julezee001

Do you need a full arctic licence to tow a full load with a 1950 explorer?:??? and do you have to couple the air lines to dead vehicle by law? If it breaks away from the tow vehicle this would apply the brakes. All modern goods vehicles have couplings on the front tractor unit so the wreaker can couple up to the brake system. I know i would'nt think about towing another lorry without it's brakes coupled possibility of jacknife trama is too great. even at slow speeds:eek:

I have considered towing my Militant to shows with my Explorer, using an a frame and the airline connections. If I were ever short of a volunteer driver, which seems less likely as the years go by! If the worst happened and it did break away it would not stop!! The air brakes are operated by air pressure applied to the cylinders when the brake pedal is depressed. On modern trucks and trailers the brakes are applied by springs when the air pressure is removed from the cylinders. If the air lines came off the Militant there would be no way to stop it unless someone was in the cab!

If the air fails on the Scammell you have the rear 4 brakes mechanically operated by the pedal, or handbrake. On the Militant you only have the handbrake on the rear pair of axles, not something I have ever tried, or want to try!

Jules

If not a goods vehicle what classification would such a vehicle fall into?

Certainly not a mobile crane looking at the very tight wording for their definition. I belive the definition of a mobile crane has been tightened up to reduce the amount of vehicles running around on red diesel.

 

In the past before my brother bought PSY 974 (an Explorer), it was registered as a mobile crane for many years. When the 25 year tax exempt (Historic) vehicle class was brought in the previous owner changed it, possibly to save money on the Road tax? Not such a help when a tank full of white diesel is almost twice the cost of a mobile crane RFL!

 

I've no idea if the DVLA can force a change of class if it has already been established? Explorers seem to have been registered under a number of classes over their post forces life!

 

Jules

“A goods vehicle manufactured before 1 January 1960, used unladen and not drawing a laden trailer; Drivers must be aged 21 and have held a category B licence for at least 2 years.”

This presumably implies that someone who gained their car licence after 1997 cannot drive with a trailer over 750kg without passing a further test, and yet can take out a pre 1960 HGV with a somewhat larger trailer? I guess that is why the DVLA has the get out clause covering info provided!

On the subject of recovery, would a C + E restricted licence (rigid + drawbar trailer)cover someone for towing a broken down vehicle.

Jules

This has been covered in various posts before, and there are probably as many different answers as there are members on HMVF.

The answer to the last is that any truck manufactured before 1960, can be driven on a car licence, and can tow an unladen trailer, as long as they are not used commercially. How this rule is affected by the change driving licence rules (1997?)for towing trailers behind cars, I confess to not knowing!

Jules

I have to say that my Mk1 with the Atlas crane behind the cab is a poor performer off road without the front axle engaged. I haven't tried it fully laden off road to see if the weight over the rear axles would help, but I would suspect it would just help the front bog quicker? With the front axle engaged it makes a huge difference, and even gives a slight chance of turning a corner!

Whilst on excercise in 1989 the 6 x 6 plain cargos seemed to cope far better in the sandy conditions of Halten training area (in Germany)than Bedford Mk/Mj's 4x4s. The only kit better on the excercise were the Warrior APCs, which being tracked was no surprise!

Jules

"Another Scammell wheel chock used beyond the critically design envelope!"

Hi GPS, Great to welcome another Scammeller!

I suspect the person on the tractor pull was me at the Cuckoo Fayre in 2007. Someone tried with a steam roller first and I thought the Explorer would be a good following act. Bearing in mind the sledge was for tractors up to a ton (tonne?), and could only simulate 12 tonnes it wasn't a huge challenge, just a bit of fun!

They only seemed a bit upset having heard me change up to 4th halfway up the 60m course. The only pic I have is below.

Jules

Hi Mark,

I'd recomend one of the Accumate/ Optimate intelligent chargers which can be left on and top up the baterys as needed. Whilst the 24v one is not cheap at about £60, it's cheaper than losing one Landrover battery to the frost!

I use one on my Militant occasionally through the winter, as it saves disconnecting and removing the batteries, as I don't have a spare space in the warm to store them in ideal conditions. It works well although it took several days to charge from flat, when the generator stopped charging, and it is probably better for the batteries than the workshop 24v starter charger.

Jules

When we went to pick out my brothers Militant Mk1 at Withams yard 20 years ago, there was a choice of 9 with Atlas cranes, 1 with a Hiab, and another 50+ mostly plain cargo, a good number with winches fitted. At the time there were also large stocks of engines and other spares crated up. I would imagine most were eventually cut up, although some may have been exported?

Jules

Presumably Class 2 is the same as C + E restricted, i.e. rigid with a drawbar trailer, so you would be covered for Locomotive use? Class 1 or C + E is essentially for driving an artic with a fifth wheel. Strangely when the UK changed the latter designations I moved from class 3 to C + E restricted, but then as REME we had to have C + E for recovery work. I then took the test with a Ford cargo and drawbar trailer? 15 years on I have yet to get a drive in an artic!

Jules

I was especially bored a few nights ago, and have put some photos of my Explorer in an album on HMVF is anyone is interested. The only slight annoyance is that they seem to end up in reverse order, but I wasn't bored enough to start again!!

Jules

With the swivels, jack up one side and tug the wheel top and bottom. If there is play put your top hand index finger on the back plate/ drum and shake again, just to feel if it is play in the wheel bearings. There should be slight play to allow for the wheel bearings expanding when warm on a long run.

If the play is excessive and in the swivel housing, it can sometimes be adjusted by removing shims from the top swivel pin. If this just makes the steering too tight, but still leaves play, then the Railco bush, top pin, or both, in the top are worn. The bush often wears very quickly when free wheeling hubs are fitted as there is no splash lubrication, and the bush drys out very quickly with use. The lower bearing can also wear and fail owing to total oil loss usually. The parts are very cheap and available. Setting the swivel up with new parts is also relatively simple, with the only "odd" tool being a spring balance to measure the resistance ( pre-load) in the swivel before the main swivel seal is tightened to the housing. PM me if you need and more info.

Jules

Getting the flywheel machined was one job which held me up for a while. I dropped it off at a local engineers workshop, and waited and waited. He finally went to machine it only to find it wouldn't fit in his lathe by the depth of the teeth on the ring gear. Luckily he knew of another local firm who have a lathe to turn up to 48 inches, and it was then rapidly sorted.

The Eagle flywheel was machined flat, and a new smaller ring was made and bolted to the flywheel, allowing the old cover and release mechanism to be kept. On the road it's heavy but perfectly usable, but off road it rapidly seems to get a lot heavier!

In hindsight I should have had a diaphragm clutch fitted to the Eagle flywheel, and have modified the release mechanism. Unfortunately I don't have regular access to large machine tools, and at the time I was just keen to get her going and took the relatively easy option.

Jules

"Doh, that's another crate of beer you'll owe REME!"

Hi Younggun.

Great to see you're making good progress, she looks to be very original and complete. I hope once you've sorted the clutch the driving experience is rather improved. It all looks very familiar as I had to get the Eagle diesel flywheel modified to take the original Meadows clutch cover before fitting the engine.

Jules

Wheel wobble on a Series 3 is often a combination of all the factors mentioned above, i.e. swivel tension too low, worn steering damper, tired springs, tired shock absorbers, tired steering relay, worn steering box, worn track rod ends, worn drag link ends, loose steering box drop arm, loose relay arms, nasty tyres (poor inner structure), tracking, wheel balance!

My regiment had 60+ 109's on excercise in Germany, all of which were theoretically identical, and all well maintained. Yet on the cobbled village streets some drove perfectly, and others as mentioned above go into a death wobble which remained alarming until slowing to less than 20mph? Some were cured by new relays, others it made no difference!!

Most of the above are relatively easy to check at home, with the last two requiring specialist kit.

Jules

Great details on it. I can't remember which service ranges I saw one on, but it certainly looked familiar. I think Century range at Bisley had a modified one to run the targets from the sheds to the target frames many years ago?

Jules

Moving target tug??

Nice photo, a brother (or sister) of mine with the Atlas crane fitted.

Jules

Sorry, not military at all, but a rather amazing clip on Youtube?

A pilot with huge cahunas I think!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oXMAIjGUPDQ

Jules

The local RBL team asked me to bring my Explorer to a local show, and were impressed with the truck sized poppy already fitted. A good friend made a donation at an RBL depot, and obtained several. As usual the Scammell brought many people to the stand, and did good service towing a friends artic and traction engine out at the end of the show!

Jules

I had considered a holiday to Malta with a view to tracking down one of the two Scammell Explorers which were in service with the British army on the island. It is in need of some TLC by all reports, but not as much as the other. The second is apparently still on its wheels, but sadly sitting in 600 ft of water outside one of the harbours, having fallen from a barge many years ago!

The vehicles pictured look like good projects, hopefully they may find good homes on Malta if they can't be re-patriated!

Jules

As usual looking with my eyes half open late at night! The axles looked to be related to the vehicle from the stud pattern and the hub nut covers. What a pity the fire damage is so bad inside. Is the running gear complete, engine and box there?

Jules

Any idea how much such an offer should be bearing in mind the recent crash in scrap prices??

It's a shame the axles for it are now seem to be incorrectly mounted on the roof. Looks like a great project though, although not many around as a guide to rebuilding. Anyone have a spare workshop manual??

Jules

One of my first memories was a series II SWB Landrover used for parascending by a CCF unit in 1970. I ended up buying it in 1987 along with its sister vehicle ( 1961 IIa SWB). The first one I sold in 1989, but the latter was my present to my wife on our wedding day in 1997, and is still a great drive! The Militant MK1 arrived in 1990, and the Explorers in 1997/8! Sadly not currently allowed any more???

Jules