BT travel speed in convoy with camper-trailers

Rick,

We have completed two trips travelling with friends with either camper trailers or just tents. Both were long trips, 3 months to WA and 3 months to the Gulf and NT). Both involved dirt road travel and bitumen. We decided, like you, to be tail end Charlie and not hold the others up. We were continually amazed at how little difference there was in our overall travelling speeds (and we sat between 90 and 100 km/hr).

I cannot remember a time when we were out of UHF radio range with the lead vehicle. So that's a spread of about 5 km over the whole convoy.

If they pulled into a town, we were a few of minutes at worst, behind them.

In northern QLD, it proved to be a benefit to us to be at the back. The lead driver would radio that a road train was coming and we had time to find a place to pull over.

We had talked to the other travellers about us not holding them up and we'd catch up. As it turned out, it was never a problem.

Hi Rick,
When you hit the dirt drop your tyre presure down on the van to 30 psi hot or if cold 25psi then drive to the road conditions. there is no set rule each track is unique, a track you drive in on easy may change in a week to a shocker, you tell the next bloke bad track mate he goes down in a month and its a hwy.
Drive to your comfort leavel and ability to control the rig with a little more margin for a supprise.
I have traveled in convoy on dirt at 100kph and down to 10kph.
Do not try to extend your comfort zone to keep up with someone elce (recipe for disaster) again don't slow down for them if slower than you, drive your own road your way and meet for lunch etc.
You may get a nice supprise after a few days driving and getting settled with how the rig travels.
One tip adjust side mirrors down to see your wheels on the van makes it easy when rock crawling.

Graham

Never travelled on convoys other than when running leadership courses in the bush. Then the rule was "keep up with the person behind you"

I would ever - ever only drive to my comfort zone and I have been in the bush all my life. Drop your tyre pressures as suggest above and drop your speed on the corrugations. In your situation I would hang right back - well out of their dust.

Take the van up to Mitchell Plateau - great up there last May.

Cheers

John and Jean

Hi Rick and Julie

We travel solo, but are amazed when we see convoys or caravans or campers travelling almost touching, all but the leader shrouded in clouds of dust. Spread out - if you lose two way contact it will only be until you cross the next hill. Keen photographers will want to stop regularly, while others will want to keep going. Set the next meeting point and all go at your own pace, relax, and enjoy the scenery.

So long as your friends aren't like so many of the people we came across on the Gibb River Road with camper trailers (driving like a bat out of hell - or on a fast track to hell) you shouldn't end up too far behind. Optimum speed all depends on road conditions, which can vary greatly over a few days on the busy GRR.

I find it stressful driving and watching to maintain a set distance between vehicles, which we need to do when moving farm machinery (i am usually leader). Here the two ways are essential and we even use small hand helds successfully in vehicles without a working built set. When spread over a few kilometres were are all still in touch. You will be on holiday - take it easy, even if you miss the first round of drinks! Your sightseeing, relaxation and your rig are worth more than that.

Motherhen