birding-aus

Tanami Desert Road

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Subject: Tanami Desert Road
From: <>
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:04:07 +1100
On the same topic we took my 06 manual Forester to Mt Isa and back down the 
Birdsville track and the approach/departure angle was, with care, fine on the 
very rough tracks and roads that we took around Mt Isa looking for Grasswrens 
but definitely not as good as a serious 4X4.

At the suggestion of the service manager at Subaru Docklands, Melb., after 
complaining that no one made non-road tyres for this car, I have had Dunlop 
215/65 R 16 tyres fitted with a better tread for sand use (and they give you 5 
MM more clearance - smile). The side walls are only 2 ply so care is still 
needed as they are, like the car, still not real 4X4.

And the low range, while minimal, is certainly enough to help on a soft sandy 
track like the one into Salt Lake in the Little Desert (Vic.). We got in to see 
Slender-bill Thornbills without needing to reduce tyre pressure, possibly 
because the car does not weigh as much as a big 4X4.

good luck if you do the drive and let us other Suby birders know so we can 
follow you.

Jen




---- Alistair McKeough <> wrote: 
> Yes, something like 22 degrees as opposed to around 30. Shouldn't really
> matter for a road.
> 
> Also, I've been told that the low range ration on the Forester is 1.2:1 -
> less than half what I said earlier.
> 
> Alistair
> 
>
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