Blue Mountains to Uluru trip
 

Quick report before its to late.
During the school holidays I took the JK ('08 shorty) for a long drive from the Blue Mountains to Uluru. 14 days, a little over 6,000 klms about $1,000 worth of petrol (over $2 a litre at some places). The Wrangler did not miss a beat!!! I was a very happy Jeep owner! Cruising along with the cruise control on, windows open, music blaring was great! But I guess I'm preaching to the converted here. Before I left I put on 5 new tyres, Perelli MTR Scorpions which I choose because I got them for a VERY good price. 285/70/17 on the standard rims.

I also changed front disc pads, spark plugs, air filter, coolant, wiper blades, diff oils and transfer case oil. Unfortunately I couldn't do the transmission oil as I didn't have the tool to access the drain plug. (Apparently the tool required can be made but I don't think I am able to do that. Not sure what the tool costs, I'm guessing it's not cheap, any suggestions?)

Went with my nephew and his family, they have a Patrol and unfortunately their vehicle did not fare as well as the mighty JEEP which lost us some time and cost them about a $1,000.

I did have an oops on the way there, ran out of fuel, not entirely my fault. We passed through Port Augusta during the tail end of the storms which caused so much damage and there was no power. We were planning on staying for a night but because of the circumstances decided to push on and hopefully find somewhere calmer for the night. No power = no petrol, we did have a Jerry can with us but hadn't filled it as yet. So we continued north assuming/ hoping to find somewhere to get fuel. Well not so!

By this time it was dark, raining, cold and VERY windy and the fuel light came on. Next fuel 110klms away, no way I thought but nothing else to do but keep going! As the klms slowly got eaten up I actually thought I might make it. I reduced speed even more and kept going. At 105klms it died, as they say so close and yet so far! It could have been worse, the Patrol went ahead got some fuel and returned, all sorted.

We did the 'Rock', The Olgas, Kings Canyon, lots of walking, we did the Oonadatta track on the way back which was a breeze. Had a great time...

http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/...2a59c53b76.jpg

http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/...2a5c835bae.jpg

http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/...2a5e16338c.jpg

http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/...2a5fcb53d1.jpg

Nice trip report, I have done the same trip twice (not the Oonadatta bit :( ) with a camper first & a caravan second time. I love it out there.
That recovery photo brings back bad memories of my Wilcannia/Cobar breakdown :shock: :lol:

So want to do this! Where in the mountains are you Pete? There's a number of us up here, including Clarky.


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I ran out of fuel on the very same stretch of road the first time I travelled that way too. I realised at Ranges View that I wasn't going to make it to Spuds and tried to get back to PortA. Made it to phone reception for RACV assistance.

Good trip and it's nice to see people making the commitment to seeing all of the country, not just the bits around the edges. Careful now though. The hot is starting and it's touching 40 from tomorrow.

From my trip a year ago
Rainbow Valley
http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/...2d949e8632.jpg
http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/...8df577c214.jpg
The Rock
http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/...b5a613c673.jpghttp://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/...2daf0b5bbf.jpg

Funny you should say that, that photo was taken 50k's before Cobar! Must be something in the air :)))


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Local Jeep owners, cool! I'm at Woodford...


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