Irony is My Strong Point . . .

Off to Couplers and change the parallel plug for a taper and also to get a few other fittings for what I have in mind and another 5 metres of tubing to plumb it all together. Even these plugs seem just a little undersized and I have to use LOTS of teflon sealing tape to eventually get them to seal. However, fire up the motor and let it idle while building up air pressure and lots more soapy water and all is sealed. YES !!!

Now how to actually make use of it. One of the jobs will no doubt be to pump up the tires from time to time. When the new tyres were fitted I decided to spring for some magic beads. Yes. I was a bit suspicious too. But a little bit of searching round and reading up and it seemed like a good idea even though about $35/tyre. There are a couple of alternatives in this field, powder, granules and beads. None of them take too kindly to moisture in the tyre. So I really need some kind of water trap before I pump air into the tyres and the ability to regulate the pressure may be nice at times. I have used this type of regulator/water trap in my workshop for many years and they are quite good and not very expensive at around$65 (courtesy of Couplers again).























The problem is where to put it. While they are industrial and I have seen some operating in execrable conditions they are not really designed to be mounted on a truck. It occurred to me that the small compressor I mounted for pumping up the air suspension for the accommodation unit is now pretty well redundant. It could only be used for that one purpose and the new compressed air system is much more useful and can be used for that purpose as well. So out with the old compressor and mount the regulator in the box I had provided for the compressor.























Now I have a standard quick-fit air coupler as well to which I can attach any standard air line and tool. Much betterer! Run up the truck again, lots more soapy water and all is well.
An interesting side effect that I have noticed is that the brakes lose pressure more slowly when parked now as a result of the increased volume of air in the system. In this vintage of truck there is a bit of a problem with the tanks and lines being made of steel. All the new ones are plastic and aluminium. The steel tends to rust over time even with driers in the system and small flakes get into the control valves and they tend to leak. I enquired of the service manager at the Isuzu dealers and he said that as long as the truck was maintaining pressure in use it was not worth replacing the valves as they would surely leak again within a week.

Managed to finally empty the last drops of fuel from the old fuel tank and the 3 drums I brought back when I purchased the truck. They all had some rust flakes etc. in the bottom so I needed to filter the fuel before adding it to the tank. A messy and slow operation but it needed to be done before I dispose of them all.

Actually all the little bits and pieces required have taken up quite a lot of time and today seemed to be open house day with 3 of my friends calling around for long pre-Xmas chats as we will all be with our own families for this time and wont catch up again 'til after.

A general finish off and tidy up day.

The remaining items on the truck itself seem to be; bull bar, storage boxes, towing hitch and lights. Apart from the bull bar they all interact with the accommodation unit to a certain degree so I think I am going to have to make a serious start on that "some time soon" before I finalise all the other bits.

The irony is that when I have covered up all the bits I have done to date it will start to look like I have actually done something!