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Bush mechanics stories

2K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  Trollbasher 
#1 ·
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Hi guys just thought it would be a good thread to share some bush mechanics stories/ tips/ fails & wins.

Ill start with a tip. Forget about the fancy levelling blocks on you engine crane, just need a couple ratchet straps and a sling! (Maybe a 5t excavator too 🤣)
 
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#3 ·
So many stories over the years. I've removed a piston, conrod and rockers on the side of the Nullarbor highway in a Torana, replaced the destroyed twin shock suspension on a V8 hilux with a lump of wood and fencing wire in the middle of the northern WA gaffa, replaced the ute body mounts on HG ute with a couple of fence posts in outback WA, removed and patched a Forerunner Fuel tank with soap and chewing gum in the middle of Finke Gorge.....and so many more fun times. Touch wood, despite my best efforts, my GU Patrol has never needed repair out bush.
 
#4 ·
The old ratchet straps are great. Used one on my Patrol when I was changing the lower trailing arms. Tightened it to pull the diff forward to get the bolts in.

There was a series on the ABC about 20 years ago called Bush Mechanics. Mostly Indigenous communities and participants. I recall one show where they snapped the front left wheel off an old Kingswood. They tied a branch up under the car and used it like a skid. worked pretty good. Another where the fuel pump crapped itself, so they found a wreck on the side of the road and took the fuel pump off it. Then they had the passenger with a drum of fuel on the dash and hand pumping the fuel pump.
 
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#6 ·
Years ago when I was in the army, we lost an oil drain bung from the portal hubs on a Unimog. We were out in the scrub up near Normanton at the time. I fashioned a makeshift bung out of a piece of bush wood and wound it into the hole, cutting a thread into the wood as it went in. It worked a treat, and was still there when the truck went into the workshop at the end of the exercise.


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#9 · (Edited)
Not Patrol related but just a couple of week ago coming back from cape york the rear axle on my dual axle trailer let go. This was on the north side of Coen. Only the drivers side. One U bolt and the top locating plate were missing. I had a spare you bolt, but no top plate. I had some form ply in the trailer tool box for use as a base for jockey wheel or a jack. So out the chainsaw came and we ripped a bit off roughly the same width as the U bolts. Slipped it in and nipped up the u bolts. It lasted until Mareeba where I could get some spares. Had a fore and aft strap as well in case it did come loose, which it did once. Front drivers side axle brake calliper also came adrift, so I removed it and hooked up brake cable to the front spring hanger. This gave my at least one trailer brake. The same wheel also has a fair wobble it so I would say it was a big hit that did all the damage. I was not the driver of the tow vehicle at the time.

Mates Hilux also broke a front strut a little after Coen. He somehow drove it on the bump stop to Mareeba lol. It was not very pretty by the time he got to Mareeba. Mates son who was also travelling with us told me he told his dad last year his front end was worn out.

We were driving pretty steady as all three vehicles had trailers on. I am now a member of the cape york broken trailer club.

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#11 · (Edited)
Had an old 70's lwb Transit campervan fitted with an overdrive box out of a 2.6L toyota crown behind the 250cu inch ford motor.
Bogged it in the sand on a back trail in Kakadu and split the cast iron gearbox lengthways in half.
Wrapped it with a chain twitched with fence wire to close the half inch wide gap, pumped it full of grease, and drove all the way back to Darwin with lots of crunching and grinding.

Most of the bush bodges have been for other people who have broken down without tools or spares. Fix em up and follow em to town.

over the years have replaced ignition points springs with rubber bands/foam mat
made a dizzy cap from a PET bottle and self tappers
tied fuel tanks to the roof (gravity feed)
gaffa tape fanbelts, radiator hoses made from bike tube and coiled wire
filled radiators with everything from urine to beer
jump (hot) wired ignitions, fuel cuts, headlights
tyre repairs with contact achesive and sand
wood welch plugs
self tapper, washer and rubber mat repairs to sump
added cooking oil in an automatic transmission
opened locked doors with packing tape, fence wire and recently 2x sticks

and my snatch straps are made from climbing rope in a 4 strand plait attached with 3.5 tonne steel caribiners
 
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