there and enjoy it. Work is a distant memory and each day brings a real sense of freedom and adventure. Ahh! While not exactly falling in line with our coastal theme, the Barossa has enough going for it to serve as a worthy kick-off point for our trip. At only an hour from Adelaide, the Barossa is Australia’s oldest wine region, with wine history dating back to 1842 from the hamlet of Bethany, where a small European settlement planted the first vines. Much has transpired since those early wine making days, with the Barossa now Australia’s best known wine region, recognised world wide.

The general plan is to visit a few cellar doors and experience some of the unique Barossan rural produce, from the German inspired mega pretzels, to delights on offer at the weekly farmers market and at Maggie Beer’s Farm shop. It would make sense to try a few different wineries each time we visit, but we always seem to go back to the same ones, Chateau Tanunda, one of our favourites, boasting impressive architecture, manicured croquet lawns and impressive Barossa Shiraz.

Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop is another regular haunt. Almost everything is on taste here ranging from mouth watering pates, terrines, preserves, sauces and wine. Most of these goodies are available in the online shop or selected items such as the pheasant farm pate or quince paste are available from many supermarkets. Rather than running a restaurant as in previous years, Maggie now offers allday picnic style fare – baskets chocked with wood-fired bread, olives, cheese and quince paste, pates, terrines and salad – each with a choice of local wine or bubbly to complement the flavours. These can be enjoyed on the deck overlooking the lake. The ice-creams are nothing short of sensational – burnt fig, caramel and honeycomb;

quince and bitter almond; vanilla bean and elderflower; or dark chocolate and orange. Yum! Our day of departure coincided with the weekly farmers market, where we picked up some fresh strawberries, apples, pastries and smoked fish. Plenty of other speciality food was on offer including coffee, honey, meat, baked goods and other delicacies.

After a few days of indulgence we put our Malvern Star mountain bikes to the test in the Kaiser Stuhl Conservation Park before relaxing at the Innes National Park and at a few other coastal villages. It was the Mount Remarkable National Park in the Southern Flinders Ranges, however, that set our pulses racing. Like the Flinders Ranges National Park further north, the park is mesmerising, with impressive gorges dotted with magnificent river red gums along the creeks and just an amazing natural aura. The big plus is flushing loos and hot showers. The wildlife was on display with a posse of goannas meandering around the camp, a mob of emus that wandered within 10m of the Topaz and plenty of ’roos.

Of particular note is the spectacular Alligator Gorge, accessed from Wilmington, although the bitumen access road was seriously steep and wet on the day. Other entertaining drives in the region are the Port Germein and Horrocks Pass Roads, each sweeping through the southern ranges.

“A posse of goannas meandered around the camp and a mob of emus wandered within 10m of the Topaz”

Next in line, a quick visit to our cousin’s farm within the little farming hamlet of Black Rock, near Orroroo. Our last visit was in 2008, so it was fantastic to see how much the kids had grown up over the last three years. Their dad, Will, was helping out a mate with some shearing, so we scooted over to see the boys in action. What a sight, with the sheep dog in full flight, jumping over the fences in the stockyard, rounding up the sheep and jumping on their backs to get them into line.

Back on the road, the Coffin Bay National Park at the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula is another favourite with its perfect bush camps, challenging soft sand, big white sand dunes, and idyllic beaches. Did I mention the Coffin Bay pacific oysters and fresh king George whiting? Although we had planned to lap it up again for a few days at the Black Springs camp, reluctantly we pushed on, a need to hit Broome by early May a prerequisite. So we skipped across the Eyre Highway, taking a quick diversion north of Minnipa to visit Pildappa Rock, a huge granite rock with wave like walls.

Further west, after a week of rain, our plans to stay in the Nullarbor National Park and visit the caves and a number of ruins, were literally washed away. So we turned to Plan B and camped in one of the many free camps on the Australian Bight just before the border. A veggie cook-up ensued to clear our larder prior to the quarantine pit-stop the next morning.

By all accounts the Nullarbor was very interesting.

I was expecting dusty, open desert plains but the reality was significantly different, ranging from knee-high vegetation, mallee scrublands, grasslands or a mixture of the three – plenty of greenery. There were a number of themed trees along the route with socks, thongs, ties, bras, undies, or toys cast over them.

With our quarantine inspection complete at the SA-WA border, we stopped into the Bureau of Meteorology in Eucla, where bureau employee Michael, showed us around the facility. Each morning at 7.15am a weather balloon is released into the atmosphere, recording temperature and humidity levels at various heights. The weather balloon consists of a rubber balloon which expands to 4m in diameter, a plastic parachute, 44

Track Touring / AUG 2013

GPS, battery, and transmitter. The apparatus must withstand temperatures in excess of -63ÂşC. Back on ground, equipment measures temperature and wind speed. When you think that there are over 50 weather stations throughout the country, each sending up a balloon each day, the Bureau contributes their fair share of litter, with some blowing out to sea and the rest falling to the ground. For the remainder of the trip, we will be on the lookout for discarded weather balloons.

With our SA touring leg officially at an end, we are about to step off onto some challenging back roads and rarely travelled coastal tracks on the WA south coast, continuing our journey west. To catch up with how we fared and the rest of our south coast adventure, keep an eye out for our update in next month’s magazine.

Getting

y t r i D

Words and Photographs by Robert Pepper

T

he sort of terrain we’re dealing with here is anything that you would normally at least consider driving using low range, so more difficult than just a dirt road. The difficulty factor means before attempting offroad towing you need to be very comfortable driving your 4WD without a trailer in all sorts of offroad conditions, and skilled at the art of trailer manoeuvring. If you can’t bend a trailer to your will onroad then you’ll find the difficulty magnified by mud, ruts, camber and rather unyielding trees.

Like any form of driving the key to success is preparation. That starts with understanding the forces involved in a vehicle/trailer (“rig”) which translate into driving techniques.

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Track Touring / AUG 2013

Trailer dynamics Diagram 1 (not to scale) shows the centre of gravity (CoG) of the trailer at Point C, which is ahead of the axle. This means the trailer exerts a downward force on the towball (Point T), known as the TBM or Tow Ball Mass. The size of the towball mass and location of the

Diagram 1

centre of gravity relative to the rear axle are critical to trailer handling. Factors affecting both are the weight of the trailer, the distance from the trailer’s axle (Point A) to the CoG, and the distance from the CoG to the towball. On the towcar the two important measures are the overhang, the distance between the centre of the rear wheels and the towball, and

doesn’t make any sense, think about what would happen if the front wheels were removed and so much force was put on the towball the car balanced on the rear wheels only. Inertia has a lot to do with trailer handling - the trailer will resist any turning force, so the towcar must overcome inertia. The top rig in Diagram 2 has the towcar turning left, producing a turning force at point T. Because the trailer centre of gravity is ahead of the its axle the force is resisted by the moment (rotational force) between C and A. The greater the distance between C and A the bigger the moment and the more stable the trailer in a straight line, which is why moving the load forwards stabilises a trailer at speed albeit at the cost of manoeuvrability. As the distance between C and T is much greater than between C and A, less force is needed

Your camper trailer may spend most of its life on bitumen or dirt roads, but with the right techniques it can follow your 4WD pretty much anywhere. And even if you’re not planning to enter low-range territory, much of the roughterrain principles can be applied for less challenging roads.

Diagram 2

at T to overcome the moment of C and T, which is why a longer drawbar also means improved stability but again at the cost of manoeuvrability. A shorter overhang is better for stability as it means the trailer’s leverage to sway the front wheels is limited.

The second rig in Diagram 2 shows the centre of gravity a long way forwards.

This gives very good stability, but you can have too much of a good thing and you can get to a point being where the towcar has difficulty making the trailer deviate from its current trajectory, for example going around a corner. This configuration also places excessive downforce on the towball, and that reduces the grip of the front wheels.

The third rig in Diagram 2 has the centre of gravity very close to the trailer’s wheels. Now there is no problem with manoeuvrability – the trailer follows the towcar, but the rig is unstable.

the wheelbase, the distance between the towcar’s front and rear axles.

Balancing the TBM is a smaller, but corresponding upwards force on the front axle – the greater the overhang and shorter the wheelbase, the greater the upwards force on the rear wheels. A typical offroad camper trailer weighs between 700 and 1300kg when loaded, and should have a TBM of around 10% of the trailer’s mass, so 70-130kg.

Due to leverage, the force exerted on the towball is greater than the trailer’s drawbar weight. As an example, with an OH (overhang) of 1200mm, 130kg towball weight measured on the scales, and wheelbase of 2750mm means a weight increase of 187kg on the rear axle and a reduction in front axle weight of 57kg. If the concept of increasing weight on the rear axle beyond the TBM www.tracktrailer.com.au

47

The slightest of forces will move the trailer offline, for example a bump in the road or a wind gust, and there’s very little self-centring effect so the trailer is now prone to the every tower’s nightmare, the ever-increasing oscillations that is a trailer’s way.

The happy medium with trailers is to find a centre of gravity location that has sufficient stability without compromising manoeuvrability. In practice this is done by adjusting load distribution, mostly on the trailer, and then testing.

The forces come into play offroad, for example on sideslopes too, not terrain you find on bitumen. Diagram 3A and B shows the rig on a sideslope. Here the trailer is exerting a force trying to move the back wheels of the towcar down the slope, and thus pivot the front wheels up. This is because the centre of gravity is ahead of the axle, and that is why, on sideslopes, the rear tyres do a lot of work and it’s easy to have the back end slide downwards.

When you tackle a hill more directly up or down, trailers both help and hinder.

On a descent the trailer pushes the towcar forwards, unless the trailer is braked, and

the towball downforce is increased, which is a good thing as the gradient naturally shifts towcar weight to the front, so some weight is restored to the rear axle. When completing the descent (Diagram 4) the descending trailer can help push the towcar along the ground or up the next hill. Conversely, when ascending a hill the towball mass is reduced, but still adds to the natural increase of weight over the rear axle caused by the gradient, so expect to be lifting front wheels much more often on ascents with trailers, and to have Diagram 3a reduced steering control – particularly important if you’re also using cross-axle differential locks which by nature reduce your ability to steer, unlike traction control. The hill ascent doesn’t end until the trailer, not just the towcar is on the flat (Diagram 5).

Offroad trailer driving means the towcar has to work hard. The force required to move a 2500kg 4X4 on flat bitumen is around 3% of its mass, so only 75 kg, and a 1000kg trailer adds only 35kg or 40% more effort. However, that force rises dramatically with gradients, and whenever the trailer needs to be dragged over rocks, logs or anything other than the flat. As an example, on a 15 degree slope a 2500kg 4WD needs around 700kg of force to move off, but with the trailer that rises 40% to 980kg, the same sort Diagram 3b of force needed for the towcar alone to

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Track Touring / AUG 2013

Diagram 4 Diagram 5

overcome gravity on a 22 degree hill.

In short, the trailer may be easy to tow on a hard, relatively level, high-traction bitumen surface but once you move away from the easy terrain these forces start to make themselves felt. This is why you can’t tow a 3500kg trailer offroad but you can onroad.

Selecting a trailer Because driving a trailer exerts all sorts of mostly unwanted extra forces on the towcar, and those forces may be the difference between moving or not moving, the setup and choice of both towcar and trailer is critical. First off, the trailer must be strong enough for the job which means it must be especially designed for offroading. Standard trailers do not last long in low-range territory, and a good way to check the manufacturer’s faith in their product is to ask if there are any warranty restrictions based on where the trailer can be towed.

It is important that the trailer follows exactly in the towcar’s wheelmarks in a straight line so rolling resistance is minimised in soft ground, and it stays in the same ruts as the towcar which contributes to stability. This means the trailer’s track (distance between the centre of the tyres on an axle) must be very close to that of the towcar – within half a tyre width is a reasonable rule, as it is not

Here the trailer can be used to help lower the towcar down over the rock by adjusting the electric brake controller to increase the trailer’s brake sensitivity relative to the towcar. always possible to match tracks exactly.

Good offroad trailers permit you to change parameters such as the track, rim offset or stub axle length to line the trailer wheels up exactly with the towcar, although changing rim offset may mean you cannot swap trailer and towcar wheels, important as it is best practice to use exactly the same tyres and wheels on towcar and trailer so you have more spare tyre options.

The hitch absolutely must be an offroad coupling not a standard ball hitch, so the trailer can be at any angle relative to the

towcar, and if the trailer or towcar rolls it won’t necessarily take the other part of the rig with it.

Suspension is much overlooked on trailers but makes a big difference to towability. The more the trailer bounces around the greater the energy and traction required to tow it, and the more it destabilises the towcar which again has an effect on traction. The tougher the terrain, the more noticeable the effect.

The trailer should also follow the towcar exactly so as to minimise the corrective force the towcar needs to exert on the trailer.

Robustly-built independent suspension with excellent ground clearance, particularly in the centre. The shocks are behind the trailing arms for protection, and each wheel has camber, caster and toe settings to improve stability.

What’s important with suspension is the quality and the tuning, not just the overall design. That said, one of the best designs is independent coil suspension with shock absorbers – but it doesn’t follow that all indie/coil systems are automatically better than any other design. The advantages of coils for trailers are exactly the same as for vehicles; the coils compress and extend with virtually no built-in damping, so all the damping can be precisely controlled by the finely tuned shock absorbers which offer much finer control of suspension movement than leaf springs.

Independent suspension obviously permits one wheel to move independently of the other and that’s a bonus, even with a trailer that is a tripod and so nominally has both wheels on the ground at the same time. Another advantage of independent suspension is the excellent ground clearance, and for trailers this is important as the towcar may choose the best line for itself and sacrifice the trailer’s clearance.

Not all independent systems are designed equally well. One not so apparent advantage of independent trailer suspension is the ability to set the wheels up with camber, caster and toe,wheel alignment settings that help keep the trailer tracking behind the towcar. www.tracktrailer.com.au

49

A good offroad hitch permits 360 degrees of lateral rotation, and ninety up and down. It is also important that it is very easy to hook up as when offroad, lining things up is difficult.

Trailer tyres need to be just as tough and grippy as that of the towcar.

Live-axled (non-independent) trailers do not have this flexibility. In the case of some trailers such as the Tvan we used for testing, the wheel alignment principle has been developed further. When the trailer hits a bump on one wheel, say the left, that wheel will drag and cause the trailer towbar to move to the left, exerting an unwanted force on the towcar. The suspension also compresses on the left, and as it does so it “toes in” which means the wheel turns slightly inwards. If the wheel on the right is in extension it toes out. This has the combined effect of the trailer self-steering back into line and is known as passive wheel steering.

Offroad trailers must also have recovery points. Sooner or later you’ll need to pull it backwards, perhaps even with the towcar attached, so there must be at least one point to do that. Two on the end of the chassis rails are preferred so one can be used to impart a rotating effect to the trailer if needed, or both used with a bridle for a straight-back pull. It is not wise to snatch backwards as that requires quick reversing, so a winch or slow pull is preferable.

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Track Touring / AUG 2013

Trailer setup Any trailer used offroad must be braked, regardless of whether brakes are required by law onroad. You may be legally allowed to tow 750kg without brakes depending on your vehicle, but reconsider that decision when you’re sliding down a hill. And it has to be electric brakes, not overruns. Electric brakes allow you to vary when the brake force comes in, by how much relative to the towcar brakes, and to apply the trailer brakes independently of the towcar, all essential features in the rough. Overrun trailer brakes have none of that flexibility and can come on when you don’t want them to, for example as you reverse with any significant resistance, for example mud, sand, a rock - the overrun triggers and the brake activates.

For onroad use you’d typically set the trailer’s centre of gravity forwards to promote stability and reduce the chance of trailer sway. That comes with the disadvantage of reducing manoeuvrability as the trailer is more reluctant to change direction, and increasing towball mass

which means more forces for towcar to stabilise, but that’s fine because the towcar has sufficient grip to overcome the trailer. However, for low-speed offroad work a centre of gravity further back is preferable, as speeds are such that trailer sway will not be an issue but it is desirable to maximise manoeuvrability and minimise the trailer’s effect on the towcar. Changing the centre of gravity isn’t easy or in some cases possible, but relocating jerrycans is one way to shift quite a bit of weight around. As ever with trailers, try and locate the weight as centrally as possible. Achieving a low towball mass by balancing a heavy weight at one extremity of the trailer with a weight at the other end simply makes the trailer balanced, but unwieldy. If there’s a choice between making the trailer lighter or shifting the centre of gravity then go for the lighter option every time.

Towcar setup The car itself needs some setup work, and anything that improves its offroad

capability is to be welcomed. Low range is a must, given the slow-speed work and extra torque required. Mud tyres and locking differentials are two easy improvements, and suspension could typically benefit from an upgrade unless it is self-levelling air suspension. A small but valuable addition is clean mirrors with blind-spot sub-mirrors on each so you can see what the trailer’s wheels are doing. The ideal towcar will be a torquey automatic with a tight turning circle.

In most of the photos my car is not fitted with its usual spade/axe carrier on the spare wheel. That is because it would get in the way at extreme angles, and in fact the spare wheel itself came quite close to hitting at some points. Therefore, take care to remove any such accessories from the rear of the vehicle, or even from the front of the trailer.

The towcar should be rated to tow considerably more than the trailer weight as the towing ratings are for onroad use, not offroad. For the offroad rating dividing by about three is a good rule, for example low-range Land Rovers can usually tow 3500kg onroad but are recommended for 1000kg offroad.

A short-wheel-base vehicle is in general better for towing offroad than a long wheelbase. The shortie will have a tighter turning circle, and is of course physically shorter, and the overhang (distance between the rear axle and tow hitch) is also typically shorter which is important to minimise the forces described earlier.

Shorties are more prone to trailer sway, but sway isn’t a problem at very low speeds.

Fuel consumption will be dramatically increased in rough terrain. Drivers may be used to small increases when towing below freeway speeds on flattish dirt roads, but offroad it is all hills, stopping and starting and that means energy required to move several hundred kilos of trailer up, down and around, whereas on the flat often all you need is enough energy to maintain speed. We found our fuel consumption increased by between 50 and 70% for a diesel compared to without a towcar, far more than the onroad increase of 10-30%. But that’s just one thing to consider when towing offroad, and next month we’ll explore some of the driving techniques you can use to tow tough trailers.

A blind-spot mirror proving its worth – the driver can see the trailer is going to miss the cut log, and the main mirror shows the van will just clear the tree.

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