Track Touring & Destination E-MAGAZINE Issue 2 AUG 2013

ISSUE 02 / AUG 2013SIMPSONEDITION

Viv & Ron have been busy!

&

Sixteen Tvans, old and new,

tackle the dunes of the Simpson Desert.

TOw SChooLWith Rob

Pepper

Celebrating 50 years sincethe first crossing!

S T ld d

TRACKOWNER’SCONVOY

Two continents17 countries

16 months70,000km

Topaz Series 2revealed in Birdsville

WORDS:MIKE PAVEY

PICS:ANITA PAVEY

WORDS & PICS:CARLISLE ROGERS

RYAN HEYWOOD

WORDS & PICS:RON & VIV MOON

WORDS & PICS:ROB PEPPER

WORDS & PICS: EMMA GEORGE

PICS:MICHAEL BROWNING

ARB:MATT FROST

KELLY TEITZEL

NISSAN:CHRIS HOLLANDWARWICK DALY

ROB PEPPERMIKE & ANITA PAVEY

CARLISLE ROGERSEMMA RYAN

MICHAEL BROWINGTOM SANCHEZMARK MURAS

PAT CALLINANBRIAN SAUNDERS

IntroG’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 :)

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.

Carlisle Rogers takes on the Simpson with

a Tvan Canning borrowed from Victorian

hire agent Brian Saunders at Desert Oak.

And last but not least, Rob Pepper teaches

us how to tow and the importance of decent

off-road suspension under your camper.

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

Track.

editor

Lloyd Waldron

Contributors:CAMPER TRAILERAUSTRALIA ARTICLES

4WD TOURING AUSTRALIA

GUIDEBOOKS

ON THE ROAD

GO CAMPING

TOPAZ SERIES 2ARTILCE:

SPECIAL THANKS:

Questions and feedback:

Track Trailer403 Dorset Road

Bayswater 3153Ph: +61 3 87276100

Email: [email protected]

4604

09

10

17

21

46

53

28

34

40

22

All or Nothing!Sixteen Tvans, old and new, tackle the dunes of the Simpson Desert.

NEWSThere are some great things happeing!

Bright SparkARB’s New TOY!

Across the AmericasRon Moon checks in!

Desert GEMThe Topaz Series 2 is released!

No LimitsCarlisle Rogers crossed the Simpson in a Tvan Canning!

Bush CampingEmma George and family check out House Beach

Southern ComfortMike and Anita Pavey tour the SA coast easing into their year long journey.

Getting DirtyA towing guide by Robert Pepper

NEXT EDITION Cameras CornerMichael Browings Simpson Shot

17

AllNothing!

or

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.

FAST FACTS

Sixteen Tvans, old and new, tackle

the dunes of the Simpson Desert.WORDS MIKE PAVEY; PICS ANITA PAVEY, LUCIE PAUS AND ANDREW BOWE

Track Touring / AUG 20134

Participants celebrating their Simpson adventure.www.tracktrailer.com.au 5

For 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.

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


www.tracktrailer.com.au 7

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.

Thanks to Track Trailer, ARB

Camper Trailer Australia, Maxtrax, Mt Dare Hotel,

all the group leaders, tail end charlies

and participants.

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.


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.

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/

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!

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! *only avaliable from Track Trailer in Victoria.

CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS

NEWS thinking 2nd hand?

Servicespecials:Next Edition

TOUR MATE GETS SOME NEW TOYS!www.tracktrailer.com.au 9

Across the Tvan

Americas© Ron & Viv Moon 2012

Our 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.

Two continents, 17 countries,16 months and 70,000km;Ron and Viv Moon relive their odyssey

across South and North America.

CROSSING THE AREGENTINA -

CHILE BORDER ON THE ISLAND

OF TIERRA.

‘USHUAIA - THE END OF THE WORLD’.

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

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.

PAN AMERCIAN HIGHWAY THRU ATACAMA DESERT, NORTHERN CHILE

SOUVINEER SELLER ATCOPOCABANA, 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!

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

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

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.

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

WATCHING GRIZZLY BEARS AT BROOKS FALLS WAS A HIGHLIGHT

WE TRIED OUR HAND AT FISHING OCCASIONALLY

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

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

www.guidebooks.com.auand follow the links to their travels.

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

RON & VIV AT THE DEVIL’S

THROAT - IGUAZU FALL

BRIGHT Spark

but You also need practical and usable auxilliary lights? -

So, you want wow factor to impress everyone,

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

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.


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.

Developing the range

Intensity LED Driving Lights by ARBAll 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.


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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 CornerSIMPSON DESERTCamera Make: NIKONModel: D300Shutter Speed: 1/500 secF-Stop: f/9ISO: 400Focal Length: 105.0 mmLens: 24.0-120.0 mm f/4.0Copyright: Michael Browning


Desert G

re-b

orn

The Topaz Series 2 has been released! We look at what’s new!


EM


More Internal space & large opening windows

dO-35 V2 Coupling &solid swing jockey wheel

Under body Spare wheel

Track Touring / June, 201224

Watch Pat’s Review:

Integrated front boot with more storage www.tracktrailer.com.au 25

Sleek new areodynamic design

FAST FACTS:

Travel Specifications in mm: Over all travel mode 6150Overall width 1938Height unladen 2450Interior setup height 2070Interior length 4300Wheel track 1650Departure angle Suspension travel 230

Weights in kg’s:Tare Mass 1670Load Capacity 530Ball weight 88.5ATM 2200

Lifestyle Specifications:Water tank (s) 2x 70 = 140LJerry can storage 4x 20 = 80LHot water service 14L / Gas-ElecTotal wet storage capac-ity

234L

Filler & pump (s) 2xFiller, 1x hand pump and external shower

Solar panel kit 120WWaeco 12/240v fridge/ freezer

80L

4 Burner cooktop & grille

Gas

External BBQ Gas


IPOD PLUG N PLAY

Mechanical roll out awning

Ensuite with hot Water

LEARN MOREVisit ourwebsite& requesta Brochure

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


NOLIMITS

Words Carlisle Rogers Pics Carlisle Rogers and Ryan Heywood

Track Trailer’s Tvan Canning is a pocket rocket with the lot.TTTrrraaaccckkk TTTrrraaaiiillleeerrr sss TTTvvvaaannn CCCaaannnnnniiinnnggg iiisss aaa pppoooccckkkeeettt rrroooccckkkeeettt wwwiiittthhh ttthhheee lllooottt...Track Trailer’s Tvan Canning is a pocket rocket with the lot

Where 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

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

While it looks diminutive, the storage

capacity of the Tvan rivals most soft floor

campers

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.

Tare: 970kg

ATM: 1500kg

Suspension: MC2 Asymmetric link

Base price: $47,600

Battery capacity: 105Ah

www.tracktrailer.com.au

QUICK SPECS

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.

Issue 4, November 2012

PLUS: RECOVERY GEAR, 10 TOURING TIPS TESTED: TRITON GLX-R, TVAN CANNING,

ARB DELUXE BAR, ENGEL 80L FRIDGE

L I V I N G T H E D R E A M

SIMPSONDESERT

Dalhousie Springs

The Birdsville Track

Mount Dare

Marree

Birdsville Life

$8.95 inc GST

CROSSING THE

BUSH campingHouse Beach

Words & photos: Emma George


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


It’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 set-

up’ 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.


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.


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.

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.


ISSN 1320-5706

9

771320 570009

05

October – November 2012 Issue 81 Aus $6.95 NZ $8.95

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Southern comfortMike and Anita Pavey tour the SA coast easing into their year long journey.

It’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!

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.

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

Innes National Parkfrom 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.


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.

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 all-

day 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;

“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,


GPS, battery, and transmitter. The apparatus must withstand

temperatures in excess of -63ºC. 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.

Trailer dynamicsDiagram 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

The 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.

Getting

Dirty

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

Words and Photographs by Robert Pepper


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

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 rough-terrain 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 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

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

of force needed for the towcar alone to

Diagram 3a

Diagram 3b

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 trailerBecause 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


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.

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.

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.

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.


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.

Trailer setupAny 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 setupThe car itself needs some setup work,

and anything that improves its offroad

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.


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.


JULY 2007

in Australia s great outdoors

JANUARY2013

www.ontheroad.com.au

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Topaz Series 2 hits thecape

Track Touring & Destination E-MAGAZINE Issue 2 AUG 2013

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