Ruby Scoo’s epic build, ten years and counting...

[The Loyale]

Digging this photo mate!

[Bantum]

Awesome, where has that like button gone, would be smashing it rich about now ...

[El_Freddo]

The Epic WA Trip Report has finally be completed and uploaded!

Pack a lunch - you've been warned!

Cheers

Bennie

[steptoe]

OK, reading this quoted post, putting it with removing said stuck punch in 2015, that diff and punch been sitting out in the weather at least six years !!

Just been rereading this post and found a connection with #25. I have got my Subaru CV punch stuck in a rear diff DOJ and it will only budge and not come out ! Stuffed if I know how it can get stuck somewhere in the middle

Gees , those pics are big. Was only just thinking today I should shove a used set of belts in the boot - just in case, and was looking at idler and tensioner bearings of EA82T I am pulling down, shove them in too, and the tools I suppose.Those photos look like they could sell a few timing belt kits complete with tensioners and idler!! They feel and sound rough spinning freely but gave no noise indication when engine was put through its paces. Heads are off, see score mark on offending cylinder, no cracks, no holes

Can almost smell the belt, or is it leftover from following a fella up the highway in an RS looking Lib. Front left tyre smoking and shredding away. Someone up front alerted him to the fact. Must be AWD makes it hard to feel a flat tyre shredding away !

[El_Freddo]

So the much awaited pics of the rear suspension bushes are finally here! About 150k km of some serious offroad abuse resulted in this:



From memory I laid these out left to right as they are in the vehicle. Inner bushes were scrubbed out the worst:



Some of the bushes slide straight out, one in particular was a nightmare to get out but once it was out the new ones went in really well so I was happy with that.

I'm still not 100% sure that the issue is sorted and am yet to find the time to jack up the rear end and check the bearings which I wouldn't be surprised if they were shot as it's been a few years and a number of water crossings since I replaced these...

That's it for now. I've recently been driving Ruby Scoo around town and really enjoying her again - my challenging is to short shift at 2500rpm rather than revving out to 3000+rpm, I'm getting used to it and would love to swap out 5th to that longer ratio I was originally chasing. Just another thing to add to the "to-do" list.

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Well tyres were still scrubbing out after the bush replacements went in. Next a new set of K frame mount bushes went in - these we're off a road going 2wd and still seemed really tight. I also shoved more rubber strips in to each bush to reduce the possibility of up and down movement.

The tyres still looked like they were wearing out oddly.

Latest real news is that Ruby Scoo "survived" a weekend in the otways on a bucks do. But my poorest tyre didn't so that's the end of my Kumho Road Venturer MTs Sad day.

So I'm hunting for a suitable replacement - the kumho kl71s or kl70s (can't remember their code exactly) look like a good choice. The only issue I'm worried about is buying five of these and having them rub on the rear struts due to this tyre being wider than the generation I've been running.

Remember I've got a set of scorpions with standard offset. This needs to move out to fit these tyres I think. Next option could be a move to 5 stud and run a suitable rim offset and tyre combo to make everything fit neatly. Time and money.

I've also got to do something about the exhaust - the inlet to the centre muffler is cracking around the pipe. Noise is sweet and the popping on down shifts sounds awesome! But ultimately it needs to be fixed.

Another thing on my wish list is a new bash plate. And a 4 inch lift with 29s would be fun - but that would definitely be cop bait and asking for trouble.

To really get the most out of that setup I would need to do it with a proper transfer case setup like a traditional 4wd. But again that = more weight, time and money. I'll probably not go there in the end. Bare minimal would be a diff ratio swap to 4.44:1. *dreams*

I'll have to dig up some pics of last weekend from the boys
Cheers

Bennie

[NachaLuva]

I have the Kumho Road Venture KL71, excellent tyre offroad. Very tough & good grip, not so good onroad though, typical of a muddie.

[El_Freddo]

I have the Kumho Road Venture KL71, excellent tyre offroad. Very tough & good grip, not so good onroad though, typical of a muddie.

Yeah they're the ones I'm looking at atm as they're one of the ones that still do an offroad tyre for a 14 inch rim.

But again my issue of the rear shocks becomes an issue. Once I get my EJ 5 stud adaptor hubs I'd be keen to try one of your rims and tyres on the rear of Ruby Scoo to see if this is a suitable solution to my needs

Also my idle adjustment is too low. So I'll adjust it again from a cold start as I did my adjustments once it was up to temp and it's not doing what i want it to be doing for an appropriate idle speed at temp.

Cheers

Bennie

[NachaLuva]

Once I get my EJ 5 stud adaptor hubs I'd be keen to try one of your rims and tyres on the rear of Ruby Scoo to see if this is a suitable solution to my needs

Yeah sure. Would be cool to see how Ruby Scoo looks with 28" muddies

Have you thought about doing the Prado strut conversion? 3 of the 4 Brumbies/L Series on the Subaru Extreme trip had them. Worked brilliantly!

[El_Freddo]

It's been on the to do list for a while now!

28s would be a squeeze I reckon. Anothe half inch lift would be nice

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Last trip around Easter out in the Mt Cole complex;







^ this track was pretty steep, rocky and rutted. At one point I didn't think we were going to make it up - mainly due to gearing and the fact that we were still rolling on roadies... It was very satisfying to reach the top. It wasn't a long track but a worth while one.

Highlight:



Top trip for a solo one.

Not much has since happened with Ruby Scoo, other than the occassional flogging around town and sitting out on the street due to our driveway not being large enough for the family cars. I'm looking forward to packing her up for a trip in a couple of weeks

Cheers

Bennie

[RSR 555]

Easter??? Did I miss that changed the date? Hahaha.. just kidding

So wished you could come back over to WA.. all the WA adventurers have disappeared

[El_Freddo]

Me too mate!

Dunno when we'll get back over that way, or if it'll be in RubyScoo again - I'd want to do the adventure with her again, go check out a few other places etc. I wouldn't mind squeezing in a half lap - but that's no more than a dream at this point

Cheers

Bennie

[NachaLuva]

Nice! I remember that hut & that lookout...make sure it's in gear with the handbrake on hard lol


Where was that track? Looks good

[El_Freddo]

Where was that track? Looks good

Hey NL,

That track was near Ben Nevis (you can see it in the background of the first pic in the last post), it's off Cowan Tk, I reckon it's the first section of the Eversley Sugarloaf track that's a seasonally closed track according to this Forest Note PDF.

Looking at that document, there are soooo many tracks in the middle of the complex that we haven't touched or even looked at yet! We came in through Hickman Crk tk and Gully Tk from Elmhurst. I wish I had this map on hand at the time!

I'm now looking at the next adventure in the Sept school holidays. I was looking at Lindsay Point and the top NW of Victoria, camp on the Murray where SA is on the other side - just to say I've done it. Then "bomb" down the Border Tk, ending the trip near the little desert somewhere. But I don't think Mrs El_Freddo wants to spend that amount of time I've planned out bush. The other issue is that I don't know exactly how to get to the Murray up that way and finding maps is a little difficult short of buying 4 or so topographical maps to get that top corner's details...

Still pondering what to do. Other ideas are the Pyrenees Ranges and Mt Cole as a back up if we're bored of the Pyrenees... Or just do the Big Desert/Wyperfeld circuit with the border trk as our move south. I'd like to walk up Red Bluff this time too. I'll throw up a post once I've got it sorted so that others may join if they wish

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Trip plan sorted. Will be headed to the tip of vic then down the border track before join up with a bookface subi trip for the mid section of the border track.

I've been rebuilding the rear cargo area to incorporate a fridge slide and a kitchen drawer. If you're ever ordering something through Bunnings special orders I'd advise asking how long until the item arrive in store. I'm going on three weeks now and the item I'm chasing is holding up the build now

I've also sourced a set of prado front struts so I'm hoping to see how they go in the rear with the Honda springs - then possibly look in to a more suitable spring if needed.

On the wish list is an alloy bash plate too - but I reckon I'll be out of time to get that sorted

Cheers

Bennie

[AndrewT]

Very interested to see how you go with the rear struts. I desperately need to sort out something decent in the back end for my rig. I need to catch up on this thread!

[El_Freddo]

Very interested to see how you go with the rear struts. I desperately need to sort out something decent in the back end for my rig. I need to catch up on this thread!

On the topic of your rig, how much room do you have between the spring and the inner edge of the rear wheel with those Audi rims with the KL71s?

Asking as that's my next upgrade

Cheers

Bennie

[AndrewT]

Plenty, it's never scrubbed on the spring and that's thanks to the pepperpots with their offset. Bear in mind I do have Crossbred hubs but I think the offset of those is supposed to be factory anyway.

***Edit: hey look at that - we can say crossbred again!

[El_Freddo]

Awesome!

I've got a set of dfoyl's 5 stud rear hubs to get the hardest part of the five stud conversion out of the way.

After this trip I'll have to get stuck into the brake swap, I've pretty much got all the bits except the hand brake floor panel. I also need to get the control arm ball joint mount reamed out.

Cheers

Bennie