ACH

I've knocked up my interpretation of the engine cradle, unfortunately I'd made it for the forklift, which went wrong, so it was the pallet truck and a couple of bits of wood, but got it out fairly straight forwardly.

Wonder if you could help me, I was asked today if Green Goddess' and the AFS RLs have the same transfer box and axle ratios. I thought they were identical 1:1 on the high range and 2:1 in 4WD low and the front and rear axle ratios are 6.8:1. Am I right or wrong? and is there an alternative crown wheel and pinion set for these axles. It's not for me I just said I would help the chap out.

Radio detonator or a walkman

OK I'll bring the biscuits next time!:-D

I have managed to do a bit more to the RL. Had to move a 4 post ramp out of the way but this did enable me to get the RL in the building so I could work on it undercover. I can't believe how simple it is to work on, front panel is off, radiator is out, most of the ancilleries are off the engine, wheels are off and it's up on axle stands at the front so I can assess underneath the cab once the engine is out. There's a couple of bits of welding that need removing and re-doing. Also I've stripped the gear box, clutch, flywheel and bell housing off the 330. I need to get the petrol engine out so I can weigh up if I need anything else for the conversion. Went and saw NOS today, the power steering system looks like it can be easily modified to fit and also sorted the tyres problem out.

Paid a visit to Tony today, all is now clear and sorted. Cheers for all your help Tony, and the coffee.

I just want some tyres that are legal, ideally radials, the Goodyears seemed a good option but I think I would like to see some before I fork out some money. Yes the RL will have power steering, just got to decide which route to go down, having a look at NOS's Beford for ideas.

I didn't bother saving it, sorry, but if I find any more I'll post them on here.

Thanks for the input, I like to hear other people's opinions before I rashly go out and buy some more tot! I've looked at the ones on Witham's site 12.00x20 Goodyears, look like they're on MT rims? If you buy direct they're £75.00 plus VAT and carriage each, or I could chance the auction. Equally there's been a chap flogging them on Ebay for £30 each but he was well up north and he was collection only. Anybody had experience with Witham's auctions? A couple of weeks ago they had some rather nice twin axle cargo trailers (next project replacement caravan).

I need some better tyres for my RL, currently it's on 11.00R20 bar grips. But I've been offered some 12.00R20s, would these fit with minimum effort? I assume there's not that much difference between the two.

Yeah, I'll take you up on that offer mate. Will measure the drag link tomorrow and let you know, but I'm sure there'll be a way round any problems. I've pm'd you. Many thanks again Richard for all your help.

But Richard, would one fit off an MJ or MK? I would imagine they are much easier to source, I think Suffolk County Council's gritters were all MKs until they got rid of them a few years ago and they had power steering. Unfortunately I need to fit power steering, I injured my back a few years ago and I find it difficult driving without PAS these days. I even converted my old Series 3 about 5 years ago so I could still use it, although the RL on the drive home wasn't too bad but the crane being mounted on the back made the steering light and made it a bit bouncy and for what I'm doing I need to have the crane behind the cab. I could have bought a more modern truck but to be honest the old ones have much more character and are simple to work on, easy to maintain, admittedly it can be a pain to find some parts for older vehicles but where would you buy a truck with 6.5k miles on the clock for £850?

Richard, I had a look today, there's no take off point under the alternator unfortunately. Thanks for the info about the S type PAS, god knows where I'm going to find that. Is there anything usable off any of the later Bedfords (MJ & MK)? I'm hoping to be making a start on it in the next couple of weeks, a couple of hours in the evenings before I go home, will keep you posted with my progress. Berna - lets hope so!

I think I'm just going to have to take the engine and gear box out and get them side by side and see what can be done. I would like to fit the Turner 5 speed box, I believe the PTO is fitted to the opposite side of the box, if I fit it to the 4 speed on the RL it will foul on the front prop and it looks like I'd be very lucky to find a PTO unit for the transfer box. Some pictures of the Turner 5 speed overdrive box would be nice and any relevant serial numbers so I get the correct one. The 4 speed box ratios: 1st gear 7.06:1 2nd gear 3.332:1 3rd gear 1.711:1 Top 1:1 direct drive I think with fitting the diesel it would make a lot of sense to fit the overdrive box. I've managed to pick up a not very good copy of the users handbook for the RL 1955, a parts list for the GS and a Commer Q4 3 ton 4x4 GS parts list, which to be honest is a lot nicer parts list, as it has all the illustrations including the braking system with the set up for air brakes for the trailer (which I'm particularly interested in). The problem with the vacuum pump is solved, I'm going to fit an alternator from a Transit, it looks like I can take an oil feed from the block on the alternator side and there's also a return there as well, so no problems with lubrication and a vacuum tank and this should give me the 30 in vacuum needed for the brakes. Just need to figure out how to mount the power steering pump and what parts I need to convert to power steering. I noticed on the TK when we were removing the engine the steering box looked identical, is there a power steering version on a later trucks which would bolt on or could something be adapted from another commercial. I fit power steering to Series Landrovers on a regular basis using Defender parts, it's remarkably simple to do, so hopefully so will be converting the Bedford. My daughter Alice absolutely loves the RL, thought I'd share this picture with you (she picked the overalls herself and she had a choice of different colours but they were the ones she wanted:)). By the way she's only just 4 years old.

That sounds familiar, the plan to fit a Hiab behind the cab, but haven't got round to it yet. Are all the U bolts present, if not I've got the ones from when I removed my body if you need them.

I picked up the 330 diesel engine and gear box over the weekend, I don't think it's going to be as straight forward to swap the engines over as I had previously thought. The starter motor is on the opposite side to the petrol one and I can't see how you could swap the gear box and bell housing onto the diesel block and the gear box which came with the engine is mounted differently ie the TK mounting. Also where do I find out what the gear ratios are for this box? There's a serial number on the casting which is 6362499 and underneath that is 23Qx5. Any ideas, anybody out there who has done this sort of thing before? As I don't really want to start pulling it to pieces until I know what I'm doing (sort of!) it would be easier if the two engine and gear boxes sat next to each other for comparison.

Military fire service and AFS (now preparing to duck and cover:-D)!

Cheers Clive, noticed the bridge plate weights, the pics of tankers I've seen all had 10 on and I'm sure I've seen a recovery version with a 10 on the bridge plate. But I might be wrong.

Please help me I'm special........ Does anybody know the axle weights for the Bedford RL (mine's an AFS one)? What is the gross train weight? What type of trailer would the military ones have towed? Cheers Adam

I like the Landrover anallogy, but I think it's more Series 2 rather than Series 3, the cab's just that bit more basic. I've only had mine for a short time and information is turning up gradually. I'm going to fit a 330 out of a later TK in my AFS one but in hynesight I wish I had managed to find the military version as they're equipped for towing and I've got to source all these bits. I will most probably end up buying one with a rotten cab to get all the parts I need. I'm currently trying to find a reasonably priced manual and parts book, without much success, if I manage it I'll see if I can get them copied and get one to you, should help.

Norman, you've done a great job of that blast pot, I've started looking for the bits to build one myself and find a suitable compressor. There's some 100cfm 3 phase ones on Ebay at the moment. The problem with hiring stuff, something always crops up to stop you using it in the alotted time, without the other reasons Norman has pointed out.

So is there any more progress?

You're absolutely right, it's not the standard Atlas for a Militant as far as I know and the Atlas I was trying to identify was fitted on the rear of my Bedford RL, which is the same as the one fitted to this Militant. Once I know the model of the crane I will be able to obtain the specification sheet as I will be mounting it behind the cab, but I want to check the wet weight as I don't want to overload the front axle. Cheers for your input mate. I've always quite fancied a Militant but just can't justify it.

Well I looked at the 330 diesel today, a lot of white smoke but I thoughts it's worth a punt so I've bought it but I can't collect for another couple of weeks to give him a chance to get it out of the vehicle. Obviously now there's no need at all for me to remove the cab, there's a few odds and sods of welding to be done but with the engine and gear box removed I can get to everything. I'm picking up an electric fork lift I was given next week we rather than the trolley jack I will make something to attach to the forks. It's looks simple enough to fabricate. Cheers for the advice gents! More bloody stupid questions coming soon.......

I do have a small blast cabinet which my 3hp 14cfm compressor just about manages to run on a good day. It's not a Landrover chassis I wanted done it's the Bedford RL chassis that needs doing and some of the reasons given above is why I want to do it myself, also I would like to blast the new steel buck before painting and fitting and the Atlas crane needs a tidy up. And of course I'm sure there'll be more things in the future including that 109 chassis. I might as well bite the bullet and get myself a large 3 phase compressor or ideally a road tow.