Drovers new Rig - "Big Mal"

Drover

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The water pump on many trips has become noisy and flow has dropped, to which I have announced after checking for air leaks that I will pull the tank off, well having said that more times than I care to count, I finally pulled the tank off and lo and behold a large bit of drill swirl was flushed out, only been there for 10 years (could have taken me 5 years of forgetting about it) anyway pulled both tanks off as they were sitting in a goodly amount of red dirt and pebbbles in their stone shields................best part is I didn't break anything, pump runs much quieter as well....... Next is to replace the mixer in shower and its plumbing as it restricts flow... (that job has been on the list for awhile as well)...............

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Crusty181

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Next is to replace the mixer in shower and its plumbing as it restricts flow.
I took a punt replace our shower rose with an Ecocamel low flow from England. The gamble paid off, its freaken awesome. I have the shower line flow restricted to save water, no jerking around or fumbling trying to choke the flow with the mixer, just rip it on full and the shower flows at a measely 3.5ltr/minute with a great pattern that is better than the factory running at full tilt. Cant recommend the Ecocamel highly enough
 
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Drover

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I replaced mine last year as the old one was well and truly knackered but in my set up the shower has a mixer tap but also a selector tap for shower or sink this means the line reduces for it and stays reduced until after the shower mixer, okay with a good mains pressur ebut not so the pump so I'm going to remove the selector tap and replace the shower mixer, get rid of a few bottlenecks in the system then..... hopefully then I will have to turn the tap down a bit, pressure not bad but volume is a bit iffy.........
 

Crusty181

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I replaced mine last year as the old one was well and truly knackered but in my set up the shower has a mixer tap but also a selector tap for shower or sink this means the line reduces for it and stays reduced until after the shower mixer, okay with a good mains pressur ebut not so the pump so I'm going to remove the selector tap and replace the shower mixer, get rid of a few bottlenecks in the system then..... hopefully then I will have to turn the tap down a bit, pressure not bad but volume is a bit iffy.........
Do you have a combo bathroom ??? Im not visualising your sink/shower selector.

The Ecocamel has a small air intake venturi or manifold that kinda fluffs up the water volume. Its a interesting concept thats been around while, and one ive seen as a similar but fixed version in a caravan park shower block. It certainly works, and along with an awesome low flow pattern, the 3.5ltrs per minute is more than enough and helps extend our freecamping capacity significantly with no real sacrifice. The Princess doesnt complain about water flow or volume, and believe me thats siginificant
 

Drover

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They do sound interesting might have to chase one up, see a website has them here ...................... just a single shower cubicle but the wall module has a small sink built into it, tap and mixer just above, it did have a mirror set above it but the backing started to go so I covered it with tape then tapped it with a hammer, easier than unscrewing it.................... sink is big enough to wash out a razor I suppose, just used for putting stuff in.
 
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Drover

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The new tow hitch did make a problem for my WDH bars in that the brackets for the rails to hang off need to be further forward as the ball is now a few inches further out............ So the clamp for the jockey wheel was in the way, thankfully the original was redundant and being used for the Sat Dish post as I fitted a truly amazing side winder jockey wheel which is so easy Mrs D can wind it up, anyway, a very delicate operation with cutter and grinder I got the bracket off the draw bar with out gouging away at the chassis, now just need to hook up and hit the road to check........... My old fitting I made for the Sat Dish post which I thankfully never removed , has now been modified and the old clamp fits nicely, everything got a coat of silver and with typical style once I put my tools away I gave the concrete and van a quick hose down to get rid of the grinder dirt, I now have a poor mans hammer finish on my silver painted draw bar.......

While I was hoping with the suspension upgrade on the Jeep I could do away with the WDH, I find for undulating roads it does make the ride better, no porpoising, its not much but annoying, van is level with or without them......
 

Drover

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Last run the awning finally croaked it, delaminated big time, it been on the cards for ages, Big Mal's verandah is an 18ft job, so not a cheapy, lots of researching and emails later, I became very peed off as the advertised price at many seemed to escalate once they did a final tally, along with the old, oh we seem to have sold out and need to order, thankfully this bloke checked first instead of tapping Pay Now and getting shafted with a month or so delay........
Found a shop on EBay, nice price in fact dam good price, free shipping yet their online web site while having the same price had plus freight, email, confirmation, deliver in 2 weeks, looked on Google Earth and they certainly do have a shop front, so with my EBay and PayPal backups I hit Pay Now, it better be a genuine job when it arrives next week, at the moment its on a truck in Brissie............

So how do you take off a stuffed 18ft awning by yourself with no damage to van, self or old awning.......... Kidneys folks, just need kidneys ( old joke) check out the pics, needed staging to be about 30ft so the old ute, a multi ladder, 2 planks and another ladder made for a stable walk way, certainly will need mate to give a hand when we fit the new one.... took an hour to remove and thats setting up and packing away............. Took the opportunity to make new base plates for the top brackets to mount to, the originals a bit tacky..........






IMG_20211022_154300_HDR.jpg.. A bit flaky, damaged the paint work as well, bum.


IMG_20211104_081400_HDR.jpg .. will he fall off ?...........IMG_20211104_083650_HDR.jpg ... No P of P ....
 
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Drover

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Big Mals new awning turned up today in between the storms, opened it up, genuine Carefree awning, not old stock as it was made in July 21 and at 18ft its a biggy, price was $726 delivered from Brissie, bought on Ebay from Outback Equipment in Brissie, an actual shop, the nearest price to that was just under a grand delivered, dunno if this mob made an error or not but they said 2 or 3 weeks delivery, mine turned up in 2 and a week of that was delivery, seemed they picked it up but being a 20ft long tube they needed a truck that big to get to our place, I think it wanders thru here once a week, so I'm happy as Larry, once this rain clears off and the yard dries out enough to set up a stage it will be fitted..............at that price not worth stuffing around with insurance.. came across some advertised at mid $800 but once you started to order it increased to over $900 and nil stock.......................................... On my list now https://www.outbackequipment.com.au/ ...
 

Drover

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BIg Mal is all glammed up with its new Genuine Carefree Awning, took an hour to replace and sort out things, easy job.... Price for this 18ft awning $726, I'm happy as a piggy in you know what .................................


IMG_20211115_145043_01.jpg
 

Drover

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I'm also pleased to report that Phase II of Op Awn was a success, holes measured and drilled in barrel were correct, bars all fit, amazing and first go, found my bees wax was the mucky melted mass on my utes seat, been trying to figure it out for awhile, so no bees wax over the stitching its had a good Dubbin ...... Works well on the stitching on the holsters I make so should be good on this... The fit out took longer than the actual fit....
Op Awn is now complete..... No more Mods or Maint for awhile I hope.
 
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RickB

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I'm also pleased to report that Phase II of Op Awn was a success, holes measured and drilled in barrel were correct, bars all fit, amazing and first go, found my bees wax was the mucky melted mass on my utes seat, been trying to figure it out for awhile, so no bees wax over the stitching its had a good Dubbin ...... Works well on the stitching on the holsters I make so should be good on this... The fit out took longer than the actual fit....
Op Awn is now complete..... No more Mods or Maint for awhile I hope.
Hi Drover,
Does the Dubbin prevent the stitching from UV damage?
If not do you have another trick up your sleeve for the UV protection of the stitching after applying the Dubbin?
Cheers,

Rick
 

Crusty181

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Hi Drover,
Does the Dubbin prevent the stitching from UV damage?
If not do you have another trick up your sleeve for the UV protection of the stitching after applying the Dubbin?
Cheers,

Rick
Clear uv stable silicone, all my awnings not lost a single stitch
 
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Drover

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Well Im hoping it does, I usually use beeswax over it every so often, more as a rot prevention same as tarps etc, hoping the Dubbin does the same job, think it will....... Making a sleeve to cover it while parked up at home, using some of the old awning material, Big Mal is 10 so the awning should last....time will tell.
 

mikerezny

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Hi,
I had a mate, sealed his expensive leather boots with Dubbin. That would have been good in the days when soles were stitched on.
Eventually his Vibram soles came unstuck. After many attempts to glue them back on, even putting on new soles. The glue never stuck to the dubbin impregnated leather. Ended up having to throw them in the bin.

After that, I have never been a fan of Dubbin. In my opinion, Dubbin is not a suitable substitute for bees wax or Snow Seal.

take care
Mike
 
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Crusty181

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Hi,
I had a mate, sealed his expensive leather boots with Dubbin. That would have been good in the days when soles were stitched on.
Eventually his Vibram soles came unstuck. After many attempts to glue them back on, even putting on new soles. The glue never stuck to the dubbin impregnated leather. Ended up having to throw them in the bin.

After that, I have never been a fan of Dubbin. In my opinion, Dubbin is not a suitable substitute for bees wax or Snow Seal.

take care
Mike
I was coerced across to Snow Seal from Dubbin by the Princess, and I ditched that many years ago for Nikwax which ive found to be awesome. The only thing you cant treat with one of the many Nikwax products is water.
 

mikerezny

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I was coerced across to Snow Seal from Dubbin by the Princess, and I ditched that many years ago for Nikwax which ive found to be awesome. The only thing you cant treat with one of the many Nikwax products is water.
Hi,
yeah, agree. I remembered Dubbin, Bees wax, ans Snow Seal. But couldn't remember NikWax.

I would have bought some, but my jar of Snow Seal has lasted me throughout my entire backpacking adventures.

take care
Mike
 

Drover

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Used to use Dubbin on my GP Boots at the start to seal then up or some Joseph Luddy's stuff, don;t want to use it on boots or saddles like polish though as its for keeping leather supple, too much and it softens it up too much which is where folk go wrong, probably should have used the stuff I use on my Oil Skin coats but its MIA as well...... lack of use here on the coast.... in Canberra would use a lot of it as the sun would melt the stuff away on my bike jacket and if I didn't keep it up first rainy day got damp and unlike up here rain is cold down there....but Dubbin will do the job of keeping the stitching good
 
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Drover

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The kitchen tap mixer has been a pain with poor flow for a flamin long time, it had a PRV in the line so that got gutted, (why it had a PRV I don't know) the airator on the tap end has been modded to allow better flow, each time the flow improved but today I was reminded that I was going to replace the mixer, when I disconnected the shielded flexy hoses from the Guest fitting I find a water saver washer, I hate pulling mixer taps out so this was good news, pulled the stupid water saver washers out and suddenly I have a tap with decent flow.......... Why fit a water saver to a sink, morons, a half full sink is a half full sink, with a damn water saver it would use more pump power to fill, I have ditched every one I have found in this thing, chucked the ones in the house as well, I was brought up with the orignal water saver, a Tap or a size 8, my kids were as well .................... living with tank water in the country, magic stuff.
 
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Drover

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"NikWax" found my tin the other day its what I use on the coats if I can't find the liquid stuff.................................... I look for the labels then I know what I use and don't have to remember the names.......

Last year I suspected my batteries were not good, trip out Innaminka earlier in year I thought it was just bad connections but this trip confirmed they are not as spry as they once were, charge up well and all looks good but drop quick under some load, so spend some $$ when I get home again..... couple of 135ah AGM's I think, lithiums are way beyond my pocket.......... haven't told Mrs D I was planning on getting a new battery for the boat after this trip, its 6 yrs old, so could be some discussion .....
 

Crusty181

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"NikWax" found my tin the other day its what I use on the coats if I can't find the liquid stuff.................................... I look for the labels then I know what I use and don't have to remember the names.......

Last year I suspected my batteries were not good, trip out Innaminka earlier in year I thought it was just bad connections but this trip confirmed they are not as spry as they once were, charge up well and all looks good but drop quick under some load, so spend some $$ when I get home again..... couple of 135ah AGM's I think, lithiums are way beyond my pocket.......... haven't told Mrs D I was planning on getting a new battery for the boat after this trip, its 6 yrs old, so could be some discussion .....
New age modern nuclear family of independent adults here. Separate finances, equal contributions, not a single discussion