4x4 Sprinter Van Off Road in the Simpson Desert. Van Life done different.

[@steveturner8883]

Fantastic! Really enjoyed this as a 4x4 Sprinter owner. I have been enjoying your vlogs immensely. Thanks for sharing this with us. Great!

[@edgeveg]

I like how you don't play much background music or over talk and let the adventure be the star

[@michaelaustin5888]

Im loving this

[@colinfwalters]

I did the Simpson at around the same time this year that you did. I crossed west to east along the Madigan Line in an LC200, a great trip. I also have a 4WD Sprinter and did not think it would be up to a crossing but you have certainly inspired me to give it a try!! Very impressive thanks for the video.

[@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn]

Actually this little trip into the desert was to check out if a full crossing was feasible, and if we had the fuel range in those conditions. Later in this series, on the way home from Broome, we take on a full crossing of the French and QAA lines. As our trip progressed, I got more and more confident of what our Sprinter could do off road.

[@johnterrell7488]

Great video, thanks, James and Jodie. On those steep dunes near the end did you normally change down to Low range? And did you disable ESP like they tell us to do on the beach?

[@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn]

Yes, low range and ESP switch off. Not sure if it's my imagination, but I am thinking that the 4x4 system reacts noticeably quicker when you are in low range. On this trip we did not use the rolling road mode, neither on this short desert visit nor the full crossing on the way home. The 4x4 system actually works really well on the desert dunes. You can see and feel it transferring drive around to different wheels. Brakes will probably get hot if doing it constantly, like on a soft beach, and then you might need to resort to the rolling road mode.

[@MiniLuv-1984]

That was awesome! I guess I'll need to watch the next one to see you get over (or not) BR. As if you need to pulls punches like that to get me to watch the next one!

[@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn]

Haha, sorry, that's not really why I did that. I just couldn't really work out a good ending with the video I had available. But I did think of all those TV shows that did that and it sort of worked.

[@MiniLuv-1984]

@@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn My comment was tongue in cheek anyway. I am grateful for your videos.

[@chrissmith-ck8cn]

luv u travels do u have diff locker?

[@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn]

Thanks. No we don't have a locker.

[@KargHenry]

Interesting. I have got a W461 G - Wagon cab chassis in WA set up for travelling and prospecting. Do you have the 2.1L or the 3.0L Diesel engine?

[@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn]

It's the 2.1

[@gandbnomadsinthehorizon7898]

Great video, we have a sprinter V6 4x4 LWB, but have not been able to but it to serious use yet. We intend to do some travel around Australia when we retire next year. Have you made any suspension modifications or added diff lockers. Gib River Road, . I believe you van is a MWB, which have ground clearance benefits over the LWB, however do you think the LWB would be able to tackle the places you have been?

[@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn]

We have made changes to the suspension, and I think that is necessary to go where we have gone. No lockers, but we have a winch that we have not used so far. The MWB is an advantage but think the wheel base is less important than vehicle preparation, suspension, and under vehicle protection. I would think your weight will be a consideration too. We will do a video soon outlining what mods we have made to the van.

[@gandbnomadsinthehorizon7898]

@@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn Thanks for the quick reply, and the information, it gives me great confidence. We do have some under body protection, such as a sump, transmission guards, Trakka have also added a lift kit and aftermarket wheels. I am looking forward to your next videos and in particular the mods video. Once again thanks for your help. Regards Geoff

[@rmw3957]

@@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn Fellow Sprinter campervan owner (LWB 4WD), I would be very interested to see what mods you have made; particularly suspension, tyres and air pressures used. I have just ridden across the Simpson on a Suzuki DRZ400, so take my hat off to you guys doing bits of it in a Sprinter!

[@WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn]

@@rmw3957 Thanks. Actually in a future episode, on our way home, we do a full crossing on the French and QAA lines. Some of the area between the Atolls track and the salt lakes was very challenging, but the Maxtrax were never needed. We came across some bikes earlier on the French line making very hard work of it, so hats off to you too.