NEW......T36 Alternator Recall

[timsarg]

Originally Posted by russell w

Hi guys, going on an outback trip Birdsville track etc. Worried about the alternator dropping it's lunch out there, so decided to buy a new one to take with me. Rang jeep, nil stock australia $395 six to eight weeks. Just ordered one from ebay $373.00. Hopefully won't need it this trip, but sooner or later it will probably die.
regards Russell

is yours playing up ?

If not why not just buy another GC and tow it with you on your trip .

i go bush regularily and like drover just carry gaffa tape and zip ties . that's all you need

[russell w]

No the alternator is working well, but is one of the known things that will stop you dead. if a sensor goes you still have limp mode to keep you going, sort of. I do have plenty of zip ties and tape as well and an extra spare tyre, fuel and air filters.
I am travelling with 2 friends with landcruisers, so imagine the crap that will come my way if the jeep shits itself.
If the alternator doesn't die in the next 2 years, I could resell it here.

[drover]

I have a WA mate stopping in for a maintenance period this weekend, he carries a spare alternator as well, so I will be able to have a decent lookie....................... When my alternator in the Colorado went up in flames on a trip a few years back I had another in 2 days freighted to me, I had previously researched the details so no drama making sure I was getting the correct one, at least it lived at the top of the motor not buried like these ones.

[Grippy]

I carry a spare alternator for long trips as it's one of those show stopper things if she bites the dust.
The Birdsville Tk is a lonely place, nothing out there mate, def take a second spare and make sure you have some good tough rubber all round.
Phil at Mungerannie has a selection of spares, interesting how he reckons to air down to mid 20's and his tyre bloke reckons keep the pressures high to avoid the sidewall bulging and being slashed.
Your ride will be the most comfortable and economical out of your convoy with the Toyota's

[SouthernComfort]

Russell W, a hundred things can go wrong with ANY car, I don't know how old yours is but I think carrying a spare alternator for such a trip is cheap insurance. I went one step further and just replaced mine at 5 y/o. The original was working fine but so for how much longer? They are prone to failure on the GC. I was haunted by the prospect of catastrophic consequences of a failure with caravan on the back (in my case), or being far from civilization. Carry that spare mate, along with a spare fuel pump relay. Makes good sense.

[timsarg]

Originally Posted by russell w

No the alternator is working well, but is one of the known things that will stop you dead. if a sensor goes you still have limp mode to keep you going, sort of. I do have plenty of zip ties and tape as well and an extra spare tyre, fuel and air filters.
I am travelling with 2 friends with landcruisers, so imagine the crap that will come my way if the jeep shits itself.
If the alternator doesn't die in the next 2 years, I could resell it here.

the alternator problem is not as wide spread as it is made out to be, not sure why you think it's such a high chance it's going to die .

[SouthernComfort]

Originally Posted by timsarg

the alternator problem is not as wide spread as it is made out to be, not sure why you think it's such a high chance it's going to die .

It's about risk mitigation. Some people don't worry, others prefer to take preventative measures. There have been enough cases of catastrophic alternator failure to make it worth some attention and if you're in the bush or towing, the consequences of a failure would be even worse. Unlike failure of many other components, alternator failure results in shut down, sometimes even fire, and without warning. A sudden shut down of the vehicle systems at 100kph anywhere is something nobody would want to experience.
The only problem with relying on carrying a spare as opposed replacing one that's still functioning but aging, is you have to endure a failure before knowing it's time to get the spare out! And then hope the failure didn't land you in deep shit in the process.
I preferred to replace my 5y/o original while still working, failure while towing 2.5t would be unthinkable. The (functioning) old one can still be carried as the spare if necessary, I don't bother but I will replace again after 5-6 years.
We're all different.