Peter's problem, just past the Fergie on the pole
Took 'Fred' the D1 to Bothwell and picked up a shearer his name is Peter, and made our way up the Highland Lakes Highway, through Golden Valley and then the Bass Highway from Deloraine to Sassafras, just past the Fergie on the pole.
Peter's problem, his 3/93 D1 V8 auto had chewed the back LHS stub axle off, wrecking the hub and half shaft (10 spline).
He was returning from the mainland to do some shearing around the central highlands sheds, trying to nurse a very noisy wheel bearing since getting off the Ferry, the report was, it gave up in a cloud of smoke !
The D1's center diff was locked in, (name and fame time), then dragged it's self into the Caltex Sassafras servo, where the servo's proprietor couldn't be more helpful. Thanks Mate . :)
Peter's D1 was there for a total of ten days, until yours truly arrived with parts arranged by John (who's surname rhyme's with that Hood bloke from Sherwood forest).
The stub axle and half shaft had been already removed and the diff housing on the LHS was left perched on top of a couple of fence post remains. :o I placed a couple of large boards on the ground and with my workshop trolley jack soon had the whole thing secure on my axle stands.
Dropped the NSW flood water out of the diff and flushed the frogs out of the diff housing with some kero and then filled it back up with proper EP90 oil. We then proceeded to rebuilt the axle, checking first the other side, that was nicely lubricated and only needed the bearing's preload nipping up.
After rebuilding the LHS axle with second hand parts and a new seal. all the site was cleaned up so you wouldn't have known that the D1 was there.
Peter went to the ATM to get his money out to pay ---- and ---- there wasn't enough! :o
So back down to Bothwell we went.
'Fred' being a 300TDi manual, I got Peter with his V8 auto to go ahead when we arrived at the bottom of the Western Tiers before we started the climb up through Golden Valley. I was interested how the diesel compared performance wise with the V8 on the steep climb, 'Fred' had no trouble keeping up with Peter's bus at all around the switchback corners and the steep climbs in between.
The flat straight runs on the plains down past the Great Lake, well that was different, the V8 showing me a clean pair of heels. ( I won't say how fast he was going, on the grounds that I may incriminate myself ).
His boss, a shearing contractor met us in town with a few dollars, so I was fixed up as well, phew!! :p
I arrived back home doing 450 Klm's and used only 40 Ltr's of Diesel, good on you 'Fred'. :thumbsup:
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