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Thanks for that reference on two accounts, first for the info (useful site), and second it's reminded me to correct a mistake—it was a failed CV joint and not a

Thanks for that reference on two accounts, first for the info (useful site), and second it's reminded me to correct a mistake—it was a failed CV joint and not a universal (I've no idea why I said universal). On that particular trip the vehicle was a Mini I'm ashamed to admit. (No normal sane person would drive a Mini on those dirt roads/under such harsh conditions but it's what I had at the time.) The CV had completely disintegrated so even a 'mad bastard' wouldn't have attempted to fix it—and there was none around to be found (the nearest would have been in Alice some hundreds of kms away). Incidentally, both CVs were replaced (I ordered two from Darwin) and the remaining working one kept in case of another such 'emergency'.

defrost 4y ago
NO worries, we all make mistakees :) CV's are "not so bad" depending on make model of vehicle as you can sometimes clear them away and just lose drive to a single wheel | axle. Still serious, but there are ways to get home (maybe). > No normal sane person would drive a ... tiny Honda ct110 Postie bike across the Simpson Desert [1]. Largely true, but there are always the brave and fool hardy in search of adventure. Ditto Mini's as well I guess - I've seen a few in odd places. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI3T_vM3VBI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI3T_vM3VBI
- hilbert42 4y ago
  Right. At least Hondas are well made unlike Leyland's Minis—brilliant concept for the time but horrible ratshit build/construction (mind you, I loved driving them especially the Cooper S (I've owned four including including a Mini van)). Trying to drive with a collapsed CV joint was nigh on impossible, even at very low speed the steering wheel trashed from side to side and I doubt very much whether the vehicle would have gone another dozen or two kilometres without shaking itself apart let alone the necessary two/three hundred kms to the nearest maintenance stop. When I talk about Leyland's horrible construction, the original CV joints (including the one that failed) I'll use as an illustration—they were of the nasty composite rubber type and certainly not suited for outback trekking in Oz. The first I knew of this was when it failed, I only found out there were two different types available (composite rubber and bearing) after I made contact with the Leyland agent in Darwin. I ordered the bearing type, which if I recall correctly, was nearly double the price. BTW, contacting Darwin was no mean feat, as that was in the days before anyone had satellite phones. Incidentally, another major setback was that the hydrolastic suspension also failed. Packing up the suspension with cast-off rubber shed from road-train tires [which littered the road] and trying to keep it from falling out is just another part of the story (little wonder I felt like upending the car and setting it alight). (I reckon that trip would have almost qualified me as a bush mechanic, it was probably the worst trip for mechanical failures but it certainly wasn't the last.) Re video: oh that damn red bulldust. Driving through it with, say, a Land Cruiser's large wheels is bad enough but it's a first-class pain with small Mini wheels. Moreover, I'm a keen photographer and keeping the bulldust out of my camera gear is a never-ending battle. Still, it's interesting. Now with all the recent rain I hope to see countryside in lush green and wildflowers as I've never seen it before.

defrost 4y ago

NO worries, we all make mistakees :) CV's are "not so bad" depending on make model of vehicle as you can sometimes clear them away and just lose drive to a single wheel | axle. Still serious, but there are ways to get home (maybe). > No normal sane person would drive a ... tiny Honda ct110 Postie bike across the Simpson Desert [1]. Largely true, but there are always the brave and fool hardy in search of adventure. Ditto Mini's as well I guess - I've seen a few in odd places. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI3T_vM3VBI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI3T_vM3VBI

hilbert42 4y ago
Right. At least Hondas are well made unlike Leyland's Minis—brilliant concept for the time but horrible ratshit build/construction (mind you, I loved driving them especially the Cooper S (I've owned four including including a Mini van)). Trying to drive with a collapsed CV joint was nigh on impossible, even at very low speed the steering wheel trashed from side to side and I doubt very much whether the vehicle would have gone another dozen or two kilometres without shaking itself apart let alone the necessary two/three hundred kms to the nearest maintenance stop. When I talk about Leyland's horrible construction, the original CV joints (including the one that failed) I'll use as an illustration—they were of the nasty composite rubber type and certainly not suited for outback trekking in Oz. The first I knew of this was when it failed, I only found out there were two different types available (composite rubber and bearing) after I made contact with the Leyland agent in Darwin. I ordered the bearing type, which if I recall correctly, was nearly double the price. BTW, contacting Darwin was no mean feat, as that was in the days before anyone had satellite phones. Incidentally, another major setback was that the hydrolastic suspension also failed. Packing up the suspension with cast-off rubber shed from road-train tires [which littered the road] and trying to keep it from falling out is just another part of the story (little wonder I felt like upending the car and setting it alight). (I reckon that trip would have almost qualified me as a bush mechanic, it was probably the worst trip for mechanical failures but it certainly wasn't the last.) Re video: oh that damn red bulldust. Driving through it with, say, a Land Cruiser's large wheels is bad enough but it's a first-class pain with small Mini wheels. Moreover, I'm a keen photographer and keeping the bulldust out of my camera gear is a never-ending battle. Still, it's interesting. Now with all the recent rain I hope to see countryside in lush green and wildflowers as I've never seen it before.