Our Touring Past

....wasn't the Uni,although it was worn....2 new uni's and it's still got the wobbles. That's after a full set of new tyres,4 lots of balancing at 2 different tyre places, dismounting the rear tyres and spinning them around to get the best fitment and least runout...dumped the front set of tyres and had another set from Antique Tyres fitted and balanced yet again...same wobbly result, had 'em rebalanced at the local tyre guy...same thing. Had the tailshaft out to manipulate the uni's,seemed ok so put it back in....popped out the rear axles to make sure the wheelbearings hadn't collapsed,hadn't...so back in again. Checked everything in the Jag frontend for wear, replaced a tierod end, put it on the front end alignment machine, reset the toe-in, everything else was in spec. Still had the wobbles,got the shits and decided to take the Chevy pickup instead , so that got nothing other than about 500ml of oil and check the water and go.....and apart from the oil turning into a glutinous mass in the cold mountain climate,it went well. Next time I might look at oil changes a bit closer together than 2 years .
So today, I ripped the wheels off the 41 Woodie and fitted them to the Pootruck...same wobbles. So....out with the tailshaft and dismantle the uni's, one's a bit crappy so 2 new ones...and back in with the same wobbly result. Right about now I'm thinking enuff is enuff , so it's sitting out there in the front yard until I can work up enough enthusiasm to swap the back wheels off my '46 Ute onto the Ptruck to see if that isolates the problem.....been an expensive and time wasting series of episodes,all because I figured a new set of tyres would be a good thing to have on an interstate caravan trip.....go figure!
...cheers ( but not really ) Col.

A top time for all, great to catch up with the Kaybees who I haven't seen for a few years,(and of course everyone else). A big thanks to Veronica for the amazing sweets she produced every day from her 9' van, sure it's not a tardis? It must have a commercial kitchen in there. Also Barb and Clyde for all our camp oven gourmet feasts too. First thing the wife said to me when I got home was " you've put on weight"!!
All organised by No Our number 1 VV tour guide Reddo. Jingellic has to be one of the premier freecamp locations you'll ever see. Thanks heaps for a great tour mate.
As an aside the front seal on the statos trimatic gearbox went on tour and I used 3 litres of transmission fluid by the time I got home.So...it's off soon for a reco transmission soon as I can save the biccys. Can't complain really, the old girl ticked over a few kilometres short of 399,000k by the time I got home, original motor and transmission! Pretty good considering it's been regularly hauling horse floats and caravans for the last 20 yrs I've owned it.
Looking forwards to next time
Jenno

Great stories guys,, or perhaps not so great..
Better off calling them .. "Tales of Woe "

Phill...
I not too sure what we can do about "Casper" or... more to the point.. its driver.
Over the years i have observed some shortfalls in his mechanical and driving skills.
Sure.... i will accept he was reluctant to reverse the wagon at South west rocks with the henderson hitch on the wanda van... But.. surely it isnt a big ask to reverse onto a van site.
I get visions of the septic transpiration area and the managers well kept couch lawn at Yass having 2 deep furrows through it about now.
Never mind about the 5.30 start.. we have been copping that sort of behavior from some of the grey nomads leaving parks early in the morning for years.

Might get online and order him a CD on "Reversing for beginners" Might scare up a copy of "The Junior beginners handbook on Carby repairs for vintage Hondas" as well !!!!!..... There .. that should draw a bit of " return fire"

Col.... Have never heard of that issue with the oil turning to goop in Gas powered cars.. Must do damage to the reciprocating parts when cold.??
The poo truck has a habit of mucking up just before a tour aye.. Gearbox last time.....Not much else left under there that can be deemed as suspect??..If it had hit a good pot hole or something like that it would explain the wobbles... but having not done anything out of the ordinary before the wobbles started up sure makes it difficult to diagnose whats causing the wobbles??
Is now the right time to make an offer on the wobbly poo truck.??. . seein as though its not driveable there might also be a tilt tray job to NSW for Dale... .

Jennison.. You where lucky to notice that you where loosing ATF ... if that had gone un-noticed you would have seriuosly destroyed the box.??

Reading all these "Tales of Woe" .. i realise just how lucky i am to have the old EH panno... i gave it some seriuos whipping on the way home and on tour. Apart from a bit of water in the carb as i left home last monday causing it to spit and fart until i reached the expressway.. i had no mechanical issues at all.. just a minor breakdown of mind and body of the operator a few times...

Reddo.

G'day Redster,nup...even tho the brown truck is being a bit horrible,it's still driveable ( just a bit like the vibratey chair at Luna Park ).....so might just have to keep driving it until something falls off ,so not for sale this week! The gooey oil thing is apparently not unheard of,although I hadn't heard of it, being stuck away from civilisation like I am in my little workshop. Doesn't seem to have done any damage, the engine is still going strong as ever ...good things them Chevy's.....! ...and thanks heaps for another grand tour!!

Okey Dokey Col.
Just another possibility here.. does the front cross member bolt in or is it welded in.???
If it is bolted in .. is there a possibility that the entire crossmember is moving on its mounts/bolts.. it wouldn't have to move much to set up the shimys / wobbles.
I know you have mentioned that you have checked tie rods /ball joints, idler arms etc.... but what about Steering box bearings??

Ok... i will shut up now.
Reddo

gday reddo , yeh i am starting to understand where your coming from!!! . another little story about casper just between me an you
happened in rutherford on the way to yarrawonga. we stopped for a rest break and when we came back casper had decided to
relieve himself all over the carpark .poor old ratty was copping the blame for all the fluid underneath but there was no choice
but to lift the bonnet . this is wher it got a bit sticky cause everytime the camera come out the bonnet quickly dropped . turned out
to be just a loose heater hose but this is where it gets tricky . ya see the mechanic or fitter , well he couldnt have been an
electrician cause he didnt even have a screwdriver, had to borrow one off me so we could get going again. anyway alls quiet from
that end of town , surely he could let us know if everything turned out ok !!!!

Dear oh dear oh dear...
He is beginning to compile quite and interesting portfollio.
Cant reverse
Cant fix basic carbys
Doesnt have basic tool kit ??

Perhaps he should look into inviting an "Auto One" pit crew to follow him on the tours??
A qualified reverser
A carby and heater hose technician with screwdriver grade 1 quals.

But HEY,, Just wait n see how accomplished he is when a Power station turbine mucks up.....Thats when his true colours will shine... NRMA would be amazed...!!!!


Thanks for that Phill.... your secret is safe with me on the world wide web,
Reddo

Hi Guys.
Thanks for posting the photos and the VERY funny stories.
Even though we were there for two days Josh and I had a great time, and yes we got drenched and yes Josh fell over in puddles twice.
Anyway we will look forward to the next tour and hopefully I can organise work better.
Cheers.

Hi All,

Just letting you know that we arrived home safely yesterday afternoon. Total distance travelled 3855km in 16 days. Saw some beautiful countryside along the way. After we left the group at Yackandandah we travelled via Canberra to Batemans Bay for three nights then onto Wisemans Ferry on the beautiful Hawkesbury River for two nights. One night on the road at Guyra and we are now home in Toowoomba.
Thanks again to Reddo for organising a great event and to Richard for the T shirts. We had a great time and hope to see you again soon. Now back to work.

Cheers
Julie and John and Don and Shirley

PS Will post some photos soon

Hi John and Julie

Glad to hear you made it home safely. Certainly clocked up the Kays on your extended tour.
Always good to hear that people have arrived home safely .
As Clyde stated on the saturday night in the yackandandah camp kitchen... i dont relax until i know that everyone has made it home safely from the tours.

We look forward to seeing some of your happy snaps.
Cheers for now.
Reddo