Trip to Alice ... Grandtreks or Mickey MTZ

[letsgoplaces Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close letsgoplaces]

Thats funny .... fortunately my Kids are 24 + 22 so they dont travel with us so much these days .... wont leave home though as its way too good a life ... obviously!

I bet they're hoping you enjoy the 4wding caper and go on lots of long holidays

[mikes09 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close mikes09]

Hmmmmmm ... you might be onto something there as they always tell us that we deserve to treat ourselves to Holidays ... cunning little buggers

[stevensr34 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close stevensr34]

My Cooper LTZ's are the same they do have a slight Hum (its the sound of grip)

Ha! So do mine... It's the sound of rolling resistance in the tyres = more fuel used.

[FC_Holden Member Find all posts View Profile Close FC_Holden]

I am about to head to Alice springs (my first trip) & have both Grandtreks & Mickey Thompson MTZ's, I am not sure which to put on as MTZ's are considerably noisier than the GTs.

I am looking at doing a fair bit of off road on my journey & would like to know what others would recommend.

Mike
If touring around Alice and the Rock area stick with the grand treks, they will get you where you need to go with minimal noise. I will suggest that you match your tyre pressures to suit the roads you are driving on, if on the many dirt roads around Alice then be sure to lower your pressures you and your car will enjoy the ride much better.
I would also like to suggest seeing the East Mac's whilst there (tourists mainly stick to the West mac's) as there is many a lovely gorge and scencery to see and appriciate, one last thing take it easy slow down and enjoy the sights and sounds around what I can only say is a great and beautiful area.
John

[keencdk Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close keencdk]

I went with Yokahama Geolander ATs and they are quite good, marginally noisier than the GT's but hey the GT's are a highway terrain designed to make the car drive nicely on the road on test drives. I went yokie as I could only find 2 tyres - the yokie and the Cooper AT3 - that were available in a 265/65R17. Yeah I know I could go something slightly bigger etc but in QLD I can only go 15mm over diameter (raising the car 7mm) and width wise I need to keep within the guards and get the spare cover back on.

We recently did a solo trip of nearly 9000km including the west Mcdonnels, Ayers Rock, Oodnadatta track, Birdsville track, bits of the Simpson dessert (for an idea how the Prado would go) and had no issues, no pucntures etc. We ran at 25psi, and 80kph max on dirt roads and our tyres look almost as good as new. We spoke to a bunch of people who got punctures in all sorts of "good brand name tyres" like BFG's and Coopers, in aggresive mud and all terrain patterns. Guess what, they all were hitting the road with full pressures and doing 100kph.

I have no doubt the GT's would have been fine at 25psi and 80kph

[mikes09 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close mikes09]

Thanks FC it seems to be the most recommended option for me. I will be sure to visit the East Macs as suggested. We are taking about 4-5 days to get to Alice from Melbourne just so we can explore as we go. Just kikn back & enjoying our wonderful country

[mikes09 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close mikes09]

Hi Keencdk, Thanks for the advise. I bet your trip was unbelievable. Our plans are to spend 6-12 months travelling around Australia in about 5 years so these little trips will help us to set up properly & not carry too much un-needed things

[Crisp Image Member Find all posts View Profile Close Crisp Image]

We did that trip on GT's and never had any problems. Use correct pressures and they will take you to all the easy/med places you want. Just need to stay clear of mud as they don't do so well.
Regards
Crisp Image

[mikes09 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close mikes09]

Thanks Crisp, certainly seems to be the way everyone is recommending. With a bit of luck its not gonna be too wet n muddy when we go in November...... but what will be will be