Thread: The Ultimate FC

Sounds like a good dollop of thick grease would have helped with holding the joint in place, even if you had to use some cotton to tie it in and prevent it from falling out. Well it is done now.

It is a big vehicle and you have made a lot of progress. I hope that your target date is still achievable. If not there is always next year.

Just a bit too far away for us southerners to drop in for an afternoon of help with an extra set of hands. Have you got a men's shed local to you? You need some volunteers to come and give you a hand with those things like bleeding the brakes. How about the scouts? I know they will do clean up and things like that but maybe they can roster a helper for you every weekend!

Ok it is time for another progress report.

I want to drive the big lump of the thing and have some fun, but money and common sense tells me while I have the central lube tank drained to replace the oil/breather hoses to the other wheel stations .
So I removed the brake caliper and wheel etc from the next wheel station along the hull( RHS centre).
I noticed the hydraulic brake hose is due for replacing and got one made up, it shares the same hose support bracket bolts as the oilsupply/breather hose.
I notice the rust and paint flaking off.
No quick way to get the machine moving is planned now.
To do so would waste a bit of my time later on and cost me about 20 litres of gear oil at $7.00 dollars a litre, only having to drain it again to do other oil supply/breather hoses, bleed brakes etc.
I am now needle gunning the flaking paint around that area of the hull.
The work I have done on the RHS front looks great........so I will follow on .
I have fitted some new rubber boots to the suspension to keep it water proof.
Needle gunning is a slow process, but it costs little and the vehicle is located in a industrial area , so noise is not too much of a problem.
The needle gun is easier on the air compressor and makes far less mess than sand blasting, wire wheel or paint stripping.
This wheel station doesn't have to be removed, it is not leaking.
I have learnt I am not the only one to have problems refitting wheel stations back to the vehicle.
I have been told that the mechanic who worked on the Gold coast tourist stalwarts used to Arilidite the dogs of the tracta joints together to stop them moving when refitting.

New stainless steel pipe support brackets have been made to replace the old normal steel items.



Note the small cut aways in the hull so the centre wheels will not foul the hull when on full steering lock.
Note the various rubber boots used to seal the torsion bar and wish bones.

This picture shows the external transfercase oil filler and drain.
The vehicle is setup so oils and some other stuff can be done if the vehicle is loaded and the engine bay/cargo floor doors cannot be opened.
Note that top plug is the transfercase oil level, and how low down on the hull the transfercase must be.
The gearbox and transfercase is specially made items to suite the stalwart and keeps Cof G low despite the stalwarts height.
There is also fillers and dip sticks inside the hull if you want to check and fill unloaded.






Note the transport chain down loop on the lower hull.
A small stick is stopping all the brake oil from draining out of the brake system.
Note on the centre and rear suspension the shocker asorbers work on the lower wishbone and not the top wish bone as on the front.
Doing that creates more room in side the hull.

Been in a swimming MK1 stalwart down at Corowa on the Murray river.
Learnt lots of stuff.
I dont have good access to the internet to post Pics.
Will post pics when or if it can.
Ron

hope you are all having fun down there wish i could be there but busy moving factory all the best to all