Help with KK renovation ideas.

[Blinky Bill]

Hello chaps - I'm not new to reading on here, but brand new to asking questions. So please forgive if I've posted this to the wrong section.

Retirement has all but arrived for me. One of the things I'm planning is to have a look at my 2000 Kimberley Kamper to try to give the old girl a face lift, plus get a few things working or at least working better for decent long trips.

Confession time - Mechanically I'm pretty dim. Not entirely hopeless but very close to it. 

On my list of 'must does' for my Kamper - we're it's 3rd owner.
1. Water tank - Is there anyway known to man to actually remove the plastic water tank for a thorough clean-out or perhaps even a replacement tank? Missus fancies a stainless steel replacement.
I've spoken with Kimberley at their Ballina factory, who say the water tank can not be removed. If that's true, it seems like a major design fault to me, and I'm working on a way around it.
So far my lame attempts to clean the tank have been trying to flush it from hose into inlet and out the overflow tap on the tank. Blind Freddy can see that the position of the overflow tap is not going to allow all of the crud to be eliminated from the base of the tank. Which is of course where sediment settles.
I've got a handy mate visiting me in a couple of months and he's one of those 'jump in first thing about it afterwards' kind of blokes. I can see his solution being an angle grinder, remove and clean and then 'how do we secure it back in'?

2. Tyres and wheels - I'd wager that the tyres are 2000 vintage. I guess you can get away with more in trailers but 15 years seems to me to be well overdue.
I'm thinking about visiting tyre shops in my local area and seeing if I can get 3 suitable replacements. For example maybe they have had some trade-ins off a 4x4 that would fit my Kamper. Does that sound the way to go?

Wheels - While structurally fine, I thought it may make a nice 'retirement present' to dress up the wheels after 15 years of banging up and down tracks.
One idea is to find someone who can sand blast it back and spray. I've no idea who though.
Another is a simple swap to new wheels for something like Sunraysia wheels but silver or black preferably.
Yet another is that I would simply have them sprayed or even do it myself.
Anyone offer suggestions please?

That's it Gents any help, comments or what ever would be most welcome.

Cheers - WD

[ATC]

Tyre size would be handy.

Seems like most people try to match Rim / Tyres with the tow vehicle, so you have a few additional spares & can better rotate them.
Have you considered this?

Starting point for a Sandblast & Paint is a panel beater, if you can't get the water tank out what else is in there that isn't user accessible and won't like being sandblasted / painted?

[Muckinhell]

i had a sandblaster strip some rims of mine years ago and then powder coat them was only like $50 and powder coat is stronger than paint too. otherwise gumtree for a suitable set to suit your car and get a trailer place to re stub the rims to suit so all wheels match, will prob get some decent tyres on the rims to so may not need to look or replace those tyres.

[Never enough time]

Having suffered significant problems 110km from the top of Cape York this year in my 2003 KK due to a shock absorber/ dampener failure, the first thing I would do after buying three NEW GOOD tyres is replace the shock absorbers.
They are probably OME Nitrochargers, you get them from OME (N93?)  around $300 a pair, you can fit them yourself very easily. Just check the limiter strap looks OK as well while you are at it.
I looked at replacing the shocks before I went, but I really thought they would be up to it as despite being 12 years old they had only done 50 000km, wrong, only cost me an extra $1000 in other costs!
Got the hint about the tyres?
If you get a puncture on your vehicle you should pick it up before it becomes dangerous, you won't pick it up if it's on your CT, until you see the sparks from running on the rim. Just get good tyres, I saw some statistic like 90% of punctures arise in a tyres last 30% of it's life.

Other things I'd consider is buying one or two LED strips and attaching them to your centre roof bow or centre vertical roof arm. Another place that benefits froma small LED stip is under the bed lid so when you lift your bed at night to access your clothes in the draw, you have good light.
You can consider riging a LED strip up to hang off the canvas or a pole  near your kitchen and power it from the Navra outlets on your battery case
Do you know for certain your water tank has rubbish in it? On mine there is a drain bung at the rear back, I've never been game to open it in case I strip the thread. I've just kept my tanks full and they are fine
Not too sure why you worry, if you ever look at the bottom of a farm rainwater tank you'll be surprised what's in the bottom of that!
Yet the residents will swear by rainwater and disparage town water.


Make sure you grease the two nipples on the hydraulic overide brakes?
If you aren't mechanically up to it, had your wheel bearings professionally checked?
How's your jockey wheel, is it hard rubber or pneumatic which goes down easily?
How about an egg shell top to go on the foam mattress, I was amazed how much that improved our bed.
Not sure where you are in relation to Ballina, but why not consider giving it to them for a once over and service (wheel bearing check). They need it for about a month, they fit it in duiring slack periods.

Having some rims with "bling" would be way down the list for me, if you use the KK for what it's designed for they are only going to be stone blasted again.
OK if you are only going to travel the bitumen probably bling is good?

Best of luck to your Bill, I'm 10 years away from weighing the employemnt anchor and heading off, it's about the only senior thing I can't wait for.

[Blinky Bill]

Thanks Gents for your replies and advice. Much appreciated

I'll definitely look into 3 NEW tyres then.


Cheers - Wayne D

[Kimber]

G'day Wayne,

I would be more inclined to look at your Kimberley from a maintenance point of view. Our KK is a year 2000 Kakadu and I have recently replaced the shocks, treg hitch block, flexible gas lines plus a new set of replacement tyres. The suggestion to fit an eggshell bedding layer is a good idea, my other half swears by ours, the water tank, you are stuck with what you have, there should be a drain cock tap so flush it via that or disconnect the outlet hose and drain it that way. Some LED lighting is also a great addition.

I have a long list of mods/additions that have been done to ours but most require handyman electrical/mechanical abilities and associated tools, if you are interested contact me direct and I can give you specific details to indicate that it is possible to achieve added facilities/convenience without going to extremes.

Leigh