The Watagans - Monday 26 April 2010
All Terrain 4WD Club & Nissan Patrol 4WD Club
Combined Clubs Day Trip
Attendees:
Charles & Stevie – GU ute (NPC & AT4)
Brett & Cindy – GQ wagon (NPC & AT4)
Glenn & Brad – GQ shorty (AT4)
Nick & Andrew – Land Rover Hybrid (AT4)
Peatey & Mark – GQ wagon (AT4)
Andrea – GQ wagon (NPC & AT4)
John John – Hilux (AT4)
Dave Davis – GQ ute (NPC)
Damage List:
Peatey, Andrea, Glenn, Dave – ¼ panel damage
Charles – flare and gutter
Nick – driver’s door and ¼ panel
Glenn – front guard and flare
Brett – driver’s door
Mechanical Failures:
Dave – CV
Nick – portal
Andrea – tyre off the bead
Glenn – rear locker problems
8:15am was the meeting time at the Twin Caltex Service Stations on the F3 freeway near Wyong. A quick bite of breaky and then it’s off to hit the dirt & mud!
Taking the Sparks Rd exit off the F3, we then turned left onto Hue Hue Rd and followed it down to Wyong Cemetary and turned right into Jilliby Rd. Another 10min down the road and we turned off into Phil Tunks Rd, hit the dirt and headed up to Tunks Fire Trail.
The track was wet in places and the mud made for slippery traction as we negotiated the numerous rocks, boulders and ledges. A nice rock step about half way up the track called for an interesting approach angle and a lot of right boot to get up. A few of us were unlucky here and slid half off the step on a bad angle, embedding the rear of their trucks into the muddy embankment and leaving the front end minus weight and traction.
A couple of snatch straps joined together (actually 3 for Andrea!), and a winch from Dave, had nearly everyone up in one piece. Andrea had unfortunately popped her front left tyre off the bead as she was being snatched up the step, so it was out with the highlift jack (courtesy of Dave) and with the air compressor doing its things the tyre was re-inflated and we were all ready for more action.
Up onto the main Watagan Forest Rd had us all heading in convoy on the flat dirt towards Rope Rd and the infamous “Bugger Rock”!
The first lower section of track was severely overgrown since last time we were there. We removed trees and a mass of vines and branches on three separate occasions in the space of 10min with plenty of bush saw and high-mount winch action!
Negotiating the large, deep and quite numerous bog holes was also becoming a challenge. With Charles opting at one point to take a very narrow gap between two trees and drive around via the chicken track, myself and Cindy had no other option then to drive through the bog hole. With snatch strap attached (just in case) and cameras ready, Charles, Nick & John John provided the guidance as we dropped into the mud. It was all good until ¾ of the way through when it got very deep and boggy. Loss of momentum saw me select reverse and drive back out for another attempt. This time, with some expert guidance and a very nice side angle (sorry Cindy!), we drove the entire way through with no problem.
Glenn however showed us how good a side angle you can get with his truck leaning over on a good 45 degrees. Brad had jumped out of the passenger seat prior to this point – smart move that. Just ask Peatey what the mud was like – whoops, in he slips!!
Next up a nice alternate track around a very large fallen tree had us once again testing out our butt cheek grip on our seats as we drove some nice side angles over dead tree stumps and large sandstone rocks. Nick decided to attempt the large fallen tree and proceeded to get himself stuck as his rampover angle diminished to nothing. A quick snatch from Charles had him easily free.
Then it was down into a deep rutted section which tested out the full flex of our trucks and then across the Congewai Creek. Immediately it’s a climb back out the other side and up the muddy bank. Further on we approach a large sandstone ledge which sits on a 45 degree angle to the track. Over time it has become easier to drive this section, as the dirt and rock gets built up around the edge, but this still didn’t stop us from running into difficulty.
It was here that Glenn’s rear locker started playing up on a section that you really need your locker to work! After a few decent attempts Glenn’s true driving style emerged and the right foot was planted, wheels were lifted skyward and Glenn found himself wedged across the track. With some more rear quarter damage and his front driver’s side flare hanging nicely on a protruding tree root that had removed it from the vehicle moments earlier, he had managed to block the track, literally! Out with our many snatch straps once again and it’s another simple recovery to add to the day’s tally.
Now it was onto our final obstacle of the day, “bugger rock”! Charles is up first and doesn’t hold back in the right foot department. After a few attempts we reassess the angles and many rock placements that are definitely required to even just attempt this final challenge. Some more right boot and with guidance from John John, Charles is successfully up.
I’m next and with my new 37” Krawlers I’m hoping to make it up ok. After many attempts using different lines, angles and engine revs I just can’t seem to get over the rock. A snatch from Charles solves this problem as the others eagerly line up for a go. It was here that we sustained further damage to our trucks as listed at the beginning of this report.
I dented my driver’s door in a couple of places, Nick broke a portal with too much load on the left rear, Dave broke a CV on his loaded up front right wheel as has he winched himself clear of the rock and Glenn got some serious air under his truck together with sparks flying off his front left rim as it glanced a rock under speed. John John was only other vehicle, apart from Charles, to drive “bugger rock” unassisted.
Once we were all up “bugger rock”, and with the afternoon getting late, we were all in agreement of calling it a day. The remaining short section of ruts and steps had Dave driving on full noise in 3 wheel drive and myself snatching/towing up Nick who was in 3 wheel drive too.
Finally up onto the flat dirt of Georges Rd, we rolled down to the intersection on the Watagans Rd, aired up, surveyed the damage and all agreed we’d had yet another very enjoyable days wheeling in the Watagans
Thanks to Charles for leading the trip and to both the All Terrain 4WD Club and the Nissan Patrol 4WD Club for a great combined clubs weekend drive
Brett.