On the positive side the Discovery ran beautifully, albeit that I was listening to every crak and rattle with suspicion. After 150km I started to relax.. About 4km out of Dunmurra a wobble from the back end occured, and I guessed quite rightly it was a tyre going flat. And flat it did go and very quickly, sorta like blowout/rapid deflation!!!
The bush mechanic story is that I had a blowout/rapid deflation of the driver side van tyre.
When the rubber fell away it rolled to the inside of the wheel and bound up around the brake line (handbrake) for the van. So the van locked up on the bitumen and I was lucky to be able to get the van off the road.
I have to tell ya that the cars and trucks zipping past at 130kph was really daunting but we were pretty safe. Most pulled over to the other side of the road to give us room. A couple of vanners stopped to check we were OK, which was nice.
OK, so it was a tyre change, easy peasy... NOPE.. One of the security wheel nuts seized, and the coded key to remove it stripped. What to do.
Hmmmmm, Bush Machanics 101!
Take of the brake hub and drill out the stud.. It could not possibly work...
Getting the hub off was not easy either. The brakes were locked on. So we had to loosen the brake line on the handbrake of the van, a none to easy task given it was guitar string like tension. Still it released OK.
Take off the castlated nut (the split pin was a bit of a wrestle) and then remove the bearing (keeping it clean on the patented paper towel tray). The brake hub came off easily enough.
The back of the stud was now visible, so a well aimed pilot hole and then a LARGE hole to allow the head of the wheel stud to be hammered out worked like a dream.
Replace brake hub, replace bearing, and replace tyre, and we were on the way.
Even had to do a bit of shovel work to get the tyre on, but all is good. It was nice to get the van to the Dunmarra Caravan Park, and stop.
I have been feeling very anxious and uptight since the prop shaft died, but I guess thing will sort themselves out. We ARE well prepared for this trip, and had done the checks suggested, and still little things bite ya on the butt.
We are currently in Katherine and I am due to get the tyres on the van replaced in the morning. Overnight freight from Darwin.... Oh well, We are still enjoying ourselves..
I will post on a more positive note later. The countryside has moments of breathtaking beauty and surprises. It is everchanging and it has been so long since I have been here, it is good to refresh the mind.
As of tomorrow, it will all be new to me, as the previous trip was done at night, and I am looking forward to it...
The knackered remains of the once inflated tyre.. (and it also looked like a tyre once)
You were very lucky to have pulled over safely! We are VERY glad to hear that you are both still in one piece! A&J
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