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Prep for Cape York - Nudge bar

2K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  John47 
#1 ·
Heading to Cape York (Australia) in August - towing a 3 ton van on the PDR.
Have never bothered with a bull bar or nudge bar before - just go slow when roos around. But may encounter more up there so thinking of a nudge bar. (Full bull bar too heavy / only aiming to protect the radiator).


Chief products do one for Trailhawk, but out of stock until June.
Any others making nudge bars for 2018 Trialhawk?


Other prep is to take an additional spare tyre, spare fanbelt/rad hose/ oil. Maybe better UHF (currently have handheld - range usually 1 or 2 km - once got 30km). That's it - Trailhawk should be able to handle the rest. (Note not going on the Old Telegraph Track so no extreme water crossings.)


Any suggestions?


Thanks
Phil
 
#2 · (Edited)
No Roos on the Cape. Wallabies and small euros that can dart out anytime anywhere. Don't know how much a nudge bar wil do to protect from any strike.
Worry more about horses or cattle or oncoming vehicles. A bull bar won't help....
Your biggest issues will be dust, corrugations and morons in control of vehicles sharing the road.
You will be blasted with rocks - you'll be flinching for your windscreen
The road now has lots of intermediate tarred bits over old bad sections and to allow safe overtaking.
Watch your mirrors and out front for high speed camper trailers and massively loaded 4wds doing the up and back in a week.
If you've got kids in the car likely you won't be able to run the UHF due to the language incoming, but your handheld will likely do the job, you won't ever be that far away in the scrub.
Give yourself plenty of time.
Enjoy.
John
 
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#3 ·
Thanks John.


Seems no-one apart from Chief products does a nudge bar for post 2017 JGC. And they are out of stock; plus to fit theirs means ditching the current tow-hooks for theirs.


Was expecting the biggest danger to be other drivers - had the same on the Gibb. Shame their is'nt some way to hold the idiot drivers to account.


Re UHF without a bull bar can't fit a full aerial - but the guy at Olbis (Bayswater Rd Townsville) was very helpful and came up with a good solution - a magnetic rooftop aerial plugged into the hand held - will boost range (so can chat with other guys in our group who might be some way ahead).


Hoping to take 2 weeks or more 8^)
 
#4 ·
If you've done the Gibb then you know what to expect and your van will handle the same conditions- except the Cape seems to attract even less experienced idiots and more hire 4wds.....
we won't do either road again. first did the OTL in 1974 and it was pretty remote then. The Cape and GRR are off our list now after many trips over the years - far too dangerous and it's not to do with the remoteness. (Our risk tolerance isn't what it used to be....)
Those places are very carved up but still very special.
Do it and have a great experience. Issues will be character building (as they say in NZ)
We have a GME with a remote head mic - body is under the passenger seat perfectly in an existing unused bracket, mic plugs in to extension only when travelling and sits in the cup holder, only for the time likely to be used, rest it lives under the seat. Aerial is a stubby flex mounted on the end of the roof rails LH side, feed comes out a grommet high in the tailgate frame. Fits into carparks, lives up there full time, and gives plenty of range for us.
Your system will work for the Cape, but the magnetic aerial might be a temptation to some.......also best not to compromise on dust sealing anywhere.
John
 
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#6 · (Edited)
One lives on mine too.... sorry I forgot that bit - thanks Mozzie.
I also carry spare filters and change them every 20k on the garage floor at home. A 15min job that would be nasty on the side of the road.
John
 
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