oily

Just had a quick look at what is involved in sorting out my 'no-drive' situation with my saracen, taking out the gearbox is a big job!, so much to take out 1st!,:blush:......I have already bought a new old stock gearbox, in case it needs taking out, but just wondering if checking and topping up the fluid flywheel would sort things:undecided:....kept losing drive intermittently, but was fine when left for 10 - 15 minutes, and almost got me home..... the gearbox itself has always been lovely, smooth and quiet, well, quiet for a 50odd year old design anyway.... Anyone know what oil I put in the flywheel? as I cannot for the life of me find my service schedule..... is it OM13, or OMD75, or auto tranmission fluid?.......I may be able to post a picture of the inside of the top of the gearbox, showing the brake band adjustment mechanisms etc,- in case anyone more clued up than me can give an on-line diagnosis, Any serious help/comments would be very gratefully recieved,-were these vehicles gearboxes renowned for problems like this in service?:cheesy:

Sabre Sales in Southsea, -Castle Street if I remember, very knowledgable, excellent value:-D Renegades in Calmore, near Totton, Southampton, Brooks Farm Ind Est, quite good I believe, not sure on opening hours. Frontline in Southampton, again excellent value ,speak to 'Jock':-D

I got: A really nice watch, and TWO sets of wheels and tyres (-for my other mode of transport, -a Mini -engined, moke type buggy, -see picture!)...from my girlfriend:cool2::iloveyou: A new (old stock!, still crated) gearbox for my Saracen....from me:cool2: A full set of nice, new, shiny, very high quality 'AF' spanners....from my girlfriends' mum and dad:-D An extremely well-made, DPM tool roll, tailor-made for my new spanners...hand-made!, by my girlfriends' mum!:-D Cash...from my own mum and dad:-D Plus the usual array of chocolates, and smellies:) How cool is that!:-\ All in all a really excellent Christmas!!!!:-D Just need to research the relevant publication, which will tell me the quickest, and easiest way to remove and replace the gearbox in the saracen,-what nuts/bolts to undo, where to stand etc....:coffee:

Hi all, recently, when reading an account of an 'occurance' in 'Cold War' Germany, a chap from 2RTR referred to himself and his crew being, 'wheels up' in our Ferrets'..... now I would have assumed he'd meant overturned, but this would'nt have fitted/been appropriate, in the the context of the text it appeared in..... any RTR chaps shed any light on this phrase?:???

...still got my Ferret, sadly minus it's wheels, and some of my Action Men, fuzzy haired, but mine were the ones just before the 'gripping hands' version... shame they never did an Action Man 'Saracen'...!:-(

Welcome to the hallowed turf of 'HMVF'...good to have you on our side...looking forwards to some interesting 'tracki' posts/threads.....:-D

SARACEN!.... why, oh why, oh why, did ALVIS have to make such a lovely:iloveyou:, beautifully fun:-D vehicle to own and drive, so bloody darned awkward to fix, ......Gearbox change coming up:sweat:, gonna pick it up, next weekend:cool2:,-my unwrapped Xmas pressie to myself:)...still, I'm always up for a challenge!:coffee:

drive it far enough...you won't need one, well I suppose sitting behind the engine and astride the gearbox helps!......Saracen,-lovely and warm on a winters day, after 5 miles!,(Boxing Day gathering 2008, Wickham Square, Wickham, Hampshire, starts 0630hrs, by 1100hrs you can't move and around 2000 people mingling with vehicle owners, happens every year!, great fun!)... but on the other hand, on a hot summer day, shorts, 't'-shirt, and tank suit, is just bearable, with plenty of water to drink!....

Depreciation?.... surely these things are worth more and more each year, not less!:computerrage:

Fair do's guv, sorry to tread on yer toes, was just trying to help the guy in the states, maybe you could explain to him where he should be posting his posts?

Oh, here's a cool pic of my mate Robs, ex 'Gulf War' Ferret, well we think it is anyway....Can you post some pics of your Ferret?, also, I seem to remeber you were after some insignia, and markings, - I did the ones on my Saracen, depending on the age of your Ferret, ie the time period it is depicted, it would either be Deep Bronze Green (1950's-60's),Nato Green or Nato Green and Black(1973?-onwards) -(others correct me if I've made a boo-boo), or in Desert Stone, or Desert Stone and Black, for use in such places as Aden, etc. I believe they were also used in Canada (BATUS), were they'd have been Desert Stone, and Nato Green.....Norway and they'd be White and Black, or White and Nato Green, and finally White for UN forces. The markings would also be different depending on era, early on, vehicles in Deep Bronze Green (which is actually a base coat, providing a degree of weather resistance), would usually have Division insignia on the front and rear nearsides of the vehicle, and the red, yellow and white R.A.C. Insignia on the front and rear nearsides. Sometimes regiments or corps would add regimental crests or emblems aswell (see pics of my Saracen, small white horse on blue backing,- is white horse of Hanover, being part of the 3rd Kings Own Hussars cap badge). Also Squadron insignia is usually shown on the sides of the turret, or vehicle, in my case, a red triangle depicts 'A' Sqn, also shown on my Saracen in the centre of the Sqn insignia is the 'New Zealand Fern', which is again part of the regiments battle honour history, and was awarded to the regiment to commemorate the New Zealand forces assisting on one of the many conflicts. On the rear of my Saracen you will see vertical black and white 'convoy' markings, used by the vehicle following as an aid to judging distance when using limited lighting... When vehicles started being painted in Nato colours, -green, or green and black etc, usually the only markings shown, were I believe a small Union Jack, on the nearside, front and rear, and the convoy markings...with UN vehicle 'emblazoned' with the large black 'UN' and the logo.... If you want I can get the R.A.C. insignia, the convoy markings done over here, as I have a good friend in the vehicle signwriting business... you come up with the design,-he makes them into vehicle graphics, and very good they are too Lastly a lot of British Army vehicles have the yellow 'Bridge Classification' disc fitted to the front, where it would be visible to anyone controlling/marshalling, a river crossing for example, on the disc would be marked the maximum weight the vehicle would be, so as to avoid overloading a bridge/ferry etc. Hope all this is of some help!, Happy 'Ferreting'

Can't remember 'skipping' a gear in the Ferret, but in my early 'tries' in my Saracen, I did a couple of times, it will change into whatever gear you happen to select, but you must have the revs right, otherwise you'll find yourself snacking on the steering wheel!, not very tasty!,....my 'engineering' brain always 'tells' me to use the gears in sequence, because it's kinder to the ageing components in the gearbox,...I'll only 'skip' gears if the road speed and engine revs allow it.... all down to experience, I suppose. Taking a Ferret out on the road, is probably not that bad, -if you've previously driven large-ish, heavy vehicles, 7.5 ton small trucks, but I can tell you the 1st time I took my Saracen out on the road, was a real baptism of fire!:sweat:...I'd had a fair bit of practice in the field, but didn't have room to get up to normal driving speeds. I soon found out about the 'feel the limit' technique of keeping in a straight-ish line, and discovered the flat spot in a tyre!, that soon disappears when the tyres warm up though..... These Saracens, Stalwarts, Saladins, and Ferrets all tend to wander a little, obviously the six-wheelers more than the Ferrets, probably down to the design:coffee: of the steering mechanism, and the fact there are two sets of wheels doing the direction changing, on primitive off-road tyres.... but you soon get used to it, and manage to pass the time taking 'salutes' to old soldiers, and ex-squaddies who may have fond,(or not so fond!) memories, of these amazing, totally fun pieces of British 1950's engineering:cool2:.....have fun, and please be careful and responsible out on the roads in your new toy:-D

I won't even bother adding it all up for my Saracen, or I could lose my very understanding girlfriend!:coffee:

Ok, others may tell you different, but as far as I can remember when reading my Operator's Handbook, when driving off-road, it is quite acceptable to actually engage a gear,-using the Gear Change Pedal (GCP),with the engine at full revs!, (unbelievable, I know!). Do not, under any circumstances use GCP as a clutch.:nono: If you do, you will end up with 'false neutrals', which are extremely annoying, and can be painful, as the pedal will spring upwards and you usually end up smacking your knee, or shin on something hard! And then it's at least twice as hard to press it down again. It may also wear out the 'brake bands' in the gearbox prematurely,(very expensive to fix!) Driving on the road, when changing down, I ease off the gas, and engage the next gear down, (don't be tempted to 'blip' tha gas pedal:n00b:, it only wastes fuel) (ok, I know yours is a bit cheaper!:argh:) The act of using the GCP is not like a clutch at all, it is always a firm shove down, and to release, its just lift off straight away, letting it return to it's normal position in each gear, under it's own spring tension. True, when downchanging on the road it is wise to pause, with it down, but only for the fractions of a second it takes for the engine revs to match your road speed, for the chosen gear...oh! and only use the gears sequentially, don't skip them. You should find you'll very rarely need 1st, as it is really only for very soft going, or very slow manouvering. With practice it should be entirely possible to pull away, change up through all the gears, and back down again, and come to a halt , with no jerks, or jolts... and going in reverse too!:cool2:, ~~ but only do this if you have lots of room and there are no people or animals or obstructions in the area!:shake: If I can look it out, I'll find the relevant paragraph in my manual, scan it and upload it for you, if you think it'll help.... be warned, on paper, it looks like it's impossible to master, but practice makes perfect!:coffee:

Hi 'Pigdog'?... :)what would you like to know about driving a Ferret? I own and regularly drive a Saracen, (sort of similar to a Ferret, but on steroids!:cool2: and having grown an extra set of steering wheels),:??? still has the same type of transmission though, ie pre-select, I also, on occasion drive a Ferret, belonging to a very good mate of mine, both vehicles are alot of fun to drive, although, don't be decieved, both need 200% concentration,:nono: whilst on the public roads! moreso in this country, (England), with the narrower roads....a Saracen is over 8ft wide!:sweat: ...attached is a photo of my Saracen at a show this year, that my local friendly Military Vehicle club put on each year. Google them - Solent Overlord Executive. Have fun with your Ferret, Keep in touch! Kind regards oily (Matt Kill)

That is a cool pic, now I know it can be done, legally, seeing as it seems to be an in-service truck, looking like it's being loaded by a genuine squaddie,....hmmmm, next thing is where am I gonna get me a Foden DROPS, and how much?......I've already got somewhere to put it....

well done, that man!

...just how fast did you get up to at Brands Hatch? just to be on the inquisitive side.......:cool2:

Do you want a medal for finding and photographing the worlds worst painted military vehicle, ever? :rofl:, my goodness! That looks absolutely awful!, makes Pat Butcher look like a beauty queen!

Hey Loggy!, have you got an MJ?...if so Just give the editor a ring, he'll come down, give you an interview, snap some piccies, and, bob's your uncle ...-there's your 4 page spread!....

noboby answered my question!....can you get those petlas tyres in 12.00-20 size for Saracens?

Am glad someone said a Foden would be ok to take onboard a saracen, as that is my plan: to get a Leyland or Foden DROPS and use it to convey my Saracen to shows.....:cool2:

all in all a very clever, and funny stunt.... and not a blue light in sight!.... and in Liverpool too!

the 1st two pics look more like a diesel powered welding set.... and futher on down is a pair or what look like centurion or chieftain roadwheels:idea::coffee:

ahhh! yes, I stand corrected, I was referring to the turret for my reference/identification, as in my old vehicle silhouette I.D. book, -reading down the page, the turret comes 1st!, now that I've looked again, I can make out the curved front to the glacis plate,.... I'll drop straight to the ground and do my 10 press-ups!, whats that? ...cookhouse duty too?, ...oh well at least I get extra Jam roly-poly, and custard!