Cape York in a Pajero?

[stephenb489]

Looking for some feedback from those who have done the trip up to Cape York. I've done the Simpson and the Anne Beadell, but realise that's nothing like heading up North.
I'm definitely not an aggressive driver, but like to see my Pajero travel the same tracks as mates with their Cruisers and tricked up utes etc.

Would like to know if my NW diesel Pajero has a reasonable chance of having a good trip, or will it struggle?
I'm considering a trip up about mid July this year, allowing 2 weeks to/from for the Cairns/Normanton part.
I can't find too much that relates to how well a Pajero goes in this part of the world.

I have over time organised modifications that I hope will help get the most out of what its got for this type of trip.
- Front Air Locker (have factory rear diff lock as well)
- Snorkel
- LR Fuel Tank
- Diff Breathers (Going to organise transmission ones as well)
- Dual battery setup
- Bash Plates and Metal side steps
- 2" Lift
- For Off Road driving, I change to my 17" Pajero steel rims with GoodYear Wrangler MTR's (with Kevlar sidewalls)
- HD Nomad Transmission Valve body
- Winch

- Going to install an additional fuel filter (Fuel Manager) soon.

Other additions also, but these are the key ones.

If you've been there, done that, I'd appreciate your opinion (a lot).

Thanks,
Steve

[Pixie_au]

Mate at work just did it in his brand new stock Pajero Sport no problems. I think you can choose to do the hard stuff or not. Key for him was his group could carry sufficient spares between them lightening everyone's load a little.

[ant_schomacker]

We did 90% of the cape in a 3 month old Nx in 2017. The only things I had done ahead of time were a snorkel and a bullbar. The only real reason I did the bullbar was to have somewhere to mount my uhf aerial easily.

We got everywhere my father did in his lifted and chipped patrol with no issues.

[nj swb]

Looking for some feedback from those who have done the trip up to Cape York. I've done the Simpson and the Anne Beadell, but realise that's nothing like heading up North.
I'm definitely not an aggressive driver, but like to see my Pajero travel the same tracks as mates with their Cruisers and tricked up utes etc.

Would like to know if my NW diesel Pajero has a reasonable chance of having a good trip, or will it struggle?
I'm considering a trip up about mid July this year, allowing 2 weeks to/from for the Cairns/Normanton part.
I can't find too much that relates to how well a Pajero goes in this part of the world.

I have over time organised modifications that I hope will help get the most out of what its got for this type of trip.
- Front Air Locker (have factory rear diff lock as well)
- Snorkel
- LR Fuel Tank
- Diff Breathers (Going to organise transmission ones as well)
- Dual battery setup
- Bash Plates and Metal side steps
- 2" Lift
- For Off Road driving, I change to my 17" Pajero steel rims with GoodYear Wrangler MTR's (with Kevlar sidewalls)
- HD Nomad Transmission Valve body
- Winch

- Going to install an additional fuel filter (Fuel Manager) soon.

Other additions also, but these are the key ones.

If you've been there, done that, I'd appreciate your opinion (a lot).

Thanks,
Steve

You've got a very capable Pajero, and you'll have a ball. With your lift, tyres, and lockers you've got everything you need for rough ground - the only bits you might struggle with are deep water or mud, or if the drop into Gunshot is particularly tricky. It's a long time since I was there in Shorty, but with front diff lock and rear LSD I drove Gunshot a day after I was assured I had no chance because "even Patrols are winching it". And it wasn't a one-off stroke of luck - I ended up driving it five times for the camera. But I was there at the end of the dry season, and everything was pretty well worn.

Don't bother with breathers for your transmission. The factory setup connects transmission, transfer and transfer actuator to the top of a void between transmission and transfer case - this void is open at the bottom, and would need to fill with water before anything will get any further. In my opinion, this is a better solution than running individual breathers into the engine bay, as your transmission and transfer will be protected even if your car is submerged to the roof. Which is little consolation if the rest of the car is stuffed...

[Pwoffey]

I did Cape York in 2017 in my NW, equipped much like yours (though before I fitted a front diff lock). Didn't have a problem. But much depends on which route you want to take, the state of the tracks, how wet it has been, whether you are towing etc. For example when I was there, even the most modded vehicles were struggling up the exit from Palm Creek on the OTT even on the "easier" 3rd track on the right, and everyone towing was using a winch. But when you do it, might be completely different. One thing that is guaranteed is the corrugations. I've read they are going to seal the PDR into Weipa, but until they do, that is one cruel road. Similarly for the road either side of the Jardine ferry. Make sure all your nuts and bolts are tight, your shocks and springs are good, and keep your tyre pressures down. You might want to check if your LRA tank has the modified gusseted brackets at the rear attaching the tank to the Paj. There's a thread on the Forum where Sharkcaver and I discuss our problems with the original (not reinforced) brackets failing due to corrugations (his on the Canning, as I recall, mine somewhere in western QLD after we did Cape York).

But as others have said, your Paj is more than well enough equipped to have a great adventure up there.

[wanderay]

I agree with all above, we did it towing the Tvan by using the winch to get thru Palm ck and did not do the northern OTT because Nolans was deep and the paj leaks like a sieve thru the body holes and door seals. Otherwise went perfectly well but with wet carpets from Canal ck.

Ray

[Dicko1]

Corrugations will depend on time of the year and traffic. We did it last September in an NW and the roads were quite good...except the 10klm before the Jardine River . They have been driving 2 wheel drive cars up there for decades and in reality it is just a long corrugated (at times) , dusty road. Old Telegraph can be as easy as or really hard depending on how big a wet we have.. September to December it gets a lot easier as water is dispersed/evaporated.

[benckj]

This thread brings back memories.

I went to Cape York in 1985 with a rental Cruiser having road tyres and no snorkel. Had a blast and out of the international group I was the only one with limited 4wd experience! Coming from snow country I never crossed a deep river before but some helpful locals gave me some tips and we avoided getting eaten by crocs.

[stephenb489]

Your Respnses

Thanks everyone for your collective wisdom.

It seems to me that there's a good chance that my Pajero should handle the journey ok.
I appreciate the advice and opinions offered.

I'm a lot more confident that if there's going to be a problem, it's going to be the "other" factors that will probably be the main challenge.

Thanks guys,
Much appreciated.

[gemster]

4WD Action Mag did it in a $1000 Pajero...

Gemster...

[Dicko1]

4WD Action Mag did it in a $1000 Pajero...

Gemster...

Yep...The main road is just a dirt road with corrugations in it at different times. People have this idea that they will be tackling untamed off road tracks that require huge amounts of money invested into a rugged 4wd..Wrong. Take it easy and if you have common sense, a trip to the top and back is relatively easy. Before any trip I ensure the vehicle is roadworthy and serviced. Good tyres, snorkel, suspension and a bullbar can assist as well. Radio is handy (along with a GOOD quality antenna). Drive sensibly to conditions and look out for the Southern morons treating the road as a racetrack. Enjoy the trip.

[Sean_oliver]

Aye mate. We just took our Nw Pajero through the south and north telegraph track.

We have a Tjm bull bar and winch on the front, snorkel, 2in lift, some slightly sad maxis bravo at980 tyres and the factory rear diff lock.

We were fairly clueless as to what we were getting ourselves into. It was quite the eye opener! We set off solo and immediately has to winch up the most right hand line on palm Creek. Gunshot was actually fine, I think some guys had done a lot of digging before we got there. Had to winch up the last little bit of the gunshot exit. Immediately after that we got bogged in a nasty hole and had to winch out only to see 6 cars drive past on a chicken track that I didn’t see

That night we camped at Sam creek on the northern leg and met up with some other guys in a souped up land cruiser and hilux. Thank god we did.

Next day the worst obstacles were mistake creek, Logan’s creek and Nolan’s brook.

Mistake creek was a nasty chute which also marked the point of no return for the northern leg. There was no way we’re going to be able winch back up. We took a bit of a slide at the bottom of this one and slightly bent the front bull bar. We also bent the factory rear bumper however we knew this was going to happen and I wanted to build a new rear. Bar anyways. Trailer plug was a write off.

We just made it through Logan’s creek by hugging the left hand side

Nolan’s brook was crazy deep. Thankfully our friends went first. They had to winch though. They then proceeded to pull everyone else through it. We tapped the front . We were the first car to be pulled through and perhaps the towing car was a bit heavy on the accelerator. Water literally went over the roof, just shy of the intake for the snorkel.... water poured in through heater air intake and filled the glove box and passenger footwell. This probably could have been avoided by chucking a tarp on the intake and setting the air con to Recirc. This was the last obstacle and it was pretty straightforward to the finish.

My top tips

Seal up all your snorkel fittings before you go. The amount of people who still filled up their air air box with water despite having a snorkel was astounding. Take a spare air filter or 2...

Walk the crossings. There will most likely be people on the other side. Ask them to be ready to snatch you out if it all goes pear shaped. Have your rescue plan 100% sorted before you have a crack. Most people will help you out but those same people will relish in you drowning your car if you don’t talk to them and make a plan first!

I hope I haven’t put you off. It felt like an amazing achievement to get to the top this way! The level of camaraderie between everyone on the track was amazing to see

Good luck!

[JoshF]

and never assume the obvious crossing is the only crossing available. Check all exits and entries and many crossings have harder and easier options (at least in 2012 they did)