Pet-els touring

[pet-els]

Hi,
Two "Greyhound" buses arrived at 0900 picked us up and took us to Andamooka then to Roxby Downs lunch at Info Centre and dvd show. Then off to Woomera the museum was very good and all the Rockets, Missiles and two planes in a park for photo,s then back to Pimba for happy hour. Off to Port Augusta tomorrow to camp at a football ground for a few nights.

PeterH

[Dot]

That sounds like a good day.

[pet-els]

Hi everyone its been a couple of weeks [without signal] I don't know where I left.
I left Port Augusta for repairs in Adelaide, had dinner with Jeff Graham, talked old times [40 years since] left Adelaide on Thursday 29/8 to go to Cradock SA to meet up with the rest of the Safari [new one]. 4k out of Cradock I hit a BIG RED and busted up the front of the Ford [still driveable]. Then to Farina Ruins, Lyndhurst and up the Strzelecki Track, The oven [just repaired] fell out, two cupboard doors [just repaired fell off, the roller shutter [just repaired] fell off. Stopped at Montecolina Bore o'night had a swim in the bore. Next day drove to Innamincka [diesel $2.19 L] Bathroom door fell off, stove top fell off, Flickmixer tap came out. All parts stored for the makers. WAIT there's more, went to the DIG TREE lovely BBQ put on by Napper Marree Station. Drove out this morning 14k of rough gravel stopped at the turn off and the boss said Peter we have a problem you only have 3 wheels. LHF wheel on the 5'er had collapsed the outer bearing and the whole wheel and brake drum were missing. 40 people searched for the wheel [mag & new tyre] but could not find it. So I travelled 350K to Thagomindah south west Qld on 3 wheels. Now in c'van park waiting repairs. Did anyone see the Chinaman I killed ????

PeterH

[BruceS]

He's probably still running with your wheel!

Well I think it's becoming obvious that firstly that 5th is not designed for off-freeway conditions. Or maybe it's a very badly designed and manufactured unit?
I wonder if the suspension could be altered to ride the rough stuff better?
Can you roughly describe the suspension & tyre pressures you're running on the rough tracks?
You sure must be testing your own patience!!!

[pet-els]

Suspension is ALKO rubber torsion and the tyre pressures were 34 psi
Bad corrugated gravel roads speed anything from 40 to 70 kph where applicable.

PeterH

[BruceS]

Peter did it appear to shake things up more up the front or back?
Might give you an indication of where to look.
Bad corrugations with rattle anything to death though. There's no real good answer.
Stock agents and travelling salesmen are the worst. Sit on 100 clicks & bounce over them. Little spin between each spits up just a little bit more gravel.
I stay away from them! I still haven't finished exploring the black top!

[T1 Terry]

Airbag override with twin single action shocks would smooth out the vibrations. Now all these things have fallen off for a second time the screw holes will be flogged out and the screws will not hold a third time. Looking at some of the offerings at the caravan shows just leave me shaking my head, you know they will end in tears after the first dirt road no matter what off road capabilities they write on the sides.
The frame work cracking up in the front corners is another problem with 5'ers, if they build them to twist the interior falls off, if the build them stiff the frame work cracks, I wonder if the sandwich board construction ones come adrift at the seams?

[pet-els]

The rear seems to bounce too much, ALKO are going to look at the suspension [maybe needs shocks fitted?] the cupboards are all made of aluminium and seem to flex which allows the door locks to undo, the the door just bangs back and forth till it breaks the hinges. New locks [different] and better hinges might help.Oven and stove top just not fitted tight enough I think. When towing it handles perfectly.

PeterH

[T1 Terry]

Rubber torsion block suspension and no shocks, that will explain a lot of it. The twisting cupboard and unsuitable locking devices is just poor planning on the manufacture's part.
One of the down sides not having the house and driving position in the same vehicle, you would know straight away that a cupboard had opened and after shutting it a few times an alternative fastening method would be found in a motorhome

[pet-els]

Well I'm on the road again !!!!!!
Started off well the mechanic turned up with the parts all good, left Thargomindah at 1100 heading for Nindigully Pub for the night. 30k east of bullon I get a puncture LHF and shred a tyre. Now I have no spare because I lost it at The Dig Tree didn't I. So stayed on the tar and jacked it up removed the wheel and drove the next 80k on 3 wheels again, only one young man [local Jackaroo] stopped to offer assistance which I did not need. I was on the Tar with hazard lights on, everyone had to drive around me.
I have now started to kill the extended family of the chinaman. Parked outside a tyre place at St. George.

PeterH