Rexy the Toyota Hilux Rugged-X recently made his Cape York debut and lived to tell the tale. 

If you read our last blog post, you’d know that we recently had the pleasure of modifying a brand-new Toyota Hilux Rugged-X destined for the rugged terrain of Northern Queensland’s Cape York. Why? Because we both know a run-of-the-mill dual cab just wouldn’t cut it. We needed to supercharge it.

And that’s exactly what we did.

We’re talking fresh rims, tyres, suspension, electrical, fuel system, compressor, transmission cooler, break controller – the works. (You can see the full list of mods here).

So, with Rexy the Rugged-X ready and raring to tackle the rough roads up north, one question remains – could he hack it?

Well, we recently had a chat with one of the road trippers in question – our very own Alan Wall – who answered all of our burning questions about Rexy’s big winter adventure.

Q: Talk us through the trip. Where did Rexy the Rugged-X go on his Cape York offroad adventure?

It was a three-week escapade that took us from Brisbane to the tip of Cape York, and everywhere between – Clairview, Rollingstone, Mt Carbine, Lakeland, Laura, Archer River, Palm creek, Dulhunty Creek, Eliot Falls, Nolan’s Brook, New Mapoon, Punsand Bay, Port Douglas, Mena Creek, Bowen and Seventeen Seventy.

Getting us to each location was either the Old Telegraph Track (OTT) or Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) – two very ‘colourful’ tracks that put Rexy to the ultimate test.

Q: What was Rexy’s rugged-x biggest highlight?

Every inch of the OTT was crazy. We spent three full days navigating it. After filling up at Archer River Roadhouse and Bramwell Junction (the best place to do it, as others often run out of fuel), we hit the OTT. Well, within 20 minutes Rexy had hit his first obstacle – Palm Creek.

Whilst Rexy was built for the trip, his owners love him too much to subject him to the steep terrain of the main entrance and instead opted for the ‘2nd entrance’ (also known as the ‘side track’). Rest assured, it’s still hectic, but Rexy performed beautifully and traversed Palm Creek like a boss. No winching was required on the exit and not a mark was left on him.

The other two days threw countless other obstacles at Rexy, including Bertie Creek, Cockatoo Creek and Sailor Creek. He also crossed Canal Creek, Sam Creek, Mistake Creek (which required a three-point turn with the trailer on), Cannibal Creek and Cypress Creek (which is a log bridge held together by snatch straps), the long and deep Logans crossing and the infamous “car flooding” Nolans Brook. All these obstacles were eaten up by Rexy, all whilst towing the camper trailer.

After setting up camp in Nolans Brook, we then watched on quietly from comfy camp chairs as less prepared vehicles attempted to cross the waterhole, leading to some spectacular rescues and a few very wet vehicles.

Q: How did Rexy’s recent modifications better quip him for the trip?

That ute was ready for anything.

His new wheel and tyre combination coupled with the lift kit gave Rexy ground clearance and amazing grip through all of the sandy terrain and water crossings. We kept the tyres at 25psi along the OTT, just to ensure the tyres had maximum traction and comfort.

Diff breathers kept water from entering into important running components. Extra micron fuel filters also ensured the fuel system stayed optimal even in remote Queensland areas where fuel is not always up to scratch.

The new electrical system connected to the trailer enabled Rexy to charge the battery located in the camper trailer (keeping the precious fridge cold). Plus, the transmission cooler ensured the transmission never overheated, even when Rexy was put through countless challenging and extreme hill climbs whilst towing.

Q: Did anything go wrong with Rexy along the way?

Absolutely nothing! He was very well prepared.

Q: Is there anything you’d do to Rexy before his next trip to make him even more rugged?

Rexy’s owners didn’t have anything new on their wish list when they came back. They were very happy with how he performed. 

Q: Who had the rough job of washing Rexy when he came home and how long did it take?

Let’s just say it took more than one wash! Rexy had a clean in Port Douglas, however, he required a heck of a lot more cleaning back home to restore him back to his chic black new car shine. Rexy was also wrapped in Slickaz Bush Wraps to prevent scratches from damaging his beautiful black paintwork, so he came out looking just as flash as he did going into his Cape York adventure.

Safe to say, Rexy cruised through his Cape York road trip. You can follow more of Rexy’s adventures on Instagram by following @rexy_the_rugged_x_.

Want to treat your own 4x4 to the offroad experience? Our specialist mechanics are expert-trained to handle, service and modify your vehicle so it’s always driving to the best of its potential. If you’d like to know more about our personalised car modifications, get in touch.

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