Chris Hall

These wrenches are used by the RAF to undo aircraft components as we can’t use torque multipliers, impact tools or electrical tooling, I guess because serious damage has happened in the past.

This was my first attempt at removing the nut on the track idler post on my M3 halftrack. It bent the 1800NM torque wrench! I had to upgrade to a 3000NM which eventually got the nut off with little effort.

I think there were 30, 2 washed out to sea, 2 washed into the fish pits (whatever they are), 16 or so ended up in the flood defences and left and the rest I guess, went back to store. They weren’t just used as a lump to fill the gap, they were used to ferry people, tools, Earth, stone etc. around the floods and transport to the breach.

I only noticed one man in the trench with what looked like a harness and rope. I actually thought to my self that someone had done a risk assessment stipulating minimum people in the trench for the minimum amount of time (or ALARP as I know it). I also noticed some shoring at the rear (bank side). I didn’t think it was a death trap but any excavation has its risks which need to be managed and I thought from the little that I’ve seen, it was done quite well.

Eddy8Men was looking at these a few years back.

If there’s no room to use a breaker bar, is there someway to brace a Long wrench against the frame and then with the vehicle in gear, roll it to use gear box torque to help? Mine came off with very little effort so never had to investigate alternative removal methods. You could also try some heat, a normal butane lamp would do it.

It’s a standard RH thread, but have you taken the pin out?

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My dad was born and raised at Culgaith, just off the 66 and my Grandfather built the A66 or should I say, upgraded the narrow winding road into the straighter road we know. They purchased the land to make it dual but ran out of money!

You know I have no idea of the name, I was more than likely on the slightly worse for ware side of sober! We did find some munitions, a 250lb live warhead and some mustard gas canisters. Most had rotted or had bullet holes. The story was that after the war, they dug trenches, laid the canisters in the bottom, covered them in lime and then used a STEN to puncture the cases. The liquid and lime would mix and cause burning to dispose of the contents. They would then bulldoze the buildings into the pit before covering the trenches with dirt. I remember the smell of bleach in the damp air being everywhere. I have somewhere a piece of a gas decanter but I’ve no idea where it is. There was a truck dug up (before my time) after a reference to it was found in the records. Supposedly there was an incident and this truck was contaminated and buried along with many other items.

I see mention of RAF Bowes, I was on EOD clearance there in 1998. Good fun in the morning and pub in the afternoon.

This aircraft has no luck!

10 06 42 must convert to 6th Oct 1942, I take it the motor doesn’t match your frame number?

We used those boxes as tool kits. Had foam in the top and bottom and cut outs for the tools.

As Rod said, a thrust washer or shim would help, I perhaps incorrectly assumed the bush had become ovalised. Perhaps a new bush, then checking for excess end float and shimming/thrust washer is required. Could be a satisfying fix!

Oh, and you may want to remove the studs.

I can’t see from the photo the size and shape of the cover, but when a bush is fitted in a blind hole, the process is normally as follows. Heat the area around the bush and then bang the cover on a hard, flat surface so that inertia will force the bush out of the expanded aluminium. it only needs to come out a little to know that it will come out. If you get it moving, you can re-heat and go firm but gentle. No need to belt the crap out of it, it’s all in the technique.

Were the carriers produced by Matchless or are they Lucas items specifically for Matchless?

Looks a good job! Better than mine ended up.....let’s just say it was down to better iron!

I tried welding cast iron once and gave up. I think it’s a very specialised art form, controlled heating and cooling of your work and using the correct filler material is key. When I tried, I pre heated it the Gas BBQ and very slowly cooled in the BBQ, but it didn’t really work to well and I had little hair line cracks around the fin, radiating beyond the original damage.

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And that looks the part!

Agh that would make sense.

There’s something therapeutic about sending something grotty off and getting it back clean with new bits on it! I love seeing a nicely skimmed cylinder block, nice new machine marks, no dings or scratches. Nice. One thing I would change (just me being picky) is the bolts. Modern bolts just don’t look right, both the markings on the head and the length suggest modern. I was always trained that 2 threads showing after the nut is what you want. In fact, would it not have had a stud with a nut on either side rather than a bolt? Just a thought and it doesn’t really detract from a very clean looking engine. It’s always something you can think about later (let’s face it, Ron’s still fettling bikes he restored when he was in the womb)