DonR wrote:
Getting very confused. Wanting to purchase a van to do the big trip. Of course we will want to go on the odd dirt road to stay at certain locations. Some of the "Salesmen" are saying no vans will handle the corrugations on dirt roads unless they are "off roaders".
What is the story? which brands, which suspensions. Where do we go
G'day DonR,
As the old saying goes, "Don't believe everything you hear!"
I will be biased in my answer, we have a Concept Ascot with the Cross Pack on it, and it will go anywhere. Our last big trip was taking it all the way up to Cape York and back and it did it with out any problems (except for a blown tyre and rim).
On the Cape trip we took it along the Bloomfield track to Cooktown, and across the Battlecamp Rd to the Penninsular Developmental Rd (PDR) and up the Telegraph Bypass Rd to Loyalty Beach (Bamaga) and Back. This trip was done End of April through to June this year.
I agree with Frank and Brenda, "drive to the conditions" and all will be fine.
Ps. When travelling on dirt which can turn to mud at the slightest drop of rain, you also require good brakes on the van. Ours is a 16'Full van with Single axle and now weighs in at approx 1900kg (with the extras i fitted on it), and Concept Cross Pack has the 12" brakes as apposed to the 10" fitted to most vans. It is solid built and extremely easy to handle on the dirt.
Comming back down the PDR i blew and shredded a tyre and destroyed the rim from the drivers side of the van at 95kph on the dirt, and i didn't know as the vehicle suddenly slowed and i looked at the gauges on the dash and couldn't see any warnining lights so i looked in the side rearview mirror and then could see bits of tyre getting thrown up in the dust.
The van didn't sway one bit during this process.
The tyre had shreded and hooked the Park Brake cable and pulled both brakes on, stopping the van evenly.
The reason i believe the tyre blew was i hit a couple of large submereged rocks in a river crossing comming out of Chilli Beach, and this has weakend the sidewall and caused the tyre to heat up and disintegrate.
Anyhow my view, get a van that is capable to go on dirt roads (Not necessarily OFF road/Bushbashing) and drive to the conditions.
Cheers,
PeterM.