Caravan spring repairs Kununurra
Submitted: Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 19:31
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Jim-Bob1
Hi, we are travelling through
Kununurra and have broken a spring on our Bushtracker. We have replacements coming from Simplicity in
Melbourne, does anybody know of a good mechanical workshop in
Kununurra to replace the broken spring.
Replacement should be here approx. Wednesday next week.
Thankyou for your replies.
Regards from a stuck Jim-Bob.
Reply By: Gronk - Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 20:00
Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 20:00
Surprisingly simple to change yourself...sorry about the pun !!
AnswerID:
612488
Follow Up By: Jim-Bob1 - Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 20:14
Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 20:14
Hi Gronk,
I would do the changeover myself but for a few reasons.
1 I'm 70 years old.
2 I have a chronic back injury.
3 I have Arthritis throughout my body.
4 And most important reason SWMBO WONT let me under the van.
But at this moment we do like a little humour.
Thanks for the chuckle.
Regards Jim-Bob.
FollowupID:
882730
Follow Up By: Gronk - Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 20:43
Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 20:43
I can fully understand mate. You may even find someone thru this site that would change it out for you ??
FollowupID:
882733
Reply By: Rangiephil - Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 20:33
Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 20:33
IMHO a good mechanic in
Kununurra is the manager of the Thrifty rental car franchise at the airport.
I had a fuel line let go at
El Questro and after a false start at the RACWA agent I had the car sent to the Thrifty bloke on the recommendation of the manager of one of the caravan parks, and they did a good job.
Regards Philip A
AnswerID:
612490
Reply By: NikNoff - Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 21:25
Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 21:25
Jim Bob, go see Phil Normandale at Metal land, tell him NIKNOFF recommended him.
AnswerID:
612493
Follow Up By: Jim-Bob1 - Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 10:43
Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 10:43
Hi NifNoff, Have rung metaland and spoke to Darren, the owner, Phil was out driving around, and we will be done as soon as
the springs get here.
Thank you very much for your reply, very much appreciated.
Regards Jim-Bob.
FollowupID:
882746
Follow Up By: NikNoff - Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 12:04
Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 12:04
Good to hear Jim-Bob, Phil is a great guy and has repaired many vans and camper trailers over the years, he replaced the swing arm and bearings on a Ultimate Camper for us 15 years ago. He also bought my 80'series later on.
Do you know the newer BT vans now have high strength 4140 stub axles? 60t tensile rated. If you ever have to replace the swing arms they would be the choice.
FollowupID:
882748
Follow Up By: Jim-Bob1 - Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 12:51
Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 12:51
Yes Niknoff, I know about the new axles thanks, ours is 2003 model 18ft ATM of 3ton. Age and fatigue could have been the problem.
FollowupID:
882751
Reply By: Dean K3 - Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 21:32
Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 21:32
There are a few mechanical
services around
kununurra 4wd spares 21 Konkerberry Dr (08) 9169 1150 (town based west end)
JC 4x4 & Marine 12 River Gum Ave 0400 240 849 (town based west end)
Kimberly mechanical & tilt tray 24 Poincettia Way (08) 9169 3048 (LIA)
Thats just a google search I did
never had to use them one i did was minshalls in
broome just 1600kms further west.
There maybe a mobile mechanical fitter who could do it out in field best suggestion go to Info centre speak to them and they should be able to give better knowledge - last visit was 2014 so things may have changed
Footnote: suspect it take tad longer for freight to arrive than middle of next week. As per my 2014 trip when i arrived at
halls creek couple there waiting
well over 1 week for replacement radiator for their isuzu 4x4 npr truck, as your in coming from east via
perth then up to knx it will take fair bit longer
AnswerID:
612494
Follow Up By: Rangiephil - Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 08:56
Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 08:56
I have found on two separate occasions that the best way to send parts to
Kununurra is by TNT with instructions "pick up at TNT depot". TNT airfreight direct from
Perth to K. K is different to
Halls Creek.
One bit came through in about 2 days while the sender of the other sent the wrong part and I had to wait a week, then they had a big storm in
Perth and it was sent to
Darwin by air then K by road.LOL.
But I had a great time camping at the
Ord River Dam and swimming at the
boat ramp. Read recently this had to stop as some salties are now in the
dam. Although a clickbait I saw yesterday reckon is one of the top swimming holes in Australia.
FollowupID:
882743
Follow Up By: Rangiephil - Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 08:58
Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 08:58
Er I would not recommend one of those based on experience. Cannot say any more on open
forum.
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882744
Follow Up By: Dean K3 - Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 11:15
Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 11:15
Phil what was supposed to be sent by air was sent by road by TNT when i caught up with same couple later in KNX - after a very direct and frank discussion with Spare parts manager down in
Perth a 2nd unit was then airfreighted directly to KNX.
Whilst discussing options at
halls creek I suggested contacting
darwin as its naturally closer but they didn't even have correct radiator and could assist with sourcing from
perth - so smoke n mirrors.
confess I have heard about metal land a few times but never used nor had to use any locals in KNX so just going by reviews and google searches but always ask a local first !
FollowupID:
882747
Reply By: Member - Peter S (VIC) & W - Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 22:44
Thursday, Jul 13, 2017 at 22:44
Hi jim I had to to get some
suspension repairs to my van a few years ago pretty sure it was the metaland place on the Ivanhoe rd....they did a top job and know what they are doing ....they have a workshop at the back
Cheers peter
AnswerID:
612495
Reply By: Jim-Bob1 - Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 10:51
Friday, Jul 14, 2017 at 10:51
Thankyou to everybody for their reply to our problem, it is very much appreciated.
We now have springs on way and booked into Metaland to be fitted as soon as they arrive.
Regards from a stuck Jim-Bob who will be on his way again in a few days.
AnswerID:
612504
Reply By: Frank P (NSW) - Saturday, Jul 15, 2017 at 19:38
Saturday, Jul 15, 2017 at 19:38
Probably a bit late now as the OP has booked in at Metaland, but I had top service from Argyle Engineering in Kunnunurra when my van
suspension bushes and locating brackets were flogged out. They did a fix as good as new.
Cheers
AnswerID:
612533
Reply By: CSeaJay - Monday, Jul 17, 2017 at 16:14
Monday, Jul 17, 2017 at 16:14
Jim-Bob
How did your spring break, and how did you find the aftersales from Bushtracker, if I may ask?
AnswerID:
612566
Follow Up By: Jim-Bob1 - Monday, Jul 17, 2017 at 21:12
Monday, Jul 17, 2017 at 21:12
G'day CSeaJay,
We have only owned the van for 3 months and it's 14 years old. The previous owner has put an extra 120 ltr
water tank under it and because we were going remote for 9 to10 days I filled all tanks, 360 ltrs, and this then brings the van to it's ATM.
With this, the age and fatigue factor the spring broke. I had 30 psi in tyres, maybe this should have been down to 25 psi.
As far as Bushtracker goes you don't go through them.
The
suspension is a simplicity
suspension and all you do is get the serial number off the
suspension( which is stamped on them) and ring simplicity, they can tell you everything about it and have spares on hand for delivery.
Regards Jim-Bob.
FollowupID:
882848
Follow Up By: wholehog - Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 at 11:05
Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 at 11:05
Hi Jim-Bob, I have the same Bushtracker. The 3 ton
suspension of the earlier ones is still robust. I often run with full tanks etc when outback. If your offroad..like
Gibb River Road,
Birdsville Track, Savanna Way (Gulf) like any van let those tyres down to assist. 22-24psi is good, but also have decent 123/126 load rated tyres.
I have only broken a leaf within a spring pack .. on the
Birdsville Track. More fatigue than anything.
Continued on to
Perth where I removed the spring pack and had a spring works provide a new leaf. $27. It is important to replace the A arm spring retainer bolts,
the nut nyloc gets damaged when winding off on the stone damaged bolt threads.
Good luck on the repairs and travels, but let those hoops down when offroad/on the tracks.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Jim-Bob1 - Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 at 20:03
Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 at 20:03
Hi wholehog, how many water tanks do you have under your van?
We carry 360 ltrs when all are full and tyres are 123 load rating, but because we were on 3 ton ATM only went to 30 psi. I now know better.
We have a full set of bolts coming with springs.
Richard at Simplicity went out of his way to help us out.
Cheers Jim-Bob
FollowupID:
882893