This Adventurous Age

Adventures travelling and working around Australia.

Tag Archives: tyres


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2016 Travels June

JUNE 2016

After getting home from the Porepunkah trip, we added to the “to do” list: get both Bus and Terios serviced. Get new tyres for Terios.

It was our intention to leave in July, for a trip exploring the NSW coast north of Newcastle. Had our house sitters booked – seven weeks was all they could spare us, this time, being so heavily booked. That would do us.

Took the Terios to our local tyre dealer. Told him not to freak out when he saw the ages of two of the tyres on it. Three were 2002 manufactured, and two were 2007. 2002 tyres on a 2006 vehicle? Somebody pulled a swifty somewhere…

They all still had a fair amount of tread, but I really wanted the security of having four new ones. The best of the 2007 tyres went onto the spare wheel, though. All done, aligned, balanced. Tick off one item.

The Terios went for a service at the local Suzuki service centre. The only issue found was that it needed a new air con fan belt, which they had to get in. Apparently this was no easy task because it was several weeks before they phoned to say it was in. Installation was nice and quick, while I waited there.

Winter school holidays at home… woodwork with grandson

Started planning the next trip. Decided on stays at Nambucca Heads, Yamba and Evans Head. We would take an inland route and get to the coast via the Hunter Valley and Newcastle – avoiding Sydney.

John was adamant that we had to be somewhere with good TV, for the period of the Olympic Games, from August 5-21. A three week stay at Nambucca Heads looked ideal. There was an attractive seeming park near the ocean breakwall, and close to the town. That would give me good places to walk dog and – hopefully – some interesting things to go and do while John was glued to the screen.

Unfortunately, the chosen park, when I phoned to book, confessed that their TV signal was poor. Immediate veto from the TV addict! The only other possible park was out of town. It had good TV and was duly booked. I would just have to put up with being away from easily accessible distractions for me, for the duration.

Booking the park at Evans Head provided another disappointment. We had stayed there in 1999, on our long trip, and I was looking forward to revisiting the area. The park had a separate section for travellers with dogs – and it had no en-suite sites. Just something we’d have to put up with. At least the park we booked at Yamba met all requirements.


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2000 Travels May 8

MONDAY 8 MAY     ROCKHAMPTON

John was up early, to take Truck to Landrover. We packed our bedding and the overnight things in Truck before he went. He then walked back to the unit for breakfast.

We left there at 10 and walked to the nearby shopping complex. On the way we visited Harvey Norman and bought computer games. John bought Railroad Tycoon and an update for his Alpha Centuari. I bought  Bridge and Euchre games.

Having time to fill in, we browsed in a tile shop, looking at kitchen tiles and laminexes.

At the shopping complex, bought a birthday card for S, ordered a new mobile phone battery, had lunch.

John checked in by phone with Landrover. Truck needed new wheel bearing seals on the front. It also needed a new tyre as the flat one was beyond redemption.

We walked back there and spent a while checking out new tyres at a nearby place. Decided to buy a complete new set – definitely not Olympics! Went for Dunlops – a new type, SF Road Grippers, replacing their Adventurers. These were the ones the tyre service man recommended as best for our needs. We got a good trade in on the Olympics.

John then realized that the tubes he had in the Olympics were the original ones – now done over 100,000kms! No wonder they had been wearing!

The tyres were an unexpected expenditure, but I think we both had much more confidence that these new ones would be much more stable on the road.

The tyres could not be done until the next day, so we went back to the caravan park for another night. We were in a different unit, but one with a similar layout and price.

While John went to collect Truck, with new seals done, I walked to the shops and bought things for tea and breakfast.

Tea was some salad. John had skinless franks and bread. I just had bread with my salad.


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1999 Travels May 3

MONDAY 3 MAY     LOXTON

It was a lovely sunny day, much warmer than it had been at Mildura.

John decided this morning that he really did not want to worry about the state of the tyres any longer. They are the original Michelins that Truck came with, and are getting quite worn. They have covered 63,000kms – some of this towing, and some on the poor roads and tracks of Cape York, so we are happy with the performance. Back in Melbourne, we had thought they would last until we got to Alice Springs, but given the route there that we are planning, it is prudent to have them replaced now. We think a different type of tyre might now be in order for the desert and outback work we plan. I had done research in 4WD magazines, in 1997, before we started travelling, and from that we selected a tyre that reviews said performed very well on all surfaces except snow and ice – and we did not anticipate needing that! We’d had those tyres fitted to the van wheels when it was built – Olympic Overlanders.

John had gotten a quote for these when we were in Melbourne, but decided against changing over then. He went down the street here and got a local quote. This was better than the one in Lilydale! With a trade-in allowance, he could get five new tyres fitted, balanced and the like, for $790. So the change over was arranged for 8am tomorrow.

We drove to Berri, where there is a Coles and did a big fruit and veg stock up. As well, I bought some nibbly items, for our drinks session this afternoon – dips, olives.

We had a quick drive around Berri, to get an idea of what it is like.

After lunch back at the van, John went to the river to try to catch some yabbies. The yabbies had other ideas.

I cleaned up the van and organized our roast lamb dinner, ready to cook.

J and B arrived about 5.30. J is still teaching, and B has a casual job making wine storage tanks at a local winery.

We had to sit outside with our drinks and nibbles, after they had inspected the rig. They stayed a couple of hours – it eventually got a bit chilly, sitting out there.

Our roast lamb dinner was a late one – it was nearly 8pm when we sat down to eat it.

Another very pleasant day.