Bush Repairs You have done.

[grips]

Reading the Bush Mechanic training this made me think we should share our real world experiences.

I have done my share will share them as the thread goes along.

My latest was on our Tankwa Cederberg trip.

Hit a very bad bump in the road at speed resulting in the 130l water tank in the back of the Cruiser to shear its fitting resulting a loss of all onboard water.

With most of the trip still ahead I needed to make a plan.
I removed the tank to get to the fitting.
Being an electrician I always have electric goodies around. Found a 25mm Ferrol in the toolbox that was a tight fit inside the broken off fitting.
I always carry Pratley Steel Epoxy on trips. Glued the Ferrol inside the fitting.
Decided to reinforce the contraption. Took gauze bandage from the medical kit. Wrapped it around the fitting applying Pratley Steel to each layer.
Lasted the rest of the trip. Reminds me I need to replace it before the next trip.

Picture with first layer of gauze before adding Pratley Steel.
Other Pics trying to see what were broken.

[AndreasR]

Pulling into Moorings Campsite in Zambia my Land Cruiser 100 lost drive and was making a grinding noise in the front. Tried a few things and realised that I had drive in 4 Low.

Can’t remember my thinking now but had something to do with the cars central diff and drive system, I decided to remove the front prop shaft which meant I could proceed with the trip although having to drive a bit carefully in some tricky spots. Could get home quite fine. Turned out to be the crown and pinion in the front diff that was fubar.

[grips]

Andreas many moons ago I have had a reverse experience of yours. My FJ 45 Cruiser stripped a rear diff due to pinion bearing failure. Water ingress at a earlier stage. Removed the rear prop shaft selected high range and drove home. Not lekker driving a FWD 4x4.

[grips]

While on a hunt the front brakes on the hunting vehicle failed. Rear brakes on a Bakkie are controlled by the load sensing valve and does not give great braking if the vehicle is not fully loaded.

Basically we had no brakes. Quick fault finding session pointed to a failed brake master cylinder. Swapped the front and rear brake lines on the master cylinder completed the hunt and drove home.

[Bugger]

On the resent Suzuki Clarens weekend I had a brake fluid leak at the rear T Splitting to the left and Right wheel of Tiny Tiger
As
Murphy the leak was on the supply side of the T
Tightened the socket but was still leaking

Removed the pipe and found a Crack on end of the pipe

Just used a hammer and flattened the pipe and bent it over to stop fluids
With just front brakes we still did Old mills drift pass at night and drove home

[HenriSteyn]

Big Balled Bugger

[grips]

Few years back at a Whooopa 4x4 gathering we had a similar experience with the Little G60 Patrol, Front steel brake line shaft through. All I had with me were a gas soldering iron. Stripped a piece of electrical wire and use a strand to wound around the leak. Then cover it with solder. Think it is still like that.

[grips]

Not a bush repair but an interesting story. Did Road to Hell sometime back with the Action Group crowd.

Somewhere on the trip I managed to put a dent on the fuel tank protector of the 76 Cruiser. Went to Waterford yesterday for some dune fun.
Stopped on our way back to make sure everything were fine in the convoy.

Walking back I noticed diesel pissing out of the tank. As the tank protection prevented any quick fix I decide to drive home. Losing around 75l of diesel on the way.

Took off the tank this morning to find a perfect 4mm hole. Seems that on the Road to Hell trip the dent were transferred to the tank breaking free a baffle plate spot weld. With time the sloshing in the tank caused the spot weld to create a leak.

Took off the tank. Drill and tapped the spot weld. One could clearly see that there were a baffle plate. Put in as screw and soldered it for extra insurance.

Some pic`s of the repair

[Bugger]

Bush welding Baboons and Sani Pass
#1Post Sun Jul 15, 2018 5:10 pm
We did Baboons pass in 2017 with 2 2Wd beach Buggies and 2 Syncro busses

We were told we will not make Baboons with
2Wd open diff vehicles
But ons was nie bang


It was no joke doing it
For us in the Buggies it was actually a had walk in the Park

After the trip we knew how a round rock looked like and Packking them for the Bus Guys


I broke 2 tiered ends as my front Tyres was to big but had spare
Then The pitman arm splines stripped on the Steering box
After stripping the Steering box and checking the Tie rods and nearly driving of the Mountain 3 times I stripped the Steering box again and found the Splines Stripped.
So the only way of repairing this was to weld them together

I Always carry welding rods with me on Any trip

We gathered the other Vehicles batteries and mconnected them in Series 24V
And Welded the Steering

Also did a Trip up Sani Pass April 2017 with the Aircooled 2Wd Busses and one of the Guys had broken his engine Hanger that needed welding

And Again I amazed the guy with Bush welding
There is a feature in the July 2018 4x4 Leisure wheels of the Aircooled trip

I was Support Vehicle with my Syncro Camper

https://youtu.be/S9_OzmJ6CHY
Baboons pass welding

https://youtu.be/3PBVkhsU5-c

Sani
Welding

https://youtu.be/7_4pVQhDWVg



So technical info

Always take the Thinnest arc welding rods with you on a trip and 120A jumper cables and a Vicegrip pliers

You use the Jumper cables to connect the + of the one Battery to the - of the Next
Then earth as normal on the part to weld

Use the Vicegrip pliers to clamp on to the Welding rod then that other Red jumper cable to the Vicegrip pliers just help with a better weld

And there you
Go

Practice at home this could Be life saving

[HenriSteyn]

Interesting to see you managed with 24v Bugger. Then again with a the thin rod it is possible. I have done Bush welding before, but used 3 batteries, as per reading up on the subject.

Ideal welding voltage is between 27v and 33v, but there you go!

Oh yes, also pack a welding helmet lense in. It does not take up space at all.