LoggyDriver

I'll be leaving around 13.00. Should be there about 16.00 as it stated not to turn up before then on the paperwork. My mate is also on his way up from Cornwall in his M109A2 Shop Van. Typical, it's bloomin raining here at the mo!!!

Hi Richard, It's strange that Bedford Trucks have specified an SAE90 NON Hypoid gear oil for the main Gearbox and yet the Army have stated the use of OEP220? I wonder why the Army have deviated from the manufacturers specified oil? Maybe Hypoid oil has better heat characteristics and is better at a wider range of temperatures? I've gone back to the Maintenance Schedule a half dozen times to check and re-check to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Off hand can you remember if there are any bronze bushes inside the gearbox? I read somewhere that Hypoid oil isn't any good if there are bronze bushes present. Cheers Andy

Thank you very much for the replies guys. Richard, the Maintenance schedule, 3rd edition 2000 states OEP 220 for Manual Gearbox (above -15 deg C) and Transfer Box. For temperatures below - 15 deg C, OEP 38 is to be used. I've just had the back plate off the main gearbox to replace the Output Shaft Oil Seal. When I got the plate off the seal was spinning inside the housing, so that must have been the reason for the oil leak I had on it. I ordered the parts yesterday and they were delivered at 08:30 this morning. Excellent service from Bedford Parts. I even ordered Rocol anti scuff paste for the seal (as mentioned in the repair schedule) which i went to pick up from Buck and Hickman in Newbury this morning. Again, overnight service. Clive, As this oil I've bought is for Tractors, it should be pretty hard wearing stuff. I wasn't sure about it as it never had EP before the grade, even though it states it has EP characteristics and is for Hypoid gears. Thanks for putting my mind at rest guys. The proof will be in the driving as I'm off to Trucks and Troops tomorrow. Touch wood it will be OK. The job itself is easy, the hardest part is getting the new seal in level and flush. I used a Land Rover Hub Nut socket, which was exactly the right fit over the seal.:-) Cheers guys.

Just been down to Oakes Farmpower and bought 20 litres of gear oil for the Bedford. Before I put it in I'd like to know if the oil would be OK? I can't find EP90 ANYWHERE. So I've had to settle for SAE 80W/ 90 API GL5. It's MIL-L-2105D, ZF TE-ML 05A 07A, NH 520 A spec. It's called Ambra Hypoide 90 and it's made by Petronas Lubricants for New Holland. It says; "Transmission and gear oil with extreme pressure (EP) characteristics for hypoid gear and final drives of tractors and other agricultural machinery". My question is will this be safe to use in my Bedford MJ gearbox, as it's supposed to be OEP220, which is E.P.90 Thanks

Could be front crankshaft oil seal?

As the DVLA will make a lot more money out of this issuing licences every five minutes, prepare for this to be introduced as soon as humanly possible.

Thanks for that David.

Does anyone have a picture of a Bedford MK/MJ fuel tank they can show me that dates before 1984 please? Apparently the tank on my truck is the later version, and these happen to be the tanks that aren't available. Dave at Bedford Parts has the earlier tanks available and I need to know what the difference is. The later tank that I have is 154 litres and the older one is 155 litres. Does anyone know? Are the fuel and sender holes in the same place on the old tank? This is what mine looks like. Thanks

I'm not sure how they treat the C1 test compaired to the C test. An HGV test is pretty through. It's an extended test of over an hour. It will also include all the training required for the drivers CPC, tachograph and drivers hours law, etc,etc. If it was me in your position, I would go for the Cat C licence. You will then be able to drive multi axle rigid trucks. By the time you fork out for a C1 then for a few hundred quid more you could have had the Cat C, and that gives you an extra string in your bow. If times change and you get laid off from what ever you do for a living, then you still have your HGV licence to fall back on, provided you keep your CPC in date.

Yes, you will have to do a Theory test. I also think you need to do a Medical as well, not sure though, as a medical might apply to drivers of HGV's over 7.5 tonnes. You will have to look into it. I've had my Class 1 since 1993, so never needed to do all this computer stuff. Work is putting me through my Coach licence, so I guess I'll be doing all this new stuff soon enough. Good luck. Keep us posted.

I've also got a metal detector. It's a Garrett ACE 150. Only used it a few times, but might take it to Trucks and troops and see what comes up.

I'll be coming down on Thursday in the Bedford. See you there.

It just goes to show, take what people say with a pinch of salt until you've seen the facts in writing for yourself. As far as the RB44 goes. According to the Withams website the unladen weight is 3050Kgs. If you downrated it to 3.5 tonnes then you are only left with 450Kgs before your up to the legal limit. Add two people, the weight of all the kit you have and the conversion and you will be well over. The only way you are going to do it is either; A) Book yourself onto a C1 driver training course. I don't know what the price of this would be, but it should be cheaper than a Class C (old Class 2 licence). As you are doing it for private use, then you don't need to do the Driver CPC Qualification. Ask if this can be ommited from the course to save money. If it can't AND the price is similar to a Cat C then you might as well take your C licence. You can then drive any rigid vehicle. B) Have you looked at buying a Pre 1960 vehicle? The RB44 is still quite a big truck. Not much bigger is a GMC or REO. If you get a Pre 1960 truck such as a 1958 registered REO then you can drive this on a car licence (there are rules as to what you can carry etc for it to remain exempt driving licence and MOT regulations). It would also be MOT exempt and free road tax. But they do 10 MPG, whereas the RB44 is good for about 25 mpg. Personally speaking I'd love to get an RB44. I love the look of this truck. I've never driven one, but I'm told they are good for 70mph do 25mpg and are a rare site on the rally field. I think it would make a great camper. Withams still have a Desert coloured Box for sale that looks the dogs, but it's top money. They want £7000 + vat for the good ones. If your thinking of spending that amount of money for an RB44 PLUS the cost of getting your licence, then you might as well get a Class 2 HGV licence and buy a Daf for 5 grand. You need to do some thinking mate. Cheapest option might be to leave the Mrs at home!!:cool2:

You need chains on that load, with additional straps. The load will bounce due to the suspension of the CVRT. This will rub on the straps and could cause a failure. There are specific loading plans for various equipment types loaded onto flat racks. I was a DROPS op for 8 years, we were always given loading cards with a diagram of where the straps/chains need to be fitted for different types of load. Straps in the main are only good for pallitised loads. Do yourself a favour and get a couple of chains. They are safer and quicker.

I'm no expert, but I'm 99% sure you can't drive an RB44 on a "new" licence, even if it's converted to a camper. A lot of people seem to think that because a vehicle is converted to a camper then they can drive it on a car licence. This is incorrect. You need the licence due to the weight of the vehicle. As an RB44 is 5 tonnes you won't be able to drive it on a new licence. Once it is converted you can register it as a Motor Caravan. This then means the vehicle is no longer a Private Heavy Goods Vehicle, but a Motor Caravan. This effects the MOT of the vehicle, but not the licence to drive it. All Motor Caravans regardless of size and weight are tested as a Class 4 (Car) MOT. You will still need a C1 licence to drive it as it's registered weight is over 3.5 tonnes MAM. I was right. Just had a look and found this. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_10037875

I've used Granville Batt Aid tablets and although I can't say whether they work or not due to the fact I've added them to batteries that are in good condition, they seem to. The battery in my Defender is 10 years old, a Lucas. I added two tablets per cell about 6 years ago and again recently and the battery is still going strong. When you look at the plates with a torch there doesn't seem to be any firing up of any kind. http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_216725_langId_-1_categoryId_165629

Well what can I say!! The USO show was EXCELLENT... W&P seems to get more and more political every year and it seems to me that this is purely a commercial decision by Rex Cadman to try and stamp out any competition to the W&P money making machine. As exhibiters we are the people that make the show happen. We even have to pay out of our own pockets to attend the show, for facilities that are frankly pretty poor. Everything is over priced from the food stalls to the bar and I for one along with all my mates who attend do not use these facilities due to cost. We don't use the shower block as that's just a joke (we use a good old Solar shower and shower tent) and some of us hire in their own toilet facilities as the ones provided quickly turn into disgusting health hazards. So for our money we get the occasional use of the toilets and drinking water. Having read the response from the USO it is clear that so many restrictions were put in place by Rex that it was clear there was only going to be one outcome. I have been attending this show since the mid 1990's. I remember the early days when it was a show by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, but it seems these days it's just about money. Whilst I can appreciate the need to make a profit on something that is a full time job for Rex and Co, they need to balance this with the fact that this is about people who pay a lot of money to attend (especially when fuel is taken into account) the show and the need to take more time off work than is necessary in order to get there early to ensure a space is secured alongside friends. It is pretty annoying seeing some of the Health and Safety restrictions put forward to the USO considering W&P have done nothing to curb the illegal use of quad/motorbikes ridden by youngsters in single figure age brackets, parties that go on into the early hours despite local authority Noise Abatement Notices etc. W&P need to be very careful how they treat groups such as the USO, reenactors (remember last year when half the reenactors field was turned into a sales pitch for Withams) and exhibiters in future considering the very dire state of the economy and fuel prices in particular. Fuel prices are probably the greatest threat to the show at present considering there seems no end to the price increases. When you consider it costs £25 per vehicle to attend, then add fuel (which could add up to £100's of pounds), the cost of food and drink etc the cost adds up considerably. There will come a time when it will be just too expensive for people like myself who live a long way away from the show to attend, and it's attractions like the USO that might just tip the balance on deciding whether to take the financial hit in attending or not. Whilst they aren't bothered whether I attend with my vehicles or not, the massive increase in costs will snowball to other exhibiters and they too will decide not to attend. Not everyone wants to go to the entertainment provided, and as we are paying out of our own pockets to attend the show I feel we should be able to attend events such as the USO show should we wish too. They seem to have made considerable concessions to enable the show to continue and yet were met with a brick wall. I would like to think the same H&S arguments have been put in place for groups who have big entertainment events, but I doubt it.

If you get something pre 1960 then you can drive on a car licence, although not sure if you still can on a "new" licence though?

Hello mate. Was that your M38A1??? Yes I was at Abingdon with the Bedford and Defender in Gulf War 1 Livery. You should have come along and said hello, didn't know any members were going as the link I posted never had any replies to say people were going!

Just a reminder that this show is on next weekend. Would be nice to see some fellow members of the forum attend!!!

They can only charge you for works carried out on your property. If it's outside in the road then they have to pay the bill.

Line the two parts together that you need to lace up. One has string loops the other has eyelets. Thread the top loop through the top eyelet (nearest the roof) and pull downwards, then thread the next loop through the second eyelet, through the first loop and pull down. Thread the third loop through the third eyelet and through the second loop and pull down. Carry on like this until you reach the bottom then tie off in a knot. Repeat this procedure for all four corners. The best way to do it the first time is loop the ends together down to where the cross poles fit in, throw over the built up top half of the tent frame, then put up the rest fitting the uprights. Then you can carry on lacing up the corners. Once done, leave the whole thing laced up. It's then very quick to erect. Hope this makes sence??? It's a two man job to lace up the ends as it's fiddly and your supposed to erect it using 5 people, but it can be done easily with two, just make sure you lift it evenly or you might bend the poles. This video might give you an idea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRGFUDdaXYk&feature=related

Thought I'd bump this back up to the top as the show is in a few weeks. The Vulcan makes it's first show of the season at this event so get down there. Hopefuly the weather will be as good as it's been the last week!!

Congratulations. Wishing Mother, baby and Dad health and happiness.

Is the fuel leaking from the cold start device?