My 'new' Tristar Syncro Doka - The journey starts here...

[Peninsulakid]

Strata is a BOAT just North West of Llandovery. I put a link to a video earlier in the thread.

[mrmule]

So today was my first opertunity to get underneath and have a good look. it had a terrible wheel wobble at around 65mph on the way home, and it was first on my list to have everything balanced and a 4 wheels alignment done. Unfortunately it hasnt really got rid of the wobble. What could be the cause? Bent drive shaft perhaps? Pretty uncommon I know..

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear from you all whether you think this is quite rusty for the average underside, or normal. I feel like I want to get under there with a wire brush and take most of it off, then coat with something thick, black and tar like. What would you use to undercoat it?

Anyway, ordered some front wheel bearings from baxster, front pads and various bushes etc. Will be fixing the power steering whine asap, then on to rebuilding the Dj engine for reinstatement.

Saw this ugly looking blister on the chassis rail just behind the NS front wheel. I'm sure it goes pretty deep :



I'm being really unfair focusing on all the bad bits. Some other underside shots:





















Front end under the guard. The flash makes it look worse...:



Mike Ghia has poly bushed it up already...:

[garyd]

Welcome aboard the forum. I assume that the photos were taken after the wheel alignment work?

Take a look at the last but one photo and query how good a job was done of the alignment? That steering rack boot has been left in a right mess and will rapidly be pinched and torn if you haven't already straightened it out.

Other than that it looks generally pretty tidy underneath. I reckon a bit of wire briushing in the worst places and a good spray of Waxoyl or your preferred alternative should keep it tidy for a while.

cheers
Garyd

[jed the spread]

If you want to bring it round this weekend Samuel I would be only to happy to have a look and give you advice through my limited knowledge,Maybe get it up on the ramps on my drive I might be able to point out some obvious stuff but this for instance,



Jake just had this sorted on his van by the best in the UK (Syncro-nutz) and all the front sub frame had to be removed to get access. Apparently there are two plates that sandwich a center bit and the welds have to be un picked to be repaired properly. Its not just a case of tacking a new bit in, you might find this useful from Jake & Russel,

http://campervanculture.com/2011/11/rep ... ty-syncro/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I hope it helps.

jed

[jed the spread]

Oh and your push rod tube guards are shagged on one side, etc...

jed

[mm289]

Welcome Mr Mule, nice ride, nice story.

Kent seems to be rapidly becoming the "new Devon" must be better surf here Not sure there is that much off roading around here worthy of mention though!

Quick question, might need some work doing on my auto/final drive and Aidan mentioned you had found someone - just wondered who they were?, local? and would you recommend?

Hope to see you driving around

Cheers

MM

[mrmule]

Welcome Mr Mule, nice ride, nice story.

Kent seems to be rapidly becoming the "new Devon" must be better surf here Not sure there is that much off roading around here worthy of mention though!

Quick question, might need some work doing on my auto/final drive and Aidan mentioned you had found someone - just wondered who they were?, local? and would you recommend?

Hope to see you driving around

Cheers

MM

Thanks for your kind words matey. I'm loving kent at the moment, after essentially 30 years in London, the outdoors are great! PM'ed matey.

[mrmule]

Jake just had this sorted on his van by the best in the UK (Syncro-nutz) and all the front sub frame had to be removed to get access. Apparently there are two plates that sandwich a center bit and the welds have to be un picked to be repaired properly. Its not just a case of tacking a new bit in, you might find this useful from Jake & Russel,

http://campervanculture.com/2011/11/rep ... ty-syncro/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I hope it helps.

Yes mate I saw that write up while I was shopping; it looked well knarley. Well the bottom line is I know its got the average amount of rash, plus this grim looking cold sore. At some point I'll splash out on getting rid of as much of it as I can it one hit, but at the moment I'll get it running mechanically well, and enjoy it for a bit.

Shall we get a few of the Kent/Surrey bods together for a lane or two?

[jed the spread]

The prop from my doka is on my Westy at the moment and that is still in Scotland, so I cant do much until the Westy is back and I can nab the prop back and recon the Westy one.

jed

[syncroand101]

The prop from my doka is on my Westy at the moment and that is still in Scotland, so I cant do much until the Westy is back and I can nab the prop back and recon the Westy one.

jed

I have a spare..

[mrmule]

I have a spare..

So lets get involved

[mrmule]

I've been out and driven a few local byways today, and I must say, I am loving the smooth consistant traction the Doka has. It never feels like its grappling for grip, even over knarley loose surfaces. It feels sturdy, confident, poised.

Front diff lock works after all, after I worked out how to fully pull the knob out (something I dont normally have trouble with )

I'm going to have lots of fun in this thing...

[mrmule]

They look like Penta's

jed

Do all Pentas have the same offset? Or did they come in various sizes and ET?

[jebiga41]

So today was my first opertunity to get underneath and have a good look. it had a terrible wheel wobble at around 65mph on the way home, and it was first on my list to have everything balanced and a 4 wheels alignment done. Unfortunately it hasnt really got rid of the wobble. What could be the cause? Bent drive shaft perhaps? Pretty uncommon I know..

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear from you all whether you think this is quite rusty for the average underside, or normal. I feel like I want to get under there with a wire brush and take most of it off, then coat with something

Wire brush and power hose also look on the wiki clive has great write up regards the back beam and also subframe and take the grommets out at the front the rear wheel arches (had water sitting in there intially)of and the pillars and in the locker clean out let them dry and waxoyl or dinitrol I would rustolenium the underside and then underseal or stonechip personally. Although might be better to do that in a few months unless you have a nice warm garage to work in.

[mrmule]

So today was my first opertunity to get underneath and have a good look. it had a terrible wheel wobble at around 65mph on the way home, and it was first on my list to have everything balanced and a 4 wheels alignment done. Unfortunately it hasnt really got rid of the wobble. What could be the cause? Bent drive shaft perhaps? Pretty uncommon I know..

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear from you all whether you think this is quite rusty for the average underside, or normal. I feel like I want to get under there with a wire brush and take most of it off, then coat with something

Wire brush and power hose also look on the wiki clive has great write up regards the back beam and also subframe and take the grommets out at the front the rear wheel arches (had water sitting in there intially)of and the pillars and in the locker clean out let them dry and waxoyl or dinitrol I would rustolenium the underside and then underseal or stonechip personally. Although might be better to do that in a few months unless you have a nice warm garage to work in.

This is great, just the kind of suggestions I need. Thanks matey.