This is February 2008 copy of our email newsletter.
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post to 305 South Rd Mile End SA 5031
Alltrac 4WD
305 South Rd Mile End SA 5031
Hi and
welcome to Alltrac 4WD’s February
2008 email newsletter.
Regards Peter Young.
What’s News
Included you will find an invitation to a Book
launch by Rex Ellis. Having been to several of Rex’s book launch’s
I strongly recommend that for a riotous weekend of fun and entertainment it is
really worthwhile. The real bummer is that I shall be away at that time. I
asked Rex to delay it for a week but he wasn’t very receptive to the idea.
Recent Trips - Caravans and Boats in the Desert.
In the last
newsletter I mentioned a trip to the top of Lake Eyre in
March 2007 in fact that trip was in late 2006. [ I think I am going
ratty] In March 2007 as the Warburton River was still flowing we had an
expedition to camp and boat the Warburton. 4 Caravans 1 Camper Trailer and a
couple of Tenters along with 2 tinnies
on top of two of the vehicles headed up the Birdsville Track to Mungarrannie [ The servo ran out of diesel - most
inconvenient ] then out past Cowarie station to Kalamurina Station [ pronounced Kalamurna]
where I had made arrangements to borrow some fuel. From Kalamurina
we headed along sandy tracks to a large flood out area on the edge of the
Warburton known as Mia Mia Beach. Fantastic spot, good sandy beach and
river access.
We spent a
couple of days reconnoitring without the vans as I found they are too hard to
back down the sand dunes if you don’t make it. Then four of us in 2 boats
headed down the Warburton for about 80k and back again. A real learning exercise as far as
boat travel goes we need less junk and heaps more fuel. But the scenery was
absolutely brilliant, fantastic cliffs and flood out areas that can only be
experienced down in the river not from up top. After the boat trip we loaded up
and headed off on station tracks to Moomba and down
the Strzelecki Track to Monte-Collina
bore and some old homesteads in that area before heading home.
What Did We
Learn.
Boat travel - travel slowly take the minimum of equipment
and the maximum of fuel.
Caravan Bush Travel - We have done a fair bit of this as
a group in the past. The vans range from an ex Highways camp van [ Yep its silver and it is nick named Silverado ], a couple
of mid 80’s larger vans with beefed up chassis and suspension to a late model
compact off road pop top. They all
travelled well over some pretty awful tracks [ and
have done many times before ]. I have nothing against the newer “off road “ vans but it can all be done with sensibly prepared
conventional vans at a fraction of the cost. In particular a lot of the new
vans seem to have exaggerated high ground clearance while some extra clearance
is required particularly with the larger vans in practice 900mm or more is
probably not required [except maybe for deep river crossings but I don’t even
want to do there.]
Next Client
Trip - Update
Note: there are still 2 vacancies for this trip.
Explore The
Cooper Creek System from the Birdsville track to Innaminka
and then out to the Coongie Lakes.
We are
allowed access to some of this route with special permission of the pastoral
Lessee’s in the area.
With the
current QLD floods there may well be significant flows in the Cooper before
this trip.
For full info refer last newsletter or
email/call us..
Rex Ellis
bush Camp and Book launch
Rex and Patti Ellis Invite you to the Launch of “Go with the Flow”
by Rex Ellis
Published by Central Queensland
University Press at Wilson’s Bend
on the Murray
near Cadell.
On Saturday 12th April
2008 12.30pm for a 1pm start. Bring some friends if you wish.[ let Rex know prior ]
$50 per couple or $40 single [ Book
included]
The Book will be launched physically.
Half hour soap box [invitation for any one to talk on
any subject for a maximum of 5 minutes ]
River rafting competition
Circus act by Katherine Ellis
William Snell will sing some opera and Billy “T: Snell
will sing some Johnny Cash songs.
Ariel entertainment/ book launch.
Horse and camel stuff.
Evening will start with yarn spinning, dance and DJ
plus air guitar competition.
Sunday morning snags, coffee more yarns and finish at
1 pm.
For more information contact Rex or Patti Ellis email www.rexellis@safarico.com.au
or phone 0885432280
Don’t forget to tell them where you found out about
the launch.
March Service
Special -
Free Bottle of Fuel System Additive with every
Service.
Technical
Update - Toyota
100 series - Konks Out
This item
comes to Light from Network News the VKS 737 Radio Network Magazine. www.vks737.on.net
Whilst
cruising along the road the 100 series for no apparent reason “died” and rolled
to a stop. Plenty of fuel and plenty of battery but dead as door nail. It appears that a fuse
under the bonnet [AM1]
had blown, this was replaced and away the vehicle went. Further investigation by the
Toyota Dealer in Tennant Creek found that the ignition wiring loom had dropped
down and rubbed on the brake pedal assembly and blown the fuse. The dealer had
come across this problem before.
I have
checked my own and a few other 100’s in our workshop but not found any faulty
harnesses.
If your 100
Series conks out check
the fuse under the bonnet and wiring above the brake pedal.
Technical
Update - Loose Wheel Nuts - Visual Indicator
Now you can
instantly check if any wheel nuts have come loose.
We have
available REDCAT visual wheel nut indicators - these nifty plastic gadgets sit
over the wheel nut and have an easily seen arrow - if the wheel nut loosens the
arrow moves out of line warning you that action is required.
The REDCAT’s also change colour if they get too hot, indicating
potential brake or wheel bearing problems.
Cheap insurance at $2.00 each. [ Don’t know why they
are called REDCAT’s because they are Yellow].
Alltrac 4WD -
Professional 4WD Service, Repairs, Modifications, Wheel Alignment, Suspension Systems,
Diesel/Gas Conversions.
