Duke Rack V1

[.Joel]

Duke Rack V1
Huge thanks to @The Duke for knocking this together for me yesterday.  I took some photos from the Buggy Transport thread and some steel strapped to the roof racks of the car.  A few hours, a few more hours, then a few later and the buggy was now safely being held on the back of the car by Duke Rack V1.  Test drive was back to Melbourne from Ballarat, about 160km so not overly far and it didn't move at all, we had some thoughts that it may need tensioning to the roof racks but there was no movement.  Each point on the rack has a through pin/bolt, and then 2 pressure bolts on each point so there's no play in it.  I need to take an angle grinder to it to tidy up a few bits and remove the finger-slicing edges as we thought by 1am Mrs Duke may not want to hear us angle grinding in the street any longer   

I've got some ideas for aV2, mainly a mix of long-distance road transport settings vs on-location rear clearance settings which will retro-fit back on to this but first time to test this and take some measurements of rear clearance at different locations.

Haven't decided on a colour yet, just avoiding dark colours like black that will get ridiculously hot sitting in the sun on a dry lake.

I'll share some more photos once it's all cleaned up and painted up.  

 

[jaysmith]

bet you got a few sideways looks at the traffic lights.

[ssayre]

I had to look up what a Ford Territory was.  I hadn't seen one before.

Nice work on the buggy carrier, go high vis orange or yellow and reflectors to it.  That will make it pop.  :-)

[Chook]

You have a dark chocolate brown coloured car and worry about a black rack!!!!! Come on big fella your havin' me on.

I hope you always drive with your low beam on, (not the fog lights like a lot of the dickheads) as that colour disappears/blends beautifully into a bitumen road on a hot day with the heat shimmer off the road.

My old man has a Territory that has now done 300,200 Kms and it's been a fantastic car for him. A new oxygen sensor and front wheel bearings has been the only thing outside the normal servicing. Handles the gravel well too.

[plummet]

I feel the need to lay down some ford jokes. 

What does FORD  stand for?

Ford Owners Root Dogs

First On Rubbish Dump

What does ford stand for backwards? Drive Returns On Foot. 

Why do fords have headlights? To illuminate the back of the tow truck. 

 

PS Nice rack. Pitty about the tow vehicle. 

 

[ssayre]

You forgot "fix or repair daily". Guess that's an American thing. 

Nothing against Fords but plummet reminded me of that one. 

[.Joel]

10 hours ago, ssayre said:

I had to look up what a Ford Territory was.  I hadn't seen one before.

Australian built SUV with a Land Rover motor   I needed a company car this year so went with the Territory and very happy.  
7 seat, AWD, Turbo Diesel, really versatile for us and comfortable on long distances.
 

9 hours ago, Chook said:

You have a dark chocolate brown coloured car and worry about a black rack!!!!! Come on big fella your havin' me on.

It's not Chocolate, it's Havana   Living inner-city we get really dirty rain, so I thought I would buy a dirty coloured car  

 

57 minutes ago, plummet said:

I feel the need to lay down some ford jokes. 

ORLY... I'm curious, who's car is this one? 

  

 

 

 

[plummet]

That's what happens when you lend ya ute to a buddy and say " what ever you do don't drive on any dead flat pans above the high tide line" What does he do? drives on the biggest flattest pan he can find.....

 

But while we are uploading glorious ute pictures.

[Chook]

Du max hole that can be dug, is with a D-Max!!!!

Tell you what they are whipping the market over here against a Hilux. The D-Max piss all over the Tojo for economy. Won't even talk about a "Colorado" no one can afford to fuel them. Hook a trailer onto a Colorado and you wont move far from a fuel station. They are savage on consumption when towing. We had to get rid of the 2 at the AG College as they blew our fuel budget in 8 months. 

90% of the Ag business's round here are running Max's. A  standard Max rides better on the gravel too.

[nigel]

Paint it orange to match your seat. 

And to also draw attention that it's blocking the view of the number plate. 

[jhn.holgate]

6 hours ago, Chook said:

 Won't even talk about a "Colorado" no one can afford to fuel them.

Aren't they the same engine as the Isuzu?  My mate's got the Isuzu and I've got the Colorado and they both have the identical 3L TD engine.  I average around 10l per 100km.  It's far better and more comfortable than the Ford Courier I had. 

[BobM]

23 hours ago, plummet said:

I feel the need to lay down some ford jokes. 

What does FORD  stand for?

Ford Owners Root Dogs

First On Rubbish Dump

What does ford stand for backwards? Drive Returns On Foot. 

Why do fords have headlights? To illuminate the back of the tow truck. 

 

PS Nice rack. Pitty about the tow vehicle. 

 

F'ed On Race Day

[Chook]

Obviously you are a very sensible driver John.

The government jockeys fly low and fang it everywhere as it's not theirs.

The Colorado has been rechipped compared to the Suzi (that's why the government bought them) as they have a slightly bigger towing capacity. With a 1800 x 1200 single axle trailer on I went to Narrogin Ag college 560 kms away on the 100kmh speed limit with trailer in WA and averaged 18.1 ltrs per 100 there and 17.6 home.  I was horrified.

My Patrol is usually around 14 (15 if it's windy)  litres, towing my Dads 4000 x 1900 car trailer. That's got a conventionally injected 4.2 turbo diesel.

Love the Ford piss taking.

I still use an honest old 1994 ED Ford Falcon wagon, (We bought new) that has just turned over 800,000kms and has only had the top end freshened up 100,000 kms ago. If anyone has a private vehicle that's done that amount of Kms I'd love to know about it. When I serviced it last, it's auto transmission has now run out of adjustment, so when it stops it's the end of the line for it. It will be a sad loss to our family.

[ssayre]

I've had 3 ford trucks or utes. All have been good. First was a 87 ford ranger. I bought it for $500 and it looked liked it had been rolled down a cliff. I drove it back and forth to work for 5 years and sold it for $300.  Not bad. The rear brake lines rusted through a couple years in and I plugged the rear brakes off at the master cylinder and drove it that way until I sold it. You couldn't tell it had no rear brakes at all. 

I did disclose the brake situation to the next owner. 

[andy666]

1 hour ago, ssayre said:

I've had 3 ford trucks or utes. All have been good. First was a 87 ford ranger. I bought it for $500 and it looked liked it had been rolled down a cliff. I drove it back and forth to work for 5 years and sold it for $300.  Not bad. The rear brake lines rusted through a couple years in and I plugged the rear brakes off at the master cylinder and drove it that way until I sold it. You couldn't tell it had no rear brakes at all. 

I did disclose the brake situation to the next owner. 

Haha, classic. 

[plummet]

I'm not sure about Aus. But in nz the Colorado has a 147kw engine and the isuzu138kw. I can't remember the torque figures.

Any way. I get 8.8l/100km around town driving in a hilly town. Open road can drop into the high 7' l/100km. When I chuck the roof box and buggy on the back and full the ute with dudes and gear I get around 10l/100km.

Compare that to the Colorado I tested. 12.7 /100km unloaded open road and town driving. So you give away some power in favour of economy.

 

[Chook]

Spoke to soon.............today I had to pull the transmission interrupter switch of the old Ford as she wouldn't start in "Park".  Popped the switch open and polished up all the terminals and wiper arms. I refitted it and now the cruise control works again.

Even changes back on the transmission to hold you to your speed down the hills. Bloody flash as!!!!!

[andy666]

6 hours ago, Chook said:

Spoke to soon.............today I had to pull the transmission interrupter switch of the old Ford as she wouldn't start in "Park".  Popped the switch open and polished up all the terminals and wiper arms. I refitted it and now the cruise control works again.

Even changes back on the transmission to hold you to your speed down the hills. Bloody flash as!!!!!

Haha, not "pulled it out and replaced it", but pulled it apart and repaired it ?

[the_hatman]

1 hour ago, andy666 said:

Haha, not "pulled it out and replaced it", but pulled it apart and repaired it ?

Replace is a last resort.

[Chook]

3 hours ago, andy666 said:

Haha, not "pulled it out and replaced it", but pulled it apart and repaired it ?

No point taking it off and not finding out what trickery is inside it.

Turns out it was really well put together with 3 O ring seals and there were arrowhead clips to retain the case. Just had to have a sticky inside.

A polish up with wet and dry abrasive paper a bit of lube and 20 mins later the old girl's like new again.   

[jhn.holgate]

2 hours ago, Chook said:

Just had to have a sticky inside.

I did that once with a Reverb pedal when I was 15.   Didn't know about electricity then or to unplug the unit first....