Well my shakedown trip started out ok, but it was pretty darn hot. I left Canberra on Sunday 9th and headed north through Yass, Cowra then overnight in Gooloogong where the pub was a welcome relief. Then the next day saw me going up through Canowindra, Molong, Wellington, Gulgong, Coolah and into Premer for the night and guess what?....the bloody pub was closed on Monday, Bugger. But never fear, I had some nice amber fluid nice and cold in my fridge. ....and I didn't have to share cause I was the only one there.
Next I was in Tamworth to a mates place for a couple of days to catch up on a few beers with him.
Getting sick of the madding crowds I headed for Beardy Creek stopover just north of Glen Innes, on Thursday night. There were about 10 of us there and even a few have been there for some months even. Next day I was off again to Warwick and into Beaudesert for the weekend for my cousin's surprise B/day party. Still nice and hot and great beer drinking weather, especially when you are with relatives and friends enjoying a coldie too.
Monday I turned my nose for home and got as far as Stanthorpe when........BAAAAANNGGG I threw a shoe........NO !!! I threw the whole bloody foot with it as well... BUGGER!!!!!!!!.
Well 4 hours later and a tilt truck tow back 16 klms into town to the repairers....The outer bearing was maybe a little tight or just faulty and KABOOM, it let go and the whole wheel flew off but not until it went up under the wheel arch and took out some of the floor and rear corner of the van.
I was lucky as I did find the wheel and it could of been worse. I an now lounging about in a motel room for a couple of days until a new axle and brake setup can be sent down from Brissie. Hopefully back on the road sometime tomorrow (Wed.) Then I will go to Beardy creek again.
Wish me luck.....I need it !!!!!!
-- Edited by sarg on Tuesday 18th of February 2014 04:40:01 PM
I started reading and all was great, then all hell broke loose. You don't do things in half Ian.
I hope all gets fixed by the CV doctor and you are back on the road again sooner than soon.
Just a quick question if I may. How come you have the Solar Panel out AND hooked up to 240v. Or do I need new glasses?
sarg said
06:40 PM Feb 18, 2014
Your glasses are working fine mate. I was topping up the battery with solar, and had the fridge on 240, keeping the beer cold.
Cloak said
06:44 PM Feb 18, 2014
Never mind that will fix up better than new.
I like the priority of 240V for the beer but the batteries have to make do with photons... Love it.
Gerty Dancer said
07:10 PM Feb 18, 2014
Holy Cow!!! That's a bit extreme Sarg!
We've booked our van in tomorrow to have a loud squeak in a wheel checked/fixed, hope we make the 20k's to the repairers!
SnowT said
07:43 PM Feb 18, 2014
Hope everything is Ok..
Sorry to see the damage that has happened..
- hope you have insurance and can get the whole lot Fixed Properly..
On a side note..
- I was wondering if the main Draw-bar setup is Rated to Take what has been put on it..[It Looks light to me..]
As we know insurance companies Love to find anyway to get out of paying for Repair's, they love to take our money but are real hard up on handing out the money, if they can find anyway to not pay..
Juergen
shekon said
07:44 PM Feb 18, 2014
WOW, Sarg, that is certainly not a good way to start the nomadic life. Hope it all turns out OK in the end, and thankfully you are fine.
Better luck next time you hit the road.
_wombat_ said
09:59 AM Feb 19, 2014
Bugga, Bugga, Bugga
Nelly said
10:04 AM Feb 19, 2014
Hope all works out well for you.
mongrel said
01:16 PM Feb 19, 2014
Gees sarg what a good job you did..Hope all fixed and you get back on the road very soon....Mongrel
blaze said
03:42 PM Feb 19, 2014
looks to me like a repair job, not a new axle. New brake assemble, new set of bearings, a clean up of the axle. Parts cost of about $120- $150 plus at most a couple of hours labour. Hate replacement repairers, what ever happened to quality repair people. That's a job that can be done on the road side. all that aside I hope all goes well and you get the desired outcome
cheers
blaze
Gerty Dancer said
05:17 PM Feb 19, 2014
Thankfully our squeaky wheel was fixed by repacking the bearings plus adjusted the brakes... seeing your photos certainly gave us a warning ! Hope you are back on the road again quickly Sarg.
milo said
09:34 PM Feb 19, 2014
yiikes !!
peterblack said
08:06 AM Feb 20, 2014
hope the van fixed soon and you get back on the road again.
enjoy
copper1 said
06:18 PM Feb 20, 2014
Gee Sarge I thought I had bad luck hitting the roo on the way down to Tassie mate, that's just plain bad luck hopefully covered by insurance. My father who is travelling with us smashed his rear window today coming from Ross to Longford along road works so I suppose its part of the experience . Anyway mate get back on the road soon and there will be a meet up in April for you to attend.
2oldbulls said
01:24 AM Feb 23, 2014
Sarg
I am a bit behind with my reading but do hope you have a new shoe on, we didn't get to go on a nice long shake down like you but still managed to do a leg instead of a shoe (:(:(: first use of lovely new built in fold out table and leg broke off, so much for weldingL have had many annoying bits and pieces but nothing drastic, doing a long trip in a few weeks guess that will sort us out! Hope you are back on the road stopping along the way for a few coldies! That is when you have stopped for the day of course! Might meet you along the way in this very small country of ours.
Safe travels Jen
sarg said
01:12 PM Feb 23, 2014
Hi Guys,
Yeah well as they say .Shiiiit happens !!!
Boy did it come down with a Bang. I thought at first that I had a flat but as I touched the brakes and looked in the mirrorBloody Hell, there was bitumen and stones and sparks flying all over.
I didnt see which way the wheel went, but didnt take long to find it.
A couple of locals stopped to give assistance which was good.
Luckily my sister was following behind in her car with a friend so within 20 mins she was with me. I think she had more of a shock of what happened than me. Ha ha ha ha. When she was sure that I was OK and had things organised they left me(sniff sniff)
I got a tilt truck (RACQ) to pick up the van and took it to the local wreckers. They were great as they had a lot of the parts needed, but had to order a new axle, bearings and brake set up from Brissie. That took 2 days to arrive, so I had a relaxing time in a motel room and had a drive around the area as well, then they fitted it all very quickly and later I was on the road again.
There is a good size hole in the floor just behind the wheel well and under the bed and as you saw from the pics
the panels at the rear corner have separated as well.. So I will have a job to do when I get home, as the insurance would probably write it off.
But Im not ready to part with it yet (unless it was a complete wreck)....It is my little project and I love it.
I am writing this at Gooloogong Camp where I stopped on way up the place is full, there is a HUGE 5th wheeler next to me , make me look real small. Ha ha I will save this and send it when I get home..
.Many Thanks to all for your concern. See ya on the road.... Sarg.
neilnruth said
08:47 PM Feb 23, 2014
Hi Sarg. You did a better job than us! We were heading out to Nyngan along the bumpy Narromine road when a truckie pulled us over to say the back tyre was smoking. We were so glad he did. Saved us a packet I would guess. New springs (that still cost $700+) and a week on jacks in Nyngan CP. But insurance company paid the bill. We didn't claim the springs in case they argued. Now the van has a real 'spring' in her step you could say. Glad they looked after you well. Stay safe. Hey, Gooloogong's a great place - but yes, full and not everyone gets to have a powered site. We missed out pulling in at 11.30am when we stayed there.
-- Edited by neilnruth on Sunday 23rd of February 2014 08:48:11 PM
Happywanderer said
09:08 PM Feb 23, 2014
I stayed in Goologong only a few nights ago, but I stayed in the free camp by the river recommended by yeoeleven. Myself and one other caravan in a large paddock. Heaps of room.
yeoeleven said
10:11 AM Feb 24, 2014
Sorry for your troubles, I was lucky my first trip was right around Australia in a 1979 Hi Ace and made it without being stranded.
Hope you get everything sorted, will you head for Wuruma later? Expect to be there by the end of this month with several more GNs due in March.
Cheers, John
grahos said
05:13 PM Feb 24, 2014
Not a pretty site,A bit of tlc and the panels should come back resonably well.
I always check every 20 kms after a wheel bearing check up,it is so easy to tighten it up 1 castellation too much or too little.
The good part was you found the wheel.
Next I was in Tamworth to a mates place for a couple of days to catch up on a few beers with him.
Getting sick of the madding crowds I headed for Beardy Creek stopover just north of Glen Innes, on Thursday night. There were about 10 of us there and even a few have been there for some months even. Next day I was off again to Warwick and into Beaudesert for the weekend for my cousin's surprise B/day party. Still nice and hot and great beer drinking weather, especially when you are with relatives and friends enjoying a coldie too.
Monday I turned my nose for home and got as far as Stanthorpe when........BAAAAANNGGG I threw a shoe........NO !!! I threw the whole bloody foot with it as well... BUGGER!!!!!!!!
.
Well 4 hours later and a tilt truck tow back 16 klms into town to the repairers....The outer bearing was maybe a little tight or just faulty and KABOOM, it let go and the whole wheel flew off but not until it went up under the wheel arch and took out some of the floor and rear corner of the van.
I was lucky as I did find the wheel and it could of been worse. I an now lounging about in a motel room for a couple of days until a new axle and brake setup can be sent down from Brissie. Hopefully back on the road sometime tomorrow (Wed.) Then I will go to Beardy creek again.
Wish me luck.....I need it !!!!!!
-- Edited by sarg on Tuesday 18th of February 2014 04:40:01 PM
I started reading and all was great, then all hell broke loose. You don't do things in half Ian.
I hope all gets fixed by the CV doctor and you are back on the road again sooner than soon.
Just a quick question if I may. How come you have the Solar Panel out AND hooked up to 240v. Or do I need new glasses?
I like the priority of 240V for the beer but the batteries have to make do with photons... Love it.
We've booked our van in tomorrow to have a loud squeak in a wheel checked/fixed, hope we make the 20k's to the repairers!
Sorry to see the damage that has happened..
- hope you have insurance and can get the whole lot Fixed Properly..
On a side note..
- I was wondering if the main Draw-bar setup is Rated to Take what has been put on it..[It Looks light to me..]
As we know insurance companies Love to find anyway to get out of paying for Repair's, they love to take our money but are real hard up on handing out the money, if they can find anyway to not pay..
Juergen
Better luck next time you hit the road.
Bugga, Bugga, Bugga
cheers
blaze
enjoy
Gee Sarge I thought I had bad luck hitting the roo on the way down to Tassie mate, that's just plain bad luck hopefully covered by insurance. My father who is travelling with us smashed his rear window today coming from Ross to Longford along road works so I suppose its part of the experience
. Anyway mate get back on the road soon and there will be a meet up in April for you to attend.
Yeah well as they say .Shiiiit happens !!!
Boy did it come down with a Bang. I thought at first that I had a flat but as I touched the brakes and looked in the mirrorBloody Hell, there was bitumen and stones and sparks flying all over.
I didnt see which way the wheel went, but didnt take long to find it.
A couple of locals stopped to give assistance which was good.
Luckily my sister was following behind in her car with a friend so within 20 mins she was with me. I think she had more of a shock of what happened than me. Ha ha ha ha. When she was sure that I was OK and had things organised they left me(sniff sniff)
I got a tilt truck (RACQ) to pick up the van and took it to the local wreckers. They were great as they had a lot of the parts needed, but had to order a new axle, bearings and brake set up from Brissie. That took 2 days to arrive, so I had a relaxing time in a motel room and had a drive around the area as well, then they fitted it all very quickly and later I was on the road again.
There is a good size hole in the floor just behind the wheel well and under the bed and as you saw from the pics
the panels at the rear corner have separated as well.. So I will have a job to do when I get home, as the insurance would probably write it off.
But Im not ready to part with it yet (unless it was a complete wreck)....It is my little project and I love it.
I am writing this at Gooloogong Camp where I stopped on way up the place is full, there is a HUGE 5th wheeler next to me , make me look real small. Ha ha I will save this and send it when I get home..
.Many Thanks to all for your concern. See ya on the road.... Sarg.
Hi Sarg. You did a better job than us! We were heading out to Nyngan along the bumpy Narromine road when a truckie pulled us over to say the back tyre was smoking. We were so glad he did. Saved us a packet I would guess. New springs (that still cost $700+) and a week on jacks in Nyngan CP. But insurance company paid the bill. We didn't claim the springs in case they argued. Now the van has a real 'spring' in her step you could say. Glad they looked after you well. Stay safe.
Hey, Gooloogong's a great place - but yes, full and not everyone gets to have a powered site. We missed out pulling in at 11.30am when we stayed there.
-- Edited by neilnruth on Sunday 23rd of February 2014 08:48:11 PM
Sorry for your troubles, I was lucky my first trip was right around Australia in a 1979 Hi Ace and made it without being stranded.
Hope you get everything sorted, will you head for Wuruma later? Expect to be there by the end of this month with several more GNs due in March.
Cheers, John
I always check every 20 kms after a wheel bearing check up,it is so easy to tighten it up 1 castellation too much or too little.
The good part was you found the wheel.