4WD trip reccie

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:31 pm

So, I was thinking that I should be able to get away for a day trip through either one of the following National Parks. The question is, would anyone else like to come along for a reccie of a good trek so as to bring others along??

Personally, I'm interested in finding tracks that are considered medium to hard in grade. An L or MY series with 2" lift + larger wheels and tyres a minimum requirement. Newer cars welcome of course.

Alex

Sideways Subaru · Post by **Sideways Subaru** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:49 pm

Count me in 4 sure

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:14 pm

Good on you Alex. At least the two of us could do a reccie and perhaps then we can lead some others through another day. Any other takers? How's your L going Colin.. or there's a few other well set up cars around Riverstone, Blacktown and Liverpool I know are reading this and haven't gone anywhere lately.

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:01 pm

Yeah Sounds good Alex and Alex

Time is my only enemy, the front of the car is lifted but the back is not yet done. Have not even started the poor old girl in a few weeks. But I have it all there awaiting me. The engine is leaking oil all over the place but that's not gonna stop me, just might be a bit smokey...

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 7:37 pm

subalex wrote:So, I was thinking that I should be able to get away for a day trip through either one of the following National Parks.

Which National parks? None actually followed.

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 3:19 pm

Take a right at Grose Rd, Faulconbridge in the Blue Mountains (30min max west of Penrith), right at Chapman Parade, and follow that until it gets too hard... That's shortish track that is "too" hard IMHO... Having said that I have video footage of me and my Subi at the end.

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:47 pm

Subidaz...you're right...thanks for the heads up... duuh..

National Parks that are in mind are for a reccie are:
Wollemi - a few tracks through there
Lidsdale (just outside Lithgow) - great for a variety of terrain including sand, mud, water, stony and dirt.
Darug -
Gardens of Stone

Watagans (A day/weekend trip is already organised for mid-January with the NSW Subaru Club... I'm interested in this one, and am a member, so if you'd like to come on that one then you can do so for one trip as guests.)

Perhaps a first get-together with our cars could be at a spot I found in Vineyard where you can follow the powerlines and there are many excellent dirt and mud tracks to warm up with and find any issues with clearance, traction etc there before going a greater distance. Good for a meet-up there. Could go to a McDonalds close by too, at McGraths Hill.

Alex

fredsub · Post by **fredsub** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 7:02 am

Smokey wrote:Take a right at Grose Rd, Faulconbridge in the Blue Mountains (30min max west of Penrith), right at Chapman Parade, and follow that until it gets too hard... That's shortish track that is "too" hard IMHO... Having said that I have video footage of me and my Subi at the end.

Ah good on ya for going back there Colin and beating that track!

I have a bit of time off, but to tell the truth I hate going anywhere this time of year,esp if in involves traversing sydney traffic, gonna go for a o/n walk to Garie beach etc, Royal Nat Park, haven't done in a while, and should test some of my new gear i bought for the tassie trip i didn't get to do this year.
So this is mostly just parking the Subaru, i don't think the OBW is all that good for off-roading like above anyhows.

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 7:43 pm

Colin... I haven't tried that track at all but I guess it's now on the cards to try it for fun.

Fredsub... OBW?

I was looking over the Hema map of Wollemi Nat Park today and it shows lots of great opportunities for 4WDing. One that looks to be a good one is up Putty Road to the Colo bridge, following the Colo river on the southern side and going to Wheeny Creek (West of Colo on the Putty Road). Then through to Kurmond along Cumleroy Road where it meets Bells Line of Road and back home from there.

Being quite close to home it won't take all day like a trip to Lithgow etc would. If there's any troubles with the track then we can take our time. Wheeny Creek should be a pretty place to stop for lunch.

Interested? Perhaps the first week of January? Wednesdays through to Saturdays are best for me.

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:48 pm

OBW - assuming is the OutBackWagon?

Would have to be a weekend for me. Don't get time off during school hol's

Colo/putty sounds good. Its nice in that area, nice and green with the rain of late too. Not that I have done any tracks there other than the main putty itself recently.

But any drive sounds good. I'll be taking it easy but will have the 2" and 14's on the L by then. But still auto with a broken 4x4 button, auto 4x4 on the dash seems to work though, maybe

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:02 pm

Sounds good Colin. But how is it that the button is broken? I'm just about to part with a button operated vacuum solenoid for another Ausubaru member in Qld. Now that I've removed the parts to send to him I see how it works. What's the problem.... ok ok I know this is hijacking my own thread here... Make it a new one Colin.

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 5:00 pm

How does Saturday the 5th sound to you all? This is especially for those who work during the week (hopefully you don't work Saturdays as well).

A slight change of route...

Meet in the grassy area outside the Macquarie Arms Hotel in Windsor at 8:30am. Depart around 8:45 to head up Putty Road, left at the bridge near Colo to follow the river on the Southern side to Wheeny Creek camping area to stop for morning tea. From there go back up the road to where it joins onto Mountain Lagoon Road (a lot rougher I hear than the main dirt road to that point and is where I hope to find a few more challenges but nothing too bad - a standard Forester XT can get through it.... that said, I would like to think an Outback could do it ok... I used to have one too). Mountain Lagoon rejoins Bells Line of Road at Bilpin. We could stop for apples at one of the yards there before carrying on to Burralow picnic and camping area near Kurrajong which is a few k's off the road but again loops up onto Bells Line of Road at Kurranjong Heights. Back home from there via Richmond/Windsor.

I don't expect this will take all day at all. Driven in the one hit I would expect it to only take maybe 2 - 2 1/2 hours tops. But we can take our time. I will be taking my young boys with me so I'm factoring in time for walking, eating and watering.

As would be expected, regardless of easiness or hardness of a trip, anyone going along with me must do so at their own risk. Ausubaru does not provide insurance cover for trips organised here. Minimum recovery gear required includes 2 rated D-shackles and a snatch strap. I will be using a UHF CB radio - channel 15. That all said, it should be a cruisy trip.

Call me on 0403 223288 or PM me if you'd like to come.

Alex

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:42 pm

I spent this afternoon lifting the rear of the L (front was done weeks ago...

). Still need to finish off a few bits and pieces. Doubt the 14 Nankangs will go under in time though.

If finished in time im there, otherwise what everyones schedule like for the following Sat 12th?

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:50 pm

I've edited the description two messages back to include meeting time, location and CD channel. See you there. Remember to drop me a line if you're intending to come. I've got confirmation from Smokey and Sideways Subaru so far.

Alex

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:45 am

So, a report of the days activities...

Thanks to Smokey and Sideways for joining me on the trip and making it our first NSW sector trip in .... ever?? I'm really pleased with the terrain in that it was a challenge in a few places but not too much really to start off our trips with. Smokey's auto locking L-series might not have fared well at all had we been doing much more difficult terrain anyway. Wheeny Creek is a place I'd like to go back to and spend more time exploring other, more hard core, tracks, do some of the walks and stick my feet in the water. We missed doing the additional section to Burralow Camping Ground to we'll have to do that some other time too.

Issues of the day.
Smokey's car began to overheat due to a combination of a) clutch fan being removed and b) timing belt starting to stretch and break (though we didn't think of that until later). Hot wiring the electric fan to run all time helped. Thankfully (??), it lost the belt on a sealed road just short of Bells Line of Road and it will be easy access for him to go back to fix tomorrow??

My boys didn't get a good nap in the car so they became too cranky to stick around in Penrith afterwards but thankyou again for what I think was a great day for these reasons....

1 Driving conditions were great.
2 Weather conditions were, overall, nice and cool - a few showers didn't stop us from doing anything.
3 Everyone came home in one piece.
4 No-one's car was damaged by the terrain or bad driving.
5 We had some opportunity to pour over each other's cars and discuss what we love about them, what we've done to them and what we'd like.
6 Nice location and ability to see beautiful vistas.
7 A few photo opportunities.
8 Kids enjoyed some play time
9 Some bush mechanics came into play - sharing some knowledge to help one another out.

I'm looking forward to our next trip together fellas. Smokey, I hope you find the belt swap an easy fix and all that is needed to get your baby home. Can't wait for the engine and gearbox swap now. Sideways, you're a great, laid-back guy and I'm sure Smokey is most thankful for the fact that your car seats and boot were free for him, his kids ad belongings to come home with you.

Next weekend I've got some plans already... interested?

Subalex

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:42 pm

A couple of big thanks I'd like to make, Subalex for organising the drive and getting us out there, helping me with my overheating issue when not moving fast enough for the cool air to do the trick, due to my clever idea to remove the clutch fan (hate those things

). And a super big thanks to Sideways for taking me and my two boys home when I broke my poor Soob.

Here is a quick pic.

My timing belt gave up the ghost after the first part of the drive. Luckily on the tar. I went out today and having done a belt before on another L did it beside the road where it died in about 3 hours. Could have been faster but was taking my time to get it right the first time.

Looking forward to the next drive and getting my L up to spec and a bit more reliable

fredsub · Post by **fredsub** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:28 am

Thanks for the report, what no more pics?
trip would be boring without some mechanical problems? no ?
did you take the rad out, replacing the T belt on the roadside or in-situ?

A bit on what i've been up to...not too off topic hope......

bit of a walk in Royal National Park - that is Australia's FIRST gazetted National Park.

he distances aren't huge, but the effort is:twisted:, being the escarpment and all the step ups/downs and carrying the kitchen sink on the back.

Well anyway, thursday, parked at Otford, with one of my 17yold nephews, started about 3pm.walked via Burning Palms track to North Era ,
the day was rather overcast, good for hiking
got there about 6:30pm, enough time to qik cool off at the beach b4 setting up the tent.

Evening we had a few short showers rather nice, clouds all rolled inland,leaving a starry nite, I avoid the tent if possible, so slept outside till about 3am, rain again, this time seemed to get heavier, 2min after settling down in the tent it stopped, and it was all we got.

Friday morning hiked over to Garie beach, there were nice short sun showers every half hour or so, very nice.
The surf was still rather ugly, due to the conditions the Qldrs pushed down to us, could only really cool off, no catching waves and such. Garie beach is a patrolled beach BTW.
Bought lunch there before heading back.

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:49 pm

Though you were not out with us in the OBW at least you were out in the Aussie Bush! That's a nice walk, I did the 25k to the ferry a few years ago. Beautiful scenery.

I did the belt beside the road where she died and left the Radiator in. Had about 9L of water with me just in case but ended up drinking 3 since I didn't need it for the car. I should have taken a pic of that too hahahah was quite well setup, had the carpet and a few tarps on the ground in front of the car and all. Almost every tool I own was with me, took me longer to get there and setup/pack up than doing the job.

Yeah not many pics. Was raining lightly a lot of the time, had a few young kids with us too which keeps as a little busier. And it was kinda my fault that we only got 1/2 of the planned drive done, so the opportunities were down also.