Simpson Desert trip

[4wd26]

Just back from a magical trip to the corners and Simpson desert



3 very different Mitsubishi vehicles undertook this trip and being that the desert just opened we were lucky to be the first across the WAA line and only following 5 vehicles across the French and QAAlines.


lovely country out there at the moment as every river in the area is flowing- very unusual, the Darling, Paroo, Cooper, Diamentina.


Vehicles were:


2008 ML Triton: bolt on bits front and rear locker and upped diff ratio from 4.1 to 4.6, running 32" mud tyres


2008 25th Anniversary NS pajero bolt on bits and long range tanks running 31" LT Tyres


2009 ML triton: bolt on bits long range tank, front and rear locker and 3.15 low range transfer gears, running 32" mud tyres




fuel economy out on the dirt was very similar for all vehicles (within 5lts per fillup) but the desert changed things a little mainly due to the low range transfer gears not enabling the triton with the crawler gears to travel in low range




we all carried ~180lts diesel for this trip, with mixture of jerry cans and tanks, made it back to Birdsville with around 20lts each to spare




anyway I hope you enjoy reading the blog link below......


https://sites.google.com/site/australiagettingoutthere/journal-blog/3mates3cornersandthesimpsondesert

 

[rulesofbio]

Awesome pics! Thanks for sharing them. Was the trip expensive?

 

[4wd26]

Awesome pics! Thanks for sharing them. Was the trip expensive?

Diesel in Australia is $ if used to prices in say America and the most expensive part of the trip around $1000

You are required to get a desert pass for travel and camping in South Australia, 12 month pass is around $130

So those are really the compulsory costs

Food you have to have- camping or not

Vehicle prep, well it costs a bit if setting up for a trip like this, but my vehicle has been an ongoing build and most things were covered

Then just discretionary spending
Choosing to stay at a motel (to get a shower), buying dinner or lunch in the small towns as a treat

I might have paid $3k, which for 12 days and including pre trip service is not bad

Have another $1k of repairs, need new rear springs, front shock bushes, and a passenger side front cv

Nothing dangerous, just needs fixing before I head off on a trip again

 

[Skennedy]

I did that trip about 20 years ago, thanks for sharing the pics......brings back some great memories.

 

[dsm02c]

Very cool, thanks for the write up. Jealous of all that dirt you all have to go exploring on!

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Superb!!!