Quick fixes in the bush

I substituted a left-hand rear axel & wheel from a HJ60 up at cape york after we had a bearing failure. We located a tree of the appropriate length, tied it to the chassis & under the rear leaf springs with ratchet ties, engaged 4WD & proceeded slowly back toward town.

Luckily after several hours the message got to the mechanic & he met us on the road.

As he pulled up he said "I'm looking for a landcruiser with only 3 wheels!"
We said,"Yeah thats us". He seemed bemused until he got out & came around to the passenger side & had a look. He said "In all my years, I have never see anything like that done before." We said,"mate with 80km to Barmaga, we wern't going to stand still for ever!"

He did a quick job on the spot to get us going & he did a full repair back in town.

Thanks, thats my story....

In the Flinders years ago we punched a hole in a sump on the road out of Aroona Dam near the old Leigh Creek site.
We had some potter's clay (don't ask why) and a hessian bag and some string and some extra oil.
We slapped the clay over the sump and tied the bag around it with the string passed over the top of the engine and set out for Copley which then was south of Leigh Creek.
The exhaust set the bag alight once but we put it out pronto, alerted by the smoke and smell, adjusted the bag and rope topped up the oil and limped into town.

Interesting trip that one – we proceeded on to Oodanadatta in the evening of the next day, after repairs of a more permanent nature, and it rained heavily with thunder and lightning. We got in about 9.00pm minus most of the exhaust which tore off in a creek full of mud and water some time after William Creek.
Next day we almost had to carry the car over to the main north road and in to Coober Pedy. We cleaned water out of the distributor more times than I can remember. Iv'e never had so much mud fun in my life. It was so muddy pushing the car out of the slops that we finally stripped down to jocks to avoid wrecking our clothes completely.
Car looked like a clay model when we finished.
Missed lots of video oportunities!

Ah those were the days when youthful enthusiasm outweighed wisdom every time!

Camper

The battery bracket on the FJ55 tore out of its moorings on the CSR somewhere south of Savory Creek. I drilled two holes in the mudguard and fitted an eyebolt upright with a saddle clamp, then used wire to hook on to the battery bracket and attached that to a turnbuckle and thightened the lot. It lasted till we got back to Alice Springs some 2500km later

Pepper in radiator for small leaks(black is best), and leave 'cap on first notch, so waterjacket isn't pressurised. Bigger holes need the tubes around the "injury", bent over at ends, 2 or 3 times, on each damaged tube. Now add pepper, and salt to taste....

Carry "Knead-it", "Minute-mend", "Liqiud Metal" or similar putties, for almost any injury to sumps, trannies, fuel tanks or motorbike trannies. Even radiators.

2 Crowbars - Slide one in from each side, under the sump, for when you hit that last gully too hard, and broke BOTH engine mounts. Keeps the fan from hitting the shroud, and front of engine off the ground. Pipe would be a useful substitute.

When you lose/misplace the oil filler cap, DON'T use rag to block hole on OHV engines, cam drags rag into engine and blocks all the oil galleries, engine rebuild usually required.

Must be plenty more out there.....?

Hooroo...

Very simple solution dock - just buy a TD Prado - they never break down!

Got a hole in the radiator of my Falcon wagon (b4 the LC80 joined the family) halfway between Oodnadatta and Coober Pedy in summer. A stone bounced off the fan blades and through the core of the radiator. I cut the leaking cores, poked a bit of silicone in the ends and double folded them over with a pair of long-nose pliers. This repair is still intact after 18 months of normal use (full pressure) - my father-in-law now has the car and hasn't got it fixed properly yet.

16 gauge fencing wire is handy for temp fixes to things like exhaust mounts. If you haven't got any the locals will have. Carry a piece for pulling grass from underneath the vehicle in spinifex country, along with a garden sprayer full of water. The wire is a great resource that can be made into numerous tools or used to connect batteries to weld with.

For minor holes and cracks in petrol tanks - soap massaged over the leak. It will go sloppy at first and then go hard. It will last until it gets wet. Therefore no good in rain.

Yep I second the soap for fuel tank leaks............have had to use that one a few times myself.

Also if you blow a radiator hose, never forget that you can often make use of the polution control hoses..........they are not necessary to keep the car going.
Make certain however that you block the ends that become exposed...specially those at the air cleaner or u will allow dust to be sucked in.

Rope and duct tape are always handy inclusions in any tool kit........both are useful in many first aid applications as well.

I have heard of people using panty hose to replace a fan belt temporarily.....I havent had to use this one myself yet but it may well work.

My Dad told me of an uncle of ours who had scored a flat in the middle of nowhere and he packed the tyre tightly with grass.

Years ago my mate spat a rear wheel bearing on his CJ5 on Cape York, 100ish K's north of Coen.
We sat his towbar tongue on type of mine, put a shackle bolt through the two towball holes, borrowed a big nut off a passing motorist. Towed it into Coen backwards.
Stuffed the hole in the end of the axle full of rags and left the other rear wheel on it!
He sat in the CJ5 and held the steering straight, just travelled backwards.

Geoff.

All good ideas amongst the replys.I would have to add cable ties, especially the big ones as they are very quick to use and have a thousand ways to hold something together

Arb air locker came loose on the Anne Beadell near Anns crn. Tightened it up and had to pour motor oil in to breather (filler cap stuck) thimble full @ a time 2-3hrs latter off to Coober Pedy. Also nere here broke a leaf spring eye so had to turn it backwards (eye @ front & broken eye rear)