Just got back from the
Snowy Mountains.
This area is seeing a lot more vehicles and that is because of the High Country being closed. Having said that the
camp sites were not full, at least where we went.
The Murray was very low at the
Tom Groggin crossing on New Years Eve but had gone up about 6" over night with the rain. It rained heavily in some parts but we didn't get any rain where we camped, it was over cast but nothing come of it.
This was the first time I had to put the 78 series into low range. The flexibility of the motor made it a pleasure to drive. I was able to drive hills in 3rd low as where before 2nd low was used. This also might have some thing to do with the fact that the vehicle was not as heavy as the 75 series. I thought I would leave some of the recovery gear out of the vehicle this time. I only packed 1 drag chain instead of 3. 1 snatch block instead of 2 plus a few other items that I thought that I would not need.
Despite the weight loss the back of the Troopie was looking very sad, and that was before the 180lt fuel tank was filled. Did not have time to do a
suspension change and most of the 4wd shops were closed for Christmas and New Year, or could not get
the springs unit the new year. I was able to get hold of the Polyair Bellows. I was going to put them in with the
suspension upgrade, but the worked great on the standard
suspension on the back of the Troopie. A quick fix but it got me out of trouble.
The skinny tyres have got to go.
All the power was wasted when the tyres cannot get grip. So before I go down there again next week, some rims will have to be found and some better rubber put under the Troopie.If any one, in the
Sydney area, has got a set(5) rims off a 100 Series, 5 stud pattern, that they want to sell, let me know.
After the 4 day Snowy trip I did a another trip around the Deddick trail, McKillops
Bridge area and coming down off Mt Tingaringy a fallen tree had blocked the road. To go back would mean a 2 hour trip and it was getting late, so the tree had to go.
I could have used the other snatch block and one more drag chain to get the tree off the track. The other vehicle that was with me had the gear on board so I was lucky he was there. 1 hour later the tree was off the track and under head lights the track was finished.
From the top of MT Tingaringy we could see the fires burning to the south. I think it was the fire around Bell Bird. The area around here has not been burnt for some time and it was good to have green trees as far as the eye could see. Because of the area we normally use being closed, we are going to run our trips around here until the
Vic High Country is reopened.
I am still in the process of setting the 78 Series up, there was more in it than I thought, but after it is all done this should be the last time I will have to add any thing to the Troppie, until some thing new comes along that I must have.
Wayne