Australian Belly Tank

[Glen]

It's a common thing to see race car trailers along the way to Bonneville with tire problems. Seems like every year the racers are helping another along the way. Wit the 100+ F temps an the road temps 130F + they take a beating. Always carry two spares.

[jimmy six]

Everyone should "over tire" their trailers. My #7000 gross tires didn't make one trip. Moved to #10,000 gross tires and lasted 2 years. Now I have #12,000 gross tires and store the trailer on blocks with the tires covered. Cheap insurance................Good Luck

[t russell]

Thanks for the build diary.Great  car.
terry

[Milwaukee Midget]

It's a common thing to see race car trailers along the way to Bonneville with tire problems. Seems like every year the racers are helping another along the way. Wit the 100+ F temps an the road temps 130F + they take a beating. Always carry two spares.

And we're lucky here in the states - you can get to Bonneville on pavement all the way.  I'd refer you to the good Doctor's post from last year when he made the trip out to Gardnier.

http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,862.msg47429.html#msg47429

Despite the absolute beauty of the trip, I'm seeing dirt roads that I'd be cautious about taking a tractor on.

[Dr Goggles]

Next year I'll be putting the hassle on everyone to have a spare hub that fits their trailer, and to have driven the studs out to check they're not seized. That way whether you have a bearing/hub problem or a stud problem you're close to a fix. I'm also going to look at ways of fixing a small skid under the spring plate so when the disaster does( it will) strike it is protected rather than being the point of contact with the road ...two reasons for this, the first is it can quickly grind the bottom of the U bolts meaning a replacement, might displace the spring too, that's a PITA with a loaded trailer on the side of the highway and more importantly would reduce the sudden drag on the car and trailer and the potential for losing control .

Now , none of theses trailer are in the same realm as Burt's home made job , but the fact that he lost a wheel ...is kind of ironic......next it'll be dried dog balls

[grumm441]

Everyone should "over tire" their trailers. My #7000 gross tires didn't make one trip. Moved to #10,000 gross tires and lasted 2 years. Now I have #12,000 gross tires and store the trailer on blocks with the tires covered. Cheap insurance................Good Luck

In our case it wasn't the tyre that failed
The first failure was when the wheel studs broke off the the trailer after axle had moved on the 100 mile dirt road leaving the lake. The second failure was when the 70's mag wheel exploded of the hub and took out the wheel studs, and U bolts holding the trailer axle in and flipping slipper type spring out of it's thing. It also pulled the skin off the trailer.
I sent the Rev off to retrieve the lost wheel, and apart from a bit of tread missing, i think the tyre would've gone around once more. However the wheel was in about five bits
So , we learned that Light truck tyres are good , and second hand mag wheels are bad.
Also if it it wasn't for Steve Barnett and Andy? convincing a the local car wrecker at Bordertown in SA that at seven PM on a sunday night when he was well closed and on his way out to an 18th birthday party, to sell him a wheel some wheel studs and a set of trailer u bolts, and a second hand wheel, and also booked us room in  a local hotel, well me and the Rev would have had a tiring night asleep in the car on the side of the road
Thanks Steve and Andy.

[Dr Goggles]

here's a shot from Greg Wapling the webmaster at DLRA.org.au/forum



there are more on the page here.......

http://www.dlra.org.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=263&start=300

some beautys, thanks Greg...

[Glen]

Good looking hot rod,  What, No pictures of the trailer and wheel pieces.

[Dr Goggles]

Good looking hot rod,  What, No pictures of the trailer and wheel pieces.

...na just some "wheel nuts" Rev Left , Doc Right.........

[Stainless1]

Good looking hot rod,  What, No pictures of the trailer and wheel pieces.

...na just some "wheel nuts" Rev Left , Doc Right.........

Ya mean "a couple of Lug Nuts" .... otherwise it is lost in translation....
Luv the car guys, keep up the good work... 

[PJQ]

One other hero of the tank's inaugural trip... the ole Mongrel Troopy.
Spent the week chasing the little tank (and a few bikes) without skipping a beat (lost trailer wheel was drivers fault ).

Seen here providing shade from scorching sun, as a shady looking Doctor ponders Salt life.


...and here, diving into Bulldust dragging the trailer and tank home  (Outback dust as fine as talc powder, gets into everything)

[Milwaukee Midget]

One other hero of the tank's inaugural trip... the ole Mongrel Troopy.


...and here, diving into Bulldust dragging the trailer and tank home  (Outback dust as fine as talc powder, gets into everything)

This was the good section of road, right?  It's no wonder you lost a wheel.  Over here, you hop on the freeway and then take a right past the Sinclair station.  For all of our bitching, we've got it easy.

Rev, Doc, your determination is beyond reproach.

[Glen]

Muroc dry lake has the same kind of dust. Always a major clean up after the events. At least the roads were paved to get there. El Mirage is no where that bad.

[Dr Goggles]

not absolutely sure but what I understand is that the "bulldust" ( and that's what it's called) suddenlylets go when there's heavy traffic, hence there being almost none on the way in .....on the way out therewere patches a hundred yards long and as deep as a foot....If you look in the photo above it appears to be splashing out in front of the truck......there was this stuff, talc dry and then sections that were flooded bogs . The problem is the effort to build up a road in such remote areas is not considered worthwhile and so quite often the road actually lies below the surrounding ground level, that's beaut on the rare occasions when it rains....often a wind-row forms along the sides of the road of fine dust with a crisp lip along it.

If you look out behind the car after a patch of the bulldust you'll see a dust cloud along the whole way you've come and then huge clouds like explosions where you've hit the bulldust.....

There was a wet creek crossing after a sharp right hand bend on the way out that got just about everybody, we hit it at dusk at about 50mph, with about a seconds notice........
 I felt for anyone who got bogged going home.....at the end of the week out there you just want to get home , fast .....a messy, red mud pile would be the livin' end!

[grumm441]

So next year I am accepting the use of my brother Nissan Patrol
Traction didn't seem to be a problem
But you should see the underneath of the Commodore (Aussie Car)
G