We returned from the Oodna Track trip a few days ago. We covered nearly 5,000 kms of which nearly 700 kms was gravel with a number of rough sections. In fact when we left Marree and arrived at Coward Springs, only 130 kms, there was a couple in an Apollo hired smallish motor-home who had also driven from Marree. They were changing their second tyre on that short trip. One was punctured and the other destroyed, all in that 130 kms. Needless to say I became a bit worried as we had another 500 kms to go and carried only 1 spare for the van and 1 for the tug. We had twice as many tyres on the road to be punctured as Mr Apollo. So cutting to the chase we completed the entire trip without any tyre incidents.
Today, the first time out in the Prado since back from Oodna, I was returning from the quack and right at the end of the freeway where 2 lanes were about to become one I heard a loud bang. A few seconds later was the sound of running on a flat tyre. It seemed like a blow-out. Never had one in my life. I pulled up and squeezed over within a few inches of the safety fence and found the right rear flat as a tack. The freeway was busy with workers knocking off and Easter holiday makers heading out. Very cautiously I began to prepare for a wheel change.
Got out the Toyota mechanical jack, assembled the 4 piece jack winding rod, began to remove the spare wheel nuts then...... Mr Plod rocks up and parks behind me with all lights flashing. I approached them explaining the obvious flat and they said they would remain while I changed the wheel. I expressed my thanks and said I was acutely aware of deaths on this freeway in similar circumstances and I was watching traffic like a hawk. So the 2 Plods sat in their car whilst I busted by bum at max pace and all done in less than 10 minutes.
Back home I checked the tyre and found it was not a blow-out. There is a large hole that looks like it has been drilled and with other screwing/twisting damage around it. My best guess is some coarse screw the diameter of a thick pencil was attached to some flat object with the screw pointing up. I've run over it at 100 kph whilst watching traffic and it has punched a hole right through the tyre, become attached to the tyre for part of a revolution and then flung off hitting under the wheel arch with a loud thud sound.
So the message is, don't worry about tyre probs on the Oodna but do be bloody careful visiting the quack
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