Well it does till the light comes on! The patrols had a dodgey body earth! My mates early GU fuel gauge was always playing up till he re earthed the body.
cruiser 200 series fuel consumption
- Thread starter Smirke
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Well it does till the light comes on! The patrols had a dodgey body earth! My mates early GU fuel gauge was always playing up till he re earthed the body.
No I don't. I have Lovells springs and added airbags afterwards when the expandas ball weight went up with box etc. ( never measured it but expect 250-300+) I find anything up to 200kg ball weight is fine ( this is with a loaded wagon too ) after that you notice it. I have a friend with a goldstream that's 280kg ball and he had to add wdh for peace of mind. Interestingly he came from a 100 which didn't need a wdh. His theory is that it's the short nose of the 200 with V8 and less weight over front axles? He could be right? Certainly when " pushing " the 200 like a sports car the fronts very balanced. Something you could never do with a 100.
Big issue with std springs is the front and a bull bar. They drop and your not far from the bump stops! Personally if your got a tribe and going to tow you need the GVM upgrade
The springhats cracking where another fault on patrols. The way the springs and bags mount on the 200 they are fine and much better design than on patrols. There is a stupid heavy rated spring for those that have everything, rear bar , twin wheels, 280 litre fuel. That would exert more forces in the chassis than the std HD plus bag IMO but agree with you bags are a pain in the arse IMO too. I haven't changed the pressure since I rebalanced the van and keep the ball south of 190kg.
Think our ball weight is 235 (something heavy like that) and thought I'd read somewhere that they recommended WDH, and we will be adding a box on the front with a 40L engle in it plus the other crap we take (i.e. BBQ, hoses, floor mat). Because of the luxury car tax, we will be paying for extras/changes ourselves. I asked about suspension upgrade, but the guys at O.R.E. say it will be fine. (They loaded up the bosses Sahara and are waiting to see what happens. So far nothing). Would love to get it all put on at once, but unless a lotto win happens............. Also, the car won't have KDSS.
Just looked. Empty ball mass is 238kg, max ball loading is 286kg.
Just looked. Empty ball mass is 238kg, max ball loading is 286kg.
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The car got re earthed when the earthing strap burnt off the turbo ( that's where it was put in the car apparently. I've been told that was a no no). But made no difference, other than to show no diesel left compared to 3/4 left. Just gave up in the end.
Sorry to ask all these questions, but I have no idea on cars. Just expect them to go. Plus I want it to be able to handle our trip.
Other than a bigger payload, what does a gvm give you?
Other than a bigger payload, what does a gvm give you?
Can I ask why you've decided to leave the van at Home Valley station?
If you can get it that far along the GRR then the rest will be just as easy.
Other than that, I have no input on the fuel use of a 200....
If you can get it that far along the GRR then the rest will be just as easy.
Other than that, I have no input on the fuel use of a 200....
Hubby isn't keen on taking it the whole way across....just in case. Was originally thinking leaving it at the west end, going halfway then coming to get van......head east and leave it at home valley to tackle the eastern bit. Now am thinking head straight to homevalley (via road) and go east to west. Come back, get van and continue on our way east.Can I ask why you've decided to leave the van at Home Valley station?
If you can get it that far along the GRR then the rest will be just as easy.
Other than that, I have no input on the fuel use of a 200....
The road is bitumen all the way to elquestro, so it's only a bit further along. However, been reading and a lot of people say the eastern bit is the worst. Done homevalley with our standard territory pulling our swan in 2012 with no issues.
Still undecided though, I would like to take van along it to make it easier for camping purposes. Except for the plateau, we wouldn't take it up there . But, hubby isn't mechanically minded (he use to lightly play with his hilux which had a Holden 253 engine in it, but that was 20 years ago), and me....I could change a tyre....if the nuts aren't impossible to undo, but that's it. So, going on our own if something breaks.....we would be stuffed.
Unless there's anyone who wants to tag along and is a great "fix it" person??????
Join http://www.lcool.org/forum/ which is a great forum dedicated to everything landcruiser. Has a 200 series sub section which will keep you reading for a while. Use the search function as most questions that people ask would have been answered before in another thread. It's fantastic source of information.
I fitted the suspension from before picking up so I don't know this first hand. But the Lovells guy who did ours is a great guy with a ton of fourbie experience. He does the govt /National park vehicle upgrades as well. His workshop is in an area with a lot of horse people hence lots of stock 200s. Windsor NSW . There is an old bridge that crosses from kurrajong to RICHMOND and it dips down. he was telling me one day when I called in for a nag that he gets a lot of stock 200s in where a ARB bar has been fitted. He said they hit the dip at speed and the front end bottoms out and they step out across the road as they bottom out!! I had a lowered car years ago that would do this it's terrifying. So be careful about bars and replacement heavy batteries in the front if your not doing the springs?
GRR has fuel at Mt Barnett at around 1/2 way, No other fuel available any more unless Imatji decides to reopen. Fill at Drysdale on the way to Mitchell Plateau and that way you can choose to do Surveyors Pool and Point Walsh (Port Warrender) as well. Fill on the way back. Keep your tank topped up as often as possible,you never know what'll bite your back end up there.
Home Valley is easy as entry into and out of the Pentecost River is easy. The Durack can be a little rougher but generally good as well. River depth when road is open is usually less than 0.50m. Post wet seaso can see some sharp creek crossings appear.
Kalumburu Rd is a @#$@×=£€ as it corrugates badly. I wouldn't take a van anywhere near it unless you know it's just been graded. Ring Drysdale Station and they can tell you when it was graded last. Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley Council wont tell you. I've seen a few broken vans and trailers up there.
Home Valley is easy as entry into and out of the Pentecost River is easy. The Durack can be a little rougher but generally good as well. River depth when road is open is usually less than 0.50m. Post wet seaso can see some sharp creek crossings appear.
Kalumburu Rd is a @#$@×=£€ as it corrugates badly. I wouldn't take a van anywhere near it unless you know it's just been graded. Ring Drysdale Station and they can tell you when it was graded last. Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley Council wont tell you. I've seen a few broken vans and trailers up there.
Here are a few pics of the road between Drysdale Station and Kalumburu.
We had left our camper trailer and the mates caravan at Kunnunurra as the wet season was late finishing and the road was only open to fourbies.
We had left our camper trailer and the mates caravan at Kunnunurra as the wet season was late finishing and the road was only open to fourbies.
Since we have been away all i see in van parks are 200s they out number anything else my 2 cents
Thanks @peterg. Will def be keeping the tanks filled while up there....just in case.
I knew about imintji closing, but wasn't 100% sure where the other fuel was, if there was any.
@chartrock , I am hoping for no mud! Haven't driven thru any yet, and don't really want to. We should be heading up that road early July, so hopefully the roads are dry, but the falls are still flowing.
I knew about imintji closing, but wasn't 100% sure where the other fuel was, if there was any.
@chartrock , I am hoping for no mud! Haven't driven thru any yet, and don't really want to. We should be heading up that road early July, so hopefully the roads are dry, but the falls are still flowing.
Which is why we will do the beast swap. Just hope this one doesn't have any gremlins! Shame there aren't many 6 seaters we can choose from.
Im happy with my 100 but for what i payed to get it good could have had a 200 just about
Here I go op2:
@Smirke a bit off topic in regards to fuel, sort of........but we did the Gibb in July/Aug just gone. The BT has an 80 lt tank and I threw two 20lt jerry cans in the tub "just in case" We towed the van the whole length without any issues at all. (east to west) and honestly I wasn't concerned about running out with this on board.
I never touched the jerry cans at all on the Gibb. Just topped up the tank at Mt Barnett halfway across. You can fuel up at El Questro $2lt I think it was or $2.20 I'd have to check. I tipped the fuel in at Derby just to use the up and cull the weight.
Fuel up there before you leave and I can't see you having any problems.
OK, one thing to remember regarding fuel usage (to stay on topic) ( I could go on about the Gibb itself) you aren't travelling at highway speeds so in general you will/should be using less fuel for that distance anyway.
I really should do a proper trip report at some stage :violin:
op2:@Smirke a bit off topic in regards to fuel, sort of
........but we did the Gibb in July/Aug just gone. The BT has an 80 lt tank and I threw two 20lt jerry cans in the tub "just in case" We towed the van the whole length without any issues at all. (east to west) and honestly I wasn't concerned about running out with this on board.I never touched the jerry cans at all on the Gibb. Just topped up the tank at Mt Barnett halfway across. You can fuel up at El Questro $2lt I think it was or $2.20 I'd have to check. I tipped the fuel in at Derby just to use the up and cull the weight.
Fuel up there before you leave and I can't see you having any problems.
OK, one thing to remember regarding fuel usage (to stay on topic) ( I could go on about the Gibb itself
) you aren't travelling at highway speeds so in general you will/should be using less fuel for that distance anyway.I really should do a proper trip report at some stage :violin:
C'mon, where's your sense of adventure????
I took our van past Kalumburu to Honeymoon Bay. Drive to the conditions and it'll go places you wouldn't think possible.
thanks @cruza driver.I just remember not being able to get fuel at El Q in 2012, but then I remembered we had our territory and it was petrol.Here I go
@Smirke a bit off topic in regards to fuel, sort of
I never touched the jerry cans at all on the Gibb. Just topped up the tank at Mt Barnett halfway across. You can fuel up at El Questro $2lt I think it was or $2.20 I'd have to check. I tipped the fuel in at Derby just to use the up and cull the weight.
Fuel up there before you leave and I can't see you having any problems.
OK, one thing to remember regarding fuel usage (to stay on topic) ( I could go on about the Gibb itself
I really should do a proper trip report at some stage :violin:
I would love to read your trip report....when you get around to it of course. Especially hearing about road conditions. Still unsure about pulling the panda wagon across, she is a big girl! Thinking seriously about the 2nd wheel carrier like @peterg has on the back of his, as we don't have spare room in the car, unless we tie a couple of kids to the bullbar. (I'm sure they'd love it.)
Your van's a baby though. I got the big mumma!!!