My Amazing old Camp/o/matic

[PhilipA]

I have an old 1997 Camp/o/matic that has done a LOt of offroad work with no problems to speak of over the last 5 years.

I am currently preparing it for the next big trip to Cape York, and dismantled the suspension to check the pivot bushes, and repack the bearings.
I bought some ALKO nuts as spares for the axles as I assumed that the axles were ALKO.
However when I got the ALKO Parrallel axle nuts they were wrong, 1"UNF 12TPI rather than what was on the camper 1"UNF 14TPI.( which is very unusual, so much so that I couldn't get castellated nuts in that size, and I had to make my own for a spare)

So it very much looks like the old bloke at Yatala who built the Camp/o/matics back then actually manufactured the stub axles himself
and turned them to accept ALKO drums and fitted tags for the backing plates.

Now I know that he made almost everything on the premisis including cutting and stitching the canvas, but to make the axles as well, that is dedication.

Regards Philip A

[Xtreme]

Has anyone got any idea when Camp-O-Matics first hit the scene?

I remember towing dad's up through Tibooburra, Cameron's Corner, down the then two wheel tracks of the Strzelecki and through the Flinders behind the Series III in 1983. So they were around at least a few years before then.

I recall that it didn't fare too well and had trouble with the 'outriggers' from the chassis that support the side walls - tried getting them welded at Blinman and the guy ended up burning a hole right through the ply floor and almost set all our bedding alight. :o Also had trouble with the roof rack cum floor support cracking as a result of constant flexing due to the rough tracks and small wheels - ended up splinting it with tent pegs and nylon cord. Worked a treat until we returned to Sydney and did a 'rebuild' and strengthen.

A good simple, easy to tow and operate camper, which I am sure are built quite a bit stronger now, due in part, to some of our feedback to the company.

[PhilipA]

I remember towing dad's up through Tibooburra, Cameron's Corner, down the then two wheel tracks of the St

Sure it wasn't a CUB campomatic?
IMHO they are poorly designed and made compared to the Yatala ones.

It is hard for me to imagine poor quality , as I have seen even a 1994 one and it was the same construction as mine, although without independent suspension.
Regards Philip A

[Larry]

Has anyone got any idea when Camp-O-Matics first hit the scene?

I remember towing dad's up through Tibooburra, Cameron's Corner, down the then two wheel tracks of the Strzelecki and through the Flinders behind the Series III in 1983. So they were around at least a few years before then..........

Our old camp-o-matic was a 1979 model, & it was an early one (3 didgit chassis number). :D

[Xtreme]

Sure it wasn't a CUB campomatic?
IMHO they are poorly designed and made compared to the Yatala ones.

It is hard for me to imagine poor quality , as I have seen even a 1994 one and it was the same construction as mine, although without independent suspension.
Regards Philip A

I'm quite sure it was a Cub Camp-O-Matic and yes, I agree, they were pretty poorly designed. However, once repaired and modified it saw many more kms without further major mishaps.

One of the most successful things I did to it was to replace the drawbar with one that extended right from the coupling through to the rear of the trailer. This eliminated most of the flexing caused by the original drawbar which finished level with the axle.