Broken Chime Bars
Submitted: Sunday, Aug 30, 2009 at 17:45
ThreadID:
125996
Views:
3880
Replies:
6
FollowUps:
5
This Thread has been Archived
Tracks n About
Has anyone had the problem of the chime bars breaking ? Ours have just broken again on the front side of the largest support. First one snapped at Kurumba last year,then I found the other side gone when we got back from Cape York. Had both sides repaired with reinforcing underneath. We're now at Longreach,having travelled " That " road around Miles,Chinchilla,Roma. At Barcaldine I found both sides had gone again. Tow vehicle is the 70 series Troopy. Last year I'd just had air bags fitted,and had 25 psa in them. At that time I was told that this had made the vehicle too solid at the back,and this was most likely why the bars had broke. On this trip I've had 10 psa in the air bags,which is what I was told was what right. On Monday I've got our BT booked in to have these bars replaced with the flat steel bar like BT fit to the vans that are to towed with "Larger" vehicles.
We do consider that we travel to the conditions,possible evidence is that we've travelled now for 5 years ,keeping off the black stuff as much as possible,and had the Poly blocks etc checked out before heading off this time. The blocks are hardly worn.
My thoughts are that maybe the Troopy is so close to being a "Larger "vehicle that the van does need the flat bar. Would be interested in all opinions or advice.
Reply By: Turist - Sunday, Aug 30, 2009 at 19:22
Sunday, Aug 30, 2009 at 19:22
The problem of broken chine bars seems more prevalent on extended drawbars.
After busting the small diameter round stuff several times I had the HD flat bars fitted by Top Gun Trailers, the chassis builder for
Bushtracker.
They also advised that they had been attempting to have BT build all chassis with the HD bars as standard but Gibbs insists that his original design needs no correction.
I have noted that many larger Jayco vans are constructed with flat bar for the chine bars.
Bob
AnswerID:
578737
Reply By: Flipp'n Lorry - Sunday, Aug 30, 2009 at 21:07
Sunday, Aug 30, 2009 at 21:07
OK, I give up, what are chine bars? I googled it, and up came a whole of drinking holes in china.
AnswerID:
578738
Follow Up By: Crowbar - Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 01:42
Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 01:42
Just at a guess Phil and Lorraine its that little school truss bit welded on at the base of the A frame - my old man was a butcher and he used to talk about chined beef or was that corn beef - and then my mates little daughter say's she had a chine - but never did want to follow up what thats about. Anyhow I'm with you - generally wouldn't have a clue but hope to go to one of those famed Chine bars one day
Straight from the Crows Nest - where on a clear day you can see for miles!!!
FollowupID:
851707
Reply By: Kilcoy Yowies - Sunday, Aug 30, 2009 at 22:50
Sunday, Aug 30, 2009 at 22:50
We too were told by Gibbs that we drove too hard and too fast after breaking the rods on two separate occasions. I had Top Gun Trailers replace the rods with 50x10mm bars and no problems since. I also discarded the air bags after fitting extra springs to the F250.Our van is 21 ft with 500mm extended draw bar which I feel contributed to the problem. Bill at Top Gun told me that the extra cost to fit bars at chassis build is less than $20. Make sure that you flood the chassis rails with water when welding to protect wiring. A friend neglected to do this and suffered a lot of heart ache as a result.
AnswerID:
578739
Reply By: gottabjoaken - Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 02:50
Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 02:50
Chine bars - the solution used when your chassis and A-bar are too light for the purpose...
BT Engineering again?
Ken
AnswerID:
578740
Reply By: Noosa Fox - Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 03:15
Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 03:15
We had one break several years ago and had them reinforced on both side and have not had any problems since. We have a standard length A frame.
Brian
AnswerID:
578741
Follow Up By: Tracks n About - Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 03:21
Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 03:21
G'Day Brian,
You may remember Wendy & I. We spoke to you & Margaret at Callopie when we were on our way back from Cape York. You actually helped me get signed up on B.O.G. as I'm not real good with computers. I think i may have even shown you the one that we got fixed at Kurumba. Thanks to all for your replies to our problem.
FollowupID:
851708
Follow Up By: Noosa Fox - Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 03:35
Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 03:35
Sure do remember you, just didn't recognise the nick name as it used to be "The Butcher".
Are you going to make it to the Jeparit Muster?
We stopped for fuel in Hay today and I found one of the leaf springs on the Front of F250 was broken so we are stuck here for a couple of days until we can arrange for a new spring to be sent up here.
Briabn
FollowupID:
851709
Reply By: Spirit Gypsys - Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 08:31
Monday, Aug 31, 2009 at 08:31
Brian, we too have a 70 Troopy with Airman Airbags, which run at 50psi with the 20ft van on, as I was told by Airman that was about right for the load with nearly 1 tonne in the Troopy with full fuel tanks.
They said no less than 20psi without the van or they may be dammaged.
We broke a chine bar too but that was only going thru a very sharp gullyand the bar rode over a rock, I'd bent both of them previously going thru gullies or over sharp mounds but never had one just break in over 150,000 k and a lot of it on some awful roads.
AnswerID:
578742
Follow Up By: Jimjan - Tuesday, Sep 01, 2009 at 07:35
Tuesday, Sep 01, 2009 at 07:35
Sorry fellas, I am still none the wiser on what chime bars are. Are they the bars welded under tthe A frame running the length of it?
Jim
FollowupID:
851710
Follow Up By: Turist - Tuesday, Sep 01, 2009 at 18:26
Tuesday, Sep 01, 2009 at 18:26
Chime bars are steel bars that are used to strike a bell and make it ring.
Chine bars are the rods or flat bar sections that are fitted under the drawbar from the pointy end to under the front of the van.
Bob
FollowupID:
851711
