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Servicing

Started by Harry Lissimore, December 02, 2018, 04:53:26 PM

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Harry Lissimore

I've had a few issues with servicing my Topaz Savannah.  I've had it serviced 5 times, 3 in Brisbane and 2 in Broome.

Often the wheel nuts aren't all properly tightened after a service

A brake magnet required replacement on the second service and I found out the next year that the magnet that was installed was a 10" drum magnet not a 12" one

While changing a tyre near Derby this year, I just happened to check the tyre for wobble before releasing the jack and there was considerable wobble.  I had to turn the castle nut one complete revolution to hand tighten the bearing.  At the service in Broome I was told that the bearing had not been tightened correctly in the last service.

These issues all occurred after services at  Tracktrailer approved service centres in Brisbane.

I'm starting to lose confidence in getting my Topaz serviced at an approved service centre and I'm seriously considering doing all future services myself.  I then have only my self to blame if they are not done properly. What is the point of spending approximately $300 on a service if it's not done properly?

I have also heard that insurance could be invalid if  servicing has not been performed by a qualified mechanic but I'm not sure that is correct.  Any comments?

Do most people do their own servicing?

Harry

Formerly 2002 TVAN, now a 2015 Topaz Savannah and 2014 Isuzu MU-X LST. Now towing with a 2019 Toyota LC200 GXL.

Frankrhona

I have done my own servicing for the last ten years on the Patrol and all the servicing on the Tvan. Why? We still travel to remote outback locations and I want to KNOW that the servicing is done correctly and the vehicles are as reliable as possible. Doing your own servicing has further benefits:

  • You learn what to look for when touring and will address issues before they deteriorate, ( eg a loose wheel bearing)
  • When something happens in the middle of nowhere you have a pretty good idea of what you need to do to get mobile again and
  • You have a better idea of what tools and spares you need to carry
However, for the non-mechanically minded, if you are happy with your 4WD mechanic, I would choose to service the Tvan/ Topaz at the same place. Both have bearings, brakes, wheels and shocks that are critical items to check. Tyre wear will indicate an alignment problem, otherwise it's electrical!
Cheers,
Andrew
Andrew & Clare
2005 ZD30 Patrol
2006 Canning Tvan

peter_mcc

Quote from: Frankrhona on December 03, 2018, 08:22:16 PMHowever, for the non-mechanically minded, if you are happy with your 4WD mechanic, I would choose to service the Tvan/ Topaz at the same place. Both have bearings, brakes, wheels and shocks that are critical items to check. Tyre wear will indicate an alignment problem, otherwise it's electrical!

If you do big trips I'd suggest getting the alignment checked before you leave as it can scrub out a set of tyres fairly quickly. My mechanic has worked out how to do it - it isn't hard and there are instructions on the forum. I would suggest supplying two long metal rulers and the spring spacers so that they have all the bits they need.

luke

Hi Harry (or anyone with ideas),
  I've just tried the approved service centre in Brisbane and was less than impressed.

I'm hoping you found (or someone has recommendations) for a decent place for a general service in Brisbane.

I've got a mkIV Tvan, so just the general bearings, brakes, and suspension. (I'm not interested in paying to get my hot water anode or internal cupboard latches checked again)
(And I would have been happy if it was only $300 . . . .)
Tvan Mk IV
Prado 150

Chuin

And is there a list for servicing? I'm not particularly mechanical and not sure I could do it, but is there a reference for what is services and when-like a car?
2018 Topaz Savannah/2014 Isuzu MU-X

Pete930

Hey Chuin, no offence intended but if you are not mechanically minded then please leave the job to someone that is. Don't want to see you on the side of the tack somewhere or worse still have an accident.

Pete

Pete930

#6
Hey Harry, don't despair there are some good repairers out there but finding them can be a bit of a struggle.

Could I suggest looking for a mobile repairer in the future ?. The good ones will be fully insured, be professionally setup, provide a quality service at a fair and reasonable price and most importantly come to you.

They will probably have some form of trade qualification as well.

In most caravan dealers they pay the workers quite poorly or have them do heaps of hours just to make a basic wage, the dealers however charge (well in Adelaide anyway) $350 for a single axle service and $400 for a tandem axle service, plus the cost of the seals.
Servicing entails a different "list" depending on who does the service so hence when prices can vary quite a bit.

As far as the issues you have experienced, it's good practice for anyone that removes wheels to ALWAYS use a torque wrench and I suggest to customers to buy their own, can get a Kinchrome one from Bunnings for around $60. Yes I would not rebuild an engine with them but good enough for wheel nuts, if the wrench is out by 5% it does not matter but nuts need to done evenly.

As far as the wheel bearing nut needing redoing on its adjustment, yep if new bearings had been fitted then in say 600 to 1000kms or so they may have "bedded in" and need adjusting.
If the existing bearings where reused then I guess the "mechanic" just adjusted the bearing and off you went, if he did not expel the excess grease from the bearing before final bearing adjustment then 5kms down the the road it would have been out of adjustment already. Expelling this exceeds grease is very very important or if not done it gives a false bearing adjustment.

Another trick that can be used on wheel bearing nuts if when the correct bearing adjustment is reached but the holes for the split pin do not line up is to remove a small amount of metal from the back face of the nut, best to do on a faceplate with wet/dry paper, it does not take much.

As you can guess by now yes I do do mobile caravan service and repair, I do own a Tvan and was involved in the bush testing of the T4 model.

For those that want to see a bit more then feel free to have a look at my Facebook page at Elite Mobile Caravan Service, you find a few extra tips on there and see what projects I get up too on the Tvan.

Cheers Pete