Wheel Spacers - I’ll have some please
I have basically made up my mind and ordered a pair of 2″ wheel spacers from Snake Racing Australia.
By now we have now done about 5000kms through all sorts of terrain and when fully loaded for 5 days in the wilderness, we are quite heavy (close to 3.5t methinks). It was neither the dune driving, nor was it crawling steep mountain tracks, nor driving corrugated gravel roads or any such sorts, that would have been reason to raise any concern.
Ugab River Bed
Ugab River close to Messum Crater
However, when we drove through the Ugab river bed, from Mile 108 to the Brandberg, and when in deeper/heavier sand, I felt that Wohni was wagging its tail a bit more then it should (whether following other vehicle’s tracks or not). The ’swinging’ of the back, obviously caused by the hind wheels’ alternating efforts to follow the tracks made by their respective peers in the front and amplified by the rather rearward center of gravity, worried me somewhat and still does. Not right there and then, where we took it nice and easy, but projecting that tail wagging to what it would/could be like on a sloping wet beach, where you have to keep the speed up at all times, is what may be rather disconcerting. Especially along those stretches, when the wet part is your only option, because you are flanked by steep dune walls on one side and the sea on the other .
Lange Wand - Source: Wikitravel
Sometimes for many kilometers, such as when driving along the “Lange Wand” between Conception Bay and Sandwich Bay for example.
A pair of 2-Inchers for me please - and the unlikely possibility to overstress the axle and/or wheel bearings on the side, thank you very much. I promise to let you know, should something break after all.
Cheers and Beers
Tommy
Related Link: At the time of this writing the discussion is still on @ Landcruiser Club Southern Africa Forum