Getting Ready For The Cape York Trip

[Luvit]

In preparation of our family trip to Cape York in September it is going to be a squeeze with 4 in the car and all the equipment we need to take.

So on the weekend the 4WD supercentre had a sale on rear sliding draws. I read the reviews and most said for the money you can't beat them.

They don't have a specific kit for the Prado 150 series I have but, I just bought the 120 series kit with wings and adapted that.

The set up including the wings was $389. It weighs 65 kg and is of sturdy construction.

The first thing to decide was whether to remove the last row of seats to install them, or just mount them on top of the fold down seats.

I opted for on top, because I didn't want to have to store the seats in the shed and hope the rats and mice didn't take a liking to them.

 

I removed the tied down points in the seats and replaced with longer SS bolts and extend the bracket.

Not the size bolts i would like but could only use the existing bolt hols in the tie down points.

At 65 KG and then filling the draws and the fridge it will have some weight to keep it from moving. 

 

The added bonus with this system is one of the top lids is a fridge slide, saving a few more hundred dollars.

I re-purposed the wing kit by cutting down the and reshaping the wings to make matching dividers.

Before I put it all back together I checked all screws that have nylon nuts were tight, silcone spray to all the roller bearings.

I wasn't happy with the tiny self tappers that were use to fix the fridge slide latch, so replaced them with longer and more aggressive thread SS screws.

Other than that they seem really good value and fraction of the price you can pay. Are there better out there? absolutely but at a comparable cost I don't think so.

Even if you built them yourself I think you would hard pressed to do it for under the price at anywhere near the same quality. 

The dogs gave them their paws approval.

I placed them as far right as I could, so still had access to the bottle jack and 12v points.

Other reviews said they were happy with them after 9 months of 4 x 4 use. If they just do the Cape trip they will have been well worth it.

Here's is the Link if anyone interested.

https://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/products/rear-drawers/rear-drawers.html

 

 

 

[demarc]

Looks awesome!

[Old Scaley]

Looking forward to the report @Luvit. Are you taking a car topper or towing that beautiful white Grady across those roads? Or just fishing from the bank? What is your itinerary? So many questions, most of which I am sure you will be answering in your travelogue.

[Luvit]

Unfortunately this is not a fishing trip and we'll be heading up the old telegraph track. We won't be doing the Gun shot but, we'll go and have a look at the young folk doing some damage to their vehicles.  I'll throw in a rod to do some bank fishing if it allows. Bugger all room for everything, so fishing gear won't be high on the list. 

Car is in today for full service and going to be carrying spare alternator,air filters, radiator hoses, fan/drive belt, some snorkel filters and replacing the timing belt now. Can only do so much in preparation and hope it all goes well.

[kmcrosby78]

Nice one Wayne, looks good and will work well for you. Funnily enough I sat down with my brother and his wife and we mapped out an itinerary for a Cape York trip in 2020. We'll be doing a 4 week trip - originally it was going to be around the June/July holidays (take two weeks leave) but we're now thinking we might dodge some of the crowds and do it around the Sep holidays instead (going to monitor the temperatures up there this year to get a bit of a guide).

Would love to hear your itinerary once your sorted and have time. We're planning on camping at both Bathurst Heads (Princess Charlotte Bay) and somewhere near the tip, probably Seisia. I need to work out between now and then if we think we'll get some use out of a camper trailer (we currently don't have one). I'll probably get a car topper but put it either on top of a camper trailer or otherwise on top of a box trailer (with boat racks) so we can stow camping gear, etc.

Will probably get rear drawers like yours - will work out closer. And also a car fridge. Exciting!!

[Luvit]

10 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Nice one Wayne, looks good and will work well for you. Funnily enough I sat down with my brother and his wife and we mapped out an itinerary for a Cape York trip in 2020. We'll be doing a 4 week trip - originally it was going to be around the June/July holidays (take two weeks leave) but we're now thinking we might dodge some of the crowds and do it around the Sep holidays instead (going to monitor the temperatures up there this year to get a bit of a guide).

Would love to hear your itinerary once your sorted and have time. We're planning on camping at both Bathurst Heads (Princess Charlotte Bay) and somewhere near the tip, probably Seisia. I need to work out between now and then if we think we'll get some use out of a camper trailer (we currently don't have one). I'll probably get a car topper but put it either on top of a camper trailer or otherwise on top of a box trailer (with boat racks) so we can stow camping gear, etc.

Will probably get rear drawers like yours - will work out closer. And also a car fridge. Exciting!!

If you have mapped out an Itinerary just send it to me  

We are going for 4 weeks also and really don't think we will map out our plans to far ahead. Loose plans will be head up the old telegraph track on the way up and head back along the coast. Having 4 weeks we can just take our time and decide as we go.

A car topper would be good. One tip to remember when exploring the estuaries etc up far north is the tide differences. The rescue guy's we spoke to at the Kimberly said, they rescue lots of grey nomads that take a tinny up the estuaries and then when the tide turns their 10hp won't be enough to push against the tide flow and they have to be rescued. You can of course plan your trip with the tides but if the weather turns bad it's not a place I would like to be stuck on the bank in a storm with the large lizards at night.

Going with your brother's family would be great and you can both share in the anticipation and planning of the trip.

 

[Old Scaley]

Probably a good idea to do a little bit of planning Wayne. I have never done the Old Telegraph track but I have been to Princess Charlotte Bay and then across to the west side a couple of times. There is a lot of travel in between camp spots and once you are off the bitumen it can be slow going, depending on how recently the road was graded. Towing a boat, we count on an average speed of 50kph, but you should be a bit quicker without a trailer. 

The tides up there are not as strong as in WA but the crocs are just as big and there are plenty around PCB, so take care where you camp. People have been grabbed in that area in the past. On your way into that area you could overnight at Musgrave Roadhouse. Pretty good feed and good facilities.

Hope you have a ball, @Luvit

[Angry51]

Make sure you're insured, Good insurance company

is the 9mm company.

[Luvit]

22 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

Probably a good idea to do a little bit of planning Wayne. I have never done the Old Telegraph track but I have been to Princess Charlotte Bay and then across to the west side a couple of times. There is a lot of travel in between camp spots and once you are off the bitumen it can be slow going, depending on how recently the road was graded. Towing a boat, we count on an average speed of 50kph, but you should be a bit quicker without a trailer. 

The tides up there are not as strong as in WA but the crocs are just as big and there are plenty around PCB, so take care where you camp. People have been grabbed in that area in the past. On your way into that area you could overnight at Musgrave Roadhouse. Pretty good feed and good facilities.

Hope you have a ball, @Luvit

As it gets closer we'll work out some finer details. For now it's just getting the preparation done well in advance so if anything goes wrong we have time to rectify it. I got the mechanic to keep all the old stuff that he replaced to keep as spares for the trip. That way we know the radiator hoses , belts etc will all fit. Be nothing worse than thinking you have spares and something craps itself, only to find out you have the wrong part  

I just bought Black stump 2 man mozzie tent, that is mozzy and sandflyproof. That should keep the lizards out.

 

[Luvit]

19 hours ago, Angry51 said:

Make sure you're insured, Good insurance company

is the 9mm company.

No guns for me, just hand to hand combat will have to do.

[Old Scaley]

10 minutes ago, Luvit said:

No guns for me, just hand to hand combat will have to do.

You might be wishing you had one on that first night camping in croc country, and you are tucked up in your tent, darkness everywhere, you hear a rustle in the grass, or the snap of a twig, maybe a few strange noises. You start to think “is that a wallaby? Maybe a goanna? Wild boar? Or is it a hungry handbag? I wish I hadn’t had those 10 beers before I went to bed. Not sure my bladder can last until daybreak? Am I really that good with a maglite and survival knife?” Nah, that won’t happen to you @Luvit 

I am not a shooter but I was glad that we always had 2 loaded guns in strategic positions when we went to bed, but even more glad we never had to use one.

[Angry51]

I spent 28 years in the Gulf & lower peninsula. Did a lot of fishing and we always carried a couple of rifles.

Have some old photo's of 100 yards of river and you can plainly 

count 15 salties all around 3-4 metres.

Always slept up off the ground and never hopped down for a leak till

daylight, heard a lot of funny rustlings in the dark..

Cheers

Gary

[natang]

Mate I have had the same set in my 80 series for 4 years and I have gone through 4 latches for fridge slide. Ended up making a gate latch fit properly. Can’t complain for price I love them! 

[demarc]

21 hours ago, Angry51 said:

Make sure you're insured, Good insurance company

is the 9mm company.

Had the same policy at Stanage when we played in creeks in the small tin can. I'm allergic to crocs. 

[Luke Landrunner]

1 hour ago, Luvit said:

No guns for me, just hand to hand combat will have to do.

Make sure Julie has the GoPro on standby.....

[kmcrosby78]

Hmmmm     got me scared now and I have two years to ponder it ...... 

[Luvit]

17 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

You might be wishing you had one on that first night camping in croc country, and you are tucked up in your tent, darkness everywhere, you hear a rustle in the grass, or the snap of a twig, maybe a few strange noises. You start to think “is that a wallaby? Maybe a goanna? Wild boar? Or is it a hungry handbag? I wish I hadn’t had those 10 beers before I went to bed. Not sure my bladder can last until daybreak? Am I really that good with a maglite and survival knife?” Nah, that won’t happen to you @Luvit 

I am not a shooter but I was glad that we always had 2 loaded guns in strategic positions when we went to bed, but even more glad we never had to use one.

I hear ya, possums always putting the wind up me at night. 

We'll take precautions to be 200m from any creeks etc 

16 hours ago, Angry51 said:

I spent 28 years in the Gulf & lower peninsula. Did a lot of fishing and we always carried a couple of rifles.

Have some old photo's of 100 yards of river and you can plainly 

count 15 salties all around 3-4 metres.

Always slept up off the ground and never hopped down for a leak till

daylight, heard a lot of funny rustlings in the dark..

Cheers

Gary

I don't have a gun licence or a gun. In the 28 years did you ever have to use it for protection? 

[Luvit]

16 hours ago, natang said:

Mate I have had the same set in my 80 series for 4 years and I have gone through 4 latches for fridge slide. Ended up making a gate latch fit properly. Can’t complain for price I love them! 

That's good to know Natang. I might change mine over before we leave to save any hassles. Do you have photo of what you did?

[Luvit]

12 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Hmmmm     got ne scared now and I have two years to ponder it ...... 

If we make it back Kel, you will be fine.

It's not an adventure without some danger to it.

[Angry51]

No Wayne never run into any trouble, You'll all be

good but dont take anything for granted and be safety first all the time.

My policy was/is where there's water, there's crocs. Get a bit jealous of you southern fella's

sometimes being able to wade out in the water to fish, don't do that up here. There's too many taken

by crocs in the north but  most of that is stupidity on their part/too much grog.

You have a trip of a lifetime and safe travels.

Cheers

Gary

[Luvit]

That's what I figured. Will be a great trip and will hopefully do it again latter when I have a boat with me.

(Best I have the wife do the walk across the river crossings to check if the car will be alright. )

 

[Angry51]

Make sure you tie a rope on her so

you can get a second bait.

Cheers

Gary

[kmcrosby78]

10 hours ago, Luvit said:

If we make it back Kel, you will be fine.

Fingers crossed mate (although if you don't I'd like to put it on public record that you're a top bloke and contributed a lot to this forum before your life was cruelly taken from us ....... ).

[Luvit]

2 minutes ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Fingers crossed mate (although if you don't I'd like to put it on public record that you're a top bloke and contributed a lot to this forum before your life was cruelly taken from us ....... ).

 

[Luvit]

My wife is off camping with the boys this weekend. A little trial run packing the car. It’s going to be a tight squeeze but glad the draws are in. 

Definately be a benefit having the roof bag for extra storage. 

[Doyley]

i have had the Ute version of your drawers in for 4 months.  A couple of off road trips including Fraser and they are still going strong. the workmanship isn’t the best and I had to tidy a few things up myself, but you can’t beat the price. I had a competitor tell me that a guy had the drawer collapse on a trip to the cape and he couldn’t access his recovery gear.  I think the whole story is a load of crap as you can just unscrew the top to access one side and slide out the fridge slide to access the other.

[Luvit]

2 hours ago, Doyley said:

i have had the Ute version of your drawers in for 4 months.  A couple of off road trips including Fraser and they are still going strong. the workmanship isn’t the best and I had to tidy a few things up myself, but you can’t beat the price. I had a competitor tell me that a guy had the drawer collapse on a trip to the cape and he couldn’t access his recovery gear.  I think the whole story is a load of crap as you can just unscrew the top to access one side and slide out the fridge slide to access the other.

They look good when the kit fits your vehicle. Yes, they are accessible as you said and each roller bearing has nylanuts on them so they should not rattle loose. But anything possible on corrugated roads. Double checked mine before installing them anyway. I was even thinking of just adding a drop of blue locktite to each one for added peace of mind. 

[aussie123]

Just about everyone seems to be buying those drawers now and most seem happy with them.

The only issue I see with them is the fridge slide setup.

Once you jam pack the car to the roof with gear and drive down a rough road, everything will move a bit and as soon as you try and slide the left hand side out to access the fridge, everything behind the fridge and everything on the rear right hand side will want to fall over.

It will be a real PITA.

I think you would be far better off with a proper fridge slide on top of the drawer so you only have to pull out the fridge and not half the gear packed in the car at the same time.

[Doyley]

59 minutes ago, aussie123 said:

Just about everyone seems to be buying those drawers now and most seem happy with them.

The only issue I see with them is the fridge slide setup.

Once you jam pack the car to the roof with gear and drive down a rough road, everything will move a bit and as soon as you try and slide the left hand side out to access the fridge, everything behind the fridge and everything on the rear right hand side will want to fall over.

It will be a real PITA.

I think you would be far better off with a proper fridge slide on top of the drawer so you only have to pull out the fridge and not half the gear packed in the car at the same time.

Haha yes I know what are taking about!! Slides out nicely then everything falls in 

[aussie123]

7 minutes ago, Doyley said:

Haha yes I know what are taking about!! Slides out nicely then everything falls in 

I think they are a dreadful design for extended trips away although great for weekend trips when camping ect.

Constantly repacking the car  would drive you insane with kids wanting a drink all the time when up there in that tropical heat and humidity.

I would also build another deep drawer where the fridge is sitting and then sit the fridge on top of that one to maximize that wasted space above the fridge.

There is a few types of drop down fridge slides available now and they would be perfect to do that job.

 

[kmcrosby78]

Interesting point/s you make Lance, got me thinking before I (probably) buy one. Could you make a wooden frame/shelving over the fridge so that when you slide the fridge out, everything else stays put? Obviously it would need to NOT sit on the bottom of the fridge slide or it would move with it.

[aussie123]

1 hour ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Interesting point/s you make Lance, got me thinking before I (probably) buy one. Could you make a wooden frame/shelving over the fridge so that when you slide the fridge out, everything else stays put? Obviously it would need to NOT sit on the bottom of the fridge slide or it would move with it.

You could do that Kelvin but my main concern would be pulling out that half of the cars load every time you want to grab something out of the fridge.

It would be far easier to build or buy a proper fridge slide Kelvin.

A timber frame will take up a fair bit of room itself by the time you build one solid enough to handle a trip up North.

You could possibly cut that side lid in half right behind the fridge so that only the front half slides out, that would save dragging out half the car at the same time.

[Luvit]

On 13/07/2018 at 12:46 PM, aussie123 said:

Just about everyone seems to be buying those drawers now and most seem happy with them.

The only issue I see with them is the fridge slide setup.

Once you jam pack the car to the roof with gear and drive down a rough road, everything will move a bit and as soon as you try and slide the left hand side out to access the fridge, everything behind the fridge and everything on the rear right hand side will want to fall over.

It will be a real PITA.

I think you would be far better off with a proper fridge slide on top of the drawer so you only have to pull out the fridge and not half the gear packed in the car at the same time.

I’m sorry l don’t really see any difference.

Whether the full floor slides forward or the a fridge slide comes forward. The size fridge (60L) we have nearly takes up the full panel but you could fit bigger. 

If they are both packed the same and anything that moves and leans against the fridge then, either method will see the stuff fall behind it and be PITA. 

What am l missing?

 

 

 

[Doyley]

2 hours ago, Luvit said:

I’m sorry l don’t really see any difference.

Whether the full floor slides forward or the a fridge slide comes forward. The size fridge (60L) we have nearly takes up the full panel but you could fit bigger. 

If they are both packed the same and anything that moves and leans against the fridge then, either method will see the stuff fall behind it and be PITA. 

What am l missing?

 

 

 

My drawers are about 1500mm long and my 60l fridge around 1000mm.  So I have 500mm behind the fridge.  When I pack behind the fridge things overhang onto the remainder of the fridge slide, so when the slide is out any overhanging bags, boxes etc will drop in.  They only need to drop in 5mm to catch the slide when it is pushed back in.  You may not have that problem as your drawers are shorter and roughly the same length as your fridge. 

[Luvit]

1 minute ago, Doyley said:

My drawers are about 1500mm long and my 60l fridge around 1000mm.  So I have 500mm behind the fridge.  When I pack behind the fridge things overhang onto the remainder of the fridge slide, so when the slide is out any overhanging bags, boxes etc will drop in.  They only need to drop in 5mm to catch the slide when it is pushed back in.  You may not have that problem as your drawers are shorter and roughly the same length as your fridge. 

Thanks @Doyley makes sense now.

You were right, mine are only 900mm long and no room between back of fridge and back of rear seats. 

 

[natang]

On 12/07/2018 at 9:35 AM, Luvit said:

That's good to know Natang. I might change mine over before we leave to save any hassles. Do you have photo of what you did?

Mate can’t get it to load. But it is just a gate latch with a carabine clip to keep it in place. Just pout it where the factory one guys. I know a few other guys with them and all had same problem, they just put a jumper or campchair between tailgate and slide. 

I lived in Innisfail last year did a fair bit of camping and was always at least 200m away from water. But when in doubt I threw the swag on the roof racks and slept up there. Safer....... I always carried a big hunting knife too...

[natang]

On 13/07/2018 at 12:46 PM, aussie123 said:

Just about everyone seems to be buying those drawers now and most seem happy with them.

The only issue I see with them is the fridge slide setup.

Once you jam pack the car to the roof with gear and drive down a rough road, everything will move a bit and as soon as you try and slide the left hand side out to access the fridge, everything behind the fridge and everything on the rear right hand side will want to fall over.

It will be a real PITA.

I think you would be far better off with a proper fridge slide on top of the drawer so you only have to pull out the fridge and not half the gear packed in the car at the same time.

TBH that is the only problem I have. The 80 has 2” lift and when you slide fridge out you can’t really see into the fridge. I have been looking at an MDA slide I think it is called. Then it will slide out and drop on tailgate. 

Re trip to cape and them failing apart. I have done inland Fraser track shaking crap out of car, Bloomfield track shaking the living crap out of car, CREB track to Cooktown out to Laura and back again to Innisfail and had no problem but busting 3 original fridge slide latches..... They are made strong hence they weigh so bloody much! GOod value for $$ and TBH everyone that I know with them just modify to suit there needs. Rather cut up a $500 set then a $1000 set. 

Safe trip! 

[Luvit]

On 15/07/2018 at 2:55 PM, natang said:

TBH that is the only problem I have. The 80 has 2” lift and when you slide fridge out you can’t really see into the fridge. I have been looking at an MDA slide I think it is called. Then it will slide out and drop on tailgate. 

Re trip to cape and them failing apart. I have done inland Fraser track shaking crap out of car, Bloomfield track shaking the living crap out of car, CREB track to Cooktown out to Laura and back again to Innisfail and had no problem but busting 3 original fridge slide latches..... They are made strong hence they weigh so bloody much! GOod value for $$ and TBH everyone that I know with them just modify to suit there needs. Rather cut up a $500 set then a $1000 set. 

Safe trip! 

It would be great to have a MSA drop slides, think at the show the guy said they were about $600 bucks.

[Luvit]

On 15/07/2018 at 2:49 PM, natang said:

Mate can’t get it to load. But it is just a gate latch with a carabine clip to keep it in place. Just pout it where the factory one guys. I know a few other guys with them and all had same problem, they just put a jumper or campchair between tailgate and slide. 

I lived in Innisfail last year did a fair bit of camping and was always at least 200m away from water. But when in doubt I threw the swag on the roof racks and slept up there. Safer....... I always carried a big hunting knife too...

I would do the same but 4 of us on the roof rack won't fit 

[kmcrosby78]

4 hours ago, Luvit said:

I would do the same but 4 of us on the roof rack won't fit 

Tell them that you're willing to risk falling off from up there in order to keep watch and keep your family safe ......