Time for a bit of maintenance

Thought it was time to do a bit of maintenance on the vehicle seeing the season is just about done.
First up, check to see why my spots stopped working,  that was easy.  A burnt out fuze and burnt out it was.  melted the plastic/rubber holder and the metal lugs inside.  I had to break the fuze out.
Battery terminals just about shot so new ones going in soon, like tomorrow maybe
It also seems the radiator overflow bottle is stuffed, leaking where the plastic joins (why make a bottle in two halves) and I get white crap sprayed over the motor.
What next ? dunno, but gotta make sure the old gal is runnin ok.
Full service soon, filters and all oils, diff and gearbox. Gotta check out the air filter, not sure if it's washable/blow out or just replace.
New LED light bar going on next week. I need a better spread than I'm getting from the piddly little narva's.
I'm sure there will be more, better safe than sorry.

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Those blade fuses don't tolerate constant high current very well and the end result is what happened to yours. Fit one of these

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and you won't have any problems.

More maintenance. Had the front and rear suspension checked today. The front seemed to be floating a bit when driving.
Well the new shocks I put on about 4 to 5 weeks ago are stuffed already. the metal tube in the bottom bushes had worn and there was too much play on the bolt, that just cost me 2 new shocks.
Just driving with the new shocks I could feel the difference.
2 ball joints are worn and need replacing and then a wheel alignment.
Rear End - rear shocks and bushes need to be replaced and the spring hanger bushes also.
What next ? nothing I bloody hope apart from some oil changes and filters

doing a bit of maintenance also Cliff, suspension is all ok which was a bit surprising after last season but she needs a auto flush, new fluid and a service but all else checks out fine so all in all it will be relatively inexpensive.
cheers

Ya lucky with no suspension probs but always better to check anyway.
Hopefully all I need now is oil changes and filters.
Was thinking of putting a new turbo on just to be sure as the Nav is getting on in years and I don't know if it's original or not.  
Just as well I put an intercooler on, I might wait until it goes BANG  

I guess when you buy a second hand vehicle you take your chances.  I knew I was going to have to spend some money so no worries with that.
So I've had 2 new ball joints replaced in the front end. New shocks in the front and rear and new spring hanger bushes, not a problem.
But my lovely old Navara has spent the last 2 days sitting on a hoist all because some idiot prior to me getting the vehicle messed with the torsion bars.  They were put back on wrong and it has stuffed a bolt and a nut.
This is what gets me, the bolt cost $3 but the nut cost $165 (I hope they have read the price wrong and it's $1.65)  
crikey          

Hi BN,

We find that we have hiccups like yours on most trips, rarely do we have one trouble free. Take our last few trips(this season)rear brakes- one backing plate for the pads fell out and the piston from the caliper was acting as a brake pad

Two years old were the brake pads, thing is I had to fix them out from Leonora, ordering on the internet and getting flown from Perth, trouble was the piston was worn down and at an angle so had to cut off square with the grinder and luckily this didn't interfere with the seals

Anyway's they got us home and a quick trip to Shark Bay, just received two brand new calipers off fleabay $168 for two, COVS wanted $240 each, two new rotor's $45 each from Covs

So, my weekend should be busy, I wont go into the rest of the prob's just yet but a quick list list will give you an idea

U bolts on caravan sheared on one side and sheared the thru bolt on the springs that keep them all aligned and did I mention it was raining while I had to fix them about 20m from abig bog hole that we were stuck in

Step broke on van

One good thing from this season was the new 1/2 canopy I built out of ali and the new chinese quad bike xtm 250cc that fits behind it, best thing I ever did

Ron, Sherri and Yoda

Flouro was that you with the broken suspension near New Norcia a month ago? me silver prado stoped to see you and wife ok

Revised price for the bolt and nut to get the torsion bars adjusted correctly was $125
The bolt was $60 and the nut was $65 (never ask for a guesstimate)
Now the steering wheel is straight instead of being lopsided and you can feel the difference in the steering.
Glad I had it all done, saved bigger problems down the road.

Couple of years ago when the tugging the van home from trip pulled into Tammin, refueled and headed down the Gt Eastern to find a spot to camp for the night. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th gear Ok, tried to select 5th and it was no go.
Tried changing back to 3rd, no go. Clutch failure.
We were pulling along Ok so made the decision to keep going.
My early days of practising changing gears with out a clutch paid off. Using engine revs I changed up and down through the gears and resigned to the fact it was going to be easy until we hit traffic lights.
Was around 9pm (little traffic) when we approached the first traffic lights, we got through the first no problems.
Have lost count how many we idled up too in 2nd gear from Mundaring to Waikiki and were lucky enough for them to all turn green before having to stall.
To add to this an aluminium stone guard fitted to back of the ute had broken away and was dragging on the road, couldn't stop, it was making one hell of a noise scraping along the road. Was a nervous wreck when we finally pulled up at home.
Next morning we unhitched the van, selected 2nd gear with engine stopped. Cranked the starter motor in gear and the engine started and I manoeuvred the vehicle up the driveway and stalled it before driving through the roller door.
Later drove it onto a flat top to take it away for clutch renewal.
An experience I sure hope never happens again.

Hi Peter s,

No, but we did have a flat tyre further down the road sometime around the end of September which was sixth flat for the trip, we always take four wheels with us which is two spare tyres mounted on the back of the van and I picked up a spare tyre from the Cue tip and I had to repair one tyre with a couple of plugs into a tubeless tyre

The two tyres we had on the back of the van didn't last long on the road, they come apart like retreads do in that the tread stripped off the tyre, one around 50km sth of MM and the other sth of New Norcia

So four new tyres when we got home just in time for our sortee to Shsrk's Bay for aweek after prospecting all winter

Ron

Hi Pete,

I know what you mean when you say you were a wreck by the time you got home, it sure takes it's toll nursing ya baby home

You reminded me that we also had a clutch failure in Cue, we ordered the kit for the master cylinder and fitted it out bush and it got us home but failed again so fitted a totally new one

Ron




I know wh

Hi BN,

$125 for a bolt and nut sounds very expensive, compared to the cruze where they only have 4 bolts, 2 hangers and 2 at each end, it's never ending keeping our cars on the road

Ron

Hi All,

Stuff the cars my right fetlock (Knee) went on me out at Yundermerinda ,I walked most of the day with a pain in the back of my knee by the time I managed to get back home I was in agony and my knee had locked up

It took three days in bed where I couldn't straighten my knee or have it bent too far, couldn't put weight on it but one rucky thing it was pissin down so had to rest up

It's a bloody wonder we have enough time to find any yella

Ron

Flouro wrote:Hi BN,

$125 for a bolt and nut sounds very expensive, compared to the cruze where they only have 4 bolts, 2 hangers and 2 at each end, it's never ending keeping our cars on the road

Ron

Expensive ? damn right there. But if you need the parts and can only get them from Nissan, they are GOLD plated    
Example, top radiator hose is $95 from nissan but $35 from auto stores.  
All made in China so I can't understand why nissan charge like wounded bulls  

there are not many parts i buy genuine. water pump is one maybe ball joints although i have never had an issue with non genuine ones, most other bits from super cheap or repco. i would of gone to a trade store and purchased the high tensile nuts and bolts that will suit the job and be 1/3 the price.
at least the issue is fixed and safe again.