Getting Around the Golden Triangle in a Toorak Tractor

[user 5415]

Hi All,
Question for the experienced campers\swingers out there, just getting in to the hobby and have a Grand Cherokee 4x4 Limited, not really 4x4 material. Will I have any issues getting around in the State Forests etc.?
It is a company car, so can go most places other vehicles can't

 

[grubstake]

Hi All,
Question for the experienced campers\swingers out there, just getting in to the hobby and have a Grand Cherokee 4x4 Limited, not really 4x4 material. Will I have any issues getting around in the State Forests etc.?
It is a company car Jeep, so can can't go most places other vehicles can't can

Fixed that for you, lol. Sorry, couldn't help myself (you bought a Jeep! )

State Forests and other areas in the Golden Triangle are generally very accessible. Ground clearance is more important than 4WD in my experience there.

 

[SCROUNGER]

You'll be fine along most if not all tracks in the GT Filthy. A few are a bit washed out but most are fine. After rain there can be some water filled holes but again mostly no problems. It's generally a pretty flat area. The same can't be said for some some steeper/muddier areas around Creswick/Daylesford and to the west of Ballarat in some spots, but a Cherokee should handle all but the worst.

 

[Greglz86]

Hi All,
Question for the experienced campers\swingers out there, just getting in to the hobby and have a Grand Cherokee 4x4 Limited, not really 4x4 material. Will I have any issues getting around in the State Forests etc.?
It is a company car, so can go most places other vehicles can't

When you say swingers you mean detectorist right?

 

[user 5415]

Hi All,
Question for the experienced campers\swingers out there, just getting in to the hobby and have a Grand Cherokee 4x4 Limited, not really 4x4 material. Will I have any issues getting around in the State Forests etc.?
It is a company car Jeep, so can can't go most places other vehicles can't can

Fixed that for you, lol. Sorry, couldn't help myself (you bought a Jeep! )

State Forests and other areas in the Golden Triangle are generally very accessible. Ground clearance is more important than 4WD in my experience there.

Yes I bought a Jeep, prospecting and or off road use hadn't been in my thinking when I got it, it was all about getting as much car as the budget would allow.
As the the Jeep, so far so good, I'm not happy with the factory tyres and the interior storage but other than that I would give it a thumbs up as a value for money vehicle, very comfortable, solid and good to drive, looking forward to getting it dirty soon :lol:

Thanks for the information, now all I need to do is find a set of all terrains in 20's and I'll be a happy camper

 

[user 5415]

Hi All,
Question for the experienced campers\swingers out there, just getting in to the hobby and have a Grand Cherokee 4x4 Limited, not really 4x4 material. Will I have any issues getting around in the State Forests etc.?
It is a company car, so can go most places other vehicles can't

When you say swingers you mean detectorist right?

Yeah, way too old and prudish for the other

 

[Next1m8]

Ha ha grubstake I liked the edit

 

[grubstake]

now all I need to do is find a set of all terrains in 20's and I'll be a happy camper

Don't go overboard on these - those heavy-lugged monsters are noisy on the highway and can lose traction on wet bitumen or frost patches.

 

[user 5415]

now all I need to do is find a set of all terrains in 20's and I'll be a happy camper

Don't go overboard on these - those heavy-lugged monsters are noisy on the highway and can lose traction on wet bitumen or frost patches.

Yeah, I know, but unfortunately the factory fitted road tyres are way to soft and prone to punctures, have had 2 on road in 20,000 k's, so looking for a 80\20 or 70\30 all terrain as i think a stick could puncture the Kumho's currently shoeing the best?

 

[grubstake]

unfortunately the factory fitted road tyres are way to soft and prone to punctures, have had 2 on road in 20,000 k's, so looking for a 80\20 or 70\30 all terrain as i think a stick could puncture the Kumho's currently shoeing the best?

There's some discussion in the recent Tyres for the WA bush? post that may be relevant to this problem: https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=11356

 

[SteelPat]

You should be fine. I use my work Mercedes Vito van and dont always stick to the tracks.

 

[Narrawa]

What color is it!!...?? :lol:

 

[PabloP]

Those ads do get to you don't they, and that is purely what they are aiming to do. I heard somewhere that Jeep sales went up 30% in the year after that first one with the kid that says, ".......have to get a bigger boat".

Rob.

 

[SCROUNGER]

Adverts work PabloP, that's why we're bombarded by them. It's amazing how many people think they aren't influenced but we are, and most of the time don't realise it. What colour indeed. :lol: :lol:

 

[PabloP]

Yeah, but some ads really p me off, right from the get go, not sure why and no way would I buy those products. Others seem fine for a while then they also get to me.

We are a weird mob, that's for sure.

Rob.

 

[user 5415]

What color is it!!...?? :lol:

 

[SCROUNGER]

Some are very funny and clever i reckon, but most are bloody annoying and p..s me off as well, and don't get me started about how many there are during a one hour show

 

[user 5415]

There's some discussion in the recent Tyres for the WA bush? post that may be relevant to this problem:

That's exactly what I'm concerned about, also having little or no grip on slippery surface should it rain overnight, but more to do with punctures.

 

[blisters]

I would keep the tyres you have and buy a tubeless repair kit and compressor for $100 to get you out of trouble if need be. No point chucking tyres with tread. At 20" they'd be pricy. You'd be unlucky to run into issues on maintained state forest roads in the wet or puncture wise.
Jon

 

[SCROUNGER]

I think it's important to weigh up how much actual driving you're doing and where. I've gone through sets of light truck tyres in 40,000 kms before because they weren't really suitable for the mostly higher speeds and distances i was doing on highways between 4WD, scrub bashing. Most of the luxury 4WDs have highway tyres that are fine on the mostly flat, graded bush tracks in the GT, but soon start sliding once you get onto any tracks that are wet clay and slippery. Two sets of tyres are worth thinking about if you're heading to seriously rough areas where side wall punctures are the norm or you're often in low range due to rugged terrain. The GT isn't such a spot though.