Oka owners group newsletter

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Please don’t forget to send on to us any information you find about parts, what makes fit which vehicles, where to find them and if possible part num- bers. We have recently replaced our gear box. Lloyd contacted both Robin Wade and Paul Nott for advice about his problems, and they both advised that parts are hard to come by and that a new gear box was probably just as cheap. On Robin’s advice we sourced one from Kowari Motors in Townsville, and it arrived promptly and we thought was reasonably priced. We also replaced the clutch with an organic one (thanks Paul Nott). When the mechanic took the old gear box out, he recommended that we replace the rear mounts, so these came from Oka. When the mounts arrived, the mechanic’s father recognized them as being the exact same as those on earlier model Land Rovers, and which are probably a fraction of the price. We have added this information to the very useful list of parts that is available on the Oka Owner’s Group web- site, and which I will print out for those who don’t have access to computers. I will also send out an up-to-date members list for everyone to check through to make sure that the information is current.

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Once again, please let us know if you sell your Oka, or if you change your email address. Each newsletter we find that there are probably a dozen emails that are sent back, and we then check these with the membership list and print

the newsletters and mail them out, but it does make extra work. Good travel- ling to you all.

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Lloyd & Marj Parsons

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GREETINGS FROM RUEDI & SUSI !

Dear friends,

Another six months already past since our last update. Even though we try hard we just don’t manage to update the webpage as regularly as planned. But finally “the child is born” and all the 2008 journeys until the end of June are published. There is lots to read and there are lots of photos as well as some videos.

Since last September we have been travelling together with Ruedi’s sister and her husband.

Since we now have two vehicles we drive along the smallest and most remote tracks when ever possible.

Heidi and Peter are currently back in Switzerland to recover from travel-stress J.

While waiting for their return we have become volunteers for the month of July at the Finke Gorge National Park about 150 km W/SW of Alice Springs. Besides the daily cleaning routine we can assist the rangers with other, much more interest- ing jobs and can learn a lot about nature. So far we have had the opportunity to go with them on fence patrol, take part in an animal surveys, go along to con- trolled burnings etc.

Begin of August we fly to Perth for 3 days to attend Ruedi’s citizenship ceremony. After this event Australia will have one more proud Aussie. This step is very im- portant for us. From now on we are free to travel the rest of the world and will be able to return to Australia at any time and under any circumstances.

We would like to thank you all for your kind invitations but it is just not possible to follow up on all of them.

But we have a list and should we come past, we will knock on the door and check if you are home ...

Well, so much for now from us. Kind regards

Susi and Ruedi Schoensleben

http://www.schoensleben.ch

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Did you know there is an OKA in Chile (South America)?

On November 13, 2007, we received an email

"HOLA, NO HABLO INGLES, PERO FRANCES, TENGO UN OKA 4X4, QUE COMPRE HACE POCO, MOTORHOME.

COMO PUEDO ENCONTRAR EL MANUAL DE MANTENIMIENTO DEL VE- HICULO, YA QUE EN CHILE NO EXISTE."

Translated:

"Hi, I don't speak English, but French.

I have an OKA 4x4 which I have bought a short time ago, a motorhome.

How can I find a service manual as it does not exist in Chile."

This mail came from Francisco Jooris Jacmart from Valdivia in Chile. He is a photographer and uses the OKA to get to the special places.

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Dear Lloyd and Marge

With sad tidings, I would like to inform you that my brother Ray Williams passed away from terminal cancer 26 March 2008 after being diagnosed February 2007.

In the intervening period - he replaced his right-hand head to get his beloved OKA driveable again, but from August on his strength weakened due to Chemo treatment and could not do any more work on the OKA to finalise his dreams and bring it up to full standard currently the vehicle roof leaks and the brakes need work are major items that I know of. Any mechanical communication can be dealt with by Ray's brother Norman Williams of Norm's Tuning & Automotive Services who had done work on this vehicle when the first gas tank was put into place (but not yet connected).

Ray originally purchased the vehicle for $55,00 and as such due to the work needed we have lowered the sale price to $40,000 - if he was able to have ful- filled his dream the vehicle would have been valued between $65,000 to $85,000.

As a result, I now have to sell his OKA as it is now located in the SYDNEY sub- urbs the cost of insurance and registration will be high when it comes due in March 2009.

I have attached a flyer that I would like you to pass onto other OKA owners to see if they may have somebody interested in purchasing this vehicle.

Please note that the custom design of Ray's OKA and colour are the only one of its kind in Australia - so he led me to believe. Elizabeth Williams

FOR SALE FOR SALE 1992 OKA 4X4 NO. 38

Engine 7.538 V8 Petrol

option of 25 to 50 litre gas tanks

Mileage 23,427

$40,000 not negotiable

Estate of the Late Ray Williams

Contact Contact: Elizabeth Williams (Sydney) Mobile: Mobile: [phone]

Before tank installed Tank being in- stalled Front View

* ************************ FOR SALE: OKA LT110 1995 $42,500

4 door Dual Cab + camper box & pop top roof tent - great condition with a low 73,328 Kms

This great touring vehicle is reluctantly offered for sale by my New Zealand Friends. - It really was used too infrequently.........

! Dual Fuel tanks (200Lts) + 80Lts in aux jerry cans = range over 1500Kms.

! Dual stainless steel water tanks.

! Dual batteries with solar panel back up.

! Dual spare tyres - all near NEW Michelin 255/100 R16 XZL -

the best!

! ARB Front Air Lockers + Detroit Rear Lockers.

! Super 13000Lb Hydraulic winch.

! Air Compressor.

! Driving & Fog lights.

! Dual 9Kg Gas bottles.

! VHF & UHF Radio.

! Satellite Phone.

! Crawl through to 'camper' section & storage boxes.

! Double bed rooftop tent ( new in 2007).

! Tool box & wood box at back.

! Heavy duty tow bar.

! Spare parts - hoses belts etc.

This well looked after vehicle has no rust and runs well. The previous owner (an OKA fanatic) purchased the vehicle new from OKA.

Kym & Lyn Bolton Mobile: [phone]

[e-mail]

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Hello Marj

I have at last got the details of the OKA I wish to sell. I am advertising it on

Ebay.au

I would really appreciate it if you could go into Ebay and look at the following No. 280274942069

this will give details, photos etc. of the vehicle, and perhaps you could extract the information necessary to place an ad. in your next news letter. The price I hope to get is very flexible, so perhaps this could be indicated.

This is a really sad moment for my wife and I as we have loved our travels with this vehicle, and had looked forward to many more adventures in it. Don't get old, it buggers up all kinds of pleasures.

Look forward to your response.

Best regards

Chris Mosedale

PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO FIND THE DETAILS OF THIS VEHICLE (there are lots of photos)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=28027494

2069

* *****************************

OKA RV 4X4 for sale.

Twin cab 93 model, V8 Turbo Diesel Auto 6.2L Chevy.

Heavy duty tow bar, reverse cam and screen UHF, extended tray, bull bar, driving lights, winch, fitted tool and equipment compartments, air con both vehicle and new Aurora glide on camper with annex (used once only).

Drop side external double berth and external kitchen. Cupboards,shower,175L fridge, glide out gas hot plates and sink, gas hot water, solar, microwave, batter- ies, shower, security door.

Extras: alternate use, tray sides frame and canvas canopy.

Comfortable lambswool front seating, 3 seats in extra cab.

Glide on as new, vehicle VG condition.

Rego UCG070 April 09 VIC

Call Glenice ph 03 56787589 mob [phone] $110,000

tralia

Go see Aus-

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OKA OWNERS GROUP (PUTTING PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT FIRST)

NEWSLETTER!!Autumn 2009

Hi Everyone,

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It is just about the time of year when Okas come into their own – taking their owners to places that aren’t easily reached in ordinary vehicles. Summer isn’t a great time to travel in outback areas, but now the weather has cooled down and the Wet in northern areas is over there will be many Okas out and about in remote places. Of course your working Oka will be busy all year round, and maintenance needs to be kept up. Don’t forget to keep a copy of available parts in your glove box – if you break down in some remote area, you might just find that your Oka needs a part that some other make of vehicle uses as standard and if a new one isn’t available, there might be one in a wreck that will keep you going. You will find a list on the Oka Owners Group website at: www.okaownersgroup.info ..

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While I am talking about technology, there are a couple of new devices available. One is an emergency beacon "SPOT" that you can click on each night and it will send an email to your family or some otherwith your GPS co-ordinates, and will contain a link that will connect them to “Google World” placing you within a metre or two. As well, Hema have put out a GPS Navigator, which comes pre-loaded with Hema’s own maps (including De- sert Tracks), street maps and OziExplorer Moving Map Software and much more, and will also allow you to load your own topographical and marine maps.

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We are off to the deserts again later this year, travelling with a group of friends down the Hay River track. This leaves the Plenty Highway near Jervois and travels through Abo- riginal land and then the deserts to Poeppels Corner and Birdsville. You definitely need the appropriate permits to travel through this way (available from Jol Fleming in Alice Springs), but most of the track is between the sand dunes and not over. This area didn’t

have the extensive summer rains that fell further north, but of course we will have to take a detour around Eyre creek at the Birdsville end. We paid a visit to Paul Nott in Mel- bourne to make sure our vehicle will be in good condition before we set off, and while there Ian Jones replaced and repaired some rust damaged areas around the body that we purchased with the Oka all those years ago.

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We have installed our reversing camera to our satisfaction. The first one we put in had a big screen that fitted over the rear-vision mirror, but it reflected everything too much and you couldn’t see the image. A smaller one fitted behind the steering wheel works well. Thank you to those who gave advice. Ours is not wireless, and we had no trouble installing it except with the Oka wiring.

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If you are considering selling your Oka, you might consider advertising it on the Oka Owners Group website. I know of 2 Okas that have been purchased that were found by this means since our last newsletter, and there is no cost to you. Simply put to- gether the details of your Oka, with photos preferably, and send it off to our webmaster John Hendriks at: !!Also you should look at the Forum on the website from time to time, as you can be sure that any problem you are hav- ing with your Oka is something that has happened to someone else, and will also happen to some other person at some time. This is a good way to share information and to solve problems.

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Thanks to Arthur and Janice Hosking for the information about their camper with its professional looking finish, and a big thank you to David and Janet Ribbans for permission to use their articles from their blog. Thank you also to those who have let me know of changes to email addresses. Each time I send out newsletters I check them against the members list to make sure that eve- ryone receives one, but the !most frustrating part is when they come back be- cause email addresses are inoperative. If you sell your Oka, you might let us know, and also inform the buyer about the Oka Owners Group so they have the opportunity to keep themselves informed about Okas.

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We hope you get to do some travelling in your Oka during the winter months. If you are renovating, don’t wait until everything is perfect before you set off. Providing it is me- chanically in good condition, it is likely that you will make some changes to your ideas when you actually use it, and you wouldn’t want to be too old to drive it before you take that dream trip! If you come across an Oka in your travels, make yourself known and find

out what changes have been made to the vehicle and where they have been going. Oka Owners are a very interesting bunch of people.

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Lloyd & Marj Parsons

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WESTPRINT:

We have used Westprint maps over the years and found them full of details such as camping areas, things to look at and markers. I think the first we used was of the Simpson Desert back in the 1980’s, when maps weren’t as easy to obtain as they are now, but their maps are always being updated and are now available on CD. Westprint also put out a free weeklyemail newsletter called “Westprint Friday Five” which contains interesting information about all kinds of things, such as new

Australian publications, track conditions, historical facts and myths, and last but not least a few funny jokes for you to pass on. This newsletter is well worth the trouble of registering, and you can find the details at: www.westprint.com.au.

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Hello Again, A bit of information some may find useful. My Oka Lt [348] is serv- iced by Peter Young [Alltrac 4WD]. Used consistently in both highway, rough and literally off road driving [sevicing my camel treks etc]. The last 200,oookms I have used XDEZ305/7or19.5 Michelins and getting 90,000kms out of each set. My only puncture was on a 120kms cross country transect in the Great Victoria De- sert with a bad stake, tyre later repaired. Very good in sand, down to 16lbs psi.

Gear box and running gear is now Nissan.

Operating for 70,000kms to date. Big loads consistently carried. Will send a pic- ture with subscription.

Regards Rex Ellis [Bush Safari Co Pty. Ltd.]

Tyres – and Tyres.

When we purchased our single cab OKA No 116 about 10 years ago,

it was fitted with 16” Oka split rims, and 825 tyres and these

didn’t give too much trouble, except at the time we were running

at around 50psi and blew a few tyres until we worked out that

the cause was the tube squelching around in the tyre at that

fairly low pressure. We then went up to 75 – 80 psi and the

problem was solved.

On rims, I guess there are for and against different types and

sizes. To begin with, I like to keep things fairly standard. If

you are out in the sticks and need to replace a tube, split rims

are fairly easy. Against, the rims are bloody heavy, and hard to

balance unless you can find someone who has the gear to balance

from the stud pattern,as the centre hole in not always true, or

can balance the wheels on the vehicle so the hub and wheel can

all be balanced.

Some time back we went to Michelin 900/16 XYs. The first thing

we noticed was the slight drop in performance with the bigger

wheels, and the other problem is the machine would bounce along

at around 60 kph. We’ve had wheel alignment and balancing many

times without it making much difference. Some call this “single

cab bobble” and say it is caused by the chassis flexing or

springing. Others say that the chassis is too strong for that

and the problem is in the tyres. Originally most OKAs were fit-

ted with 825’s, so when I wear these tyres out I may consider

going back to them, and I believe there is only a loss of around

4 kph. I believe there is a tyre called “Falcon” which is giving

some OKA operators a good run.

Is there anyone who has experienced this “bobble” or tyre prob-

lem and has some ideas about how to fix it?

Lloyd Parsons

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Arthur & Janice Hosking.

Our OKA is 254 March 1995, 70,000km. It was a dual cab , now a motor home for private use only. We bought it ex army from Hydraulics and Tractor Service , Dubbo who service it and have access to parts. We built the body at our Dubbo fac- tory. We are keen campers, bird watchers, fishers and prefer bush camping away from crowds. We are not fanatical 4 wheel drivers so our OKA is normally kept in good condition. It has the following details: 400mm extended rear chassis. Hand built rear and side bumper. Inside floor dropped to bottom of chassis level. Roof mounted solar panels 4 x 80 watt, computer control and deep cycle battery to keep a fridge and a freezer running on a 24 hour basis. 240v inbuilt battery conditioner/ 12v power supply if you are in a camping area. Marine 240 v air conditioner if you are in a camping area.

Dual fuel tanks and batteries. 160l sub floor water tank with 12v pump to inside sink . Outside kitchen under an an- nex. Twin gas cylinders for cooking. Gas injection system to motor (for extra fuel economy 7.5k/litre and 20% more pow- er),80 litre gas tank. Ample cupboard space to inside and out. Double bed at rear. Roof rack over cab for camping gear and fire wood. Console over windscreen with CB radio and map storage. Mounted 12v air compressor in false air cleaner space. Air bag assist suspension to rear. Upgraded springs front and rear Free wheeling front hubs. Modified brake drum to transfer box to prevent vibration and oil leaks. There are a lot of things I would like to do differ- ently to reduce weight and wasted space but time will beat me to build again but if anyone wants some ideas they are welcome to ring or email me.

This model has an inherent problem with vibration and oil leaks in the transfer box and we solved this problem by machining the brake drum at high speed to balance it. A stub shaft was ma- chined to attach to the back of the drum and an outboard bearing supported from the backing plate was mounted to receive the stub shaft to support the drum between 2 bearings. The fix has been very successful compared to other methods that have been tried by the Victorians. I have photos but they don’t mean anything unless you have worked on the problem. I can email to anyone that is interested. The gas injection sys- tem was installed by Global Fuel Solutions International near Newcastle Ph 0249 661826 and website www.gsfi.com.au but we have had a work truck fitted by Diesel Gas Australia and is probably a little better system. The power differ- ence is 2 gears on slopes, the fuel economy is much better and the motor is much quieter when cruising. In overdrive on the highway you can maintain 100km/hr with your foot just resting on the accelerator. The oil lasts much longer and 80l of gas does about 1200 - 1500 klms. The disadvantage is the lack of gas depots in remote areas. There is a fuel ana- lysing computer on board which requires continuous trickle power to maintain its memory and when I disconnected the battery for a longer period , the backup battery went flat and I have to get the computer reprogrammed before our next trip. We enjoy the newsletter and the fixes to problems which I know will occur as we get more kilometers on ours , and hopefully we can attend some rallies when more time is

available in retirement. Thank you for your good work. Re-

gards.

About Me (David & Janet Ribbans)

"Me" are David and Janet and we're members of the Oka Owners Group. We own Oka #148 which we bought as a tour bus in 2003 and spent a year converting it into a motorhome. Over the past 4 years we have travelled over 75,000 kms around and across Australia, mostly on outback tracks, from coast to coast and top to bottom. But there is still so much to see and do... And fix...

Problems encountered with our Oka during Outback

Treks

This is a list of some of the more notorious Oka problems we have encountered on our outback treks.

(Click on photos for a larger view)

1) The clutch cable snapped in the depths of the Carnarvon National Park, Salvator Rosa section. We had to do a U-turn on a narrow track and negotiate 30kms back to camp with no clutch, using only the starter motor to get moving and careful throttle control to change gears.

The cable had broken where it was swaged into the end of a bolt which is attached to the clevis pin block at the front.

The first photo shows where the cable broke, but this simple fix didn't work as the wire pulled out of the clamp too easily.

In the second photo, I have bent the cable over double before clamping it (al- though you can't see this). I had to release the other end of the cable at the clutch lever to maintain some free play. This fix lasted several hundred kms until I could acquire and fit a new cable.

2) Spring bolt on the front (fixed) end of the rear spring broke on the Mitchell Falls Road. It took us 24 hours to fix and was hard, hot, heavy work. Several people went past but only one actually stopped to help. Thanks Doug.

We raised the rear of the Oka using a Hi-Lift jack until the spring came free, and then levered the axle back into place. We tried several methods of levering the axle forward but it proved very stubborn, due to its weight and the weight of the Oka on the opposite wheel, pinning it to the ground. So I used a screw jack jammed against the rear chassis cross member to push the rear spring shackle forward. That worked fine, although a lot of force was still needed.

To lever the front end of the spring down and forward to enable a new bolt to be fitted was also tricky. I put some blocks above the spring eye inside the chassis spring mount to maintain the correct hole height, put an axle stand under the axle and lowered the Hi-Lift jack. This compressed the spring and moved the hole forward until it lined up with the chassis hole. It took a combination of adjusting the screw jack pushing the spring, and lowering the Hi-Lift jack compressing the spring to achieve alignment of the holes.

But we did it, and celebrated with dinner out at Drysdale Station. We ordered steak but were told they had run out of steak, and this on one of the largest cattle stations in the region!

3) Spring broke both main leaves on the Mareenie Loop Road 300kms west of Alice Springs.

I had heard some strange creaking noises for an hour or so after leaving Kings Canyon and I stopped to investigate several times but could see nothing wrong. But soon after we hit the corrugations on the Mareenie Loop road, the spring broke both main leaves.

By shear coincidence (I hope), this was the same spring on which the bolt had broken 3 months earlier, but the end result was the same. In the photo above you can see that the Oka was being held up by only a corner of the broken spring. You can also see various brackets and wire I put on to ensure that if the bolt broke again, it couldn't fall out. Well, it didn't fall out, the spring broke instead.