preperation

Preparing your vehicle for a trouble free Motortrail

Preperation for the Motortrail | Mt. Isa to St. George | Vehicle Equipment | Vehicle Tyres | Safety |

The 2009 Just4Kids Motortrail will be taking us to some special and spectacular parts of our great country.

While there is lots of support available for Motor trailers during the event there is a lot to be gained by investing some time in preparing your car, bus, kombi or 4by for the adventure ahead.

This year’s trek takes us into the southern gulf along the edge of the deserts and into the famous channel country.

These diverse landscapes each offer their own unique challenges to motor trailers and their vehicle.

A well prepared motor trailer will be sure to have organised the following.

The vehicle.

Required...

• A high clearance vehicle.

• Offroad Oriented tyres, preferably of Light Truck construction, but not necessarily.

• Rated recovery points front and rear. A class 4 hitch on the rear is perfect, use the receiver rather than the towball for all recoveries. At the front you should be investing in a rated recovery hook or loop, attached directly to the  chassis, with high tensile bolts, all available from TJM outlets... don’t cut corners here.

• 2 mounted spare tyres. (not many tyre stores out there).

• Installed UHF Radio with external Aerial. Your UHF is your link to the rest of the motortrailers, it is important that your communications are not compromised by flat batteries and cheap handheld radios. The trail-boss will designate a channel for motortrailers to use during this event. If you also wish to monitor another channel, it is best to have a second radio rather than to use any scan or dual watch functions, contact OLBIS

• Communications for your 4JK discount on Radios and Antennas.

• Rear facing, white spot or work light. This is your dust light and is an important safety consideration. A 55 watt light is sufficient, and you should ensure that you are able to switch it off when it is not needed, i.e. when not on dirt roads.

• Rotating or strobe light(s). Ideally your beacon(s) should be visible for 360 degrees, again available from TJM.

• Suitable jack and wheel brace. (if you have lifted the suspension of your vehicle be sure that your jack is capable of the extra height).

• Fire extinguisher and first aid kit. Make sure that they are in date, and are easy to get too.

• A TJM Air Compressor. Altering your tyre pressures is a key step in driving different terrains. A quality air compressor is essential in ensuring that your tyres are always at the most appropriate pressure.

• Seat belts for all persons.Your vehicle numbers and sponsors decals. Your entry numbers should be black, at least 10cms high and put onto your door decal. You should also have your number, in white, on the top right hand side of your back window.

• Fuel capacity, for a laden vehicle, over possibly soft terrain, of at least 400kms. Do not count on the availability of LPG.

Optional vehicle additions

• Sump and underbody protection

• Extended mud flaps, bearing legalities in mind, extending your mudflaps to reduce potential rock damage is a good idea.

• Jerry can of fuel as a back up, carrying fuel in or on a vehicle is dangerous, unless you have a desperate need, it’s a practice best to avoid. For the 2009 Event fuel has been organised for distances over 400k on a cash basis.

Packed in the vehicle

TJM Recovery Equipment

With the terrain that we will be covering this year, it is inevitable that someone, will need recovery, somewhere. While there will be some of us carrying the sort of gear to handle just about anything, (like winches) it’s important that motortrailers be as self sufficient as possible. Your recovery kit should include...

• Suitable snatch strap. Unless you drive something with a GVM (NOT GCVM) over 4 tonnes, then you need an 8t Snatch Strap. Bigger is not better in the world of snatch straps. Do not be fooled into buying or thinking that a greater breaking strain is a good thing.

• 2 rated Bow Shackles. If you are heading to your local TJM to stock up, go for Bow shackles, they are better and more versatile than D Shackles, however if you already have D shackles, they will do. Bear in mind that shackles are only for attachment to hardware and should never be used to join two straps.

• Extension Strap. Sometimes you need more length than a snatch strap can provide. Grab a 20 metre extension strap (they can always be doubled over, and you should never join 2 snatch straps).

• Recovery blanket or dampener.

Other

• Vehicle spares
• Collection of suitable fuses.
• Any specific tools (like torx fittings if applicable)
• Electrical and cloth tape
• Air and fuel filters, (it will be dusty)
• Keys

• License and vehicle registration
• Drinking water, be sure to carry at least 5 litres for every person in the car

To see an instructional recovery video filmed by Bo, during last year’s Toyota Fraser Island Fishing Expo, head over to www.P7OFFROAD.com.au and visit our downloads page.

If there is anything else that we can do to assist you prepare your vehicle for the adventure ahead, please feel free to contact us at P7Offroad, Accredited Offroad Driver Training, and we’ll do what we can to help.

Prepared by Dave from P7 check out: www.P7OFFROAD.com.au