New to BT ownership

Hi AlexMc

Welcome to the world of everything BT.

Firstly I recommend you seriously consider joining the Bushtracker Owners Group (BOG) as a member. It will not only provide you with the comradeship of the other members, but will also allow you access to a host of other helpful information not available to non members.

For the off side bump rubber replacement, not sure what you a describiing but I recommend you contact Bushtracker at Kunda Park. Ask to speak with Peter. A very helpful bloke.

Parking hand brake normally actuates two wheels only, electric brakes on all four wheels of our 2000 model BT.

You will find the LPG is a real help on the hills, but recommend you install a pyrometer gauge if you don't already have one to ensure you don't make the horse work too hard and melt pistons on long pulls. I was advised to keep mine below 550 Deg C if possible, but have found on occasions that the horse still wants to work harder when that temp has been reached. Mine has gone to 650 once when I was't watching close enough. Don't be alarmed by this, I think it is not the fault of the LPG but more related to the Turbo, as mine used to reach the same temps on long hill before I installed the LPG.

Hope this is of some help.

Enjoy the world of the BOG

Hi Alex,
Welcome to the Bt world. I fully support the above comments. You should also get the wheel bearings and wheel alignment checked. Check your tyre wear carefully re the latter - that will indicated it there is an alignment problem. Also check out the centre pivot block in the suspension for wear.

The Owners Forum here has a lot of info as does the Bushtracker Forum. The latter has detailed info on how to set the the toe-in on the Simplicity suspension.

Regards John

Alex and Trypheyna ,

G'day to you both .

Like you , I have bought a second hand 16' BT recently . I have joined the Members Forum and attended a Members rally the weekend before last , at Cundle Flat on the Manning River . Over 24 BTs turned up and it was a great way to meet people , look at their gadgets and learn about the quirks of a BT .

I am not the one to answer your technical questions , but I am sure that someone more experienced on here will help you .

I am based in Sydney , where are you ? I am off to WA in June with "Elvis" to go gold detecting for two months .

Cheers ,

Willie .

Hi guys,
Well, thanks for the warm welcome, Does the heart proud.

Thanks for the suggestiosn and advice, all makes good sense. I'm lucky enough to have lived a very varied (and lawful) life and have always been open to advice and knowledge and change. The BT purchase was not done lightly but has happend after 4 or 5 years of dreaming and due diligence. I've looked at everything from slide-ons, mobile homes, 5th wheelers (tempting) but settled on a BT, probably cause seems like the only outfit that could handle getting airborn. (inadvertantly of course).
Uncle Dodgey,Grumblebum and Dragon and Willie
I'll certainly be going BOGs as a financial member (as soon as the finances recover from the rego transfer-$1260 to get my name on the rego?)
Those rubber bumpers are the rubbers that make a thump out of a clunck when ya hit a big rock or a pot hole. They sit on top of the spring pack front and back).
Soooo, Pyrometer???? At 550C were not talking water temp, sooo it must be chamber temp, uhm, is this a probe into the exhaust gases with meter attached?Nah thats way above 550C.(post turbo temp?)

The delightful couple we bought the BT from in Newcastle were kind enough to give us all the bits that they had replaced over the years. So it has given me a good history of the the van and its current condition. I have 2 spare 12'' complete brake backing plates and 3 spare spring packs, spare AT35 hitch. On inspection I have worked out how to do the wheel alignment, pretty straight forward but a toe in of 1 to 2mm???? Huh? This I got from the Bushtracker site. Hardly seems worthwhile.

Sorry if I'm a bit long winded, but feel free to move on to another thread if I get too boring,
I've got 3 more sleeps to go before I start my 5 months long service leave so am chomping at the bit to pack the house up, rent it out and load the van.

I have a fair collection of tools and am struggling with what I can and can't afford to take. Is my Kempii Mig welder and mini gas bottle a little extreme? I also have a 6 HP 2.4 KW gen.
I reckon I can have a payload of 500kg so thongs, shorts and packet noodles for 5 months?

Anyway, thanks for the responses, and I do appreciate your advice and will certainly take heed of any advice , suggestions and chastisements. Well the advices and suggestions at any rate.

Now if I can just work out a way to mount my Triumph Daytona on the drawbar!!
Cheers
Alex and Trypheyna

Welcome to some new adventurers/BT owners, from some southern cousins still waiting for our replacement BT. Just a word of caution about the reference to stocking up on instant noodles - hope it was a tongue in cheek substiute for lightweight food supplies, but have you checked the salt content of those things? They would be one of the saltiest foodstuffs around, and have been advised against except for those who need salt replacement. VERY BAD for anyone with high blood pressure, or ANY heart problems at all, probably even more so than good old Vegemite without the benefits of those vitamin Bs!!!
Enjoy the experience, try some fresh foods/meats/poultry/fish vacuum packed and even frozen to provide those meal-sized packages so useful for all cooks in the great outdoors when the fish aren't biting, the red claw out of season and the nearest butcher is 150 km away!
Happy travling - Jan (and Tony)

Hi Alex,
Simplicity Suspension is manufactured by:

N. P. HAUFFE & CO
2 CHILDS ROAD
EPPING VIC 3076
Tel 03 9401 4077

Ask for Neville or Richard if you need techical help.
Note the subframe serial number which is on the large metal plate that mounts the two bolts for the suspension arms on the door side before you ring. You will see two 5/8" nyloc nuts looking at you. The Serial No should be below the nuts.
You may have to scrape away a bit of dirt/rust to see it. Should start with S

Alex. For info and to save a bit of effort scrapping back black tar off the suspension to find the Serial No.

Following advice on this post that the serial No was on the "Door Side", sat down and scraped back the paint off the main suspension arm bracket on the simplicity suspension. Guess what...no serial no.

Rang manufacturers and spoke to Richard at Hauffe and Co and he adivised (after a bit of a chuckle) that they always stamp the seruial number on simplicity suspension on the "Drivers Side" of the van -no exceptions. Serial Number is stamped in 10mm high letters and numeralsunder the right side bolt head/nut looking straight at the assembly. SerialNumber srats with an "S' followed by 5 numerals. They also stamp the ATM on same side.

At least I know what is stamped where now.

Cheers.