Bluebell

The Australian carrier is entirely different from any of the riveted carriers and no use to you if you are building a copy of a U.K. carrier.

Bob there are a total of only 3 real Bren Carriers left on the globe. There are two (of the six) built in the U.K in 1938 that came to N.Z. in 1939. HMH243 and HMH244 survive. I have rebuilt one of the 40 Bren carriers built by NZ railways in 1941. All 3 are MkI Brens. No MkIIs survive. There is in England a Scout carrier. that was in Australia (70 years) It is the sole surviving Scout. These are all "runners".

It's to make up for the ones we cant see anymore that people had linked into Photobucket:-( Sorry, I only had a smart answer, not the one you wanted.

Hi Grease monkey. Going back to your post no.12, you mention a "rubber ring" (this is a Wagner Lockheed system- google it) I will give you a few hints as there are many slightly differing kits for 1 1/4" master cylinders. The rubber ring is the first thing that goes down the hole. It sits against the end of the cylinder. Then the residual line pressure valve goes in(a metal disc thing with holes in the bulged center) The convex part goes inside the spring. This valve holds fluid in the line. It has a rubber flap valve inside it. Fluid goes out through it, but the whole valve lifts off the rubber seal to return to the cylinder(fluid pressure pushes the valve off the seal) This means that you don't need to push the pedal far, before the brakes are on. This also helps to keep the seals of the wheel cylinders against the bores, which in turn helps to stop them leaking when parked up for a while. On the piston at the rear is the secondary cup. This is the one you stretch onto the piston. At the front of the piston is the primary cup. This is a solid cup (no hole) with flutes at the back edge. Between the primary cup and the piston is a brass ring. Sometimes this brass ring is bonded to the back of the cup. Sometimes there is instead, a metal star arrangement riveted to the piston. These primary cups are sold in various lengths. Let's assemble the M/cyl (going through in order) rubber seal, valve, spring, primary cup, brass ring, piston assy, and the last two items, the big washer, followed by the circlip. (assemble using brake fluid as lube) It is important to check that when it is all assembled (at rest) that the lips (front edge) of the cups, are to the rear of the two little holes (front is usually called the "primary" port, and the rear, the "transfer" port) you see when looking into the reservoir. You can check this with a very fine wire or something similar, being very careful not to damage the cups. With good light, you can see the cups go past the holes. This must happen. The "Free board" adjustment of the pedal is there to aid this requirement. (the rod adjustment) It also allows for chassis flex etc. There is a screw to set the pedal height,(do this first) The usual high standards of cleanliness and care need to be exercised.

It must be either a MkI OR a MkII as the construction between them is a little different.

The 3 photos show 2 different guns. Which is the Hotchkiss, or are they both?

I guess I'm a bit late with the answer, but in your first post, the picture is of a Bren, in the second post, the photos show Scouts.

Around the planet there are non of the Cavalry carriers, MG carriers, or AOP MkI's left. However there are 2 Bren carriers (both in N.Z.) and an AOP MkII (in Australia) Of note is that there is one Scout carrier left, which has just arrived back in the U.K. after 70 years away. I wont say any more on this as it is the owners story to tell.

Here's what your looking for Rick.

I've driven it too. Maybe you are right about it being Motats. Come to think of it Brett and Susan's has a dent in the side. The only other one that I know of (Dave Dawsons then Mike Dawsons's) is now the property of Mike Antonivich.

Adrian, When we get down to detail, the front armour on carriers went up from 10mm to something around 11.3mm. this may have been the result of progress. The floor in a carrier is 3mm the sides 8mm etc etc. I enjoy your input. Thanks.

I Took the photo, at Tank day October last year. The Loyd belongs to Brett and Susan Hopkins from Hamilton New Zealand.

Alastair all your Ford componentry is put together with National fine,( and coarse) (UNF, UNC), as is the case with the Bren and universal carriers- The ford components are unf/unc, the rest is BSF. Incidentally the plate steel in the carriers, is metric (dont know about the Loyd)

Steve, They were governed by way of a rev limiting governor built into the carb.( or with a separate one between the carb and manifold in later carriers) While trying not to offend anyone, I'd say the resistance was to do with the British way thinking. Everything was under powered then,and they were making do as with everything else, at the time. Having stepped up to the 85 hp. from 60 hp. the bureaucratic mind wasn't ready to make another step up. The engines had their work cut out, with 4 ton plus, no wonder they were lucky to get 3000 miles out of them.

Steve, I.ve never heard of them having gearbox problems. They're a standard Ford 4 speed box. Incidentally the cluster gear (countershaft) 1st, 2nd,3rd gear (mainshaft) and the reverse idler, as well as other parts are common also to the New process gearboxes found in the 1/2, 3/4, and 1 1/2 ton Dodge trucks

The very eary carriers had either a Ford model SE-51E-6000 or a 79F-6000-CS. The first of these engines had the water pumps in the heads. By 1940 the engine range used had expanded to include the 79E-6000-CS and the 79E-6000-DS. (are these engines using the engine mount pump assy?) I have no idea what physical changes these included other than the American electrics option. Later 225 cu. in.(3 1/16 bore) 21 stud motors (EGAE and EGAEA) used the 18mm spark plugs, whereas the Canadian (CO1UC)and U.S. motors used the 14mm plug. As you say Maurice, the 24 stud motor came as a 3 1/16" (Ford) or as a 3 3/16" (Mercury)Bore. While the CMP truck fleet were running 239 cu.in. (3 3/16) engines, I believe that the military 24 stud motors,(85 hp. 225 cu.in.) when fitted to British and Canadian carriers, were the smaller of the two, as originally fitted, although Australia and New Zealand were supplied with Mercury 239 cu.in.engines as original for their carriers. Nigels(credit to Nigel ) book covers some snippets about both the British, and Canadians trialing the 95h.p. engines in 42 and 43, with reports in, on trials, in July 43. By September 43 the Canadians had decided not to re-equip 85hp carriers. and to "accumulate 95hp carriers to issue all to one formation, at the same time withdrawing all their 85hp carriers, from that formation (presumably to re issue else where). I welcome any info to help me understand this. Is anyone able to supply details or specifcations for the 4 early engines I listed? I'd like to know what fan was used, in the early Bren, and Scout carrier, Did they use the fan extention, or were they mounted directly to the generator? (pre universal)

Hi Steve. What I am saying, and accept, is that Rob told me that all the Canadian Mk1 carriers were fitted with the 85 h.p. motor. The Canadian parts manual is titled "Universal Carrier Mk1x" and the Canadian manual (UC-F1) is titled "Carrier Universal Mark 1*(Canadian)" Funnily enough, there is no sign of a "No_" in the designations at that stage. Maybe Adrian is the man to listen to?. I find fault after fault in many of the official, and un official publications relating to carriers. You appear to be taking your info directly from Chamberlain and Ellis. Is that the case?

Eddie, There is no doubt that your carrier is Canadian, I can tell by the engine bed rails, and by the markings on your armour plate. On MLU Rob Love stated that all Canadian Mk1 carriers were 85 h.p., This makes your carrier a " Carrier Universal, No2, Mk1* " The track links are factory finished at both ends, except for the joining pins which are located by way of a washer, and split pin. The factory track was continuous, service track came in 21 link sections, with joining pins. I'd guess your odd pins have been joining pins, hammered over by a cowboy.

Steve my info comes from page 3 of "Universal Carriers" Service instruction book IFV (first edition) 63/63, Dated Janruary 1943. The wording is; The prefix numbers(No1, 2 or 3)represent the alternative types of engine fitted as follows; No1 is the 65h.p. engine, No2 is the 85h.p. engine, No3 is the 95 h.p. engine. (end of quote) What say you?

Hi Eddy Just trying to help you know just what you have. Waiting for the internal pics. Cheers, Lynn.

That would be Carrier Universal No2. MkI* (No3 =95 h.p., No2= 85 h.p. No1 = 65 h.p) I understand that all the Canadian MkI's were 85 h.p.

Didnt "Standard" (Triumph) cars of that vintage, have 3 stud wheels?

Bren carrier steering wheels, seeing as no one has spare one that I can buy.

Hi Alistair. This will have little to do with modern law, but the 2 1/2 ton 6x6 GMC's load rating, was an "OFF road" (cross country) rating. On road, they were 5 tonners, so like Alex said, put the carrier on the back, which is what the N.Z. army did. We tend to compare these vehicles with modern vehicles, and expect them to perform the same. Back in the 40's, going down hill, in a truck with a good load was taken very slowly, relying much on low gears, and engine braking, because the size of the brakes was too small to do the job otherwise. I remember when an RL wrecker ran away with a suspended tow. The brakes were burned to hell before thay faded out. fortunately for the driver he was able to ride it out. Historically, I would guess, lot of blokes have died.

Hi. I havent read the whole thread, but here are some basics. If your pedal is spongy, it has air in it.(the system) If you can pump it up, and the pedal goes hard, its NOT air, its adjustment. Dont complicate it. If you had a firm pedal, that slowly required more travel ie you had to push the pedal a second time. Then its adjustment. Either there is something wrong with your adjusters,or what you are doing with them. if not that, then are the pistons staying in contact with the shoes? If they are not, then you may have a line pressure valve in the master cylinder, that is not holding. I dont know your system. These are general comments. You need to work through these possibilities. Do like Richard said. Block your Landy up, then lock up each adjuster, making sure each one is stopping the wheel turning.(by backing off the other one in each brake) When you have all (8?) shoes locked by (8?) adjusters. then how much travel do you have at the pedal? Get back to me.