cosrec Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Both the Martians i had a funny bobble thing welded to the clutch pedal and a piece of chain bolted to the floor i was told when i bought the first one it was the manufacturers remedy for the sticking clutch problem when it was parked up you were supposed to press the clutch and lock it down. Other problems I had two transfer boxes lost their drive in low ratio fitted second/hand transfers boxes as they were cheap but told they had an inherent fault in them and not to use low range. Lost all drive one day when towing a large mobile crane . it broke both half shafts on N/S walking beam when hit black ice going up a hill . One came through the bolt on cover at back of beam axle arrangement. Kept knocking U/Joints out of shaft between gear box and transfer box despite sending away for alignment checks and balancing. Broke drive for winch on cast drum that had winch brake on it but to be fair you could see poor casting marks in it. Power steering was a problem but i sorted that by fitting a very large accumalator of a pea viner and a scania hydraulic pump. Spare set of points and and condenser/coil carried on board as these seemed to fail for no apparent reason Despite following hand book to letter when fitting and literary checking gap and lubrication after every run. starter problems could usually be sorted with a swift blow with a hammer but did try rebuilding starter motors a couple of times. Changed fuel pump on engine more times than i did my underpants the one in the fuel tank (electric) was eventually changed for a mini one which was run of a single 12 volt supply the one on the engine was by passed. Exhaust system was virtually treated as consumable item as we seemed to have to repair it after ever run out regardless of whether we used proper parts or our own mods this was cured in the end by by fitting a diesel engine. There where hundred of other little faults with the martian as a vehicle but push came to shove they did the job. Summing up they had the same fault a lot of MOD vehicles have the MOD lay down the specs for the vehicles and the manufacturers supply the vehicles and name the the price. Once signed up for it they got what was delivered be it a good truck or a sh**te Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I had to change transfer box not long after buying , thats when I was told about the warm up tip . One thing I did find with ex army petrol vehicles was they all seemed to suffer from vapour locking if left to idle after working hard . They would keep running on idle for ages but if you tried to drive off , cut out . The fix , which i did whenever I bought a new one was fit an electric facet pump at the tank on a switch supply , never any probs after that , although funnily enough didnt have that prob with martian . RL , S type, and K9,s every one . I often wondered how british army ever got about in hot climates ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Hearing of a Martian in distress :cry: and in fear of the gas axe, three forum members, from far flung parts of the kingdom, mounted a three pointed pincer movement to surprise and surround it in it's lair, and managed to negotiate it's release! :yay: Chief go getter at work The proud new owner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels v Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Madrat looks very small in the that picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 But very happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 More pix... Attempting to free the clutch The pensive look on Madrat's face soon dissapeared when the Rolls petrol engine burst into life, but it returned again when a huge Andy-Scammell-Fowler induced back-fire blew the silencer apart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels v Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Nice Scammell in the back of the picture, Is it a Roll Royce eagle engine in the Martian.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 I'm so pleased that Madrat Duncan has saved this old girl for future generations ! Topman in my book ! Here he is at the driver training course ! The Scammell Constructor is only attached to prevent him just driving off to Scotland without paying of course ! :clap::clap::clap::clap::clap: Something went wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Nice Scammell in the back of the picture, Is it a Roll Royce eagle engine in the Martian.? No, Rolls B81 8 cylinder petrol, side valve exhaust, overhead valve inlet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I'm so pleased that Madrat Duncan has saved this old girl for future generations ! Topman in my book ! Here he is at the driver training course ! The Scammell Constructor is only attached to prevent him just driving off to Scotland without paying of course ! :clap::clap::clap::clap::clap: Was that an Explorer in the barn, parked next to the mk4? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinthemartian Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Good to see another one has been saved from impending doom. They do seem to be getting very few and far between nowadays! Hoping more pics will be on the way soon. Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Don't be getting yours this dirty Duncan ! Pretty awesome off road tool as well as a thing of beauty ! Something went wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mid diesel Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 From Northern Ireland http://victorpatterson.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=153&_bqH=eJxtj81uwjAQhJ.GXHqhqFEEkg_Gu4VVidPYDlW4WFH4LYFDiirRp683Qm1Ea8nrb2Y9tvZ4iZvkvVzvYXQ9blc5fa3yZr7dnfBpMhonk8fhkHeo5MEqUbWn68Oh3TTVeR2RtyAdDuJpmg5iED0DgA2AnlWGxSafwcb7KP6N4v9RRa7sPnOhzaCyQjtTerIZy8wQ6tCjTLMk6w0uUFqEm3zta5sZJ4zUL1E3opcaxCVwYdF4AlHw.OM6.czr6u08r0NrScYVcuHlDLUq.VLk1dRTeDhEb1j8oHn.xZRRKic.NlVb76Nll55x_QYwxHLR&GI_ID= R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madrat Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Some images of my recent purchase! Does anyone know any of her history? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 What powers the hydraulics ? as it looks like it still has the underfloor winch ? Does it fire up Ok ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madrat Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 What powers the hydraulics ? as it looks like it still has the underfloor winch ? Does it fire up Ok ? We got the rolls engine to run, needs some tinkering to get it running nicely, clutch is stuck on (no surprises there!) but should be good to go once that's sorted. There is a little 4cyl (Morris 1000?) engine in the "basket" which powers the hydraulics, its a non-runner and to be honest I think the whole crane will be going for scrap! Its still got the Scammell type winch under the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashirelad Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 If you can get it running something like right, get it nice & hot, take her for a drive where you've got room to play, there's a chance the clutch will come off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chambers101 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Haha that was my youtube video. I was going to post a few of them up the other week. I have to admit i thought it was going to die in the water hole. Very impressive truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madrat Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 If you can get it running something like right, get it nice & hot, take her for a drive where you've got room to play, there's a chance the clutch will come off. That's the plan, get her running a bit better and a stick holding the clutch down, then go for a long drive around the fields! Glad that youtube video exists, we saw it in person in 2008 which might explain why I now own one ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinthemartian Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 What I have done a couple of times is jack up the whole back axle so all four wheels are off the ground, good solid lumps of wood are ideal to rest it all on. Make sure rear brakes are adjusted correctly, and make sure front wheel drive is disengaged, start the engine and put aux gearbox in high range and main gearbox in 3rd. Then just keep revving the engine and braking with the clutch depressed, this is where Jake the Pake would come in very handy! It may take a few goes, but has worked for me. Any idea of chassis number, or army reg? Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinthemartian Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Also noticed the front indicator guards are on the wrong way round and wrong sides too. The angled cut off should face towards the outside rear. Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madrat Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Any idea of chassis number, or army reg?Simon Thanks for the tips, I "think" the reg is 43BM59 but the last two digits are a bit hard to see, in my haste I didn't take down the chassis number so that will need to wait until its up the road! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scammell 7377 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 interesting crane ,is it for vehicle recovery or does it have another purpose ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madrat Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Not wanting to "clog" up this gallery thread I've replied to your comment in my restoration blog here: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?29523-Leyland-Martian-Return-of-the-MadRat/page3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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