Fix the truck part 2: upgrades

Mittens my new travel mate, checking out today's camp, and my new table.

Truck repairs and upgrades-
I've been working for over a year now and managed to save enough needed to continue travelling but might as well continue working while it's on offer,  and the tracks are very wet and muddy anyway. wait for dry season, very soon.

So I can afford a few extras for my truck, found some good gear at great prices on

 www.4wdsupercenter.com.

brand new winch

Installed a nice new winch 12,000 pounds should be enough pulling power. Synthetic dynema rope,  same stuff as braided fishing line is made of. So no need for a roller fair lead and easier to use that the wire rope.

Finally got a bar light I try to avoid night driving especially off road but if I get caught out, hopefully this will help me spot a few Roos,( Kangaroos ) might even get one for dinner. 

The front end was feeling a bit different so tried to get it looked at 3 different opinions later, found a good mechanic at "Cairns Mechanical workshop", very good approachable mechanic who tightened the front wheel bearings, and replaced the lower ball joint, so that's what the noise was. He did a few other things that needed to be done but I just can't find time to do while I'm working. 

Machine & replace rear brakes

Calliper kit for front left brakes 

New starter motor
New rocker cover gasket, now I know where that little bit of oil was going.

Remove and pressure test long range fuel tank, a bit easier for him in his work shop and hoist,  not like me digging a hole inspection pit to patch it up in the bush. Still waiting on a resolution for the tank,  will welding it make it stronger or is that money better spent on a new one that mite crack as well, corrugations and rugged tracks take there toll on everything, shake the shit out of everything. So I had a mate weld it up,  couple trips in the rough Rds and it leaking again,  think it's time for a new one. 

Better do a oil change & filters while I'm at it, I can do that easily, filter is only hand tight, Not done much driving been mostly flying to work.

Time for a Tyre rotation and wheel alignment since I got 5 tyres need to wear them evenly, they also decided that it needed a Shimming job to fix the front camber.

Left truck with mechanic to finish his list while I went back to work. Hopefully that's all for awhile....

 Added more solar power, and a few more led light strips stuck around the place. a rear tyre carrier, with two jerry can spots which i have modified to hold max trax under a nice stainless table/filleting bench.
oh and met a new travel buddy, mittens, a cat. was my mates cat in Cairns and they moved to Brisbane so I took the cat.

oh its upside down.

New fuel can carry thing, its awesome

I added another 130watts of solar power to the front of the roof, slimline flexible, dont even notice it up there, but my fridge is nice and cold.

Fuel tank 135ltrs, fixed a few cracks in it, ready to go back it, thankfully I found a mechanics pit this time. I think its time for a new tank.

The pit, tanks back in, winch installed and my new light bar, after the first time I used it I couldnt remember life before the light bar, spot Roos a mile away, still they choose to dive under the wheels, oh well stew for dinner.

Winch ,it goes in this hole here some how.

 needed to cut a bolt on my roof rack, and didn't want to get sparks and grinder dust all over the roof, so i invented the grinder guard.stopped sparks and caught all the dust, couldn't find the actual grinder safety guard. 

winch trial, winch pulled me over that little rock there. lol

 new stainless kitchen bench