TooTallMike

it will be interesting to see just how much height you may gain when you go to roll the bogies back underneath the rear end ... as in how much you will have to jack it up? :dunno:

 

Not only that, also the axle stands have sunk about 3 inches into the dirt floor over the last 2 months! I have a cunning plan though - we rolled the bogie out with wheels still on the rear axle but it's going back in without wheels on.

I hope you intend to give Grasshopper Christmas off? He might even desrve a mincepie? :-D

 

WHAT??? EH??? PARDON???

 

'off'? - what means this word?

Well done , how distorted were the leaf springs before you had them rebuilt/re-arched compared to them now?Thats great news on the final clean out of the axle housings from the earlier photo's and descriptions it seemed you might have found loads of shavings or crud inside .

 

Abn - they were a very odd shape, I think through years of overloading, as well as from rust between the leaves.

 

Ciao amici,

 

I'm back and my truck still loves me! They're so much more forgiving than a dog or a girlfriend :-D.

 

I've spent the day pulling the diffs and was pleasantly surprised that there wasn't too much crud in the bottoms, not too much corrosion inside and that the diffs appear to be in very good condition. I'm also pleased to see that there are no phosphour-bronze components so continued use of EP90 shouldn't be a problem (light blue touchpaper...)

 

I've got the refurbished rear springs back from Paddington Motor Springs along with newly-made U-bolts to replace the ones I had to cut off.

 

We're off to the Emporium of Beautiful Things tomorrow to get lots of new parts so I'll be able to start the rebuild in earnest on Wednesday with freeing off the seized drain plug and then re-fitting the diffs.

 

ps. it was warmer in Italy :shake: :shake: :shake:

 

I think the Leatherman is more for light applications where as the Gerber is heavy weight.

 

 

I've got both and I'd say it's quite the opposite. The Gerber always feels like it's about to fall apart whereas the Leatherman has a good weight and sturdy feel to it. Each to his/her own I suppose. :dunno:

I know everyone is familiar with them, and that they have a 25 year garuntee. My Leatherman Wave after 10 years or so of abuse was getting a bit loose. So I contacted Whitby & Co the agents, they said send it back we will get it tightned. Today arrived a pacakage from them. Dear sir, your Leatherman is the old model, please find enclosed a new model free of charge. Nice to see a place and company that stick by their word. :-D

 

I experienced exactly the same. My old model was absolutely worn out, with every component in some way broken. I sent it back to them and recieved the new model by return of post and foc. I was really impressed and would always recommend their products.

 

Mark - are you sure it's a genuine Leatherman? If so, you'll soon wonder how you lived without it. If it's one of the cheap copies you may well be disappointed.

 

I use mine all the time and wouldn't be without it.

 

Sales pitch over :-D

Where is TooTallMike these days?

 

Rick - I'm working in in a shipyard in Italy. 2 more days to go :yay: :banana: :beer: !!!

 

Nick - you're right, that is a WLF. Where's the picture from?

 

Mark - you're just wierd

 

& as for Enigma - :pfrt:

 

:-D

It IS possibe to distinguish from this angle between the two types - it is a WLF (front mudguard curvature, sad or what?)

 

That's the one I was referring to!

 

Regarding the other points about winch and crane capacities and chassis rating; even the US Army TMs and data plates give different ratings. Every book seems to state something slightly different and the various user armies rated them differently at different times. One day when I'm bored I must hunt out all the different versions and put them into a spreadsheet. :yawn:

It's a great looking truck and I like their sense of humour too! If I remember correctly it was German registered. It flew past me when I was watching the event and sounded superb. The back was full of people too!

It should read M3A5 :whistle:

 

Richard

 

Well done! +10 points.

 

Ok :roll:, another 10 points to anyone who can identify the other error in the caption... (ie. the one I'd noticed...)

These final 4 pictures show an Italian observation post of the on top of hill 121.

 

The first shows the pillbox with 2 observation slits at what is now the level of the forest floor.

 

The second photo is of the top of the bunker: in the centre of the picture is the access hatch which has been covered by a small pile of branches, the yellow lump above it is a ventilator.

 

The third photo shows the entrance stairs filled with forest debris and another ventilator top right.

 

The fourth photo is of the side of the bunker, viewed looking upwards out of the trench it was attached to. The white patch with the small hole is covering an entrance.

more...

At great personal risk to myself I did some excercise today, cycling all over the hills above the town of Monfalcone where I'm currently working.

 

The hills are riddled with trenches dating back to the Great War when this was the front line between the Italian and Austo-Hungarian forces. Between 1915 and 1917 fierce fighting saw the loss of thousand of troops on both sides.

 

The forest remains an incredible testament to the work that was put into these fortifications. There are thousands of metres of trenches from all the different stages of the battle, all hacked from the limestone hiding just below the surface. The trenches are supported by machine gun posts, observation points, pillboxes and huge natural caves used as stores and accommodation. Parts of some of the most significant trenches have been excavated and partially restored while others are being slowly reclaimed by the forest. There are public paths throughout and access is free and open. There's nothing but a gate with a sign on it to stop you entering the trenches and caves and there are pleasingly few barriers and fences. There are information panels at significant locations and they give a potted history along with maps and diagrams explaining the movements of the lines. Further off the beaten track in the forest there are the open mouths of further bunkers, some of which have collapsed, and you can also see buildings and other defences which are slowly eroding back to nothing.

 

I'm going to post a few photos which try to capture the essence of this amazing place, but I cannot begin to illustrate the sheer quantity of trenches that criss-cross the forest. I worked out I cycled about 5 miles and there was barely a moment when I couldn't see something of interest among the trees. I hope you enjoy these photos!

 

- Mike

Here's another with thanks to Army Motors magazine. 10 points to anyone who can correct the caption!

2 x Series 2 British Army units - super pic!

 

Any chance of printing a few of your best pics in the next UKWLFOC magazine?

 

 

Edition 11 is already finished and on its way to the printers and no 12 looks to be fairly full, but maybe I can shoehorn it into the one after that.

Cheers guys!

 

All the best birthdays start with welding and grinding from the top of a wobbly scaff tower!

 

Off to look at WW1 trenches today if it stays dry. Photos to follow.

 

- Mike

 

Series 4 :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banme:

 

+10 points to that man for identifying the curved boom of a series 4. :tup:

 

Here's one of my favourite photos:

 

If you are serious about that, I've got to phone tomorrow to see if they have crated our bits up. Doubtful, in which case I could tempt fate :shake: and get them to hold off for a day or two. A ferry trip split 3 ways or in proportion to weight of each set of bits might be cheaper than freight if my haulier cannot get a load that way. Would be certainly be easy way for Mark to get payment to them :dunno: Keep in touch.

 

Have you got a glove box in case Grasshopper can be persuaded to leave his Mrs for 5 mins to accompany us? He's only small and won't use much oxygen.

Just to prove Mark isn't the only one doing this job on his truck, here are some more recent shots of the bogie pivot bearings. I had to scrape mud and rust from them but they seem to be usable so they're going back in.

 

And I may yet be on a ferry :angry:

 

 

If it comes to it, I can go in 2 weeks time when I'm back. Looks like they may have to dig out yet ANOTHER set of everything for Mark!

Anyway, the spares supply situation was reviewed in last month's UKWLFOC magazine so all he had to do was look on page 8 :whistle:

 

He's too tight to subscribe... :-D

All available from Army Cars Holland.

 

2 x upper torque rods - €100 ea.

2 x diff carrier gaskets - €20 ea.

6 x wheel station gaskets - probably make these at a push - €20 ea.

6 x wheel hub oil seals - €20? ea.

 

ask NOS how I know :whistle:

 

Bolts are under way.

After falling in love with WLF's some years ago now (there is a story behind that that involves TooTallMike - he doesn't know that though)

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You too could look as cool as me; but you'll need to get some knees. 8-)

 

I agree with keeping the Jimmy and getting the WLF as a project. I sold my Jimmy to buy my Ward and at times since I've really regretted it. I wouldn't sell the WLF now but I will certainly be adding another Jimmy to my fleet once I have enough storage space.

Found the following on a French forum:

 

I'm sure a full list will come out at some point in the magazines.

 

Un frein de bouche de panther (muzzle brake): 3200 euros

Un Jerrican allemand sur son support (german jerrycan): 400 euros

Zundapp ks 750 : 21.000 euros + frais

Kettenkrad : 50.000 + frais

Remorque kettenkrad (trailer): 5400 + frais

schwimwagen : 68.000 + frais (costs) soit un record de... 81.600 euros,

-le velo para allemand (German para bike): 2700€

-la Caisse de 75 kwk 40 a peu près propre (body of a kwk 40)....320€

-la caisse de grenade à manche avec ratelier ( le tout bien rouillé ) (rusty hand grenade case) 580€ en prix final

-la sirène incompléte tres tres attaquée par la rouille (rusty and incomplete siren): 350€

-La kubelwagen type 82: 26 OOO €

Conteneur de parachutiste britannique. on y joint un caisson. mise à prix 80/100e prix de vente dans les 800e. (British parachutist's container guide price 80-100euro sold for around 800!)

It looks like you guys are getting on so well that you'll not be needing this temporary signwriting now.......... :whistle:

 

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: