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leyland daf 8x6 drops info


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  • 3 weeks later...
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just got a reply from daf uk, and they said the daf drops never had a type approval number!? wtf am i supposed to do about filling out the v55/5 registration form then? leave that part blank and hope dvla accept the form 654 mod form?

I read on this link post No 7. http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?34853-First-Registration-Leyland-Daf-45-150-4x4-Cargo

That daf uk supplied him with the type number etc..

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thats exactly what i have done :-) just sent it off, no we wait and see?

 

they are not being helpful at all these days, it feels like you are breaking the law just by talking to them, they make you feel like criminals in asking them to do anything...the DVLA and VOSA are the worst of British irrelevant organisations trying to justify their existence...just my opinion...

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
no not at all, its self straightens when the rack touches the rollers, just make sure it hits the rollers :-)

the hardest bit is aligning the vehicle onto the ramp when your on your own.

 

I used to train guys on DROPS as an instructor within the RCT, I notice from the video the flat rack is of the later type which is fitted with rollers such as the civilian rack have today, initially the racks had no rollers and the hardest part was lifting the rack onto the vehicle without ANY movement of earth under the rear part of the rack as it leaves the ground. Don't ask me why it mattered but that was the standard of training at the time. We would set the racks down on grass and upon picking up any damage to the surface would result in a fail!!! I hammered these new DROPS at Driffield on the cross country course, instructions were to try to break them to seek out issues before mass deployment.

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Any photos you can share from your time on Drops? And did you find any issues...

 

regards

 

nick

 

 

I used to train guys on DROPS as an instructor within the RCT, I notice from the video the flat rack is of the later type which is fitted with rollers such as the civilian rack have today, initially the racks had no rollers and the hardest part was lifting the rack onto the vehicle without ANY movement of earth under the rear part of the rack as it leaves the ground. Don't ask me why it mattered but that was the standard of training at the time. We would set the racks down on grass and upon picking up any damage to the surface would result in a fail!!! I hammered these new DROPS at Driffield on the cross country course, instructions were to try to break them to seek out issues before mass deployment.
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Reading with interest you thread, but as a commercial Hookloader operator and having had some seat of the pants experiences with 18 tonne on you back, can I ask does the Leyland or Foden system have a plate locking system to the rear which locks plate to the hook gear ?

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Any photos you can share from your time on Drops? And did you find any issues...

 

regards

 

nick

 

Hi Nick, I have added a couple of photo's, first one I am crouching down on right of cab, second one was backloading a L/R that was sick........I found no faults with the DROPS as such and they were a workhorse but I had them from brand new out of the wrapper ex factory don't forget! one test was I used to take them through a river and bog it down, then off load the empty rack and push yourself out using the rack, fantastic piece of machinery. Spent a lot of time in BAOR out on the road for days at a time with a section of 6 or 7 vehicles in my command, we all had trailers and fully loaded with ammunition. Useful for getting the sleeping bag out and grabbing a few hours in the cab behind the seats too.

Very interesting to see how we used to load the trailer with a rack, very versatile and fast. Oh there was also a DROP designed for loading/off loading racks from railway trucks, quite a different procedure that was. Hope you find it interesting. Regards Adrian

 

 

LR backloaded with DROP.jpg

Army (3) 001.jpg

Edited by 24255436
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Thanks Adrian, always nice to see them in service . Would like to see this manoeuvre you and someone else has mentioned about using the rack to extricate the truck.

 

Saw this Foden DROPS today at the AEC rally in Newark alongside a Mily. Noticed the wheels on the back of the rack.

 

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Hi Nic, those are really good clear photo's you have taken thanks for that. Ahhh memories..........its been quite a few years since I had my hands on one of those DROPS but seems like yesterday when I see photo's, yeah notice the flat rack wheels but not in my day, it was done the right way ha!

I never got my hands on the Foden DROP but colleagues tell me they were not as good as the Scammell/Leyland DAF. I must have a look to see if I have any close up shots of the rack for you to see the difference. One interesting point of note was that we were excused Kevlar camo helmets (the later heavy type) whilst driving on exercise, the M.O was inundated with complaints of neck pain from the lads due to bouncing around in the cab X country............On the point of self recovery with the rack, it was a fantastic asset and remember first time I did this, water up to the doors of the cab, thick mud and all wheels spinning, I deployed the empty rack and true enough out we came very slowly. After about 4 or 5 actions just re-engage the rack back onto vehicle and drive out. One thing to remember though was you never ever entered a river of unknown depth without an empty flat rack loaded!!!!!

Edited by 24255436
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Hi Nick, great photo's of the DROPS. Worries me when I think I had one of these new out of the box and to look now they are in private hands, with their army working life over, I feel old now ha! Just out of interest have you ever come across the S.R.T.E rack on a DROP vehicle, (Simple Rail Transfer Equipment) I used to operate one of these at railheads some times when on exercise. The rack was designed for picking up loaded flat racks and placing them on or off rail trucks, It could be operated remotely via a plug in 10m length lead which attached to a box of tricks with a joystick and was held around the operators waist for comfort and ease of operation. Alternatively the system could be operated from a small platform just behind the cab via fixed hydraulic levers. The racks were lifted via two big swinging arms hoists front and rear which had chains connected and these fitted into the four corners of the rack, it took a while to get used to get perfect control as you had to swing both beams out or back together in order to keep the rack level and stable. I have yet to see one in private hands probably because of the limited use. I have a video of myself operating one of these as I used to travel around the country as part of a DROP display team just before I left service. Will root out any photo's I have lurking in the depths of the loft and post them on here for all to see. By the way I notice you have a Militant, lovely looking vehicles especially the MK3, a favourite of mine! would love to see pic and a know a little history about it.

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Here are a few photo's just retrieved from the loft, first one shows mid operation of unloading a rack from the DROPS trailer which may not been seen often if at all at events ? The second one shows two DROPS with the one on the left having S.R.T.E equipment on its back. Last one shows a rack being deployed onto the ground, unfortunately cant see too clearly re the no wheels. Any TM fans I have a few pics clearly showing reg numbers in case you may own one of them!Army 2 015.jpg

Army 2 006.jpg

Army 2 014.jpg

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