Thread: Shockies and Drive Belts

Hi All

I am a newbie who has just posted in the introductions. You'd think I'd wait a bit to find my way around before asking a question that I'll bet has been done to death here, but I won't. I did do a search but came up with nothing.

Anyway, timing belt on my 300Tdi Deffie. Now I know you have to change them around 80k because the previous owner learnt the hard way with me in the passenger seat new years eve 2000 out the back of Lake Grace on the way to a millenium part at Duke Of Orleans Bay (81k). Now I own the beautiful chariot. I think they did some kind of upgrade to prevent premature wear when they repaired it. I just got back from taking it up to the Mitchell Plateau and visting friends in the Victoria River District - I hope you people don't mind someone who takes a while to get to the point...

Point follows, I am at 132k now and using the 80 k rule I should replace at 160. Now I want to go back up to VR next July. I walk to work and expect that by the time next july comes round I will be less than 140 though maybe not much less. My trip up north should clock about 10k.

I was there at Lake Grace when the first one went, I don't want to be on the Gibb River Road when the second one goes. On the other hand I don't to throw money away doing it before the trip if I can sensibly wait until I get back well below the 80k (belt) mark. What do you think. My mechanic wants to do it every 60k, but he would wouldn't he.

Extra data: Car under previous ownership was used irregularly, sat for a bit, long trip then sat. Could encourage premature perishing???

Shocky question is this: It currently handles like a Lotus because it has some exxy after market Bilsteins all round. One has died (I think it was the road from King Edward River to Mitchell Falls ) anyway she got me to the Falls and all the way back home to Perth where bless it's poor heart it died right there in the carport. So I'll be replacing the rea pair. Any ideas? Don't mind paying extra for good shockies, don't like paying extra for the same quality with "Bilstein" written on it.

Thanks everyone and congrats for making it this far.

Don't break one on the Gibb river road. The mate Brad did one 2 hours out of Broome and the Bloke in Broome with the LR sign outside his workshop just about F**ked the engine changing it. Brad had MR redo it when he got home because when he pulled the wading plug out 2 litres of oil came out. MR reckon he had belted crap out of every thing with 3lb hammer and broke the harmonic balancer in the process. MR did it for free because they did it not long before the trip and it failed for some reason, it just stripped the teeth, did not wear out by rubbing on the cover like they normally do. They sent all the bitts to Broome in 2 days for the other dill to have ago for free as well. They were happy to honour the work they did even if it was most likly a faulty belt, it looked like it was perished maybe old stock that had been suppied.