Heading north - overnight camp on the gibber plains
All okay and on the road until! A slight bump for no reason on a straight stretch of road, checked my rearview mirror and the sparks were flying. Emergency braking followed.
Bugger! sheared stub axel, sure lucky no approaching traffic as the wheel departed across the highway when we found it.
Dragged the van and us off the highway out of harms way, unhooked the Troopy and went in search of the wheel.
Fortunately, only 800 meters down the road and a few meters in the scrub.
Alas with some timber imbedded in the side wall.
At least we had space in the back of the Troopy for the wheel recovery = hernia
Simplicity serial number required to order new 4 ton suspension with 4010 moly stub axels and completely new spring pack.
No good just replacing one spring leaf, end angle completely ground off.
Seems the stub axel has been cracked for some time, had it failed on the short cut track from Wirrulla to Kingoonya (we had been to Fowlers Bay - Whale Watching) on a cattle grid, and ripped the suspension off. Plus not a lot of phone reception if any out that way.
See what I mean, it's a short cut, even though it's on the DIRT!
No phone reception here for the matter, public phone @ Cadney Homestead / Servo 70k's north.
RAA quoted 6.6k for flatbed ex - Adelaide. CIL insurance arranged and sorted - two days road side camp awaiting the rescue truck
Loaded and on our way back south to Cober Peddy
Keeping the fridge cool with some shade
Meanwhile we camp in town for 6 nights.
Ready for the replacement frame, complete unit or quad as they call them
could have been worse - grave yard at the RAA compound
Old and the new
It was a bugger to get in situ, some gentle persuasion required
Spring pack was a little easier as have replaced pillow blocks
Scrap metal
Good to go! - pay the bill and we are off!
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