No 4 motion just a stock van

[Sunny43.5]

In light of Jonathon K ,s trip to Fraser I thought I would share our experiences with our stock T5.1 except for it being lowered 40mm , A few weeks back we went to our favourite Moto Cross riding place Gap Creek Moto Park which is just over the top of Cunninghams Gap southwest of Brisbane , Now the park straddles both sides of the Cunninham Highway as they have a tunnel under the highway to access the other side without using the road to ride on . The main camping area is on flat areas along side some of the tracks on the northern side , so our last trip was in tatters after a night of heavy rain . We woke to a very muddy scene and like most had to abandon the rest of the weekends riding , we watched for the next few hours as most people packed up and tried to leave . Here is what it was like when we were there last time , thank goodness for the "Little Red Tractor "
YouTube

The still shots are from our last trip nice sunny conditions despite having rained the night before




The dirt road to the camp area caught out even the most die hard 4 x 4s as we watched one after the other come to grief in the sticky mud sliding sideways while they revved the crap out of their engines trying to get grip, one clown in his Commodore ute slid off the road while trying to negotiate a 90 degree corner in the camp ground . He ended up sideways down an embankment almost hitting some other campers . The parks owners used what we nicknamed the "Little red tractor who could " to pull most of the 4wds and their trailers along the dirt road until they reached a more gravely section . We were almost the last to leave in our standard T5 2.0 single turbo van DSG with trailer loaded with 3 full sized MX bikes along with camp gear in the trailer plus three riders and a van full of gear as well . We set off thinking this is not going to end well but to our amazement the van decided to take over the driving with the traction control alternating power to each front wheel , we made our way along the muddy section in full gaze of many others who has stopped at the gravel section . As we came along side them most had their bottom jaw on the ground as the humble van held its own where their 4wds had failed , we wound down the window pumping our fists in the air yelling VW,s rule !! we got some cheering and whistles and we smugly drove off .
Cut to last weekend and we went back for another few days of riding , the night before it had rained around 10mm and we were warned that as they had graded the access road a few days earlier it could be treachorous . We headed down to get to our campsite and started into the graded section , well I am glad there was no one to see how belly up it all went . The vans tyres were coated with sticky mud and it was fish tailing all over the place with virtually no forward travel bugger ! So multiple times we tried to get to the edge so we could get two wheels on the passengers side onto some grass , we went back wards and the forwards making only a metre or two forward movement each time . We almost called the office to get a tow when we realised that we could manouver backward quite okay but it was crazy as backing a trailer with mud caked tyres was hilarious as the wheels would not turn they just slid across the mud . Eventually after a few attempts we managed to reverse onto the the grassed area without somehow not jack knifing the trailer , we then got traction on the grass with all wheels clear of the mud . We then drove along side the road until we cleared the muddy section and got to our campsite , the riding was awesome and we manged to relax after a dramatic entrance . Now our van is lowered on a Bilstein suspension sitting 40mm below standard , Fraser island in our van ? hmm I dont think so it would be left with wheels in the air after the first hundred metres me thinks . I do take my hat off to the VW,s traction control despite our second misadventure , our older T5 many years ago held it head high when we encountered a hairy exit from another MX park after rain as then the traction control took over .

[jonathan_k]

I'm amazed that your van made it in those conditions in the video, it looks like an ice skating rink. I would have said no way the 4motion could even make it!!

[Pickle]

I've been to Gap Creek a few times with my old car (Evoque) and the bike hanging off the back and always been glad it hasn't rained as that hill going up out of the part would be nasty.

Its one of the reasons i bought a T5, so i can carry the dirt bike and mountain bikes easier.

How do you find the Bilstein suspension as I'm looking at lowering my standard height T5 by 30-40mm? Couldn't ask how much $$ you paid and if you did the work yourself.

[Sunny43.5]

Hi Pickle nice to hear from a fellow Gap Creek farm fan [sad news at the moment it could be closed down by main roads due to issues with rh turning lane .] The dirt road uphill to the office has been changed a bit so its pretty good to get up there now {used to be a challenge a year or so back though } Okay the Bilstein system from memory was around $1800 delivered form the UK I did the job myself wasnt that hard at all , the rear is a piece of cake the front a little harder but certainly do able .This is the kit from memory that I got please check with the sellers for the correct application as one mob in the UK sent me the wrong one !!Eibach Bilstein B12 Suspension Kit for VOLKSWAGEN MULTIVAN T5 Pro-Kit E90-85-013 | eBay

[Pickle]

Yeah the council did a similar thing to Bestbrook farm stay next door a while back. I understand where they are coming from but to sting the good people at Gap Creek so much $$$
Thanks for the info on the suspension, something I know I should do but might get the insides sorted out first, A day van come bike/toy hauler.
Ill check out the link.