New Tyres Lead to More Discoveries

We had the tires replaced today with the help of Uncle Aume at Dunlop Alotau. He managed to get us a staff discount at their Port Moresby office and we paid K260 (US$68) for 245/75R16 tyres. A pretty cool deal!

Our cost for the 5 tires totaled to K1,460 (US$380) – much less than I had initially anticipated. However, while the tires were off I discovered a couple of problems.

The Isuzu MU Wizard raised up and ready for new tires.

It turns CV axles on both sides of the vehicle have been removed. It is not really necessary in a city environment but is required for 4 wheel driving. However, I also discovered that the rear sway bar is broken.

We had to break the wheel stud in order to remove the tire.

A broken rear sway bar.

The CV axles are also missing.

I also confirmed the park/emergency brake cables are broken and we had to brake one of the wheel studs because it was stuck.

The next thing on my list is to fix the passenger and drivers seats, clean the interior and then fix the brake cables. As easy as it sounds, it will be a challenge to find the required parts.

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Interior Cleaning – Driver’s Seat

So I’ve started cleaning the interior beginning with the driver’s seat. The seats have collected dust over the years and I frankly not healthy for use. The interior is very dirty and will require a lot of cleaning. Anyway, I have started with the driver’s seat and I’m working my way around. I had initially wanted to have it vacuumed but after seeing this video I decided to give it a try. The seats are not in spectacular condition, but I have gotten rid of the dust and it is much better than it was. I also had to clean the bottom slider so the seat would move freely. It had hardened dirt could hardly move. I clean it using a carb cleaner which was a mistake. It turns out carb cleaner has paint thinner and stripped some of the paint. Driver's seat is much cleaner now. This was easily fixed with a bit of sandpapering and a coat of paint. I plan to have all the seats cleaned by the end of the week. Unfortunately, I have just met another obstacle – a dead battery.

Welcome to 2022 - What Have We Been Up To

It has been a while since I posted and here is an update on what we have been doing lately. Firstly, the Isuzu MU Wizard has been grounded. There is a leak in the head gasket which is forcing pressure into the cooling system. This has resulted in radiator bursting. After repairing the radiator for a second time, I decided to ground the vehicle. However, we have also purchased a Toyota Hilux LN106 double cab. The truck is a base model and does not come with the extra features you might find like air conditioning or cup holders...but it is one of the best light trucks ever. Anyway, back to the MU Wizard, we are hoping to put some work into the truck this year and hopefully get her back on the road. This will include replacing the head gaskets ( or we might just do a rebuild ) and getting its four wheel axles (front axles) back. I've also set my eyes on putting sound deadener and getting the air condition control unit fixed. Its a lot of work, but we already have a sponsor willing

A Busted Radiator, A Blessing in Disguise

In my last posted I told you about my busted radiator. However, what I did not tell you was that with my vehicle grounded, I am now walking to work and back everyday. This is one of the best things that has happened to me in a long while. Ever since I got a vehicle, I have gained weight and I believe it is because I am not as active as I used to be. When I was in school (high school and college) I would walk. There were basically two reasons for that. Firstly, I did not like the crowding in buses. The other was because I did not have enough money to spend on public transport everyday. So when I was in Grade 12 I used to walk from our house at Telikom village in Waigani to Gordon every day and back. In college, I would catch a bus from Waigani bus stop to 4 Mile and then walk down to DBTI. It was my daily routine and exercise. I continued this practice until I started working, and then taking public transport became necessary. However, when I bought my first vehicle (a used T

Bernard's Isuzu MU Wizard Journey

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