RACQ Inspection, Dealer and Gas

I booked the vehicle in for an RACQ inspection this week.  They don't make it easy if you want to take it to their workshop for the inspection.  Anyway, it was rather thorough and found a number of smaller issues including the drive shaft seals we suspected.  Overall the message was that it could do the 20000 km trip without any serious work being required.  I went to the dealer and his mechanic about the seals and left feeling like the state of the  seals was actually better than what you would get in a new car.  Good feeling like that even if it isn't true.  Did some research and figure if I was keen I could change the front rotors, bearings, pads and seals all in one go before the trip and put that issue to bed and set up the front end for another 100000km. 
I had started reading a booking about preparing a 4WD for the outback.  I am usually reasonably prepared for travel with tools and had envisaged taking a few extra radiator hoses, belts and diff and gear oil.  But the book didn't stop there, it kept going with fuel pump, spare front and rear spring, spare shock absorber, spare rim etc. etc. and to finish off a stronger jack to lift the car with all the extra weight!


Dropped the car off for the gas on Thursday and get it back Monday.  They insisted that apart from capturing all the filings with grease on the drill bit, any particles that ended up going through would be immediatley melted in the high temperature exhaust burn.  Hmmm, nice story and I wont think too hard about that one in case I decide it is a myth.

Preparing the Landcruiser

Undertook a close inspection of the Landcruiser today.  Half debating whether I should pay the money and get and RACQ inspection.   Found a film of blue coloured oil on the right drivers side steering knuckle.  Thought it was brake fluid and a leaky caliper but closer inspection made us (Tim) wonder if the drive shaft seal was leaking.  Will ask the dealer tomorrow if they can do something about it.

The car is booked in for the LPG conversion on Thursday.  A little concerned as it sounds like they are not going to remove the manifold to put the holes for the injector in it.  Will see if they could do a better job than that as don't like the idea of aluminum filings flowing through my head.

My neighbour gave me one 50kG Rhino rack today.  It reminded me that I gave Tim two of them that I bought off Bruce about 8 years ago when I sold the falcon.  Asked Tim tonight and he thinks that they might be hiding in an old Landcruiser that he plans to restore one day.  Three would be great as I can bolt a roof cage to the 3 and carry spare tyre etc.

LPG

OK.  You may think I am crazy fitting LPG.  Maybe I am.  But the message seems to be that with Dual Fuel, extra jerry cans, and some planning, we should be able to save the cost of the conversion just with the trip and have a car that we can afford to run at the end.

What type of conversion?
The cheapest is the  naturally aspirated type.  However some research has put me right off with the risk of backfire.  I have a vane type mass airflow meter.  I think later models 94 and onwards have a sensor type.  My type will blow apart with a decent backfire and risk sucking in metal into the engine.  Whilst everyone assures me that with new plugs, leads etc. it is very unlikely, I am not keen on being stuck in the middle of nowhere with a vehicle that doesn't work.  After a lot of debate I have decided to run with a vapor injection type of a lesser known brand.  If I can get it in before July 31, I get the higher rebate.  Much lower risk of backfire and if the system packs it in, at least we still can run on Petrol and get it serviced.

Serious Tow Vehicle

I decided that we might as well give the Van a go and get a proper tow vehicle.

What were my options?
-  Sounded like really need a 4WD. Whilst around Australia can be done with a 2WD, discussions showed that there were a number of places where you might be challenged if you only have 2WD and it would be really annoying if we couldn't go there.
-  This seem to limit us to a Toyota Landcruiser or Prado.  Vicki was not keen on a Troop Carrier (not sure why)  OK, maybe the ride it a bit hard, and you face it each other in the back for hours on end BUT hey, you get 11 seats and a hard ride should toughen up the kids right? I lost that argument.

Quick research into Landcruiser - they are expensive!  Do people really pay that much for a new vehicle?
I went to Pickles Auctions (www.pickles.com.au) and bid on a few that came through.  But I was not impressed.  e.g. 2006  Landcruiser, Diesal Turbo, 220000kms, 70000 km missing in service records, missing third row of seats, beaten about, rust on roof , chip on windscreen and sells for $36k plus transfer and on road costs.

Finally found a 1994 Series 80 Landcruiser, genuine 128000km, 4.5l petrol.  Looked like it had been owned by a old couple who had toured around Australia and then for the last 8 years or so had hardly used it.  Had twin batteries with a controller, bull bar, manual gearbox and drives like a new car.  A real answer to prayer.  Maybe $12k would be considered high but I am now seriously considering putting in LPG and keeping it after the trip rather than the Tarago as the running costs look similar with the LPG.

Long Service

I was still keen to do something with the 4.5 Months long service leave I had.  Options:  Buy a serious tow vehicle or sell the Van and get a camper trailer.

Towing it with a Toyota Tarago(Previa)?

So here we were with 1.5 Tonne caravan and a 2.4l Toyota Tarago to tow it.  I new that if I was serious about the plan, I would have to get the right vehicle to tow it eventually but options are pretty limited when you need 8 seats. 

In the interim however, I fitted a electric brake controller to my sisters 2002 Patrol and took it for a test up to Hervey Bay in September 2010.  On the way up it was towing fine until I heard this massive air blasting sound and a loud gurgling coming from the engine.  "Oh great" I thought as I pulled over "borrow a car and blow up the turbo".  I ferreted my way around it and discovered that the hose after the intercooler had popped off.  The pipe clamp was still on so I was able to eventually get it all back on. ( I have heard that the hoses on this Patrol do need to be kept tight or they will pop off)
The next test drive was using the 2002 Tarago. 

I kind of thought this was going to be a big ask and had visions of being stuck halfway up a hill with nothing left to give and needing a tow.  I bought an inclinometer and tested towing it around our suburb and discovered that it was able to hill start on a 17% gradient.  I was very aware that I had to look after the automatic transmission.  So after replacing the fluid and regularly inspecting it on the way I took it fairly easy to a campsite in Canungra.  Then up to Lake Cootharabah and then finally up to Bundaberg over Christmas where we waited  for the flood waters to come down in Brisbane before coming back.  I averaged around 17 litres / 100km. Interestingly, the challenge for the vehicle was not so much the weight but the sustained load due to wind at higher speeds.

Accommodation

With my vague plan, I then looked at accommodation options.  A tent was out.   A few years back we travelled form Brisbane to Phillip Island.  It was hard work setting up the tent every few days and that was only for a few weeks.  A camper trailer was too much like a tent so I started looking into Caravans.  I couldn't find one with 8 beds that looked like it could be towed with a normal vehicle.    I found that the Jayco Expanda 16.49.2 looked like the way to go.  It popped out in most directions, weighed around 1500kg.  The only thing that put me off was the price which at around $43k new seemed  lot of money to me.  The interesting thing was that they seemed to hold their value for a long time  I saw a 2005 one advertised for around $25k and speaking to the owner found she had written a book called "Young Nomad".  One of its messages was to encourage you to wander Australia with your family while young.  It kind of connected with where I was at and made me think that the idea wasn't so "hare brained" after all.
Anyway, that Van sold so I moved much quicker when an outback Expander was advertised the following Monday.  I bought it the same day.

What do you want to that for?

Why do I want to go around Australia?  I say "I" because to be honest, I am not sure if anyone else is keen to go. 
Last year I took on a job that turned out to be far more stressful than I expected.  I discovered that I was not a career man and that to keep going would mean missing out on enjoying my family.  I didn't want to retire and find that they were all grown up and that I had missed the best part of my life.
"Why wait till we are old and decrepit to do this" I thought.   I still want to be able to do things with my kids rather than watch them do it.
So I told Vicki the vague plan.  I would organize the accommodation and transport, we could travel around for 12 months and she could organize everything else  Surely that should be simple?
Vicki was less enthusiastic - "what about schooling, instrument practice, soccer etc. etc. etc.  Hmmm details details I thought....