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Can anyone tell me if the Dunlop Grand Trek 265/60R18 AT22 tyres, fitted as standard to the the latest VX and Kakadu, are robust enough to tackle the Oodnadatta and Binns Tracks?
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NO. Go for an all terrain light truck tyre in a brand of your choice. In theory if you sit on 60 kph and run pressures of about 28 psi you MIGHT be ok but you will spend the entire trip watching for the rock that will go straight through the those tyres or rip a sidewall out. On the Oodndatta track you wont stick to 60. Parts of both of those tracks can be extremely stony while other parts are fine. AN indicator is that no tag along tour company will accept cars without AT tyres in that sort of country. Your standard tyres are essentially highway tyres and fine for that but are not suited for the South Australian outback. TIP: even when you get your AT tyres on those roads run them at no more than 28 psi hot and sit on about 80 ish kph. You see more and have abetter chance of avoiding the killer rocks. -
Thank you - your cautionary advice is much appreciated.Comment
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Are MT tyres okay to use on those tracks or do the gaps between the tread blocks make them no good?2005 120 series V6 Grande, 2 inch susp lift (King/EFS combo), 32 inch MT’s, Safari Snorkel, rear diff lock, breathers, Light Force spotlights, UHF, dual batteries.Comment
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From my experience in those areas any AT light truck tyre at those sub 30 psi pressures and sensible speeds will do ok. I have seen plenty of MT out there. Can't comment on mud terrains but plenty of them out there.Comment
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Did Adelaide to Uluru king's canyon back way to wear MacDonnell ranges Alice old Ghan track to Finke Dalhousie Oodnadatta track back to Adelaide a few years ago on 80% worn Cooper at3 LT
Was surprised not to have a single tyre issue ran about 28psi off the bitumenComment
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Yep. My AT3s are at 55000 and have given no issues in country like that. Ditto previous BFG [but they chip badly out there and tend to develop cracks between the treads and become harsh riding and dodgy in the wet after about 40000].By way of contrast the standard Dunlops on a previous car had 2 punctures through the tread just on good dirt roads in coastal NSW.Comment
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Some of you may find this interesting even if it is a bit old. Picked this up in Oodnadatta in 2011. Adam Plate spent some 30 odd years operating the Pink Roadhouse so had seen it all with respect to tyres.
2009 120TD Auto, Snorkel, Tow, Soveriegn Bull Bar, Dual Batteries, Rear Suspension Air Bags, UHF, Toyo Open Country Tyre AT II,, ScanGaugeComment
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That's funny - I recall seeing that scribbled paper up there too! If anyone else is reading this:
We bought new Falken Wildpeak tyres for our 150VX (bigger rims) before this central trip. It was really interesting to chat to a mechanic on the Oodnadatta at one of the roadhouses about tyres. The track was dry and corrugated in parts when we did it, and quite rocky (small stones everywhere). We were fully loaded with 5 people and towing our Cub Escape camper. Car was pretty standard. I asked about (conflicting info) tyre pressures, and the guy said "just run pretty much what you run on bitumin". His reasoning was that he would see stacks of irreparable sidewall injuries, usually with people running low pressures and driving at high-ish speed.
In the end, we only dropped a few PSI front and back, and the ride was fine and no issues the whole trip. I've stopped worrying about low pressures unless we're talking mud or sand.....Comment
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