This is the King Edward River, the river that might have stopped us getting to the Mitchell Plateau.
It hadn’t rained for over a week by the time we got to see it. Nonetheless, the driver of this vehicle had a good look and walked the track his wheels would take before he went across.
In the 4WD videos river crossings are undertaken with a splash and a big surge of water. That’s the way to get a good spectacle. If you’re running on diesel with no snorkel your air intake is no higher than your headlight, water in the engine equals immediate failure, a time and money eating retrieval and expensive repairs. If you’re running on petrol your electrics are vulnerable. Especially when the bank is steep, go in nice and slowly, just as the vehicle starts to climb you smoothly increase the revs and ask it to lift you out.
If you are towing a camper trailer the change in angle is too much to ask of a simple ball hitch, especially when there is a rock or two that can have the car leaning one way and the trailer leaning the other. There are a number of devices that allow for extensive rotation in all three planes. I have used a Treg hitch without problems. It’s also worth having a look at the Hitchmaster.
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bobmcgee 