Split rims, body mounts and other stuff

Willie, who is going with you on this trip?

You are taking a trailer, so I am figuring you are going to be out for a while. Will you leave the trailer at stations, then go further inland for a few days, and return?

What do you think the chances are of finding your previous plaque? In 1974 I put to rest a Suzuki 540 to rest out on the station. It had been run over at Mt. Gunson Mines, and we simply got it for spares. After I had stripped it, I took it to our station dump, and left it. Upon return in 2003, I had trouble finding it! The sand had crept over it, and all that was visible, was the rear quarter panel.

We would all be interested in any parallels you could draw after you have done this trip. Eg... GPS, how much easier is it than using traditional methods. Vehicles today, as compared to what you had back then. Accessories, what you have now, and what you didn't have then, and was it a good thing to have this time around?

Keep us up to speed.

Wolfie.

Willem,

There is always so much to do before a big trip.

I often wonder how some people can book on to a big trip with only a week or two to go and have there vehicle ready. I started to get the Troopie ready a couple of weeks ago for the start of the big trips starting in June. I will still spend the last two weeks of May getting ready.

Do you think running split rims is really the way to go? Not so much the tyres but the fact that it is harder to change a tyre on a split rim than a solid rim. You said one tyre took 1 1/2 hours and the next two 15 min. To me it is a bit of a lottery. I said to Vic Widman that when we take the Britz vehicles on the big trips I would rather carry another spare tyre and rim already mounted rather than change a tyre out on the Canning.

We have used a cut up beer box as a rear window protector. Cheap and we did recycle the beer box. It was also a good bit of advertising, it is a wonder that some beer company has not come up with a beer box that can be used if the box was cut along the dotted line and fold on the bold line.

How long are you going away for? Will you be on the Canning in June at all? The way the bookings are going for the Canning this year Vic has said that I might have to do two Canning trips this year about 4 weeks apart. It will mean that I might have to miss out on doing the Kimberleys, but the booking this year for that trip are not that good.

I hope the gear box does not have to come out again and ever thing else is alright with the Nissan.

Might get to see you in the out back this year. All the best and have a good trip/trips.

Wayne

G'daye Willem,
Haven't spoken to you for a bit, but just reading about your trip, sounds like Big John is on your list.
Talking to him this week he mentioned the centre and not too many get out there so my guess is he's going with you guys.
Just got a message last night to say he's up at Geehi this weekend.
Do you know anything about Hay river , I will heading up there later in Aug. and guess who's comin on that trek with us.
Cheers

Hi Willem,

I used to find that if I got enough flats with the splits, they'd come off easy and I'd get good at fixing them :-)))

Not long to go - have a great one

Cheers
Phil

Hi Willem, ironic that it was really your comments that had me changing to one piece rims a few weeks ago after running splits for 30 years :)) You are a lot fitter than I, because I find them pretty heavy these days. Rust is a problem, and keeping the stones and dirt out of the casing while changing a tube is another gripe. Get it wrong and you have to do it again down the track...sometimes not very far down the track.
I've a lot of non 4wd stuff to get out of the way before I even think of getting off. I rekkon it will be a wing and a prayer again this year.
There's too much tar between the Alice and here to take splitz, and once in the bush I may wish I had em on again...hope not. I havent mastered the ary of needle and thread for punctures on these rims yet !

Yeah ok , point taken. :-)