ExplorOz Team replied:

Good qn - and because it is so important we reply for the benefit of other readers. Only purpose-built, heavy-duty offroad trailers with suspension should ever be considered for serious 4WD tracks. The Simpson is one area where literally hundreds of trailers have been abandoned when they break. Retrieving them is not only very difficult to arrange it is extremely costly but must be done to remove the rubbish from the pristine desert environment. A box trailer is not suitable - the standard tow hitch is likely to sheer away, suspension is a must, construction is generally not robust enough, ubolts etc all need to be heavy duty. There is a section in Trip Preparation about Towing with Trailers for more details. There are some tracks where you need to compromise on your packing.eg. we cannot survive for long without our trailer but do not hesitate to leave it when conditions are unsuitable. We just do a repack. Could you consider sleeping under the stars for the 3-5days across the Simpson so your things could be packed into the back - ie leave trailer at one end and do a double crossing?

CHAPO replied:

I TOWED A TRAILER ACROSS THE SIMPSON WITHOUT TOO MUCH TROUBLE BUT MY NEXT CROSSING WILL BE TRAILER FREE. MY TRAILER WAS PURPOSE BUILT HEAVY DUTY, LANDCRUISER WHEELS, TREG COUPLING, COST ABOUT TWO GRAND AND HANDLED THE GOING EASILY.

ADRIAN replied:

It may pay to give the police a ring at Birdsville as towing a trailer across the Simpson may no longer be allowed because of the risk of breakdown and having to abandon the trailer adding yet more rubbish to the desert.