Grasshopper

A truck has to have been used as a spares donor and scrapped at least twice, cut/decomposed into a few bits and have been on fire and forgotten about before Roy will even consider taking it on....

Having had all the brakes apart on one of our Ferrets, it was discovered that one of the brake adjusters would not operate once the shoe carrier return spring was fitted. I determined that the gear wheel was slipping on the outer brake adjuster drive shaft when operated. Unfortunately the offending item is part of the back plate, and riveted in place. Having removed the brake adjuster, I determined that it could probably be repaired by welding. Having removed the hub (necessitating removal of all 144 needle rollers for the planet gears, hence the clean boards and magnetic parts tray!) and back plate, I ground back the edges of the gear wheel with a Dremel. A couple of spot welds were made to secure it and also to check that it could still rotate as designed, and then the gear wheel fully welded and the weld dressed back with the Dremel. The smaller of the 2 gear wheels sits on top of it and must be able to turn independently in order that each brake carrier can be independently adjusted. The smaller gear wheel was also welded on as there was insufficient material left to re-secure it (theses items are secured by the end of the inner brake adjuster shaft being peined over). I've not quite finished re-assembly as having nearly got it all back together, one of the tiny bolts which secure the anti-rotation springs (which prevent the brakes self de-adjusting) to the brake adjuster snapped so now requires drilling out. Hopefully I can achieve this without having to strip the hub off again! Sorry for the poor quality pics, but I have an old (but engineer-proof) phone. Vince

Be sure to lube the fuel pump governor before attempting to start up - I had a 7.7 run away when I started it for the first time which cost me the engine. The starter motor is nothing special and fits a lot of other vehicles including most AEC and Leyland engines (I think Gardener L series as well). Good luck with the restoration. Vince

Also not unknown for one to hydraulic lock with fuel!

Could be a high resistance in the earth cable between the engine block and the hull?

Stale fuel and ethanol content are the issues which seem to be affecting vehicle owners I have spoken to on the subject.

Currently I'm using a product called Stabil which stops the fuel going off as my stuff isn't used very often. Having started one of the vehicles once a year for the last 3 years, it has impressed me by starting almost first compression each time. I also use Castrol lead additive. Folk I have spoken to recently found that this year any vehicles in their collections that weren't running an additive had fuel issues (typically lift pump diaphragm failures due to the increase in ethanol in modern fuel) while those running additives did not. Vince

While the correct size and ply rating (16 ply), I note that the speed rating A6 would indicate a maximum speed of 30kph/19mph which would be insufficient for a Ferret unless you trailer it everywhere. Saying that, it does look like the Petlas tyre fitted to a few Ferrets I have seen. https://www.tiresplus.com/shop-for-tires/tire-buying-guide/tire-speed-rating/ Vince

Possibly classed as CKD kits with the cab being the local content.

I witness "smoke theory" on an occasional basis at work, made all the more impressive (in terms of quantity) when it is emanating from a 730V DC train or 110V battery set...

If you want to keep it authentic looking, this chap produces electronic regulators for dynamos that fit inside the original regulator housing. http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/about-me.php (also an entertaining write up on Lucas electrics at the bottom of the "about me" page!) Please note that I have no link to the company mentioned above, I found it while doing some research on dynamos. Vince

Nice job! Looks to have the later type Miles steering box which is the easier (lighter if such a term can be used to steer and old non-power assisted truck!) steering box of the two. For any Matador owners with the earlier type steering box, I managed to modify my early type box by dropping a needle roller bearing into the top of the steering shaft which improved it slightly. Vince

If it's any help, on CVRT you jack up the hull, remove the track and road wheels and measure the droop of the torsion bar between the hub centre and sponson. With al the droop measurements equal, if all the torsion bars are good then the vehicle should sit level with the weight back on it (ours doesn't as we the torsion bars have gone soft on one side). Vince

I had a couple of engines that only turned a few degrees in each direction. A bit of diesel in the bores (and down the inlet manifold) and repeated turning back and forth of the flywheel with a bar eased them until they would turn over fully. The key thing was that at no point did I force against the seizure as this would have caused damaged. One engine is currently installed and running fine, the other is awaiting fitting in its project vehicle.

In our experience it was something silly like headlamp position that meant the WW2 truck we used (for towing the modern recovery trailer) wouldn't pass an MOT. Most older military trucks may have this issue, but it is not insurmountable. In the case of our truck, moving the headlamps would have made it look completely wrong. In the end we just bought a modern truck as it was easier than making the vintage truck compliant and having to test the truck and trailer.

Towing a laden trailer with a historic HGV MOT exempt truck is where it gets very iffy legally. We went down this route a few years back and decided it was too much of a grey area unless you can get the truck MOT'd. Vince

Your pump does have an excess fuel device fitted; it is the spring loaded button on the underside of the left side of the left hand injection bank which faces downwards.

Sabre lacked NBC protection, I assume as the Fox turret wasn't designed with that in mind.

We fitted an extension tube on our M55 from the master cylinder to the cab, with a plastic reservoir fitted just behind the drivers seat. This allows us to keep an eye on the (synthetic) brake fluid level without having to lift the inspection plate in the cab floor and remove the master cylinder filler cap.

It's the silence that you need to worry about....

If the next move is to be in the opposite direction and you are switching off the motor to park up, move the shifter as you switch off the engine. That way it reduces crunching the gears but aids positive engagements as the gears are still spinning. Similarly if the opposite direction is required and the vehicle is off, change the direction while starting the motor.

Having changed numerous Routemaster accumulators in a previous career, I don't recall bleeding them afterwards but we did pressurise (run up the engine until the relief valve cut in) and discharge (shut off engine and pump brakes until the brakes no longer worked) the system a few times after the job.

Good luck keeping to those figures in a real life road situation! Although designed for "hot shifting", it may be beneficial to clutch and gearbox life to come of the throttle between up-changes (I practice this). I find I can keep an eye on the tacho by glancing at it (but then I am a shortie). Easier to see than the speedo.

I've felt a bit indifferent to taking the tracked vehicles I look after into the W&P arena over the last few years. It used to be the only time we got to play with these toys and explore some of their capabilities (and so we would subsequently use any tenuous excuse to take them in), but over the last few years driving them on the road (as we have got them more reliable) has become more enjoyable to me than driving in circles. However things changed while at W&P as having gone for a ride in the arena in Marks ARRV "Shrek" on the Wednesday at W&P, I spent so much time waving to the excited kids at the edge of the arena that it put the fun back into it. In my other hobby (waving a shovel and making smoke on a well known preserved railway) we spend a lot of time engaging the public, smiling and waving. I guess being in a hot, noisy armoured box with limited visibility while concentrating on driving makes it easy to forget that there are people out there who are enjoying watching your vehicle on the move. Similarly, at a local show over the weekend the looks on peoples faces while trundling around a tiny arena made it worth the effort. One thing I do miss about the arena on the old W&P site was the armoured traffic jam that build up while waiting to go in for the weekend armour displays. I think it was the fact that there was public on both sides of it made it a real spectacle.

Try Chris G on this Forum, he may be able to source them or a suitable replacement. (Please note that I have no connection with his business but happily consume his wife's fine home made cake at shows)