Busted Shock

I really wish we'd stayed at Wilpena Pound now....not that it would have changed the course of these events....

In Coffin Bay a week or so ago I noticed a rattle in the casing that protects the shaft of the shock absorber on the right rear. I looked at it and thought it might be the tac weld that holds it in place, but after taking it to a suspension dude in Port Lincoln he said that was not the case & that the only thing that might be making it happen could be it that it looks like a stone had hit the shaft and bent it. Not much he could do.

It definitely looks like a rock has hit it, but to look at it you wouldn't think it could result in that much noise. After getting much reassurance from the guy in Port Lincoln, even  after I told him I was doing Flinders Ranges etc, we set off. Perhaps 700kms down the Oodnadatta mightn't have been the smartest decision, but no regrets here....

I have been checking it every time I get out and it has been okay, no sign of leakage, just the casing rattling against the shaft. All good.

Well today I checked it and the photo tells the story....

Its messy but if thats all I need to worry about then I guess we are going okay.

It is however a pain that we don't have phone service at Rawnsley... Which I did at Wilpena...which makes it harder to recover. I now need King Springs to supply the part, have it freighted to a remote area and then have it repaired. The trouble is that I don't know a reputable freight company to get it here efficiently.  

I had my heart set on the self drive 4x4 track through the station which takes you to the best vantage points in the Ranges, now tomorrow I will be arranging freight and mechanical repairs. I think I could easily replace a rear shock, but it's just as easy to have someone do it in Hawker 30k south of here.

We have commitments in Adelaide Friday, (today is Wednesday) with family coming down for my "coming of age" birthday, so I really hope this doesn't put a spanner in the works!

FYI, The dunnies do have soap in them, and the views from the campsite are spectacular, but in terms of ability to communicate, a little harder here than at Wilpena.

The sat phone will get some use tomorrow.

Jase....bourboned out......