Brumby's trip to the cape... possible or not?

tommo · Post by **tommo** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:44 pm

Hey guys,
this is kinda similar to what that person in the last thread was asking about taking an outback across the australian outback roads.

I'm planning a trip up to north queensland in a month and a half and am wondering how far I'll be able to get with my 2" lifted brumby...
I'm going to try to get to the tip but I'd appreciate some advice from those who've been or tried in L or MY subies.

From what I've read august is in the "dry" season up there so it's the best time to attempt the creek crossings.
Should I be rigging up a snorkel before I go?

I would also appreciate some suggestions of spare parts I could buy that are prone to braking/failing on rough roads and are able to be replaced with a reasonable toolkit on the road.

I'm going by myself so was thinking of getting a hand winch... Any other suggestions on self recovery or is that about all you can do?

As usual any advice/comments are muchly appreciated.
Cheers,
Tommo.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:46 pm

Mate if you take the main track to the top you can (i saw a wicked hiace van 3/4 the way to the top easily) drive a commodore all the may to the top. I have heard of blokes riding Mossman the tip in 12 hours. The corrugations will be you main problem, you will want good shocks/struts and a spare tyres, tubes, etc(read a well prepared subi and a bit of DIY mechanical knowledge). You could take the old telegraph track as long as you walk all the creeks you should be fine. I went up there last year on my bike and hopefully going again later this year. I would be looking more at September as it will be a bit drier, unless you like the wet!!! PM your email I have heaps off info, pics, spots to stop, not to etc.

cooloothin · Post by **cooloothin** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:00 am

a bloke in his 60s down the road from my old place took a 2" lifted MY wagon to the tip. no snorkel required, just common sense, preparation and as matt said a bit of DIY knowledge.

Go for it tommo, and please let us all know how your trip goes

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 12:13 pm

I remember a few years back some dudes did it in a couple of subarus. From memory they got on well with The Subaru Shop and managed to talk them into a bunch of parts they could return if they didn't use them (CV shafts etc ).

I agree that a well prepared subaru ( and driver ) should be able to do it fine, just be careful, take it easy, and don't be afraid to backtrack if the water crossings are too deep.

Post by **yarney** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:48 pm

Hi Tom don't forget to lit your tyres down it will be much easier on shocks and a better ride.

Jan

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 3:17 pm

I wouldn't letting the tyres as it lets the dust more easily get into the beads and more likely to go flat. But then pumped up tyres are easier to stack?

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 4:10 pm

Matt wrote:I wouldn't letting the tyres as it lets the dust more easily get into the beads and more likely to go flat. But then pumped up tyres are easier to stack?

dust getting into the beads...never seen or heard of that happening..but letting the tyres down will give them a bigger footprint which means more traction in the sand
plus dont they absorb some of the bumps and that a bit better

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 4:19 pm

Ask one of my mates on a XR400 about it, it ripped a Heavy Duty tube to pieces, multiple holes. As long as you are prepared to break the bead if you have to and clean it out you should be alright, That my 2 cents worth.....

90brumby · Post by **90brumby** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 5:28 pm

yer thats right if u can brake the bead and clean anythin out of it and then be able to get the tyre bak on the bead you cant rreally go wrong other wise u will end up with flat tyre after flat tyre

"us WA guys have a bit of bother with sand in the bead "

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:00 pm

The developmental road conditions change throughout the dry season depending on tourist traffic volume and where the grader is located. Having done the trip to Weipa a couple times, I'd be happy to do it in my Brumby with Nankangs. Once you hit the dirt road corrugations, my suggestion is to drop tyre pressures down to 25psi and speed to 80km/hr.

Jack

tommo · Post by **tommo** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:56 pm

Thanks for the feedback everyone, my confidence in old subies is back up to normal after being destroyed by a couple of big 4wd owners.

I've never driven at speed with the tyres let down, but I know the last time I was 4wding at springfield we let them down and it made a huge difference with traction in the loose dirt and sand out there.

Keep the stories coming though, surely there's some more people on here that've taken subies to the cape?

Thanks again,
Tommo.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:56 pm

Here are some pics of the creeks as of last year, The deep one with me standing in it is on the Creb Track. If you don't go this way you will miss a heap of fun, be warned it may challenge you.

Creek just out of Mossmans

Sunset at Sesia (about 30km from the tip)

The Creb Track, note i am standing on a big knock, and it is only that deep for a very short area. (Sorry about the quality, i am no photographer)

The Creb Track Start, crossing the Daintree. It flows really fast, and pushed out downstream heaps

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 4:10 pm

Good advise jack.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:23 pm

Looking at them photos .....

..... might be helpful to Tommo if people share ideas on making the Brumby's engine bay water resistant. You still running the EA81 Tommo?

Jack

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:37 pm

You don't have to go through the last 2 creeks, they are just the fun way there is an easy way around via the main road. His ute should be fine as long as he tarps the radiator and little momentum. I.e keep the bow wave up. Also it had rained a bit before we went through it. However it would never hurt making it water proof. Some ideas that are simple and cheap, i am sure people have others but it is a start.

Rear Diff breather, a 1/2 right angle hose fitting fits in it nicely and run a 1/2 hose along the rear diff mount up into the body

Rubber glove (cut finger tips off) over distributor cap and spare some wd40 on it before to entering.

Hose to fit gearbox dipstick to extend it out of harms way.

Snorkel or hose to make it suck from a backwards higher up position and also tarp for radiator. Fill up all the little holes in the airbox with silicone. Change to a Unifilter, to stop the dust and most of the water if done right.

Switch for fans (if electric) to switch off.

Are you going up by yourself? You are making me think about taking my ute up....

tommo · Post by **tommo** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:17 pm

Jack, yeah it's still the EA81. just about everything's still stock for that matter.
Matt, great pictures mate, I'm looking forward to it even more now.

What do you mean with the rear diff breather though? Don't quite follow what you've said there.
And do you mean replace the standard air filter with a unifilter cut to fit the standard airbox?

I am going up by myself, probably leaving on 28th july for three weeks, which brings up the other question of will i get there and back in three weeks?

Thanks again.
Tommo.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:00 am

In July you could have fun due to the weather. I.e it could be to wet especially if continues to rain the way it is at the moment up here in Townsville. Three weeks should be just the right amount of time to see every think.

Side note do you know about the $80 ferry to cross the Jaradine River. You have to use it due to the fact the other original crossing has been dug out and is not passable. It is really annoying when the creek is like 25 meters wide and it costs like 20 times the amount of crossing the Daintree (The Daintree is like 200-300m wide) , one reason why which i can't go into here....

Unifilter do a replacement that fits in the original spot, no mods at all needed. I could get you the part number if you want but it is listed in the unifilter book.

The original diff breather is circled in red, you need to pull that out and put a right angle joint in it position (about 12.5mm or 1/2 inch). Then connect a hose to the other end and run it high and dry. As shown in the second pic. As the saying goes a picture says an thousand words.

Do you have a GPS? I could send you all the points we went to.

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:45 am

alternatively I tapped in a 1/2" gas fitting where the diff breather goes. You need to have the diff in pieces to do it this way though

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:26 pm

I cut the cap off the plastic breather and garden hose fit snuggly over the plastic.

I've done plenty of bonnet depth crossings in my old wagon with the weber/snorkel. I even came out of one with a fish flopping around on my bonnet . Momentum is definately key

tommo · Post by **tommo** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:32 pm

Thanks again matt and everyone else.
I had no idea diffs needed to breath.

I thought july/august was meant to be around the dryest time of year up there?
Guess it rains whenever it wants up there though doesn't it.

Got some prices on new shocks and springs today, tell me what you think...
pedders had some slightly fancy shocks that stiffen when you take corners hard for example. $930 for 4 shocks and front springs.
monroe had a pretty standard sounding set for $830.
Both seem pretty expensive to me but I guess I didn't know what to expect.

Thanks,
Tommo.