Psst - Info wanted on a Toyota part......

[S3ute]

Hello from home - back after three fairly enjoyable weeks in southern Africa. More of that later.

However, just before heading over the great waters I made a trip to a local car dealers to put a deposit down on a truck for S3 junior. Must confess it is a (harrumph, squirm, fidget, fidget....) Hilux 4X4 dual cab...... deemed necessary to help get him out to the remoter airfields on the wild fringes of the north to start clocking up command hours as part of the next phase of a budding flying career.

Anyway, forgive me on that lapse if you will - for now I am trying to fit a second hand class 4 towbar sourced from a local wrecking yard without the fitting bolts. The majority I have sourced from a local bolt specialty outlet, but two special parts elude simple search.

On the Hilux towbars there are two cylindrical collars that I assume are meant to stop the through-chassis bolts crushing the chassis. These are described as 42mm collars and I believe the centre hole for the bolt is 12mm.

Question is - does anyone know anyone in SEQ who might sell these collars or someone who could run two up on a lathe? Toyota don't sell them separate from the full fitting kit which I don't need and costs ~$100.

Cheers,

Neil

[pop058]

go to the local scrap metal guy and look for a piece of pipe that the bolt will fit through. What you are describing just sounds like a crush tube, so the size is not that critical.

[Killer]

If you can provide me with a sketch, I can turn them up for you Neil.

Cheers, Mick.

[S3ute]

Hello again from Brisbane.

A little progress report on the small transgression of settling S3junior into the opposition's livery and a larger postscript on why it was deemed necessary in the first place.

Well, a couple of SLOW fellows came forward with advice and tangible help and the towbar etc should become adhered to the vehicle over the coming weekend along with a few other bits and pieces sourced locally and from South Africa. Hopefully, it will all be ready to go sooner than later.

I mentioned that S3junior was embarking on an aviation career and had so far acquitted himself better than well in terms of getting over the many hurdles without too many falls - end point being the degree, and CPL with several expensive embellishments.

Now to fill the yawing gap between the number of hours to hand at graduation and those needed the entice a significant player in the aviation industry to let you fiddle with the controls of something serious there is a rite of passage to be traversed. Typically, this is to do your time barnstorming in the backblocks which is exactly where MrsS3ute and S3junior foresaw the aforesaid ring in coming in to the picture.

Well, to cut a long story short he had his first job interview yesterday after a long chain of word of mouth contacts and this morning came off with it.

For the next 12 months at least he will be based north of Camooweal and then south of Windorah flying fence lines, bore runs, mail and beer runs and aerial mustering for this operation:

Company Profile ? Western Grazing Company (http://www.westerngrazing.com.au/)

Needless to say he is pretty stoked right now and I must admit to a certain amount of fatherly pride, if not envy.... If it works out, one day he might even be able to afford a clapped out 1975 SWB Land Rover like his old man.

Cheers,

Neil

[S3ute]

Hello from Brisbane - another milestone for the S3utes.

First fledgling out the door:

S3junior (Angus) unpacking his kit at Eagle Farm - the towbar that started this thread can be seen in the photo.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/12/620.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/IMG_0010_zpsda77d82f.jpg.html)

On closer inspection - that is the S3hat being purloined without prior approval. Have to check on my Leatherman, maglites etc later...

Hopping into the company KingAir en-route to Camooweal and the big adventure.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/12/621.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Tilly011/media/IMG_0014_zps8f3d949a.jpg.html)

Were I but a few score years less weary......

Cheers,

Neil