Cape Trip - Diff Locks

Well Rob you shouldn't get rubbished as the Cape trip certainly doesn't require lockers. Even back in 1984 when the track was much more of a challenge our group took 2 Subaru's to the top, only requiring assitance on the Wenlock River which was running at 1 metre deep. Far more important are a decent set of tyres. In a group where you can tow one another lockers are totally unneccesary.
Really when you look back, the vast majority of people that have driven to the top did so without lockers.
Cheers Craig..........

Did it last year when it was a bit damp and only one of 5 vehicles had lockers. Everyone did the OTL OK. I had muds which were great.
I holed a radiator but that another story.

I remember in the 80's took there 929 sedans up there to prove there worth,they had no problems.They detailed and replaced the shockies and sold the cars. Been there my self with the army its easy going apart from f#$%n corrugations.The roads get worse as the dry season goes on .

We agree again Bonz.

The ARB units are very nice and if you have them you will use them but if you don't have them you will still get there OK.

Duncs

gerhardp1 has raised an important point, if you have lockers you will get yourself further in the poo to the point where a winch would be required for a recovery, so if you do get lockers make sure you have the gear and experience to get yourself out if required.

The standard 96 Pathfinder I had towing a trailer had no probs all the way up the OTL, now if that setup can do it I feel sure a 100 series v8 should do it easier so it comes back to driver input if there is problems.

Nolans brook catches a lot of people by suprise, a few members on this site have good photo's to show what to expect. Try HERE lAND HERE to start with. If I remember right, I also have a photo of the Pathfinder in Nolan's Brook on my rig pictures????

My opinion is not to bother with the lockers and just go for it. Enjoy the trip.
Regards, Trevor.

Forgot to say, you may need to scroll down to find the photo's on these links.

A snorkel will be fitted in the next couple of weeks.

I have a Big Haul hand winch. I have had a Warn winch on my previous vehicle (TD LC100) and it kept failing every wet season so I won't get another.

I bought a 2nd hand set of steel 16 x 8 rims yesterday and fitted them with 285/75R16 Mud Terrains. When in town I will have the standard 17" alloy rims and tyres fitted.

The vehicle suspension is about 1" above standard. I also get another inch from the biggers tyres.

Other things fitted are dual batteries and fridge wire, ARB compressor, HID lights, TJM T15 alloy bar, ARB roof rack and a Toyota towbar which will have a receiver hitch for the trip.

Topend.

You will have no probs topend, I took a handwinch just in case also. It had to be used on a stranded troopy in Nolans brook but not used for me go figure.

Trevor.

We are travelling from Darwin with another vehicle and are meeting a third vehicle at Charters Towers. We have 4 weeks before we have to return and have no firm plans once we all meet up.

Topend

Topend
Before you make that final decision ponder through these websites first, then it's your decision.....I have then both ends of my Troopy

www.locked-drive.com.au/product.htm

Site Link
www.locked-drive.com.au/how.htm

The Ideal set up would be Auto in the rear so it's there always at work ...always, and Air locker at the front ,so then steering is at normal until front locker is activated , Basicly it is 3WD until front locker is activated.Disengage the front Hubs then you have a 2WD, what you have now is a 1WD unless of course it is constant 2WD.
And if iy is a constant 2WD you will need a Truetrac in the front.

Doug

I really dont think easy was a great single word to use..
Easy for you... Easy for me....
The Cape covers a lot of ground,,,,,last year in June i had quite a bit of trouble going across The Batavia Downs road,,,,, that wasnt easy....
Frenchmans Track was still flooded,,, that wasnt easy....

Difflocks and STT's and still pretty hairy,,, even had to throw gravel down to calm the clay a bit....

Just to confirm this point - we went across the Batavia Downs track in August 06 in the Jackaroo with trailer and it was easy. By easy, I mean you could have done it in an EK holden.

It's also true that what's easy for one is not easy for another. I guarantee that you could give 2 people the same vehicle and one would find the cape "easy" and the other would be in trouble everywhere.

The 100 series that wrecked his engine in Nolans had bragged to me that he found Gunshot easy while we were chatting. At that time, there was no soft option for Gunshot as there frequently can be, since we had come through a day or so after about 50 Chamberlain tractors had used the easy descent and turned it into a nightmare with logs and rocks thrown in the bottom (covered with muddy water so you couldn't see but the tip of them) and a tree root exposed at the top almost guaranteed to bounce the trailer over your car just as you were sliding without control into said logs and rocks. He went through this, I took the bypass - hence his bragging to me as he implied I was a sissy.

So although he had a vehicle which arguably should have done the cape more easily than my Jackaroo, he sent his home on the tow truck from Nolan's to Bamaga and then by barge from Seisia, and I drove mine the rest of the way to the top and home to Melbourne.

Now I'm not saying that makes me special, just that some people's bravado can take them only so far before it bites them in the hip pocket

Hi Gerhardp1.

Everyone has to do gunshot because it is in all the 4wd drive books.

I've done it a couple of times heading north and once heading south.
I'm not sure how it looks now, but when we done it. It just like driving over cliff. I wouldn't say it is difficult.

Most people I know use cape York as a place to get away from it all and not just to go 4wd'ing. Fishing, Hunting, etc

The first time I done Cape York, I had to do Gun shot as it is all people talk about and if you didn't people would ask why.

Next time I will Bypass it again like last time.

Rob