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Eager Beaver's


antarmike

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I have just bought a second Eager Beaver APFLT. It's military number is 04 FZ 01 Serial number is 592 and it was ordered on contract MO 5121

 

Can anyone shed light on it's build date, or fill in any history?

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I dont know whether they are plant or not, They can run on road at 40+mph and tow two trailers.

 

I think they were classed as MHE, Mechanical Handling Equipment. Plant was known as "C" vehicles. The trailers that were used were airportable and broke down in to pieces, think they only had a handbrake on them, it has been a while since I last saw one.

 

Neat little trick that would fool anyone who had not driven on before, was to set the rear steering on a bit of lock, then set the hydraulic cocks back to front steer only. Get the novice to move it, he cannot understand why the vehicle is crabbing :-D. To be honest the machine was an abortion, it needed a bit more attention to it before it was taken into service. The wings would break off with vibration, hence why a lot are missing them. The pedal box could be destructed by folding the mast back without sideshifting to the left........at least they gave us plenty of work repairing them. :)

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eagerbeaver001-1.jpg

Mine has been fitted with a roll cage, I am not sure whether it stays or goes..

Hi Mike,

Ours has the same roll cage. It came from a construction company (the name escapes me - but it's still plastered all over it. McCabe? rings a bell). I'd hazard a guess someone was buying them at auction and converting them for civvy construction site use. The roll cage is great as it gives you something to hold onto and is great for keeping low tree branches out of your hair! I'll get a photo next time I'm up at the farm.

- Mike

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Here's ours:

EagerBeaver2.jpg

 

EagerBeaver1.jpg

 

It's a bit unloved but that's always the way with plant :cry:

 

Nice useful machine but I'd hate to take one on the road. It's bad enough to keep in the right direction just up and down the yard! Oh yes & it has minimal brakes, knackered steering box, wrong engine, dead clutch m/c, flat batteries and side shift lever broken...

 

The aftermarket seat is good as it reclines, so if the people on the ground are taking to long you can tilt it back and catch some rays :cool:

 

- Mike

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Minehad been on Dutch Cabbage harvesting around Boston. I thought the cage was a farmers addition. I didn't have it down as having been in Construction. Thanks.

 

I drove it back 40 mile at up to 35 mph, in the rain! Didn't get into top High ratio for more than 200 yds. That scared me!!

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.

 

Didn't get into top High ratio for more than 200 yds. That scared me!!

 

:-D:-D:-D You really needed the full harness seat belt to hold you in, I once tried top gear in High ratio and hit a bump, scared the pants of me. Have you noticed how when pulling away in 2WD, the nearside front wheel spins, with no weight on that side?

 

I suppose it served its purpose as being a lightweight airportable pallet handler when first introduced, but doubtful whether it could pass safety standards nowadays.

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Mike, How long have you had that one, is there any chance Melrae still trade?

No hits on Google so I guess not!

 

I suppose we've had it about 8 years. I think it came from R&R or similar with no engine. One of the guys fitted a 4-pot Bedford diesel but the original hydraulic pump drive arrangement wouldn't fit so he made it belt-driven. If you try to lift too much the belts squeal and you have to put another couple of turns on the tensioner! I broke the side shift when I caught the lever on a fence post while reversing down the narrow track in our field. When the lever got caught it rammed the J60 engine I was moving on a pallet into the fence and then the valve block casting broke and I couldn't move the load back. It took about half an hour of shunting to get the forklift about 2 feet to the left to extricate the the J60 from the fence!

 

Oh, and did I mention it takes half a gallon of easy-start to get it to fire up:argh:.

 

It really is a god-awful POS but very useful :-D

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ps. note that ours has the optional extra front and rear side light and indicator guards made from bent rebar :idea:.

 

It looks like the same conversion as yours so I wonder what the story is? The roll bar is well made and well engineered - could it be a military modification?

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I dont think roll bar is military. It stops the mast folding right back, so no longer airportable, but they have removed the whole of the floor, seat base, steering box, pedals etc and moved them up 50mm to allow cross members to run through underneath. On mine all this and the roll cage only made it into primer. The Army would have painted it green if they had done it. (I guess)

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Does anyone have a source for parts for these?

 

We were talking about doing the job properly and making it more usable but we need the following to do it:

- complete engine

- hydraulic control valve mechanism

- steering box

- clutch seals or master cyl.

 

- Mike

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I bought this one for spares. Immediately I need the steering Valve for mine, Speedo.

 

I am hoping to keep it running by putting the worse bits on the new one and the best bits on my first one.

 

I have advertised for spares in the MVT windscreen, but no replies...

 

I need a Water pump for this one though!

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I have advertised for spares in the MVT windscreen, but no replies...

 

I need a Water pump for this one though!

 

 

Mike,

 

The engine is a Perkins 4.236, which was used in Massey Ferguson tractors, at the time when they owned Perkins. There may be a different pulley, but I bet the pump is similar.

 

I know a chap who runs a business doing tent hire, he finds the Eager Beaver ideal as they are fairly light when using on lawns, etc. He has been scouring for parts as well. Because they were made by ROF, they are a mixed bag of parts, I think someone went to the Ordnance stores and looked to see that suitable parts were on the shelf. :-D

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