Regular Maintenance

10.02.2014 – 14.02.2014
Salta, Argentina

After spending for two days on the mountain roads, I returned to Salta to be present at the service again on Monday. The time has come to have the regular exchange of the rear leaf springs.

By now almost three years have passed since the previous replacement in Nairobi and all the three attached leaf springs are damaged again.. In fact the leaf - attached in Estonia shortly before departure - was also broke, so there was a need for four new spring leaves – two for both sides.

Only from the internet I could not find – how often this exchange should be made. The top leaf and the bottom two ones are originals, most likely from the year of 1987


The story continued this way that the springs were taken off, nothing was necessary to be cut loose, and then just I had to wait a few days until the springs would be fixed together in a certain workshop.
To take advantage of the time in between I dealt with the maintenance of the rear brakes and took the brake pads to the next shop where new covers were changed to the old ones.

Also the higher part inside the edge of the brake drum was cut off. Anyway, a couple of an hour later the inner surface of the drum was like a new one again.


All this is just another good example of how in case of missing original parts almost everything could be made – when there`s a will – there `s a way. I think that is a suitable proverb.

Just time and patience are needed. And as to the first item – we all have it equally - as there are as many as 24 hours a day.


Just a look inside a wise book to recall how the brakes should be compiled again. In the long run I have spent as an onlooker observing how the process has been carried on for many a times, and noticed also that sometimes there would be some parts left over. So the conclusion - it is safer to do the work myself. Will save the nerves. So there are just two blocks, four springs, and some more odds and ends.


While dismantling the increasing order is - 1, 2, 3,.... up to 16, and then while ascending it is correspondingly - 16, 15, 14, 13 …, and so on smaller and smaller. And that`s that.

After a while all the pieces are in place and nothing left over. It wasn`t very complicated, already at school we were taught how to count to twenty.


Another small job, the bulbs of the speedometer are broken.


Just turn the screws loose, then take the spido out, change the bulbs, in the meantime trying desperately fight with the red dust that is everywhere, then put the spido back and turn the screws on.


Finally the springs have arrived and the installation can start. A few lines about the durability of rear spring bushes. The first set lasted till Kenya (March 2011).


The bushes - installed in Kenya- lasted up to the South African Republic (January 2012).


Those in the image above are from South African Republic and endured almost for two years, up to Brazil (December 2013). And those – obtained in Brazil are in order till now. But sure, it still depends on where to drive. Either along asphalt or elsewhere. But the main thing is that on Friday afternoon the car was roadworthy again.


There are still some things that do not interfere with driving, but disturb the eye, and already for a longer time. This is what the rear bumper looks like. And there 's no point to blame anybody else. It`s all my own job. During the time.


In the next week there was really something figured out but as that “thing” seemed to be too strong I gave up the idea - as in case someone would really give it a heavy bump – then very likely the body of the car is the one that would be disfigured and not the new bumper. Better let it be a plastic one.

The situation was resolved even easier – with the help of a hammer the bumper gets more or less its original shape and the black paint has been bought from a shop.


I'll turn the bumper back, still better view than before, at least from afar. Perhaps the new ones can be found in Bolivia, at least that is recommended. Some more vehicles that caught the eye. Some newer and others older.









Continued ...