Steps and Departure Angle

Submitted: Monday, Dec 12, 2005 at 06:12

ThreadID: 122361 Views:4300 Replies:6 FollowUps:5

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Tellem Bugrem

When travelling the Oodnadatta Track in April we traversed a gully going in to the Algebuckina Bridge on the Old Ghan rail line. We scraped the steps and the stabilizer legs and suffered some minor damage which was repaired with the aid of a dumpy hammer. At Copeton 05, during discussions on going all the way to the Cape with BT, which we plan to do in 2006, it became obvious that one needs to consider the need to be able to remove the steps in order to avoid possibly severe damage. Jay Gould (luvntravln) proudly showed us how BTI had made modifications so the steps could be removed when faced with a departure angle that could result in such damage. BTI's design looked a bit awkward and the steps may be difficult to remove if the slots become filled with dust and then water.

That set the brain in motion for another Byjo, and the results are now in place and available to interested Boggers in the Pictures page under Tellem Bugrem...Removable Steps. The KISS involves two ball bearing gate hinges, one left hand and one right hand, and two lockable hatch latches mounted as shown in the photo. To lock them in (who would want to steal your steps....other than a Phoenix owner who has ripped his steps off going onto the Jardine Ferry), you would need a padlock through the latch.

Have a good Christmas Boggers, and may 2006 bring you happy travels and we hope that we will meet up with you somewhere in the bush.

Cheers.......Rob and Liz

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Reply By: Noosa Fox - Sunday, Jan 01, 2006 at 09:50

Sunday, Jan 01, 2006 at 09:50

Conrad had problems on his old 23 ft van and made the rear entry door step removable, so when we were at his home a couple of years ago he cut our steps off and made them removable with just a large pin to secure it in place. I have been removing the step in places where I thought it might scrap and have had no problems until about 10 days ago when we were going from a bitumen road through a normal kerbside drain onto a service road that is close to Peter Springs home in Lorne. Wouldn't you know it the step scraped and had to be belted back into place with a large hammer before we could enter the van.
I think that the removable steps are a great idea, and like Rob says, cannot see any reason to have to use padlocks to secure them to the van.

Brian

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Reply By: Bushtracker - Sunday, Jan 01, 2006 at 18:01

Sunday, Jan 01, 2006 at 18:01

Hello Rob and Brian,
Good ideas, please see Tip #79 on the Owners Forum, first for 2006 !

In my travels, I have only damaged the steps severely once, in reverse in the tall grass as I was turning around... Big rock... Should have walked it first, but tired, late at night, up in the Gulf in Croc country, excuses excuses... WHAM! In the morning, a warn winch driven around to the back of the van and hooked up to the steps, and momentary pushes on the switch, pulled it back to position with a little over correction to ease off back in nearly the right shape... Then the hammer "Finish Work", you know the drill.

However, per TIP # 79 in the Owners Forum, there is still a real valid reason that we cannot make them removable. Both Directors vans have the steps welded on...

Best Regards for the New Year from the "Lone Ranger"

"The Last Stand In Open Country"

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Follow Up By: Fosssil - Sunday, Jan 01, 2006 at 23:53

Sunday, Jan 01, 2006 at 23:53

Hi Steve...

Hope that 2006 is a great one for you and the Bushtracker Group...

The folks in the Non Owners forum have no access to "Tip 79 yet"...

Favour (favor) please.
Can you please post Tip 79 here so non members are up to date with all of your tips...I find them very informative and interesting to see the different points of view....and the reasons why certain features have turned out to be "the" way to do it..
Of course, in the end, there will be some folks with differing requirements, and hence variations to the basic design will happen.

Thanks,

Fosssil

FollowupID: 845217

Reply By: Fosssil - Monday, Jan 02, 2006 at 04:47

Monday, Jan 02, 2006 at 04:47

where I have non Members (which is wrong)...please read Non Owner Members forum

fosss

AnswerID: 567549

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006 at 22:00

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006 at 22:00

Hello Fosssil,
By request, the particulars of design and particular information for Owners and those in planning, is reserved for the Owners Forum. Also travel tips that we do not really want in the Public Forum, that we sort of desire to keep to ourselves; we want to reserve for the "Owners Forum".....

Anyone can look at the Public Forum, we have nothing to gain and everything to lose, in the privacy of our special places, in the design and planning of our vans, and in our Research and Development that is ongoing.... There is a need to so called "Keep it in the Family"...

The truth is, that by agreement, we want the private matter relating just to Owners to be on the Owners Forum... It has even been suggested that ALL of my TIPS be reserved just for the Owners... However I have elected to post some interesting and general information tips on the Public Forum as a service F.O.C. for the Public in general, just to be a help....

You can join as soon as you Order a van, and while it is being built you can get caught up on all of your reading... OK? If there is some relevant reason that you require the information in one of my TIPS, email me with that reason and I will copy and email the TIP out to you personally... Otherwise, be patient, and you will have plenty of time to get caught up while you are excitedly in the Queue...

There are many reasons, we have elected to keep some things just to ourselves on the Owners Forum... You will understand better when you are one... We don't want all of our good ideas stolen, or our secret spots over run, so some things we just keep to ourselves and share with other Boggers... You will be one soon, and can have fun catching up on everything..

Kind Regards for the New Year... From the Ranger...

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Reply By: Fosssil - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006 at 22:18

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006 at 22:18

OK...Fair enough Steve....thanks for the answer / explanation

The whole process of waiting till I can order is like torture for me...however I will survive...Then there will be an 8 months wait....lol

I did not know the content of your tip, and hence did not realise it was sensitive in any way...we had most of the prior tips, other wise I would not have asked...BUT I do realise that some posts and tips should be only for owners/orderers of Bushtracker Vans, and yes I will have plenty of time to catch up...lol

No problems here....Everything that is done as far as management goes in this forum is for a reason, and I accept that.

Regards,

fosss

AnswerID: 567550

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006 at 22:27

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006 at 22:27

Foss,
It may not have to be that long of a wait.
We sometimes have a few spots up our sleaves for "Show Vans" to put on display at one of the State Shows... I will see what I can do when you are ready, depending on when you Order, we may be able to do something....
Semper Fidelis

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Reply By: Fosssil - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006 at 22:46

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006 at 22:46

Thanks Steve...That brightens my outlook to know there may be a shortcut of some description.

I do hope to do some time management here regarding the order of my Van, so I will just have to play it by ear...but you can be sure that I will have the order in as soon as I can

Aries are never good at waiting

It's one hurdle at a time for Grace and I at the moment, and basically one month is lost over Xmas new year as far as our sub-div goes...

Anyway Steve...You can be sure you will know when I am ready...lol

Thanks for your interest...Hopefully I will have some good news soon...this Sub-Div saga has been grinding along for too long now.

Have a great 2006....Regards,

fosss

AnswerID: 567551

Follow Up By: Turist - Thursday, Jan 05, 2006 at 01:59

Thursday, Jan 05, 2006 at 01:59

Hey Foss, I've got a spare tow vehicle.
It's even used to having a BT following behind, won't get nervous like those Patrols and Cruisers. :-)

Regards
Bob

"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

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Reply By: Fosssil - Thursday, Jan 05, 2006 at 02:20

Thursday, Jan 05, 2006 at 02:20

Yes I noticed that Bob..Thanks for the offer...Unfortunately I have to watch these opportunities slip on by until I am more advanced with my project.

Unfortunately the time frames are not right at the moment, but yours would be a great buy with all of those additions you have done.

I am assuming that you have upgraded to either a Ram, Chev or GMC.

I have plans for either a Chev or GMC...probably a GMC Sierra...but they both come from the same assembly line, so its a matter of looks etc......I have driven a 2005 Chev 3500 Dually...man what a dream drive!!!.....It was like driving a Limo compared to some other tow units....I could not believe how quiet it was...and lots of oooomph!

The conversion workshop is Corvette Queensland ( they do a lot of conversions) at Gympie which is only about 40 minutes away from where I live...I live 15 mins from Bushtracker, just the sea side of Nambour....

Not too far to go to either place....so near yet so far...lol

regards,

fosss

AnswerID: 567552

Follow Up By: Fosssil - Thursday, Jan 05, 2006 at 02:46

Thursday, Jan 05, 2006 at 02:46

just to clarify things a bit Bob...

My plans are for a GMC 3500 Dually with canopy and addons to tow my proposed 22 ft Bushtracker...

I have done my Bushtracker design, (thank heavens for the flexibility of the Bushtracker custom build) and Paul hasn't said it cant be done...lol

foss

FollowupID: 845221