Investigation suggests the pad between the top (main) leaf and second leaf has moved forward (left in the pic), causing a bend in the main leaf where there shouldn't be a bend.

The springs are parabolic. The pads keep the leaves separate while allowing them to move relative to each other. The reduced friction, conventional leaf springs have the full length of each leaf in contact so lots of friction, allows a softer feel to the same length spring.

But comes with downsides ....

Diagnosis first. Its taken a few days to work out what is happening. How to repair later. A different thought process.

Very informative we spent a couple of hours there. Asking interminable questions, stored up over weeks with noone informed enough to answer them.

We are now experts in the common dragon fly, and how to tell the very different male from the female ......

Having realised that the campsite is not full, that all permits have not been allocated, the decision to stay an extra week took about the blink of an eye.

In between all the questions the extra week was organised.

Most unusual, in our normal experience the ranger offices refer such requests elsewhere. Perhaps not surprising, we have heard nothing but good reports about the rangers in this park. Happy to confirm.

I guess they really mean "human safety".

Around the wetlands south and east of the campsites.

There's a 4wd track around it. We figure if we take a shortcut we can knock a few km off. Peter and Margaret volunteered to drop us off part way round while they drove.

The track is through the "generator area" campground.

We met a red-tailed black cockatoo.

We disturb a small flock at the airport each time we pass, but are unsuccessful at taking pics.

The land has not yet dried enough to force the birds to congregate.

The 4wd track leaves the billabong and heads south west from the south west corner to meet the main road near the Black Point road. We will hopefully follow the edge of the billabong north and avoid several km of walking on road.

A future dining out spot?

We follow the edge of the billabong, about 30m into the bush, keeping the water on our right.

We are hopeful as we cross a small grass covered sand dune, but after a couple of km we find ourselves pushed increasingly north west by the water, through heavier bush.

We then see a small patch of water to our left.

Discretion is the better part of valour. We are feeling tired and don't want to find ourselves trapped. We retrace our footsteps to the 4wd track.

This of course requires some effort, we notice we are stumbling a bit.

We drink our remaining water and refill, several times, from the bore.

Ali stays at the bore while I, walking faster, return to our campsite.

I pick up Ali in the truck.

Peter and Margaret had realised the 4wd track was a long way round so made another circuit some time after they had dropped us off. They must have driven past while we were bush bashing.

A diesel leak prevented another run. The radio reception was poor.

But all's well ...... and nice to know we have a back stop - it doesn't make us more adventurous, but we feel safer should things turn really bad.

The weight taken off the spring by jacking between axle and chassis. A crow bar and heavy screwdriver to force leaves apart. The delinquent pad removed.

The "lug" that sits in an oval hole in the spring leaf is still intact. A sigh of relief.

The lug is a bit distorted and needs a sliver removing to make it fit the hole again. I lost track of the orientation as I removed it. The right edge in the pic has a slight overhang, the left edge worn to about a 45 degree angle.

Thoroughly clean pad and leaf, and apply some superglue. There is not much load trying to pull the pad out of its location. Its mostly in shear as the leaves slide against each other. The lug is designed to stop that movement.

Not as big a gap as on the left hand spring but a big improvement on no gap. It will probably settle a bit differently after driving.

There remains a slight residual bend in the main leaf where the pad had moved to. Time will tell whether I need to replace the spring.

I would be a tad happier if the pad sat a little more towards the end of the leaf it locates in, more under the pin that holds the spring, more like the other side spring.

Particular attention to be paid during the daily inspections.

A hasty retreat inside as the sun disappears. Contact spray on the insect screens and airborn spray to keep everything else at bay. So far not as bad as Malabanjbanjdju and really no worse than most places.