Saturday, July 29, 2023

The New Anslow Blog is here
https://newanslow.blogspot.com/

This Blog is now closed

Monday, February 20, 2023

The End

This is the end of this blog as "Heather & Paul" are no more.

Friday, February 17, 2023

Motorhome Camber Issues - Part 4

So you are up to speed

Timeline so far

6th November 2022 - noted the passenger LHS tire is badly worn on the outer edge suggesting a wheel alignment issue. Investigation on the Iveco Motorhome groups finds this is a very common issue requiring the fitment of a "Camber Kit" fitted under warranty by Iveco Australia. We have already booked an annual service/40,000km Service - only driven 5,500km.

13th December 2022 - Bought to the attention of Iveco Newcastle. Informed by the Service Advisor that Iveco Newcastle unable to perform a wheel alignment and request we take our Motorhome to one of their suggested businesses. Unable to find anyone available until February, but a family member recommended Spencer's Truck & Bus Wheel Alignment & Spring Service who could fit us in January.

11th January 2023 - Spencer's note the requirement of a OEM "Camber Kit" to be fitted to the motorhome as the are unable to perform the alignment. They supply us a report for Iveco Newcastle.

11th January 2023 - After leaving Spencer's we dropped the report with Iveco Newcastle whose Service Advisor tell us that it will be lodged with Iveco Australia for warrantee approval.

30th January 2023 - A phone call to Iveco Newcastle Service Advisor found that the report from Spencer's Truck and Bus, we provided Iveco Newcastle, on the 11/2/23 has been "misplaced". So the warranty claim to Iveco Australia was not lodged, delaying resolution a further 19 days. We immediately emailed the report to the Iveco Newcastle Service Advisor and now we wait.....

11th February 2023 - Phoned Iveco Newcastle Service Advisor at 10:30am yesterday and neither of the two gentlemen who are managing our claim were available to take my enquiry and was told I'd be called back.......

UPDATE

Still Waiting.

16th February 2023 - 10:40AM Phoned Iveco Newcastle Service Advisor where I found out that the Service Manager had not responded to his request and they would call me back.

16th February 2023 - 12:48PM The Service Advisor calls and requests some photographs, so I send the ones I took back in October.

Something is not right

16th February 2023 - 3:17PM Receive an email request form the Service Advisor for side views of the tyre wear. I take more photos along with one using a engineers rule measuring tread depth.

Drivers side tread is almost 5mm deep - Passengers side tread is barely 1mm

Drivers Front tyre looks fine

Blind Freddy can see the difference

17th February 2023 - 10:25AM - An email form the Service Advisor asking for the brand, model and size of the Tyres.

17th February 2023 - 3:27PM Great News! Heather receives a phone call followed by an email. The Warranty install of a Camber Kit has been approved by Iveco Australia and we are booked for fitting on the 8th of March.

Not so great! What has been a common issue for the last 5+ years has taken 85 days (12 Weeks and 1 Day) for resolution!

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

A Birthday Lunch

Birthday Lunch Date with my Darling

A memorable Birthday Lunch with great company and views.

Shoal Bay Country Club food and views were excellent!

Heather and Paul

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Motorhome Camber Issues - Part 3

We have joined the well worn path of many other new Sunliner Iveco owners who have a tyre wear issue, a result of a "Camber Issue". There is insufficient adjustment and the vehicle is in need of a "Camber Kit', fitted under warranty by Iveco to fix the problem. This is a well known common problem that nobody wishes to own up to.

In our case, this has resulted in a worn out tire, the cancellation of our trips to the Blue Mountains and Melbourne and quite a bit of waisted time.

Let's hope this is over by April as we are invited to Antennapalooza and a milestone birthday party.

Timeline so far

13th December 2022 - Bought to the attention of Iveco Newcastle (IN). IN unable to perform a wheel alignment and request we take our Motorhome to one of their suggested businesses. Unable to find anyone available until mid January, but a family member recommended Spencer's Truck & Bus Wheel Alignment & Spring Service who could fit us in January.

11th January 2023 - Spencer's note the requirement of a OEM "Camber Kit" to be fitted to the motorhome as the are unable to perform the alignment. The supply us a report for Iveco Newcastle.

11th January 2023 - After leaving Spencer's we dropped the report with Iveco Newcastle who tell us that it will be lodged with Iveco Australia for warrantee approval.

30th January 2023 - A phone call to Iveco Newcastle found that the report we logged with Iveco Newcastle on the 11/2/23 from Spencer's Truck and Bus has been "misplaced", so the warranty claim to Iveco Australia was not lodged, delaying resolution a further 19 days. We immediately emailed the report and now we wait.....

11th February 2023 - Called Iveco Newcastle 10:30am yesterday and neither of the two gentlemen who are managing our claim were available to take my enquiry and was told I'd be called back....... Still Waiting.

13th February 2023 - I will call again.....

Monday, January 30, 2023

The Big Freeze!

The winter of 1962/62 in the UK was known as the Big Freeze where for 10 weeks the Met Office recorded temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees, with blizzards, snowdrifts, with lakes, rivers and even seaports freezing over. The Big Freeze stated on Boxing Day 1962 with heavy snowfalls and deep frosts that continued until the 6th of March 1963 There hasn't been one since, the previous known freeze was in 1740!

Public Transport and industry struggled and often stopped, along with the supply of food. Farmers lost their stock, unable to access their fields and wildlife froze to death. It took many years for the bird population to recover.

Milkmen suffered exhaustion performing their deliveries under the poor road conditions and the milk would freeze and pop their foil bottle tops!

I turned 5 years old in 1963 and we were living in Whittington. Ice formed on the inside windows and the toilet bowl and cistern would freeze overnight. Dangerously huge icicles formed under the eaves of our home. The nearby canal froze over and I had a homemade sledge (toboggan) which sent me straight through a hedge one time.

Pipes buried 5 feet down in the playground at my school burst! School was closed most days and not all students could get there due to the treacherously icy conditions. At times Dad couldn't get to work by bus and had to walk the 5 miles into Lichfield. The factory then closed unable to deliver and lacked raw materials. The local pubs and co-op store ran low of many items and we were cut off for several days. Our house was completely electric, so we worried when the power would go out. Lucily, it would return after an hour or so....

The people back then had memories of the war and were resilient and resourceful. You put on another layer of clothing, another pair of socks and wore wellington boots outside.

Once the thaw started there was water and mud everywhere!

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Motorhome Camber Issues - Part 2

You may recollect the problem we identified in November - See A Dog Fence and a Camber Problem

At our service, Iveco were unable to perform a Camber alignment and referred us to several workshops who could do the alignment.

Spencer's Truck & Bus Wheel Alignment & Spring Service were recommended to us by a family member and they were able to book us in quickly, rather than wait 6 to 8 weeks!

Spencer's Technician was able to quickly identify the issue and took the time to explain the problem with us. There is insufficient adjustment and the vehicle is in need of a "Camber Kit', fitted under warranty by Iveco to fix the problem.

We dropped in to Iveco Newcastle with the report from Spencer's and a claim has been forwarded to Iveco Australia's head office........

Thanks Spencer's for you great service. We will definitely be back in the future!

Why this is not picked up by Sunliner and fixed before delivery?

Saturday, January 7, 2023

The Leyland Brothers

In the mid 1970's Australia TV Viewers watched two poms named Mike and Mal travel around Australia and visit places that many viewers had not seen. The series called "Ask The Leyland Brothers" was very successful running on the Nine Network for 153 episodes between 1976 and 1980. I sure that the viewers dreamed of leaving their dull life in the suburbs behind them and doing what these two families did.

I sure did!

No truckloads of production people following every step in their mega caravans and motorhomes. Production was carried out by Mike and Mal, supported by their wives Pat and Laraine.

By todays standards the production was a bit amateurish and the media used was home movie grade Super-8, but the brothers background in Television and print media in Newcastle NSW, made it compelling viewing. Their pioneering use of Super-8 film made it the new standard used by television of the day!

Later the Leyland Brothers made other TV programming which was equally successful and has paved the way for some of todays TV lifestyle programs.

A later series - Leyland's Australia Episode 1: Brisbane To Rockhampton

I'm sure that the Leylands contributed to todays Grey Nomad movement.

You can read more here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyland_brothers

You can also watch more on Youtube - Search on "Leyland Brothers"

Today you will find that Mal is still travelling and his daughter Carmen also has the travel bug! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063733774809

''Where the hell are we, Mike?" "Buggered if I know, Mal. ''
Paul Hogan Show 1973–1984, Season 4, Episode 5

Preparation for Travel - Houdini Proofing

Before we can go away there are some tasks needed to be completed

One is to fully dog proof the property to allow for the possibly for a house sitter to manage our older two dogs, Mac and Cody who are not good travellers.

Mac has always been uncomfortable traveling, unhappy with vehicle motion.

Cody is now partially blind and becoming quite deaf.

Our last trip Cody was under the opinion that the Motorhome was in its parking spot at home and would become disoriented at night when he found out otherwise.

Buffy and Bambi love to travel!

There is a gap under the downhill side fence to the adjoining property

Some treated pine logs 150mm x 2.4M works well.
Gap be gone!

The missing panel in our front gates and fence was small dog sized.

The concept drawing.

Some progress shots of the reality. The paint is still wet here and the colour is not a match. Should be Colorbond Pale Eucalyptus. A trip to Bunnings in the future will fix that.

A tad noticeable. At least it wasn't this colour!

This is a real colour!

Then the last bit

A heavy rubber flap added to the gap on the gate.
It was a battle between the green ants, wind and the odd brief shower but we won in the end.

Now we can get rid of the ugly rusty portable dog fencing!

Now to have a major sort inside

More to come.....

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Merry Christmas

Friday, December 16, 2022

A Funeral

Sunday, November 6, 2022

A Dog Fence and a Camber Problem

We are not traveling due to family commitments, but it doesn't stop us preparing and planning the next trip.

A Solution

We have a solution to keeping our dogs safe and secure and are looking forward to trialling this, the Inflatafence. Much lighter and quick to set up, made out of similar material that Military Inflatable boats (RIB) are made from.

Not our photo or Motorhome, but you get the idea - from

https://inflatablepontoons.com/pages/inflatafence

We will show our experience with the Inflatafene with our four footed family members here once we get the time.

A Problem

As you most likely noticed, the bottom tyre is showing excessive wear on the outer edge. This is most likely due to a Camber problem that is often discussed in the IVECO motorhome discussion groups.

Sunliner are responsible for their content and leave IVECO to look after theirs. The Camber issue will be reported to the Newcastle IVECO Service Centre, who according to others experience will refer us to a truck suspension specialist and will pick up the tab if a Camber Kit is required to fix it.

Why this is not picked up and fixed before delivery?

Lucky we are not going anywhere.......

Sunday, September 18, 2022

A Day Outing in the Motorhome

We decided to take the motorhome for a day trip to Stockton. We would have normally gone though Hinton, but there are major roadworks and road closures happening.

We took the four dogs with us and had a leisurely drive via Raymond Terrace to Stockton. Not far from the ferry wharf and overlooking the Hunter River at Newcastle we fond a nice park.

The dogs enjoyed their walk, but the weather was nice except for the strong winds.

I took the Amateur Radio callbacks

VK2RNC 2M call backs of the VK2WI ARNSW morning news were taken by Paul VK2APA/P set up at Stockton Park overlooking Newcastle. Thank you to those who called in.

... and due to the wind we dined indoors.

Saturday, July 23, 2022

The Hayshed Concert at Largs

Within walking distance - A great afternoon and evening for all age groups. Talented musicians supporting the headline "Ukulele Death Squad". A truly memorable time! By the end everyone was up and dancing!