Oka owners group newsletter

changes from last time we had seen his vehicle. He is currently building a side-opening tent/ camping section with a solid floor that folds back onto the top of his camping module. It looks very professional. He is setting-up his vehicle for extended desert touring.

John and Maree Hendriks from Springwood. They have one of the best looking motorhomes you will see. John keeps it in immaculate condition and it has “everything” he and Maree need. Maree also makes a “mean cake”.

Michael Hession from Nelson, Sydney, Virginia couldn’t attend as she had a prior commitment at a friend’s surprise birthday party. We have a Multicab with an enclosed canopy on the tray, which stores all our camping needs. I brought along my broken steering arm and recently broken front half shaft, along with the replacement 35 spline shaft to show the difference.

Tony and Rasa Mauragis from Canberra have a Motorhome. Tony is an “Old Landrover Man”, and is very enthusiastic about his new toy, they have had their vehicle about 12 months. He had an interesting hydraulic hoist on the rear for lifting his spare tyre up. Tony has also fitted a Glow Plug, as he found the motor difficult to start in temperatres of -6/-10 degrees in the snow.

Ron and Lyn Quigley and friend Jason from Greystanes, Sydney. They have a Dual Cab with slide on camper, which Ron has made. He also runs 17.5” rims and michelin tyres

Eric and Silvia Yeo from Dunedoo, in rural NSW. Their’s is a Dual Cab used as a farm vehicle with a Candy Camper slide-on. It is their first camping vehicle. Eric has installed a “kill switch” which is installed externally under the air intake. When feeding out stock from his OKA he lets it ‘self drive’, but on a down hill slope it can get away from him so the switch comes in handy. But as he explained it has caused a few anxious moments in the bush when trees and shrub have pulled the switch on causing the vehicle to stop. This has caused much head scratching, until he realised that the switch was the cause for the “No-Proceed”.

Wayne and Lorne Reid from Cowra were in a Range Rover, came along to speak to us about HF radio. They are Codan agents and run a business called “Reids Radiodata HF Communications” and have also set up network of bases, to offer the remote area traveller the best available coverage throughout Australia.

Saturday the 24^th March was a little overcast in Sydney, in the morning with one or two showers, but by 2pm, our meeting time, it was a glorious sunny day, perfect weather. We had 8 owners and 7 OKA’s in attendance. Syd’s OKA has spent the last 5 years in his shed as he gradually works on getting it road worthy. He spent most of the afternoon talking notes and drawing pictures to increase his OKA knowledge. Jim showed us his “work in progress”, camper unit. Wayne spoke about HF radios and gave demonstrations and showed how easy it is to make a telephone call using a HF radio. And generally everyone poked their heads “in and under” each others vehicles, noting all the differences.

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It was a great day, Bob had planned a few demonstrations but we ran out of time as most people seemed content with looking at each others vehicles and discussing the pros and cons of repairs and modifications. He gave out a sheet on the use of HF radio that he had prepared.

Afternoon tea was a sumptuous affair and most stayed into the evening, having a great barbeque, before leaving around 9pm.

It was a great day and a chance to learn more about our OKAs and make some new friends. Michael Hession

HF Radio

As mention above Wayne Reid from “Reids Radiodata HF Communications” attended our Sydney OKA Rally. He was most enthusiastic about the benefits of HF radio for Australian travellers, especially those travelling alone or in remote areas. He also offers a service whereby you can make direct telephone calls using your HF Radio. His company also sells brand new and second hand radios and is a Codan agent and offers :

a network of stations to facilitate vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to base communications “Bush Telgraph”, HF Radio Telephone System “Bushphone”.

HF email service.

His contact details are: Wayne Reid

Reids Radiodata HF Communications

28 Young Road COWRA NSW 2794 Ph 02.6341.1544 Fax [phone] [e-mail] www.reidsradiodata.com.au

Also below is a copy of some notes that Bob Etherington handed out about HF Radio

With regards to HF (High Frequency) Radio Usage & Operation

From Bob Etherington, (18 years experience) Frequency Range 2-20 Megs.

Three different brands of transceivers are made in OZ; Barrett, Codan and Q Mac. Make sure you have some knowledge on how they work, to get the best out of what you have.

1. Basically there are 4 types of Antennas, the most convenient is a “Auto self tuner” – dial up the frequency you want to use, Push the tune button or bip the transmit switch, tuning will be complete in about 2 seconds! If you change Channels – retune to suit. Barrett transceivers retune themselves.

2. The next type of antenna is cheaper, quite robust and reliable. It’s about 2M tall and is called lots of things, but most common a Tapped Stick. It has taps moulded on the sides of the antenna, each tap position has it’s own frequency range. It uses a “Wander lead” which shorts out the part of the antenna that is not being used for that frequency or channel. To change channels you first dial up the channel on the transceiver, stop the vehicle and change the tap to suit the frequency and off you go. These tapped sticks work well and are reliable. Terlin (WA) is a good brand. Frequency range is between 2 Megs and 16 Megs, The more taps the better. They can be used on the move or stationary.

3. The next type is a “cut wire type”, it is suitable for one frequency only and possibly others very close by. This is where the wire is cut to the length exactly to suit a common channel. It is very efficient! Can only be used while stationary. It also can be used with an antenna tuner to get better frequency coverage.

4. The next type is a Broad band long wire. It needs no tunning, just sling it up in a tree or lay it onto bushes if there are no trees around. These are very efficient and convenient around the camp. They are robust and rollup to a very compact size. They will tune to any frequency range without any fiddling! Q Mac make a good one for military and civilian use!

A word of warning! Do not get your other half to hold the wire while you transmit, as soon as you say the first word she will cop a big Belt from the antenna and it will burn her hand, she will drop the wire – you will have a very cranky better half. You can use a nylon cord tied on the end of the wire, you won’t get a belt then.

Antenna types 1. & 2. are omni directional, when they transmit the signal radiates out of the antenna in a full 360deg Circle.

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Antenna types 3. & 4. are directional and radiate strongly broadside from the antenna, so this is an option if conditions are bad or you are transmitting to a very remote station.

A vehicle mounted installation uses the truck for an earth, due to its mass. Some portable transceivers suggest using an earth wire run out along the ground in the opposite direction to the antenna wire in the tree, it all helps! Earthing for the transceiver and antenna is vital.

The is an old saying “the higher the sun, the higher the Frequency” - around midday and the two hours either side you will need a higher frequency to communicate with a station you could easily talk to on a lower frequency earlier or later that day. This still applies.

The modern transceivers all have direct dial telephone interconnecting capabilities. This allows you to be called from, or make calls to an ordinary telephone using a service provider. You will need to have your receiver scanning your selected providers’ telephone channels for incoming calls usually 3,5,8,9,12,14,16 meg channels. The receiver will jump between these channels at about ! second intervals looking for calls for you all day or night.

I can highly recommend Wayne Reid’s Radio Date Pty Ltd, Cowra. It is a good 24 hour service.

To make a call from the eastern sea board of Australia I use his Alice Springs and Woomera bases. I use 9, 12 or 16 Megs middle of the day – less early or late in the day.

To use Direct Dial telephone interconnect:-

Select suitable frequency for the distance and time of day, use a “beacon call”, no voice. A digital signal is sent to the “base” you have selected. If it connects successfully it will send back a series of beeps. If they are strong, solid clear with no fade continue on with the call.

You then press Sel/Tell then key into pad the required phone number including area code.

Then press chan/send to start the call.

After about 5-10 seconds you will hear the phone ringing you should also hear a feint recorded message telling you to speak after the tone. When the phone is answered there is a short beep then a longer tone, the person you called should then talk.

Only one person can speak at a time and it is customary to say “over” when you have finished to let the other person know when to speak. It is best to keep your speech shortish and speak slowly and clearly as the quality isn’t always that great. Don’t shout.

The call will time out at about 6 minutes and drop out without warning, make your other party aware of this!

Wayne at Radio Data is upgrading his direct dial system so there is no recorder message or beeps, the phone will just answer and you will respond.

Once you have used it a few times is does get easier.

Don’t be scared to use a use a Radio Telephone Connection – The microphone does not Bite! Talk across the microphone.

For any more info or if you have any problems please ask me

Regards

Bob Etherington Ph 02 4576 3309

Just a note to let you know about Mt.Ive Station.

on our way north and had a great time.

It is a working sheep station with tourist facilities. Situated in the Gawler Ranges

- access from Iron Knob and roads further west. Is marked on the Hema maps. Owners,

Len and Joy and managers, Sandy and Neville, are extremely hospitable and are working

hard to upgrade facilities – planting trees, etc. We found it great just as it is.

The camp ground is spacious (red dirt of course), but fire pits, some electric sites

and wind breaks. Full shower and toilet facilities plus a communal kitchen and

recreation room. They also have motel style units and the shearers quarters have

been upgraded and turned into accommodation units. Everything is very clean.

Things to do at the station include a visit to Lake Gardiner (key and map supplied for

a small fee). On the way visit Kath's castle and the embankment. They also have

a 4WD track called the flight path - as long as your OKA is not too high (because of

overhanging trees and our timber load on the roof rack we were a bit high, so rented

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We have just had three days there

one of the station's 4WD for the morning). It is not difficult but an interesting

drive and plenty of opportunity for a stop and look around.

Then if you feel like tackling it there is a rocky steep track to the top of Mt.Ive

(plenty of turnaround at the top and on the way if you don't feel like going the whole

way - we did walk the last part for the exercise).

The road from Iron Knob is a wide gravel road in good condition. We then travelled up

the back way to Kingoonya - again a wide gravel road (quite corrugated in parts but the

grader was working on it). We will certainly be going back and thought other OKA owners

might be interested - could be a good spot for an OKA getogether! And an interesting

way north instead of going up the bitumen. We are currently in Alice heading for the

Gibb when it dries out. Happy travelling.

Regards Viv & Jack Frost

[e-mail]

[phone]

Mt Ive phone [phone] email: [e-mail] www.mtive.com.au NT OKA Camper, Motor Home Construction Details

(This information was passed on to us by David & Genine Hallandal, and will be of interest to anyone who has access to the internet. The Schoensleben’s are now members of the Oka Owners Group, and you can follow their travels on this website. Their camper is designed not only for Australian weather, and I think they are planning to travel widely throughout the world.)

Some Fantastic Shots of the OKA During Construction (Construction Diary Parts 1,2 and 3 (Part 4 Very Soon))http://www.schoensleben.ch/sur/content/challenge/vehicles/oka/oka_nt_e.shtml

Thought You may Be interested David and Genine

BROKEN AXLES AGAIN

During the Christmas Holidays we were travelling through the Victorian High Country. This particular day we were travelling along a forest trail, when the vehicle we were travelling with came on the radio to say they had a flat tyre. As they were behind us, I decided to turn around. I backed off the road down a small incline and put the vehicle into first gear 2WD and tried to drive out. The vehicle just sat there with both back wheels spinning (LSD). I thought this is stupid it should drive out in 2WD. But it wouldn’t, so I locked the hubs in and got back in the truck. I was in high range 1^st gear and on a gentle incline, so I let the clutch out in a normal take-off, BANG, and no drive to the front. I couldn’t believe it, most of the weight was on the back axle the front was light and I was only giving it a light throttle. I though I had broken either the axle or the free-wheeling hub. So I put the vehicle back into 2WD and reversed back further into the bush, out of the holes the back wheels had dug, put it into 1^st and drove straight out.

Upon trying to understand what had happened, I think when I initially reversed off the road I backed the diff up onto a rock. As it was sandy soil I did not have the traction to drive out. Reversing back further got me off the rock and I then had the traction to get out.

I can only say that I believe that this incident was the “straw that broke the camel’s back”. As I have loaded up the front axles, many times, much more than this time.

What had broken was the driver’s side front half shaft, the break occurring right at the end of the splined section which engages into the free-wheeling hub. The splined section sheared off right at the end of the splines and you can clearly see that the splines have twisted also. The break has a shattered appearance to it. Also upon examination of the axles there is a longitudinal split running right through the centre of the axle shaft.

From what I have discovered since, it is a known weak point with the Dana Spicer 60 Axle. The standard half shaft has 30 splines, whereas the inner axles are 35 spline and 40% stronger. Looking on the net there are a number of companies in America who offer an upgrade kit for this axle. They all recommend changing to 35 spline axles. Oka also list this “heavy duty” upgrade in the parts book.

Thus, this is what I have done, I have replaced both front half shafts with 35 spline axles, fitted greasable unijoints and

new free-wheeling hubs to suit the 35 splines. A $1630.00 exercise in parts alone.

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Andrew Kees from Whitehorse Trucks in Morwell Victoria supplied all parts and was very helpful and friendly.

Questions? Questions?

From looking on the internet there are a number of companies in America offering Dana 60 35 spline conversion kits, eg www.4wdfactory.com offer a kit comprising axles, uni’s and free-wheeling hubs for $US385.00, which is the equivalent of $AU550.00. Which is much less than what I had to pay. In America there are Companies offering, on the net, Warn Premium Free-Wheeling Hubs for under $US200.00 ($AU285.00), I paid $580.00 for an unbranded set (I think they could be AVM). Has anyone purchased any parts from America?

The Dana 60 axle seems to be very popular in America and seems to be “one of the axles to have”. Just with a little searching you will find a number of articles/parts/upgrades for this axle at what seem like cheap prices compared to what we pay here.

I would appreciate any feed back you may have.

If you are into information overload, then check out - http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/60_front/ (there is an underscore between 60 and front).

Michael Hession 02.9809.5754(Bus) or [e-mail]

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Improved Window Washing System (taken from the Oka Owners Group Website)

On a recent visit to David Hallandal in South Australia, I was shown a much improved window washing

system that he had installed on his OKA.

As we all know when in the outback and it rains, it is a job to keep your main screen clean. With this improved system the water is sprayed onto the blades, not as we have as standard, the screen. David was kind enough to supply part numbers for anyone wanting to make these modifications.

The Parts you will need are as follows:

Note all Part Numbers are Repco and most are from the Tryco Catalogue 80828 Through Body Connector x 2

75400 Travelling Jet With Hose (Sold as a Pair) X 1 Pair

TB 500 ## Blade and Wiper Assembly x 2

1. Measure the Distance from the centre to the Outside and inside as I believe you will fit a TB 540 (540 mm Blade) or even the next length in and would recommend the longer blades

Also Required:

crv-0054 x 8 Metres , PVC Tubing 5mm x 8m Long,

T Piece to suit above 5 mm Hose

and One 5mm One way Valve (Commodore) to keep the water in the hose Instructions on what he did, contact Mr David Hallandal: [e-mail].

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The next section has been taken from the membership application forms, and contains some of the more interesting conversions and modifications. If you haven’t yet filled yours in, please send it off to Rowena as soon as possible. If you have access to the internet, you will be able to find this information there.

From Andrew Kovacs:

Helpful information: OKA factory - Angelika Dziubak. Very pleasant and knowledgeable

about parts. Has excellent pricing (I've compared with other suppliers for readily

available parts - say Hella - and they are usually as good if not better). If their

parts are expensive, then it's usually because their supplier is. Also Dean Golding

(since left) and Lynden Jones (I think).

Rowena Paterson - Very helpful with information on OKAs in general. Encouraged me to

join the group and use the website, gave me excellent tips on OKA ownership and

contacts, and very encouraging and supportive with my (still-ongoing) OKA re-build.

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Paul Nott and Ian Jones - Good guys with LOTS of first-hand knowledge of all

maintenance/repair jobs on an OKA. Also can supply some parts for excellent prices.

Roger Mills - Southern Cross 4WD - 02 4659 6316.

Very helpful and knowledgeable on OKA suspension, both springs and shocks.

http://www.4wdfactory.com/ (Greg Youens) USA supplier of Dana 60 parts. OKA front axles

are Dana 60 - the heavier Chevy/Dodge ones, not the lighter-duty Ford items.

Not all parts are the same, however, so measure and cross-check carefully (next web

site and OKA parts book helpful). Payment/postage both take some time and arranging,

but excellent prices.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/ (USA again) Massive amount of technical and practical

information on axles, transmissions, etc... and on the Dana 60 (OKA front axle) in

particular. Just look for 'Billa Vista' and read/download. It took me a few weeks of

reading and sifting, but well worth it.

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Keith & Judy Hedgeland: Helpful information: Have a spreadsheet of parts, part numbers and sources and have all Receipts. No one single source.

David & Genine Hallandal:

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Motorhome details: We have Spent the first 12 Months since purchasing the OKA Just on

the Mechanicals including a Full Gearbox Rebuild, Clutch Upgrade, Front and Rear Brakes

(All the Caliper Pistons were Rusted), Front Diff Rebuild, and 101 other Little jobs,

All of this work we believe was due to previous owners and not the vehicle design.

We have just started with stage one of our conversion to a motor home, We Have cut off

the Roof, Rear Window Frame and Supports, of the Duel Cab Module and at the same time,

We have given the Wheel Base a 200mm Extension and a 250mm Chassis Extension to allow

for an Auto Trans at a later date. This has been finished and now and working on the

Module Extension from Duel Cab to Motorhome. When we purchased the OKA we had 4 fixed

seats across the rear we now have purchased 3 Double and 3 Single Bus Seats and have

Converted them to Dual Armrest Single recliner "Captains Chairs". This conversion was a

lot harder then I thought it would be.

Note: During the conversion process we have employed a Recognised Engineering company

to assist with technical advice and to Compliance the vehicle, (Seating, Wheel Base

Extension and Chassis Extension along with a motor home body) If you are going to do

any of these items to your OKA, then get an Engineer in before starting the job or it

might cost a lot more in the end.

We have fitted 2 Custom Built Plastic Drop Tanks for Diesel (85 Litres Each) to fit

behind the Rear Diff. Extended the Chasis of the Cab to Full Length and then we used a

Composite Material for the Body to keep the weight down.

Modifications: # UHF Radio, 2 Extension Speakers One on Each Side # Leather Recaro

Front Seats # CD / MP3 Player # Phone Car Kit # Traveling Washer Kit Fitted to the

Windscreen Wiper Blades # Locally Made Mullins 8.25" Wide x 19.5" Rims finnished in

Silver and fitted with * * * 305/70r19.5 Michilen Tyres (The 305's are the same rolling

Dia and the 900/16's) # Bull Bar Mounted Day Lights (Mounted in Bumper Section), Wired

to Auto On and Off # Quad Slide Out Battery Trays (2 Per Side) One Pair Wired In

Parallel For Starting # New TRW Steering Box, Imported from Europe to NT Standard, Full

Conversion Details To Follow # Triple Fuel Tanks, Original 105 Litre and Two New 85

Litre Drop Tanks

Helpful information: See Parts List as we have kept this up to date as we have gone

Skills: Have Converted a Full Set Of OKA XT Manuals to .PDF and are available on CD Rom

and currently looking for a set of LT Manuals to finish the set. Fully Page Numbered

and Indexed. Manuals available through Me and are better than the Originals

Jack Green & Noelene Charlton:

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helpful information: Micks Truck Bits 07 32455541Veronica St Capalaba in Brisbane

area.helpful and good prices/quick no fuss delivery of seals, bearings, rad hoses, oils

etc just tell him what you want. Action mechanical specialists 490 Nudgee Rd Hendra

Brisbane 07 32686888 Dale Woods:Suspension supplies & Service 07 32568222 Toombul

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Brisvegas A1 Solar Capalaba 07 38231669 Robert Pitt: can be hard to get hold of but

knows volumes about solar power particularly in remote areas and motorhomes a real gem

and helpful and can supply really good quality equipment.

Walter & Ely Hes:

Modifications: Changed two round diesel tanks into one square + one reserve at spare

wheel location equals one thousand km range; two outside lockers instead of one of the

original diesel tanks, extra stainless steel drink water tank; radiator water level