Grumpy

After a period of rest in a Welsh field, a wee little Scammell Constructor some of you may know as Red Dragon has ventured out of Wales to the Cathedral City for a bit of TLC It’s always nice to have a Militant on hand when you’re loading on your own Loaded and on its way, just another 125 miles to go After all those years in a Welsh field it’s good to see the rear bogie pivots aren’t sized And it’s also nice to have another Militant to help him back into his new resting place Unfortunately due to other projects its looks like we wont be able to make a start on the restoration until next year, but at least he is safe now and should be back on the show circuit again, maybe for a couple of the later shows next year.

Maybe able to help PM sent

Sorry Mike but a vehicle that has Historic Status is exempt from both Tacho and Drivers hours if used on a non commercial basis. In the UK a vehicle gains Historic Status (not for VED but thats another story) at the age of 25 years. There are quite a few other exemptions such as Breakdown/Recovery vehicles operating within 100km radius of base and our good old favorate the "Mobile Project Vehicle" are now also exempt from Driving Hours and Tacho Info here - Exemptions on pages 9 to 12 -http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/repository/Rules%20on%20Drivers%20Hours%20and%20Tachographs%20-%20Goods%20vehcles%20in%20the%20UK%20and%20Europe.pdf

Hi Ian, had a good look around your truck when it was still at Dave's yard, looked really good with lots of potential. One thing I did notice was the cab is an unusal shape under the windscreen on the outer edge sort of dished in and not flat. If you are ever down in the Midlands or you have someone comming up to yours, I have a spare battery carrier available.

PM sent

Come on Mike Where, When, How?

Exemption form here to be handed in when truck taken for test / first test. If vehicle is exempt from Tachographs but has one fitted being used as a Speedo, calibration / test is not required. If a vehicle is exempt from Tachographs then the driver is also exempt from driving hours whilst driving said vehicle. Tachograph Exemption.pdf

How do you check the oil level in a Foden 9 Speed, on models without a PTO there is a dip stick on the filler, but models with PTO no dip stick? I’ve looked all over and can’t see a level plug on the side of the box. Only way I can think of is drain the box and measure the oil back in :???

Only thing I can think of is you are not drawing any air through the radiator with the pack out?:nono:

Thank you kind sir - Queens English and grammar is not my strong point – just ask Antar Mike :-D

I think the point to remember here is it’s always best to start off with the factory settings, ignition first and then fuel. Then if you know what you are doing you can have a play and get the best out of your engine like CW says, but you must start from a base point otherwise you will just be chasing your tail. The factory settings are usually safe in regards to detonation (pinking) which is where the damage begins, Richard / CW, you have considerable experience and know what you are listening for when trying to get the best out of an engine, lets face it its hard to hear a B81 pinking in a Stolly going full chat at the best of times. From personal experience I have always found the B series engines run best at around 1 Degree ATDC static especially when starting from hot, but this is probably due to the long stroke and combustion chamber shape rather than a requirement to hand crank / start. Today’s petrol formula has changed but the majority of changes cancel themselves out, for example petrol today burns slower but the octane rating is much higher than the B series was designed for. The biggest problem is getting it into the combustion chamber with a carburettor as opposed to fuel injectors but that’s a different subject.

I cannot stress the importance of synchronisation of the points; it can only really be done with the dizzy out. You will need a protractor mounted on the shaft and a pointer. I use a normal plastic half round protractor with a hole drilled in the centre. You then take out the screw that holds the cam to the shaft and use a slightly longer screw to fix the protractor to the top of the cam, one off the dizzy cap is just the right length. Make a pointer from a bit of welding wire ground to a point and fix it to the side of the dizzy enabling you to read the protractor. The procedure I normally use is: Take the dizzy out and mount it in a vice. Clean, dress & gap both sets of points (try to get the points gapped as equal as possible) Mount the plastic protractor on the spindle & fix the pointer as above Rotate the shaft in the correct direction (clockwise) until the first set of points just open. (use a multimeter or battery & bulb) Zero the protractor & pointer Continue to rotate the shaft until the second set of points just open The protractor should be reading exactly 45 degrees for a 8 cylinder engine and 60 degrees for a six cylinder engine If not, adjust the sliding set of points in the right direction until you get exactly 45 or 60 degrees between the opening of the two sets of points. Finally seal the set screws securing the sliding points with paint. Re-fit dizzy and adjust timing to between 1 to 2 degrees ATDC One point to remember, there are two types of points fitted, one with a wide shoe that runs on the cam and one with a narrow shoe. Either will work but you cannot mix a narrow shoe with a wide shoe as there is not enough adjustment in the sliding points to achieve the 45 or 60 degrees between firing. If you are stuck you can file a wide shoe down with a needle file. If you want to do a quick check with the dizzy still on the engine you can do the following to see if the point’s synchronisation is even close (six cylinder only) Clean both sets of points and ensure both are gapped equal and correct. Turn the engine with the plugs out until the fixed set of points are just opening on number one firing stroke Note the timing mark on the flywheel Turn the engine through one complete revolution until the sliding set of points are just opening number 6 firing. The timing mark should now be in exactly the same position as with number one firing; if not the point synchronisation needs to be adjusted as above. Hope the above helps but it isn’t a five minute job, and if checking with the dizzy still on the engine it’s a two man job, which is why I usually find it quicker to take the dizzy out.

The only way to time a B series Rolls-Royce is STATIC between 1 to 2 degrees AFTER TDC. Any other way will result is poor performance, hard starting when hot and burnt valves. Another point to remember on the B80 / 81’s is to synchronise the two set of points to fire exactly at 45 degree intervals. Sorry to sound a bit harsh but it really frustrates me the amount of people who slag off the Rolls-Royce B series engines especially the 8 cylinders, and most of the time its down to incorrect setting up. The B series is quite forgiving but when set up right the difference is quite amazing. Timing an engine by ear is ok for a get you home, like setting your points with a bit of fag packet. Come on lads give your engine a bit of respect and set it up properly, it deserves it.

No but it helps

Still at the quarry a couple of years ago, think he spends 6 months here and about the same in Africa. Last time I was there he was trying to get a couple of Foden eight legers running to take to Africa, 5 tea breaks later it was time for tea.:goodidea:

:iamsmiling:

The Podvalnik P50 used on with the Tatra 813 is very similar to the Rogers 45 Ton, there are two heavy duty chains that go from the trailer end of the A frame to two large hooks either side of the Tatra chassis. These chains can be shortened to prevent the turntable rotating too far while reversing. Very tempted to modify my recovery trailer the same way.

Yes it would be classed as a Haulage Vehicle, on INF34 e) Haulage Vehicles – not used for haulage purposes. But note; it cannot be used for haulage purposes i.e. not towing a trailer or under STGO:nono:

:clap: Top of the class Mike, someone finally understands. Lesson here; don’t call it a Recovery Vehicle, call it anything else but NOT a Recovery Vehicle

But it is then no longer a Recovery Truck and therefore cannot claim Exemption from MOT / Plating for being a Recovery Truck

Joules Have you bothered to read the first post I put on this thread, I enclosed the DVLA guidance notes on VED Exemption for Historic Vehicles, it clearly shows that a recovery vehicle is not eligible for free VED. I’ll enclose it again click on the link, have a read & make your own mind up. INF34-Notes on Historic Tax.pdf

I’ll bow to your better education, but where does it state that the goods or burden have to remain on the vehicle, i.e. permanently fixed. Still reads either way to me, but there again I never went to Grammer School.

Totally agree, however if you have paid for insurance it will not be void for third party claims, which is the minimum requirement in law to drive on the highway. Even if you have never had a licence and not old enough to get one, or even nicked the truck. But we wont go there, got told off last time we did with this particular loophole in our great English law.

But the point is Haulage Vehicles are not MOT Exempt due to their type / use in the same way recovery vehicles are. You can’t call it a Haulage vehicle one day to get free tax and then call it a recovery vehicle another day to make it MOT exempt, its one or the other. But if it’s a Haulage vehicle that was first used before 1st Janurary 1960 you can claim both, however if its listed as a Breakdown Truck, Recovery Body or something similar on the V5 in the “Body / Vehicle Type” box and 43 in the adjacent code box this needs to be changed before you can claim free tax. Full list of Body / Vehicle Types c/w Codes for Rigid Vehicles >3500Kg: Code DVLA Description 22 Panel Van 23 Box Van 26 Pick-up 27 Motor Home/Caravan 28 Van/Side Windows 30 Pantechnicon 31 Luton Van 32 Insulated Van 33 Glass Carrier 34 Specially Fitted Van 36 Livestock Carrier 38 Flat Lorry 39 Dropside Lorry 40 Tipper 41 Low Loader 43 Breakdown Truck 44 Tanker 45 Solid Bulk Carrier 46 Concrete Mixer 47 Mobile Plant 48 Car Transporter 49 Refuse Disposal 52 Skip Loader 53 Special Mobile Unit 55 Airport Support 56 S/D Bus/Coach (Single Deck) 57 D/D Bus/Coach (Double Deck) 58 Standee Bus 59 H/D Bus/Coach (Half Deck) 60 Minibus 61 Curtain-Sided 74 Road Testing 76 Ambulance 77 Fire Engine 81 Line Painter 83 Street Cleansing 84 Gritting Vehicle 85 Tower Wagon 88 Snow Plough 94 Cesspool Emptier 95 Skeletal Vehicle

Like a box of matches and a can of petrol useful :rofl: