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Foden is becoming a little (big) workhorse


paulob1

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SO I had the good fortune to buy the Foden GS from Mark some time ago, she has done little until this year when we have used her for hay collections and deliveries, for moving my manitou telehandler about and now she is moving my 13 ton digger too. A very reliable and healthy truck, with good grunt even if she has the heaviest clutch I have ever used...

 

one day i would love to fit a full 350 with automatic gearbox, that would be a pleasure of a truck to drive..

 

now where do i get one from...

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that is a manitou, not a mankini...the foden clutch is on its way out now gone so its a bit of weekend work ..typical it is needed this week...will have to get GS 2 oiut, but she doesnt have the mega winch on her...so she isnt as useful for moving things although the ramps are a bit longer and a ton heavier so they work better when loading the JS130...

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  • 2 weeks later...

clutch out and off to be redone, it was the flyswheel plate wharped and twisted, getting new one cut and fitted and having the plates done too so she should be a really happy bunny now with the selectro screwed on properly new clutch and flywheel surfaces all flat she should get full power at all speeds and loads...cab needs welding though...

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this foden is the bees knees, am a true foden fan, ultra reliable and no fancy sensors or air connections to keep going wrong, pulls with her n/a eagle engine anything, not quickly when loaded but she keeps going. my only change to this girl would be to fit the 350 eagle with auto box, that would make her a dream to run...but to be honest its a n event driving her with the gearchanges. it makes the whole drive that bit more interesting.

 

and yes my daf is forever having air leaks. i hope to buy a wreck daf one daf and fit the engine and box and see how that makes her go...but as with all these things I am one man on his own and until i get the museum set up with proper workshops I am beating a dead horse...

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Fodens were sold as ultra reliable. I have a friend who had a 6by4 tipper that could catch pigeons, If he was going in the opposite direction it was always lean to passengers side and get shot blasted as he went by. That had a Cat engine. Another had an 8 legger with a Cat and always use less fuel and mostly did an extra load daily, than the Swedish compitition. These trucks were built in an age of finding out the most suitable bhp per ton was very often left to the senior driver and his preference.

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Politicians and Bankers. Worst of all people in charge with no long term interest or vision. Clutch problems if there is not a mechanical reason or breakage usualy start with one driver who cannot or will not use the lower gear ratios to pull away or manoeuvre. Albion are still the go to company for Jonny foreigner to get the best diffs and important transmision parts in the world.

Edited by john1950
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interesting and now we have no truck manufacturing in the UK...how the UK has been left behind...

 

Better tell that to the workforce at the DAF factory in Leyland. They assemble more wagons a year than the Motors every did. Also there are probably some chaps in Guilford who may dispute the comment

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We do still have that understated company JCB, beavering away. Doing both design and build as well as assembly. If we can call it ours the F1 industry is at the cutting edge of next generation development. (Excuse the pun) Over the years saftey features and engineering developments trickle through to our road vehicles. So I do not think all is lost. Are Unipower still running? Dennis still exists. Examples from abroad are not infalible A recent delivery of a well known brand from a country we love to hate of two units, resulted in one being returned solicitors letters exchanged and a New replacement being supplied. Keep opposing veiws alive do not let them go the way of the British motor industry. We can still see the whole gambit of the best of British alive and kicking at the weekends when like mindeds meet, but everyone is welcome. Now back to work where did I put that wooden spoon.;)

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cannot beat my foden, a solid reliable but now rusty trusted truck that starts first time if the batteries are good and runs beautifully now the clutch is new and the flywheel sorted...needs a few gators replacing soon and will need a new set of tyres all round as these are now getting old and cracked...will go all metric and save a lot of hassle...

 

could do with a lighter clutch though...oh for an automatic gearbox...

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Fodens were the truck of choice for Showmen years ago. Some still have them, as do some Owner Drivers, like you. If you want an automatic when it goes wrong its not as easy or cheap as a manual to repair and the fuel consumption is not as good. Swings and roundabouts. Less fatigue.

Edited by john1950
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yes but this truck does maybe 1000 miles a year...the auto would be a long time before it was over used or worn out...assuming minimum 1,000,000 kms, the 350 bhp over 220 is a real bonus too...would make the drive just that much easier and I cannot see it being that big a job...just too much for my team at the moment..

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