Grenadier vs Simpson Desert

[GavinD]

Loving this trip/blog..... be great if you could upload maybe the map/way that you went when finished.

 

[globalgregors]

Grenadier in the Sturt Stony Desert.

Hit Birdsville in time for the P&C’s Melbourne Cup luncheon, which has pretty much closed town for the day.

Minor malfunction with an Off-road Mode error. 10 minutes of lots of bings and bongs but settled down with no impact on forward progress.

Seems to be triggered by inertia so I suspect it’s an ESC fault.

System also decided to repeatedly alarm on TPMS but again settled down after a reset.

 

[DesertGecko]

It's real hot out there now. Will test all the systems pretty hard. Take far more water than you think. Stay safe.

 

[James]

Yeah; temps of around 40 in the shade; what is the car reading as outside temperature?
Look after yourselves, and enjoy the comfortable car!!

 

[DesertGecko]

Yeah; temps of around 40 in the shade; what is the car reading as outside temperature?
Look after yourselves, and enjoy the comfortable car!!

I've been out there a few times now in those temps. When the sun is on it's just a furnace.

If the car has a well shaded temp gauge you will see those temps (low 40's). If you are directly in the sun be prepared to be several degrees about the shade temp. I was out there in late September and I saw up to 48 in the sun. It's just insane.

From a car perspective everything that gets hot will be under strain. Also the sand aerates and gets very very soft so everything works that much harder.

I'll be interested to hear how well the car AC performed. In 2018 everyone sat in the car at lunch because it was just too hot outside the car. Having a good awning helps.

 

[globalgregors]

I've been out there a few times now in those temps. When the sun is on it's just a furnace.

If the car has a well shaded temp gauge you will see those temps (low 40's). If you are directly in the sun be prepared to be several degrees about the shade temp. I was out there in late September and I saw up to 48 in the sun. It's just insane.

From a car perspective everything that gets hot will be under strain. Also the sand aerates and gets very very soft so everything works that much harder.

I'll be interested to hear how well the car AC performed. In 2018 everyone sat in the car at lunch because it was just too hot outside the car. Having a good awning helps.

We’re seeing high 30s at this stage with a peak of 38. Engine, gearbox and transfer box temperatures have remained stable.

Tyre temps have peaked at 59 - I haven’t established the alarm threshold (70?). Tyre pressures 28psi cold rise to 36psi warm. I’ll drop to 20 cold in the desert and will expect more like 28.

AC has coped fine so far, set and forget on 21C.

That said, things break in deserts, often at the most inopportune time. Touch wood.

We appreciate the concern!

EDIT: Confirmed tyre max temp alarms at 70C

 

[DesertGecko]

We’re seeing high 30s at this stage with a peak of 38. Engine, gearbox and transfer box temperatures have remained stable.

Tyre temps have peaked at 59 - I haven’t established the alarm threshold (70?). Tyre pressures 28psi cold rise to 36psi warm. I’ll drop to 20 cold in the desert and will expect more like 28.

AC has coped fine so far, set and forget on 21C.

That said, things break in deserts, often at the most inopportune time. Touch wood.

We appreciate the concern!

Take a photo of Eyre creek for me. The diversion is still in place. There were lots of EMU a month ago.

 

[AnD3rew]

I've been out there a few times now in those temps. When the sun is on it's just a furnace.

If the car has a well shaded temp gauge you will see those temps (low 40's). If you are directly in the sun be prepared to be several degrees about the shade temp. I was out there in late September and I saw up to 48 in the sun. It's just insane.

From a car perspective everything that gets hot will be under strain. Also the sand aerates and gets very very soft so everything works that much harder.

I'll be interested to hear how well the car AC performed. In 2018 everyone sat in the car at lunch because it was just too hot outside the car. Having a good awning helps.

I was in the Desert Uplands region of central Western QLD a couple of weeks ago and got temps in the 40s for several days highest I saw was 49° C. Engine and driveline temps remained reasonable, aircon kept up. The fan noise outside the car was extreme but ok inside and only once did the jet take off for 10mins after shutdown

 

[Tazzieman]

Sounds like fun!
Snowball's chance in hell of me getting her indoors into that Martian environment!

 

[Steve.B]

Sounds like fun!
Snowball's chance in hell of me getting her indoors into that Martian environment!

A minder fan, Arthurs wife " her indoors ".

 

[Tazzieman]

A minder fan, Arthurs wife " her indoors ".

Much more polite than "the missus"

 

[bigleonski]

Take a photo of Eyre creek for me. The diversion is still in place. There were lots of EMU a month ago.

Is it up and over again? Seems to be a common occurrence.
Last time I crossed the Ayre (diversion) most of rhe track was as greezy as with most of it clay, and there was a definite pucker moment, with the water at the crossing coming well over the bonnet and a high bank to get up on the eastern side.

Although the “desert” looked more like an English cottage garden at the time.

 

[grenadierboy]

Grenadier in the Sturt Stony Desert.

Hit Birdsville in time for the P&C’s Melbourne Cup luncheon, which has pretty much closed town for the day.

Minor malfunction with an Off-road Mode error. 10 minutes of lots of bings and bongs but settled down with no impact on forward progress.

Seems to be triggered by inertia so I suspect it’s an ESC fault.

System also decided to repeatedly alarm on TPMS but again settled down after a reset.

View attachment 7832000

no way - you just photoshopped the Grenny onto Mars

 

[DesertGecko]

Is it up and over again? Seems to be a common occurrence.
Last time I crossed the Ayre (diversion) most of rhe track was as greezy as with most of it clay, and there was a definite pucker moment, with the water at the crossing coming well over the bonnet and a high bank to get up on the eastern side.

Although the “desert” looked more like an English cottage garden at the time.

View attachment 7832017

If flooded earlier this year.. it's still up. Doesn't look like the main track will be open this year. (the desert closes 1 december)

 

[Sam]

no way - you just photoshopped the Grenny onto Mars

... or did they photoshop Curiosity onto Australia?

 

[Greg]

... or did they photoshop Curiosity onto Australia?

Not to be a conspiracy theorist... but The Martian - Matt Damon is in Australia atm....
Just saying

 

[globalgregors]

If flooded earlier this year.. it's still up. Doesn't look like the main track will be open this year. (the desert closes 1 december)

Ignored the diversion and rolled straight on through. It’ll be a mess again come rains.

 

[globalgregors]

 

[AnD3rew]

Much more polite than "the missus"

For those who remember Rumpole of the Bailey, “she who must be obeyed”

 

[Eric]

For those who remember Rumpole of the Bailey, “she who must be obeyed”

I still call the wife that today, and when looking for something say filed under "s"