ISSUE: 489 (Jan-Feb 2022)
Reg #: A-0006149J
PRESIDENT’S Report Be aware that this month’s General Meeting is held earlier in the month than usual due to the way the Tuesdays have panned out. The meeting is to be held on 22nd Feb.
provided next month. Being held in July, this event will also have the elements of a ‘Christmas in July’.
According to many Magazines sources, Subaru will launch electric vehicles Congratulations to all the recipients of the initially in the US this year, before coming various Club Awards named at the last to Australia. There has been joint General Meeting in January. Once all the partnership with Toyota in their previous recipients Award Trophies have development, and it will be interesting been returned, they will be engraved with how much of these new vehicles will the 2020 & 2021 recipient names and continue to remain ‘Subaru’ in features. officially presented. Over the December & January period, a number of Club trips were undertaken, and Till Later, Stay Safe this month’s Magazine is packed with the trip reports from those trips. Well done for Mark Tyssen all the reports being provided, provision of President text and the many photos to well illustrate President@subaru4wdvic.com.au how the trip provided the many elements of camping, passive travel & the more challenging aspects of the tracks undertaken. Will be really good reading that can be enjoyed by all, those reliving the experience and those that were not able to attend. Some of the reports and their associated video will soon appear on the Club’s website & Facebook sites. Look out for it. There are many trips planned for the upcoming months, as listed in this issue and on the Club’s website in the Members’ section of Proposed Trips. Signup to a trip via the Member’s portal, and the trip leader will contact you. A date has been set for the delayed 45th Annivarsary Celebration of 2021, which is to occur on Saturday 2nd July, and to be held at the Chinese Association of Victoria hall at their site in Wantirna. Details will be
ISSUE: 489 (Jan-Feb 2022) Club Committee President:
Mark Tyssen
president@subaru4wdvic.com.au Vice President & FWDV Delegate:
Contents TRIP & SOCIAL CALENDAR UPCOMING TRIP SPOTLIGHT PORTLAND SAND DUNES TRIP REPORTS POST XMAS TRIP MT TERRIBLE & BIG RIVER TRIP
P7-10 P11-14 P16-26 P27-31
Tim Folliard
vice-president@subaru4wdvic.com.au Secretary:
Martin Foot
secretary@subaru4wdvic.com.au Treasurer:
Angela Bombardieri treasurer@subaru4wdvic.com.au Membership:
ARTICLES TECHNICAL REVIEW SERIES PART 3
P34-36
FWDV E-NEWS
P43-45
Erica Auld
members@subaru4wdvic.com.au Trip & Social:
Tim Folliard
events@subaru4wdvic.com.au Venue coordinator:
Mark Tyssen
venue@subaru4wdvic.com.au Editor:
Next Club General Meeting Tue 26th Oct, 7:45pm via Zoom
(see email for zoom details)
Daniel Ho editor@subaru4wdvic.com.au Community Manager:
Peter Kakalias
community@subaru4wdvic.com.au Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc. c/- 24 Hill Street Hawthorn VIC 3122
Committee Member:
Nicholas Leask
Vice-President’s Report Here is an example of a diff after being driven through flood water without a breather extension. In this case the fluid is being drained, flushed and refilled. Ideally the fill plug should be removed first. Just in case it is seized and you need to get to someone who can remove it, If it is already drained it is very hard to fill from the drain plug.
Breather kits are relatively simple and inexpensive. You can install them yourself or a mechanic can do it very quickly on a hoist. Just remember if you do it on the ground to allow enough slack in the hose for full suspension movement. (Same principle as with brake lines and lift kits).
Tim Folliard Differentials, gear and transfer boxes all have breathers on them to release any heat generated when 4WDing or towing. Automatics often have coolers as they are more heat sensitive . Breathers often just on the top of the component like the diff or have a short extension piece/hose. This is all good venting excess heat but what happens when you start to cross a river? The rapid cooling can cause the breathers to suck outside air to fill the void and if the breather is in water, suck water into the component. Initially this may not be an issue, but moisture can cause rust and break down the gear oil. And a failure can be very expensive. -4-
Vice-President
vice-president@subaru4wdvic.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/groups /432721397925114
EDITOR’S NOTE Welcome to the 1st Club Magazine for 2022! The Club has some exciting trips planned for 2022. I look forward to the trip reports from those adventures, and any topics you would like to see covered in upcoming editions of the Magazine.
Daniel Ho Magazine Editor
editor@subaru4wdvic.com.au
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With Covid travel restrictions having been lifted, the Club is confident that future trips will proceed as planned (in compliance with any applicable Covid restrictions), especially as the majority of the trips are within the State of Victoria. As always, if you have a trip idea, please don’t hesitate to discuss them with Tim Folliard. Tim’s email address is events@subaru4wdvic.com.au. Please note that trips may be postponed or cancelled due to extreme weather (fire risk / storms) or Public Health restrictions at short notice. Full details for each of the events can be found on the Proposed Trip section on the Club’s website. https://www.subaru4wdvic.com.au/index.php/proposed-trips
UPCOMING TRIP
DATE
LEADER (S)
Cobbler Plateau, King River and Craig's Hut
19 Feb – 21 Feb
Tim Folliard
Pie Run to Jindabyne Bakery (and surrounds)
11 Mar – 15 Mar
Peter Kakalias
Exploring the Ouyen and Mildura Region
25 Mar – 28 Mar
Dan Ho
15 Apr – 18 Apr
Dan Ho
29 Apr – 1 May
Stewart Southam
15 May – 28 May
Martin Foot
DIFFICULTY
(incl Murray Sunset NP)
Portland Sand Dunes (Tentative. Awaiting availability confirmation from the PDBC)
Heathcote (with stargazing)
Northern Flinders Ranges
* Please note that these trips 1) Will only go ahead if Covid restrictions permit 2) Covid vaccination requirements may apply (Depending on the Government Covid Regulations at the time of the trip. Please contact the Trip Leader for more information.
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Considerations All Wheel Drive and High Range 4WD. Novice Drivers
Mainly High range 4WD but Low range required. Some 4WD experience recommended.
Significant Low range 4WD with standard 4WD ground clearance. Should have 4WD driver training.
Low range 4WD with High ground clearance. Experienced Drivers
Mostly unsealed Expected terrain roads with no and track conditions obstacles and minor gradients.
Tracks with some steep and/or rocky/slippery/sandy sections. May have shallow water crossings.
Tracks with frequent steep and/or rocky/slippery/sandy sections. Possible water crossings.
Tracks with frequent very steep and/or rocky/slippery/sandy sections. May have difficult river crossings.
Suitable for medium clearance vehicles with dual range and all terrain or road tyres.
Suitable for medium to high clearance vehicles with dual range and all terrain tyres.
Suitable for high clearance vehicles with dual range and tyres suitable for the terrain. (Mud Terrain tyres).
Overall Description
Vehicle suitability
All wheel Drive and High Range 4WD. Can be low clearance with single range and road tyres.
Recovery equipment Winch / Recovery required. equipment required.
Recovery equipment
Driver Training / Experience
Drivers with extensive experience Recommended that Recommended for and advanced drivers have drivers with training should only experience or 4WD reasonable attempt as there are Suitable for novice training. experience or 4WD several technical drivers. Recommended to be training. To be done challenges. done in groups of in groups of Recommended to be vehicles. vehicles. done in groups of four or more vehicles.
Weather
May be difficult in wet conditions.
Will be more difficult in wet conditions.
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Will be more difficult in wet conditions.
Will be more difficult in wet conditions.
The Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc. recommends that each vehicle carry the following items or equipment on every trip. Personal details form (as specified by 4WDV) ❑ One copy to the trip leader; One copy in vehicle
Minimum of a basic recovery kit ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
Two rated D- Shackles (minimum 3.2t) Rated Snatch strap / Kinetic rope Bridal strap / Equaliser strap (*important for Subaru vehicles) Accessible recovery points for both front and rear A shovel
Safety equipment ❑ UHF (477Mhz) Radio (Club convoy channel is CH16). Ideally an in car mounted radio, but hand-held are ok provided sufficient battery(s) to last the trip.
❑ Fire extinguisher, accessible to the driver ❑ Basic first aid kit
Spares and tools ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
A tyre pressure gauge and air compressor Spare tyre (full size & same size as the other 4 tyres) Jack and wheel brace, or equivalent A suitable tool kit for your vehicle Sufficient fuel, oil and water for the trip, accounting for delays Spare parts (appropriate to the nature of the trip) Your vehicle manual Emergency supplies (matches, food, water and clothing)
?
Unsure or have questions regarding the items above
Contact the Trip and Social Coordinator or the Trip Leader
TRIP BEING RESCHEDULED
ESTIMATED DATE
LEADER(S)
Social Bike Ride
TBA
Mark Tyssen
Explore Anglesea
TBA (likely weekday)
Dan Ho
PLANNED TRIP Cameron Corner
DATE 7 Oct – 22 Oct’22
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LEADER(S) Peter Kakalias
DIFFICULTY N/A
DIFFICULTY TBD
TRIP & SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT PORTLAND SAND DUNES (UPCOMING, AWAITING CONFIRMATION OF BOOKING BY THE PORTLAND DUNE BUGGY CLUB)
TENTATIVELY 15 APRIL – 18 APRIL ’22 (TBC) SWAN LAKE CAMPING AREA, MT RICHMOND
in shape and location as they are blown by the Back in November 2021, I (Dan Ho) ran a trip wind. Unlike the sand dunes in the Big Desert to the Portland Dune Buggy Club’s property for and on the Border Track, the sand here is not the Pajero 4WD Club of Victoria. The Pajero held together by vegetation and there is not a Club runs a minimum of two trips there each firm base underneath the loose sand. In short, they are not dissimilar to the sand dunes one year, and running a trip for them with the support of people who knew the area like the see in films of the Sahara Desert sand dunes, just a different colour. back of their hands gave me an excellent opportunity to learn from them. Having done that, I intend to run a trip for the Subaru Club What is it like to drive on these over the Easter weekend in April. sand dunes?
Overview
Driving on these sand dunes is nothing like What are the sand dunes like? driving on sandy beaches, Big Desert, or the The sand dunes at Portland are migrating sand Border Track. It is a little like driving on deep dunes. This means they are constantly shifting dense snow. -11-
showering with. With the weather in April The PDBC’s facility is adjacent to the public being cooler, we’ll be using the camp fire to campground at Swan Lake, Mount Richmond ensure warm showers are available. (https://goo.gl/maps/bCgZ74i3RVZ9q1bQ6). What is the itinerary? It is 380km from Melbourne. The itinerary for this trip is a relaxing one. The PDBC campground has good quality bore There is no rushing involved. water, flushing toilets, and designated fire pits. Friday: For those arriving in time, a 2hr reccy starting after lunch to It is accessible with large caravans and camper familiarise with the terrain and trailers. navigation. Sat&Sun: A morning session and an afternoon It is anticipated that we’ll have a good size session, with lunch back at Camp. camp fire each night. We’ll order wood from Finish the day no later than 4pm for the local supplier if numbers meet the minimum nibbles and drinks to justify ordering ($200 for 2m3). Otherwise Mon: Leisurely pack up in the morning. BYO firewood. Lunch in Portland, then head home
How far is the PDBC?
We’ll also be brining our electric camp shower and the bore water is perfectly fine for
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Vehicle requirements The sand dunes are steep and the bases of them involve sharp angles. It is not uncommon for vehicles to suffer front and rear bumper damage. Therefore, your vehicle must meet the following requirements: • Good approach angle. Note that Outbacks and XV not fitted with SX bull bars are likely end up ripping their front bumper bar off. • Good departure angle. Note that Outbacks with stock rear bumper are likely to suffer rear bumper bar damage.
This sounds dangerous. Why are we going driving on the sand dunes? Driving at the Portland Sand Dunes certainly has potential for vehicle damage. Equally, driving on those sand dunes is a lot of fun. The scenery is fantastic with a relaxing pace to allow time to soak in the experience. It is not for everybody, but many 4WDrivers go back to Portland year after year.
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With each day being divided into morning and afternoon sessions and a large open camp ground, the trip caters for both families and singles alike. Those wanting to take a break away from driving, Swan Lake nearby is perfect for fishing, kayaking, and stand up paddle boarding (better bring a wetsuit, as it will be cool in April). In general, the trips to Portland are just great fun social gatherings with some challenging driving thrown in.
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Contact Martin Foot (S4WDCVic Member) Prices negotiable Email: mhfoot@optusnet.com.au Mobile:0434 770 497 (please leave a message) Subaru Forester X 2003 Model: Forester X Year: 2003 Trans: Dual range manual (L-series reduction ratio and 4.4 diffs) Colour: Green Odometer: 260,000km # owners: One, since new Price: $4000 (with RWC) $3300 (without RWC) Reg: SHC-951 (Exp June 2022) Fitted with • • • • • •
SX front bull bar SX rear bar with integrated 40mm tow hitch and wheel carrier) “Road Less Travelled” sump guard. 35mm spring lift L-series reduction ratio and 4.4 diffs. Integrated Uniden two-way radio.
Condition: • Mechanically well maintained (service history available). • Fair with plenty of bush stripes and minor bumps. Original bumpers and rear diff included, as well as two extra sets of wheels and tyres (road, AT and MT) and cargo barrier. (NB: Roof rack, roof bag and awning, as shown in the pics, not included).
The Post Xmas trip this year was based at the Buckwong Hut campsite, near Mt Murphy in the Victorian High Country. Due to the composition of the group with some travelling with camper trailers, the group divided into three sub-groups in the journey into camp. From Bairnsdale McDonalds, one group with camper trailers went directly from Bairnsdale into camp. Part of that group opted to overnight in Omeo before heading into camp the next day. The rest went with David via Moscow Villa Hut with an overnight on Nunniong Plains. Via Nunniong Plains
Via Omeo
Start of Hope Tk -16-
Monday, December 27, 2021 According to Martin & Dot The club had been looking forward to this all through lockdown, so we were rapt when we realised it could go ahead. In preparing for the trip, leader David Wilson had split the trip into two groups: those that were travelling with him overnight via Nunniong Plains, and those who were going directly to the Buckwong Hut campsite. The first group met at Bairnsdale around midday and after David arrived, headed off to Ensay where they branched off into the hills. More on that elsewhere. As Dot and I had a camper trailer, we were in the second group and we arrived in Bairnsdale some hours later. Bev Davison travelled with us from Melbourne to Bairnsdale, where we met up with Erica and (briefly) Jenny Schram, who had to drop out unfortunately, due to engine management issues. Dot and I decided to spend the first night at Omeo rather than venture into Buckwong Hut at dusk. We were joined at the caravan park by Bev, Rick, Jackie and Josh Koster and his mate Sam. The CP had a food caravan selling hamburgers, pizzas, and other fast-food favourites. We dined al fresco by starlight as the park manager, now the chef de cuisine, worked his way through the orders. We weren’t in a hurry, and neither was he! A chilly night, there were tables & chairs set up and a fire pit blazing to help us keep warm while we waited. A very pleasant venue. We were sad to hear of the flood damage to the park a week later. Hopefully everything will be restored in time.
According to Dan (on Dave’s convoy) After saying goodbye to the others, Sam and I joined Dave’s convoy to Nunniong Plains. In this convoy were - Samantha Lee & I - David, Anthony & Justin Wilson - Keong, Anya, Zhi & Jia Yip - Peter Devine - Tom Morley - Nicholas & Deb Leask - Michael & Sharon Bauer 17
The intent for this day was to reach Nunniong Plains via Moscow Villa Hut and the Washington Winch. The driving was relatively easy on good graded gravel roads and we made good time for a late lunch at Bush Hilton Hut at Bentley Plain Reserve. After airing down, we proceeded to Moscow Villa Hut which has an interesting bit of history. It is amazing what people in the “old days” did. Afterwards we drove onto the Washington Winch, which is the only steampowered engine of its kind in Australia. Amazingly, it was in operation until 1961! The 4x4 adventure commenced after our visit to the Washington Winch, with Dave taking us onto Escarpement Tk. Escarpement Tk is rated as “Easy” by HEMA Maps. It was anything but easy, which goes to show how the conditions of 4x4 tracks can change and track ratings can only be used as indicative guides.
Unfortunately, our XV suffered an electronic issue which resulted in the car’s AWD system not functioning properly. The lack of 4WD meant we had trouble with some of the bog holes, and we became the subject of several recovery practices. Overall, while the going was slow with several tricky bog holes (some with very deep ruts) to navigate through, everybody had fun tackling the muddy terrain.
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It was late, cold, and wet by the time we made it to Nunniong Plains. Everybody quickly setup camp, cooked dinner, and promptly retreated to bed. It had been a long day.
Tuesday, December 28, 2021 According to Martin & Dot In the morning we broke camp and headed past Benambra along Fang Alley, before turning onto the Mt Hope Road and then the track to Buckwong Hut. We negotiated the steep track with the high spoon drains, arriving at Buckwong Hut at the bottom. It was clearly too wet to camp at the hut, so we moved on to the campsite over the creek. There we met up with Andrew and Lisa Jantke plus Peter and Katie Mynard. They had arrived the day before to claim our communal space. The site sits low amongst the hills beside the creek, just inside the National Park. The ground was saturated and the air warm and humid. The March flies were glad to see us by day and the mozzies at night! After lunch we were joined by the main convoy led by David, which more than doubled the number of people and vehicles on site. Their adventure coming in is told elsewhere. At peak there were about 30 people and around 15 vehicles in camp. Deb and Nick grabbed a fishing rod and were off to the nearby low bridge where they caught a couple of small trout. They returned the fish to the water for another day. Unfortunately, they did not have the same success the next night. That night, we gathered for a traditional chat around the campfire under clear skies.
According to Dan (on Dave’s convoy) We woke up to a wet tent and a fresh brisk morning, greeted by wild brumbies. In daylight, we were finally able to appreciate the beauty of the area where we pitched our tents for the night.
After breaking camp, because of the AWD issues our XV was experiencing, we decided to take the main road and rendezvous with the group at the corner of Garron Pt Tk and Nunniong Rd, while the rest of the group tackled a river crossing and the steep climb of Garron Pt Tk. It was a 15.5km drive for us on graded gravel road and 18.2km for them on tracks. While it was expected that they would take longer to reach the junction, we waited and waited at the junction well past the estimated rendezvous time with no signs of them. Eventually, we were able to reach them on the UHF and found out that they encountered a tree that made the track impassible. They had to back track all the way back to where we camped overnight and come around the same way Sam and I took to reach the Garron Pt Tk junction. The group took a well-deserved lunch break after they reached the junction, after which we drive together until we reached the turn-off for Sam and I to drive to Camp via Omeo. The rest of the group took Misery Tk to Camp.
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Wednesday, December 29, 2021 According to Martin & Dot (Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38545057)
After a slow start to the day, the entire group (apart from Bev, who preferred to stay in camp) assembled to tackle the track heading up to Davies Plain Hut. The initial climb to Davies Plain track was long, with a tricky bog hole along the way that deteriorated during the next few days due to heavy traffic. The day quickly became quite warm, creating challenges for our Diesel Forester, which tends to overheat if the going is too slow.
Passing through Charlie Creek campsite, we were faced with another slow hard climb, finally reaching the Davies Plain hut for lunch. The views along the way were stunning, but the bushfire damage to entire hillsides from the 2019 fires is quite shocking. After lining up for a group photo opportunity, the convoy headed back to our camp. A tag-along group decide to camp beside us overnight, which turned our campsite into a traffic hazard. David had words with their leader in attempt to keep their speed through our campsite down. Another enjoyable campfire saw the day out.
Thursday, December 30, 2021 According to Martin & Dot David had planned a long trip for the day, to Tom Groggin and return. That trip is described elsewhere. Some of us decided instead to slack off and take a trip into Omeo, where we enjoyed coffee and an ice cream and did some shopping. Omeo was a very busy little town that day, but we found a pleasant patch of grass to enjoy our lunch before heading back to camp. Many hours later, the main convoy returned, tired and dusty. Yet another campfire went on well into the night. Dot and Anthony saw a particularly spectacular shooting star as all eyes scanned the skies for satellites and stars. It was a particularly beautiful night sky as the moon was not rising till late.
According to Dan (on Dave’s convoy) (Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38545074))
Today Dave took the group up to Mt Pinnibar, which is often described as “one of the most challenging peaks to reach in Victoria”. With the summit at 1762m, from the top of Mt Pinnibar, one could see the Cobberas (to the South), Mt Kosciuszko (to the East), Mt Beauty (to the West).
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The trip to Mt Pinnibar was very scenic. The journey up was not an overly difficult drive, other than Michael needing to remove a pebble that managed to wedge between his brake pads and rotor, and Rick having the bad luck of getting a sidewall cut on one of the new tyres he just installed for this trip. Both were quickly fixed on the track. On the way back, we went and saw the Murray River crossing point at Tom Groggin, where a Pajero Sport happened to cross the river. The driver of the Pajero had been contemplating the crossing for well over half an hour. He struggled a little on the crossing exit as it was rather rutted and slippery. We also encountered a reasonably deep river crossing on the way back to Camp. Two cars in the convoy ran into difficulties. Rick’s L-Series, despite his best efforts in waterproofing his electrical connections, the engine lost spark again during his crossing. Nick’s Outback was caught up on a rock and also had to be towed out. Unfortunately for Nick, because he was stationary in the river for a prolonged period of time, a fair amount of water ingressed into the cabin. Fortunately, the water was clean river water and the car did not suffer any ill effects after it was dried. A shout out to Justin for an awesome job in attaching the recovery rope to Nick’s car. Some track maintenance work was required in order for us to make it back to Camp.
Friday, December 31, 2021 According to Martin & Dot (Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38545088) Andrew and Lisa had business elsewhere, so packed up and left early. For the rest of us, a swim was on the cards, so the convoy headed back up the steep climb, this time taking the track eastwards to the Poplars campsite on the upper Murray. Here the river is only a few metres wide, but deep enough for swimming. A pleasant time was had by all, despite Dot making off with the Wilson’s only towel! We were visited on the riverside by two members of the Victorian constabulary who were looking for a ‘baddy’. it seemed a very long way to come- a bit like looking for a needle in a hay stack. we immediately thought about border passes and which state we were in, until we breathed a sigh and remembered that those days had passed. The trip back to camp involved a particularly challenging and slow climb as some vehicles needed a tow to get up some of the tricky parts.. On return, the final campfire for the year was held, again under clear skies. There were tasty nibbles and we enjoyed a relaxed New Year’s eve around a beautiful fire, grateful for the opportunity to enjoy such a great trip in good company.
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Saturday, January 1, 2022 According to Martin & Dot It was pack up day for most of us. The site gradually cleared during the morning until just a few people were left. We travelled with Bev as far as Benambra, when we turned north to join family at Nariel Creek campsite near Corryong and Bev headed home via Omeo. So another great High Country trip came to an end.
Trip Participants Peter and Katie Mynard
L series wagon
Rick and Jackie Koster
L series wagon
Josh Koster and friend Sam (visitor) Erica Auld Martin Foot and Dot Greiveson Bev Davison Keong, Anya, Zhi and Jia Yip
Forester SH Forester Forester SJ Diesel Forester SH Toyota FJ Cruiser
Tom Morley Subaru Forester SF
Nicholas and Deb Leask
Subaru Outback
Cynthia and Mike Rennolds
Subaru Outback
Daniel Ho and Samantha Lee
Subaru XV
Andrew and Lisa Jantke
Thanks David and everyone on board for a great time.
Vehicle
Michal and Sharon
Isuzu D-Max
Mitsubishi Delica
Peter Devine Mitsubishi Pajero David, Anthony and Justin Wilson Toyota Landcruiser (Trip Lead) 100
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The previous two days we had thunderstorms and heavy rainfall so how well the tracks have handled the storm. Would it be wet, muddy or have trees down or still dry? Unlike some recent convoys, there was a mixture of vehicles with 2 Subies, 2 Toyotas, a Rodeo (Isuzu) and a Mitsubishi. Several vehicles, mostly Subarus were late cancellations with a few late mechanical issues. Starting from Cambarville Picnic Area, after airing down we proceeded north-east along Big River Road (good gravel) past numerous riverside campsites surrounded by forest. Past Stockman’s Reward the track becomes 4WD only with rocky and earth sections but still in good condition. So far clear tracks, damp enough for no dust (great) but no traction issues and a nice, warming day. Right turn into Hope Track. This looks very steep as you exit Big River Road and climbs, but today was a relatively easy climb with good traction (in the dry) and is only 3 km before linking with Mt Terrible Track.
Start of Hope Tk -27-
There were several optional tracks along Mt Terrible Track. This one was much steeper than it looks in the photo and almost entirely made of rocks. The options presented some short, steep and rocky challenges that joined back to the main track. Track conditions were still good with a few rocky sections. A tree was down but once cut, slid into the valley below. Mt Terrible Track is a long track with the Hut and tower about halfway along. The plan was to follow it until the hut at Mt Terrible (1316 metres) for lunch and we arrived in good time. The weather was fine and the views to the east of the entire Alpine region are great. This is a recent solid rebuild as the previous huts have been the victim of numerous fires through the area. A large telecommunication tower is nearby so mobile reception is good. Tom found his Forester had detached the front sway bar so after some running repairs was ready to proceed. A short distance after leaving the hut we turned left into Newman’s Track then into Dane Spur Track. All the height gains made were quickly lost as we descended. These tracks were more clay based so would be a challenge if wet but soon we were back on Big River Road and into the camp site early to set up for the night. -28-
Chaffe Creek is a good campsite with a large shelter and drop toilets along the fast-running Big River with jumping fish. The site seems divided up in a few distinct camping areas so we didn’t see any other campers although there were a few camped out with trail bikes and another with a sound system that seemed to go quiet at the appropriate time. Next day the plan was to visit the memorial site for a 1940 RAAF plane crash. Chaffe Creek Campground
Rather than follow the main road we diverted along Homestead Track which was a good track with some nice climbs and descents with the occasional change into low range. All going well until the trip leader rounded a bend and then realised the track was washed away and a large amount of rock wall was exposed. Deciding the line chosen in haste wasn’t the best but too committed to reverse back with a Toyota hand brake, Michael in the Pajero came to the rescue with a short tow back and then spotters to guide everyone safely down with a few rear wheels raised depending on the line taken. Might have been more difficult if travelling west to east and having to climb up. Some good teamwork here as well as lots of video being shot. The video shot really doesn’t show the obstacle scale well. -29-
South Couduroy Creek Rd and Torbreck Track were both fair tracks but we were frustrated by fallen trees across the track, some seem to be a metre diameter so Matt’s chainsaw would have had its work cut out with at least 2 cuts. And what lay beyond that? Reverse, try another way and be blocked again. The memorial site would wait for another trip. Barnwell Plains Rd into Mt Torbreck picnic area but before that more tracks to clear but these were easier to cut so we were soon on the way again.
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The lunch area at Mt Torbeck was a 2km difficult walk to the summit and as it was warm and humid the walk option was not taken up although another group in an old army Land Rover did . After lunch a short but interesting track exited sharply into Snobs Creek Rd. A faster drive to the spectacular Snobs Creek Falls, air up and depart for home. The weather and track conditions were great and the trip was just the right distance for a weekend trip. All the vehicles handled the conditions well so driven with care so a medium rating is warranted. Trip Participants
Vehicle
Les R with Matt E
Rodeo Dual Cab
Keong Y
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Nick and Deb L
Subaru Outback
Tom M
Subaru Forester
Michal B and Sharon
Mitsubishi Pajero
Tim F (Trip Lead)
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Toyota FJ40
The club has a six burner BBQ that was inherited from FWDV some years ago. It only gets used for the Annual Christmas Party.
Do you have room to • store it (preferably under cover)? • Put it to work during the year, rather than its only having one gig a year? Its dimensions are: • 1500mm L • 700mm D • 800mm H (legs extended) or 320mm (legs folded) Plus there are two detachable side wings (can sit loose on top) and the 9Kg gas bottle. It just fits into a Forester with the back seats down when the legs are folded. The Committee would take responsibility for bringing it to the Christmas Party and returning it to the storage location, unless the member was prepared to take that on as well (highly encouraged!). Otherwise, the time may have come for the BBQ to be donated to a new owner, eg a Scout Group or another car club. Please contact Martin on m: 0434 770 497 or 32 e: secretary@subaru4wdvic.com.au if you can help with storage or have an idea as to who might like it.
Asking price: $150 Location: Monbulk
80s Subaru Touring Wagon Was used as a paddock bomb (thus not registered). The condition of the body are reflected accordingly with lots of dents and rustic in parts. • Engine and gearbox with low range (reconditioned). Operational until coil and leads were recently removed. • Electric windows were functional. • Was a daily drive prior to being used as a paddock bomb. • Electric dash not functional
If interested
Contact David Beard (non S4WDCVic Member) Email: davidbeard12481632@gmail.com
Approach Angle As highlighted in Part 1 in Issue #485 of the Club Magazine, the lack of approach angle is a significant issue for the Subaru Outback and the XV, as the bottom of the front bumper bar simply digs in. However, by installing an off-road bull bar from SubaXtreme, the improved approach angle becomes sufficient to enable one to keep up with full size 4WDs that are lifted and with bull bars. The photo below is a XV going down steep sand dunes at Portland, which it would not have been able to without the improved approach angle.
Similar to most 4WDs, legally modified Subarus are still limited in their off-road capabilities. However, in most circumstances they are no less capable than similarly modified full size 4WDs.
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Tyres and Wheels When fitted with suitable tyre and wheels, Subarus are highly capable. Here are some photos of what suitably “shoed” Subarus are capable of.
Snorkels, Differential Breathers, etc Modern Subarus have forward facing air intakes that are located just above the headlights. The air intake for older models are typically situated behind the headlights. In both cases, they are prone to water ingestion into the air filter box should the water level be too high. The breather for the rear differential is located just at the top of the differential.
With the rear differential breather re-routed, air filter box waterproofed, and the air intake relocated, Subarus are reasonably capable in crossing deep water.
Courtesy of Andrew Westerland
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Lift Kit + Rear Differential Locker The standard ground clearance of 200mm220mm on stock Subarus is reasonably respectable. However, with most 4WDs using off-road tracks being lifted with large tyres, it is not uncommon for obstacles to require greater than 200mm ground clearance. A vehicle with increased ground clearance will also benefit from improved approach, ramp-over, and departure angles.
Summary A suitably modified Subaru, even the modern CVT equipped models, can be highly capable off-road vehicles when suitably modified.
While there are some real limitations to a Subaru’s off-road capabilities, much of the “inadequacy” are perceived rather than real. The key obstacles that present serious difficulties for Subarus are A rear differential locker forces both rear • Very deep ruts, because there is a limit to wheels to rotate at the same speed, eliminating the size of tyres Subarus can use (legally). the possibility of one of the rear wheels • Very deep water crossings, because “spinning up” due to loss of traction. These Subarus are light vehicles thus is more at two modifications together enable a Subaru to risk of floating or being pushed downstream tackle terrain that would otherwise be by fast flowing currents. considered a challenge for highly modified full • Very high steps, as they require large size 4WDs. diameter tyres and very good approach angles to get over. • Terrain with significant cross-axle obstacles. However, modern Subarus equipped with Traction Control / X-Mode have the advantage of “virtual lockers”. Adding a mechanical rear locker results in an effectively twin-differential-locked vehicle. This significantly overcomes the loss of traction issue associated with wheel lifts, due to the lack of suspension travel / articulation limitation of Subaru platforms.
Keeping up with highly modified full size 4WDs. This photo was taken from the XV in the above picture, which was following behind this modified GU Nissan Patrol.
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Bev Davison is the Club’s resources coordinator. The Club has branded polo shirts, vests, jackets, beanies, and caps .
Get in touch with Bev for more details
Resources Coordinator:
Bev Davison
resources@subaru4wdvic.com.au
Aluminium bash plates for Subaru Made from 6.0 mm construction grade aluminium.
Available for all Subaru models Prices start from $350; Fitting services available
*10% discount for Subaru Club members. https://www.facebook.com/RoadLess-travelled-Underbody-protection2031531407115915
Call David on 0429 942 724
Send the details to the Editor and we’ll put it in the next edition of the magazine. Contact the Editor on editor@subaru4wdvic.com.au
Membership The Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc. has three different classes of membership: [1] Single $85 (Seniors card $80); [2] Family / Joint $95 (Seniors Card $90) [3] Life $50 (awarded on merit, minimum 10 years service) Membership fees are due for renewal on 31 May each year, for the following financial year. Please note an initial joining fee of $30 applies for Family / Joint or $15 for Single. All annual fees include FWDV affiliation and trip insurance: $30.00 (subject to review by FWDV in 2021-22). A trip fee of $15 per adult non-member applies (for insurance purposes). NB: Persons joining during the year pay a pro-rata fee - contact the Membership Officer for details.
If you would like more information about the Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc., please contact our Membership Officer, email: members@subaru4wdvic.com.au or write to: Membership Officer Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc. c/- 24 Hill Street Hawthorn VIC 3122 Membership application forms can be downloaded from our website
https://www.subaru4wdvic.com.au/index.php/membership
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eNews Direct To Members This ENews is a new format that Four Wheel Drive Victoria will be sending on a monthly basis or as needed, directly to your Inbox. As a member of Four Wheel Drive Victoria you will have the option to OPT OUT if you do not want this communication from us. If you do not opt out you will continue to receive these emails. You can opt out at any time.
The latest news from Four Wheel Drive Victoria February 2022 Mornington Great Outdoors Show After a long wait and run of cancelled shows due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the success of the Sale Great Outdoors show late last year, the Great Outdoors Show organizers have been able to announce that over the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th of March 2022 the Mornington Great Outdoors Show will run. It will be held at Mornington Racecourse. Four Wheel Drive Victoria hopes to see plenty of our members there!
Macalister Camp Host Thank You A big thank you to the Macalister 4WD club who ran a successful camp host at Howitt Hut over the Australia Day week. There was a big turnout with plenty of fellow campers surveyed and good times had by all.
Lifeblood February Update The Four Wheel Drive Victoria challenge has kept going into the second half of the 21/22 financial year with 100 donations so far and 300 lives saved, a tremendous effort! With 5 months left to go there is still plenty of time to get your donations in and help out those in need of blood. If you need any help locating your nearest donor centre or would like to know more about the challenge please email projects@fwdvictoria.org.au.
Labor Day Camp Host Upcoming The Labor Day long weekend is coming up and there are plenty of campsites ready for your club to run a camp host. If you already have a campsite in mind please let the office know otherwise we can help to find your club the perfect campsite. It is a great opportunity to get out and start off the year with some volunteering alongside Parks Victoria/DELWP and to be able to get back out camping again!
VGO Works
Recently members of the Four Wheel Drive Victoria office and board went out the the Snowy River Natonal Park to assist Parks Victoria in upgrading the Snowy River Iconic Drive tracks and campgrounds with money allocated from the Victorian Great Outdoors funding. The trip made a great opportunity for Four Wheel Drive Victoria to make sure our members are able to continue to enjoy great tracks to drive on and comfortable campgrounds with plenty of modifictions and upgrades now in the planning stage to be undertaken in the very near future. At this stage there are similar trips upcoming with similar outcomes expected for the Wonnangatta Drive and also the Davies Plain Drive.
Don’t Forget Those Volunteer Hours To ensure we meet our volunteer KPI’s with the Government we need to make sure that clubs and members record any volunteer work that you are involved with. Volunteer work includes simple things like clearing fallen trees as well as track clearing, camp host, clean up the bush and any other charity or volunteer work your club does. You can easily download the volunteer data collection forms from our website of from our Closed Facebook Group page.
Victorian Four Wheel Drive Show Postponed Unfortunately due to the current COVID-19 situtation the decision has been made to postpone the Victorian Four Wheel Drive show until a later date. When this date is announced we will let all our members know the new dates so there can be as many members there as possible.
Trackwatch Four Wheel Drive Victoria need interesting articles and high resolution photos about your club for Trackwatch magazine. Trackwatch is distributed far beyond our clubs and is seen by many organizations, businesses, Government agencies and politicians so it is a great way to show your club to the world. Please email your articles and photos to projects@fwdvictoria.org.au
www.4wdvictoria.org.au To OPT OUT just click here or reply Four Wheel Drive Victoria is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO21605) Our privacy policy is available for viewing HERE
