What have you done to your car today?

EJ22 out of the Legacy, also took the rear diff, all 4 axles and shaft as spare parts….
 
I got gas ... ;)

Serious gas.

Really serious gas ...

Not THAT kind of gas ... ;)
Not that other kind, either ... :rotfl:

The struts in the trailer are lifting around 150 kgs. They were 700 (somethings), but now have around 200-300 psi higher pressure in them.

I can now lift the lid fairly easily (even with my currently rather sore back ... ). Much more importantly, I can also close the lid with some effort, but agin, I can do it with my currently bad back. This latter is of extreme importance, as I have to be able to deal with the trailer and tent, even if I am damaged. The lid no longer slams shut.

The nice chap at Schutties (10 Bignell St, Moorabbin) had to do them twice to get just the right pressure in them. Of course, he drives a very nice, highly modded WRX ... :iconwink: :cool:.

I had absolutely no idea that the pressure in these things was so darn high!! I also now know how these struts are pumped up. Interesting.
 
Finally fixed the electric window in Red today. Fiddly thing taking that motor out. Actually took it out twice because the first time I took it out with out buying a new motor in the hopes that I could fix it. But it was well cook right through:sadbanana:. Which explained the non-clutch burning smell I've had in my car a couple of times now but couldn't work out what it was. It was easier taking it out the second time as I replaced the Phillips heads with hex heads allowing me to take the motor out while the window assembly is in place and I'd recommend anyone else doing this job to replace the 3 bolts with hex heads because it will make it easier if you have to do it again. But it still is a fiddly job.
 
The pressure in gas struts is measured in Newtons, apparently. The ones in my trailer are now 1,000N! Presumably, this is Newtons per square centimetre. That equates to around 1,450 psi!! S'truth, Narelle!

Day before yesterday, I grovelled under the A-bar of the trailer and hit all the nasty bits (i.e. all of it ... ) with cold gal primer. Wattyl appear to be having a batch problem with theirs, so I exchanged the two dud cans for some other brand FTM.

Yesterday I hit all that stuff with a top coat of charcoal hammertone. Rotten place to work, as upside down, and have to get in far too close for "aesthetically pleasing" spray painting, so runs and doobles all over the place :poke: :rotfl:.

The mighty tag-along is not really meant to be some dream machine camper trailer (you know, the kind that some people - not me! - drop $30-50K on :iconwink: ;) ... ). It is meant to be a serviceable, pretty robust trailer with comfortable accommodation - particularly the lying down part!

I have noticed that the axle is sitting slightly further back on the P/S. The clearance between the tyre and the rear of the mudguard is only 40mm, compared with 60mm on the D/S. It looks as if the fish plate for the axle U-bolts is eccentric, front to rear (rough measurement with tape measure). The current front to O/S of locating hole is about 50mm+ and the rear measurement is about 40mm.

I will check this against the D/S plate with a small Engineer's rule I have.

Just reversing the P/S plate F<->R will make them much more even. So even though I feel thoroughly RS today, I am just about to go and do those things.

Because the axle is attached under the springs, I can do this without jacking the trailer up. However, I also want to see if I can slip a bit of steel between the rear of the slipper springs and the chassis, and see how this affects the ride height/tyre clearance of the trailer.

An opportunity to try out my 750 mm air jack, perhaps :poke:?
 
Gas struts on the rear boot and the swing arms on the rear bar were a bit tired. Got them regassed by Al from StrutsRegassed4U. Great bloke, great job, great price. If in Melbourne, he'll come to you and do the work on site.

Very happy.

contact:

struts.com.au

0427 929 468
 
Changed the Proflex for the Hotbits but its not finished yet...
 
Not so much what I did, as what I will be doing. Began the process of buying a unregistered 2.8L TDI 4X4 Holden Rodeo. Gonna rego it (should be relatively simple) and use it as my daily drive.
 
Gidday Twink

Congrats on the new beast.

Is that a Rodeo or a Colorado?

A little research (very little ... :iconwink:) seems to indicate that only the Colorado came with the 2.8L diesel donk. Is that right? Or have I got the bull by the "rodeos"?

Are you going to ditch the Jackaroo?
 
Ratbag said:
Gidday Twink

Congrats on the new beast.

Is that a Rodeo or a Colorado?

A little research (very little ... :iconwink:) seems to indicate that only the Colorado came with the 2.8L diesel donk. Is that right? Or have I got the bull by the "rodeos"?

Are you going to ditch the Jackaroo?
Click to expand...

G'day RB, the Colorado is a next gen Rodeo, with the 3.0L TDI that's infamous for self destructing if you use the wrong oil...or look at it...or sneeze near it...or blink near it....

The rodeo had the 2.8 TDI from about '88 onwards if I remember correctly!

I'm buying a '95 2.8 TDI Rodeo, the 2.8 is the engine they used to design my 3.1 TDI if that makes sense?

I'm keeping the Jackaroo, the plan is to have the rodeo as my daily drive and save the Jackaroo for trips and such!
 
G'day again Twink

Just goes to show (yet again ... ) that one should not put absolute faith in anything one reads on Wikipedia ... :iconwink:.

I remember hearing that WA has more cars than licensed drivers. Sounds like you are adding to the numbers mate ... :lol:.

It can get expensive owning lots of cars ...
 
Wikipedia can be a double edged sword!:-)

I really like the pre common rail diesel engines, but will have to restrict myself to two cars due to discussions regarding marriage and houses that SWMBO has been initiating lately
 
^ Never forget that the Great Dictionary - The Oxford English Dictionary - was constructed in the same way as Wikipedia is today (read "The Surgeon of Crowthorne" for a great description of this process). Just using slightly different technology in the 1920s ... :iconwink:.

The OED doesn't always get everything right, either. That's why I also have a copy of Johnson's "Dictionary of the English Language" that was last published in about 1882, as well as several other dictionaries.

I also have a relatively recent edition of Britannica. Much of human knowledge doesn't change all that much. New Zealand is still there (for the time being ... it is sitting on a rather small tectonic plate that's fast disappearing ... ).

However, Wikipedia is already a source of knowledge that goes far beyond the wildest dreams of Britannica. It will only expand and get better as time goes on. It is why I contribute a miserly amount to its upkeep and running ;).
 
Trailer spring plates

Not to my car ... to my trailer.

Made and welded some plates (badly) to fit between the slipper springs and the chassis to give the wheels a touch more clearance under the guards at the rear. After all, the mudguards were made to fit 155/85 13" tyres and rims, not the 215/60 16" ones that are now fitted.

For all my crappy welding, I don't think they will fall out in a hurry. They really only needed to be tacked in place to stay there, as all but zero force on them other than the spring holding them against the underneath of the trailer's chassis.
 
Cleaning up the foz to see how it looks and probably sell it. Just trying to work out whether or not to remove mods and sell them separately.
 
Installed voltmeter, usb port and cigarette type plug in the outback.

First made the bracket from plywood to put the sockets in place

n2gw7n.jpg


In the car

2v9y8w1.jpg


Showing voltage

250l2rc.jpg
 
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Gidday TB

Your photos aren't showing up too well, mate. Very furry, unfortunately :(.
 
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