Friday 25th Sept - Neerim South Area

[Davidman]

Hi All

Have a day off work tomorrow, Friday 25th Sept. Am thinking about going for a drive out near Neerim South to explore the area and have a look for new tracks. Will also be doing the usual favourites.

Anyone interested in joining me. If you're in the area, I will be scanning the channels, or PM me for my mobile number. Unfortunately cannot make the Noojee trip on Grand Final day and wanted to get out and have a play.

 

[Nickj]

Now you tell me! Bit wet out there....

Nick

 

[Davidman]

G'day Nick

Ended up going for a drive, was thinking twice about it with the rain and so on, but went anyway. Someone has dug the crap out of the river crossing on the toilet block side, it now has really deep ruts and a couple of holes about a foot deep. Took two attempts to get down the hill into the river . The rest of the tracks were very muddy and slippery.

Anyway, the main reason I wanted to go was to try out the new wheels, ended up getting 15x8 sunraysias and 31 inch BFG muddies. Tell you what, I may as well have had road tyres on before, these things are incredible. You can just casually drive up some of the tracks in the wet that used to be difficult, even in the dry.

Looking forward to getting back out there.

 

[antman42]

Hawthorn Creek?

G'day Nick

Ended up going for a drive, was thinking twice about it with the rain and so on, but went anyway. Someone has dug the crap out of the river crossing on the toilet block side, it now has really deep ruts and a couple of holes about a foot deep. Took two attempts to get down the hill into the river . The rest of the tracks were very muddy and slippery.

Anyway, the main reason I wanted to go was to try out the new wheels, ended up getting 15x8 sunraysias and 31 inch BFG muddies. Tell you what, I may as well have had road tyres on before, these things are incredible. You can just casually drive up some of the tracks in the wet that used to be difficult, even in the dry.

Looking forward to getting back out there.

Hi Davidman, are you talking about Hawthorn creek crossing? if yes how deep was it?
cheers

 

[Davidman]

G'day Antman

Yep, it's the Hawthorn Creek / Bridge crossing. The river depth hasn't changed that much since the last time I was up there about 4 weeks ago, when I caught up with Nickj. Two ways across the river, enter and go straight across, this gets to about top of wheel level, or veer towards the small rapids slightly downstream and that way is only about 1 foot deep. That's how the trail bikes cross.

I thought with the rain over the last week or so it would be a lot more, but not to be.

 

[antman42]

G'day Antman

Yep, it's the Hawthorn Creek / Bridge crossing. The river depth hasn't changed that much since the last time I was up there about 4 weeks ago, when I caught up with Nickj. Two ways across the river, enter and go straight across, this gets to about top of wheel level, or veer towards the small rapids slightly downstream and that way is only about 1 foot deep. That's how the trail bikes cross.

I thought with the rain over the last week or so it would be a lot more, but not to be.

yeah we were in the area last weekend and looked at it there was 6 of us and 5 were keen but we had a pretty stock hilux with us and he did like the look of the ruts to enter from the West side.

Did you do the suckling trk that connects to Vesper Rd? as I have heard it's pretty slippery as it was where we were heading.

On another note it was quite busy last weekend. lots of bikes and the like. one of my mates did a CV and some bloke broke his leg. we also helped another bloke who beaded a tyre trying to pull his mate up Hard-up Hall who only had a stock Hilux with Highway tyres on. ah the people you meet.

 

[Davidman]

Depending on the line taken, most 4by's will get through the crossing.

Suckling track...........have done that one a few times now. It is a good circuit if you follow Tolleys Track from the river crossing to the end, hang a left onto Suckling, do the Suckling Track loop and then come down the ' fun ' part of Reference Track. Now that's one to try, just don't do it alone, as you will need recovering. This was Reference Track a couple of weeks back.

YouTube - Steve Out of Control on Reference Track

Hard Up Haul is also a good one.

Give Stoll Road a try, it is very similar to Hard Up Haul and just around the corner....so to speak.

 

[Davidman]

Have a look at Suckling Track in the tracks section. There is the track log and some pics. There are about three steepish sections that can be slippery in the wet. It is good fun though.

Suckling Track - Near Neerim - 4x4 Earth Australia for 4WD Tracks

 

[Nickj]

Anyway, the main reason I wanted to go was to try out the new wheels, ended up getting 15x8 sunraysias and 31 inch BFG muddies. Tell you what, I may as well have had road tyres on before, these things are incredible. You can just casually drive up some of the tracks in the wet that used to be difficult, even in the dry.

I thought you may have gone for 32" but not knowing your circumstances... Now you just need a front Lokka, can you get them for the Paj? As you saw the other week when I came out of the river crossing, you can just creep up most rocky sections. There was a guy tring to point me up the easy section but I wouldn't listen.


Nick

 

[Davidman]

Was looking at 32's in Cooper STT's, but decided to go for the BFG Muddies in a 31.
I had 28's ( 265/70/R15 ) so in effect it gives me a 1.5 inch lift, plus the 40mm suspension lift I already have. Overall that's close to an 80 mm lift ( 3 inches ) and I am happy with that.

Can only get front lockers for the Pajero at this stage, they dont do rear ones.

 

[Davidman]

Dont know too much about lokka's, air lockers, their differences, pros and cons for each etc. Will have to do some research.................and save some more money