Going Up Big Red

[holden4th]

In a few days time I'll be in Birdsville and will travel out to Big Red. I've been there twice before and got my two Pajeros up to the top on the first run. The NK Petrol manual was just a matter of selecting centre locked low range and running at it in 2nd gear. With the NP diesel auto I again went low range and gunned it up to the top no problems using the auto box.

This time I have a GU III 2004 auto diesel ZD30 Patrol and wonder if a different approach might be better for this vehicle. Can I just put it into 2nd gear low range centre lock and cruise up to the top of this dune or will I, just like with my two Paj's, go for maximum power and let the auto box do the work. The low end torque of the Pootrol suggests the former but advice from anyone who's done this will be appreciated.

[AB]

This comment will be outdated now but in the 80's big red was very difficult. The last time we went up that was mid 90's and we were driving through the night and didn't have any trouble at all.

The lip of the hill which caught everyone out was long gone and it was easily done. But....that was a long time ago now and the condition has probably changed.

Interesting to see if any recent members can comment on this?

[threedogs]

X 2 With AB a lot depends on the time, the temp ,how many have gone before you or are you the first for the day.
A good amount of momentum should see you over.
fine line between momentum and full noise.

Did B/R in 94

[AB]

Yep momentum is the key on big red. Not sure on auto but manual was always hitting it hard on 3rd low quickly drop to second when slightly bogging in the top half.

2nd gear from the start of the hill will not have enough momentum to keep on top of the sand. When you hit the steeper part at the top you'll just sink straight away.

[happygu]

Try it first time up with the Auto in control.....if that doesn't work for you, then lock it in second and have another go.

[Cuppa]

Can't help with your question, but a little story.

A couple of years ago we took our bus to Birdsville. Wife & I left bus in Birdsville & rode our trail bikes out to Big Red. Bikes are no good in soft sand, so we parked them & climbed to the top where we watched a couple of 4wd's easily manage to get over. Back to the bikes, fired them up & as we were leaving a couple more cars drove past us straight onto the dune, both 2wd station wagons, one towing a trailer. We couldn't believe that they were going to attempt it, but we had reason to get back & didn't stick around to watch them. Later that evening back in the Birdsville campground we met up with the two drivers who told us it had taken several hours (in 40 degree heat - it was November) to get themselves unbogged. When I asked them as tactfully as I could what in the hell had possessed them to try in the first place they told us they saw us leaving on the bikes, assumed we had just come over the dune, & reckoned if we could manage it on the bikes they would have no problem!

They also advised us that to consider driving down to Marree in our bus with trailer was completely nuts. They reckoned that they had each 'done' two tyres coming up. I asked what speed they had travelled up "80 to 90kph" they reckoned. We did the whole drive down at an average of 20kph, never exceeding 40kph & apart from being the best drive I've ever done, we had no mishaps at all!

Cuppa. ♨