andym

Welcome aboard Terry - can I please ask you the ARN of your Abbot? Andy

Ah - South-East Grinstead. I know it well! :-) Andy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17699357 Andy

My point exactly - had it not had a faulty fuel pump it would have been in the air while the budget cancellation was announced. Andy

My favourite will always be XR220, the TSR-2 that would have flown but for a faulty fuel pump .... :-( Andy

Coming along nicely! Andy

If you've got the links at the correct ten degree angle you should just be able to tap the pin out with a drift. Andy

Any more on this? Andy

I'd never thought of an Abbot as a recovery vehicle! :-) Andy

I finally got round to watching my recording of the programme last night. It admits in the end credits that it's based on Rowland White's book and I think it's not a bad adaptation. The business of the "one bomb on the runway" and the apparently strange angle of the crater line is fully explained in the book. It still amazes me they managed to get anything on the runway at all! Andy

Brilliant - thanks Chris! Andy

They're only a tenner on eBay so I'll see how it goes! Andy

Perhaps those hooks at the bottom engage with the pegs on the tray? Andy

Does anyone know how the PRC 352 mounting in an Abbot is supposed to work? There's a tray to take the radio which has four pegs and a clamp at the end: The manual unhelpfully just says that the radio is in a carrying frame. At a guess the tray is designed to accept one of the backpack frames but I don't see what would engage with the four pegs. Any suggestions please? Andy

Bizarre - I've never known that happen before. What exactly have you broken on it? Again, a photo would be very helpful. If you have broken the hub itself (the bit that carries the eight wheel bolts) then yes, you'll have to break the track at the rear to replace it. Or have you just broken the cover in the centre? Andy

I've found a suitable photo - which bit are you trying to replace? If it's just the tensioner piston assembly you don't need to split the track. Assuming you do need to split the track, if the tensioner piston won't go in once you've removed the bolt under the nipple, the easiest way is to let the vehicle do it for you - drive very slowly forward and let the track pull the piston in. Once that's done, find a way to stop the track moving once you split it, either the proper bar that sits between the return rollers or use a ratchet strap or hefty rope. You need the proper track clamps; the links must be at a ten degree angle to take the tension off the rubber bushes. Either use a drift or puller to remove the track pin. The track is very heavy and will have a mind of its own once released. This is not a one-man operation. Andy

Sorry, but I STILL don't understand what you are trying to do. Do you mean the hub that the wheels bolt onto or the piston that moves the rear wheels backwards and forwards to tension the track? Please post a photo! Beware that if you are trying this without a manual or someone who knows what they are doing, you're in grave danger of hurting yourself and/or knackering the vehicle. Andy

I'm still not sure quite what you mean and a photo would definitely be helpful! If you mean the track tensioner, there is a bolt below the grease nipple. Undo the bolt and the grease will come out, releasing the tension. This is all in the User Manual by the way, I hope you aren't trying to run the vehicle without one? :cry: Andy

The going rate for a decent low mileage FV432 pack is around £700. The Bulldog conversions take-outs dropped the price quite a bit! I'd echo the comment about photos, it would be interesting to see the Abbots even if just to check off their ARNs. Andy

I may be interested in some bits in that case? :-) Andy

The first thing is to ensure you've got a matching set of bits - ANR boxes, pressels and headsets. You can't mix and match between ANR and non-ANR. Andy

I'd agree with Iain - if you're stripping for spares pull the pack out and then drain. It's a lot less messy! Andy

What does the black box with the sockets say on it, Robin? Andy

Looking really good! Andy

Marcus Glenn had some NOS Abbot Distribution Panels on the stand at Beltring. I thought about it and decided not to. A week later I decided I'd made the wrong decision and bought it anyway - this time including postage! :-( Andy