julezee001

Surely if 80% of IMPS and MVT members are taking advantage of the organisers by staying for ten days then there can be no reason to have a lock down!

The idea of being able to relax and spend 10 days at the showground is great, but like many (I would suspect the large majority) others I struggle to get the time to do the 5 days of the Show.

I take 3 large trucks and a Landrover to the show, and get my mates to help with getting them ready, take them to the show, put up the tents, cam etc. We try to attend and take part in as many of the arena events as possible to allow all and sundry to see the vehicles in action.

My family, and some of my friends families come to share the experience. It happens to be the fact that they're all IMPS members, but if they weren't so what! A vehicle entry allowed 2 adults and 2 children entry to the show. Is it a chicken and egg scenario? No people, no vehicles.

Do I object to paying £10 towards toilets and showers for my entry? No, as it's a drop in the ocean compared to all the other costs involved. However I do object to being described as a scammer etc.

Jules

Excellent! Great find/project. Plans are camper conversion, or to stock up on fuel while it's briefly a bit cheaper?

Look forward to seeing it knocking around in the near future.

Jules

My Militant used to have a tiny pre-filter behind the cab to save the lift pump. It was however totally inadequate, and there is now a filter/aglomerator there instead which catches all the water and lumps that come up the pick up pipe. I usually only get problems when I've run low on fuel and it then picks up the "floaters", which lead to a huge loss of power as they travel slowly up the pipe until they get drawn into the pre-filter. So far I've never had her stop running altogether, and after about a minute she clears and runs up the road fine. I change all 3 filters annually, sometimes the pre-filter twice, but at about £1.30 each they're a very minor expense.

Jules

That's a full on job! I have to agree with everything being big and heavy. Having just re-built my o/s Mk3 swivel and hub with new wheel bearings, swivel bearings and seals, I managed without mangling any fingers. I hope all goes well without too many hitches!

Jules

In the home straight now? Veeery shiny. Looking good. W & P next year then?

Jules

Welcome!

Always good to have another REME member on the forum. Discovery's and Defenders keep me busy, Stalwart's are more entertaining for sure, if that's the right word. Good luck, you'll find lot's of helpful info and folk on the forum.

Jules

I had the large jack out to strip and adjust my Mk1's rear brakes, so thought I'd have a check of the front of my Mk3 wrecker. Below are the photos of what I have found on the offside which had lots of play in the swivel, and a rumble on both sides. Making progress but still need hub oil seals.

Self help. Using the Atlas crane to bust the tyres off the split rims that they have been on for all their time until now. Rusted rims = very stuck tyres when they have 2" beads. Joy! A good half day to remove and refit on the correct wheel. All worth it in the end as it passed it's M.O.T. 2 days later. Phew!

Jules

Apologies for the picture orientation.

Looking forward to the show. Relaxed show with a great selection of air displays to add to the vehicles on show. Assuming no technical hitches the Vulcan should pass by this weekend.

Jules

I'll be there from tomorrow. This year not with either Militant for the first time in 15 years. Having left it until the last minute to sort the Mk1 M.O.T. test, got to a local test centre that tests motorhomes regularly, only to have the tester go "err that's a bit large!", then refused to test it! Spoke to someone I know in DVSA, who believes he could have gone ahead. Oh well, it's now booked for 3 August in Eastbourne!

Mk3 needs front wheel bearings both sides, so is grounded. I can't pick it up if something large falls off!

Explorer on site, and will be over in the wife's Landrover by lunchtime, hopefully??

Jules

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply. I had an outer one begin to break up on my Mk1 a couple of years ago, and whilst it hadn't totally failed, I replaced both inner and outer taper rollers, and the top swivel bearing too. They're such noisy vehicles in the cab it's really hard to hear a rumble in the transmission. The Mk 3 has quite a lot of play on the drivers side, and a bit on the passengers, but unfortunately both have a noticeably rumble when spun by hand.

They are adjusted by shims between the bearing races, and secured by one large outer nut. It's such a big job, it's just more time efficient to get and fit new bearings as the shims should be right (not sure who stocks them?). I'd suspect the bearings are original, so have done 45 years in service, and abused out of service. If I fit new, they're done properly and with the limited use they get will last at least another 45 years.

Jules

Just jacked up the front of my Militant to have a quick check over to run to the War and Peace Revival, and have found that I need wheel bearings both sides. Whilst I'm unlikely to get it done for the show, I hope to order the bearings tomorrow, but wondered whether anyone knows whether they are the same as on the Mk1 which are both Timken; outer 594/592A, inner 598X/592A?

Oh and does anyone have a cheap set lying around?!!

Jules

Cor!! That looks luverlly! Almost all done then??

Contacted Supacat direct in the end. They were really helpful, as I have other issues with the box too. Essentially they can supply a special gauge for getting the level in the box right, but were kind enough to explain that it is a T shaped piece of metal that fits in the filler tube. It has a mark 65mm below the neck of the tube, and that's the correct level in neutral at tick over. Simple!! Needless to say the re-built box I've fitted still doesn't work as it should. Grrrr!

Jules

Thanks Topdog, that would be great!

Jules

Just wondered whether anyone can help? I'm working on a Supacat with an EPV auto box fitted. It has a short filler tube, but no dipstick or level bung. I've had issues re-filling it after a full rebuild (a blanking plug missing...lots of ATF in hull. Grrrr.....). If someone has a similar unit I'd really like to know how far up the filler the oil comes when ticking over in neutral?

Thanks, Jules

I've had the same effect by fitting a series 3 sender in a series 1 tank? Possibly wrong sender for year. Try extending the wires and swap them between your senders.If it's still reversed on the same tank it's the sender, if it's moved to the other tank it must be a wiring fault.

Jules

Nick, I had the Militant for around 8 - 10 years or so, but she was sold about 3-4 months ago and now lives near Hastings area, the guy who bought it drove it back home from Northumberland to Hastings 12 hrs :wow: not bad I think with the old girl. I'v been following your progress with yours very good keep goin you'l get to the end eventually.

 

Yep, another "epic" journey. 359miles. Only one slight scare on the journey when just close to Catterick Garrison a look in the mirror revealed smoke. Lots of smoke!! Lots of smoke from the Militant!!! Pulled over to find the centre axle brakes were more than slightly warm. Sat for a short while, then started off again slowly, picked up speed gradually, and it hasn't done it again. Phew!

 

The only other drama was the final leg down the A21 running on the trucks headlights, which might as well have been a couple of candles, especially after a long day at the wheel. They are still the first job on the list to replace with halogens and adjust!

 

Otherwise no regrets with the purchase, as it's a beast of a truck, and really quite practical. I reckon it turned in about 7 mpg on the journey, mostly trying to run at a steady 42mph. Slower up the hills, but managed 47mph downhill before self preservation took over.

 

Jules

Thought I'd give Footman James a go with my latest purchace last week, but their quote was more than twice that of the NFU with whom I have my other 2 trucks, and was more restricted too. Less miles on limited milage. NFU covers any driver over 25 assuming they have the right licence and permission.

Guess they are looking elsewhere for business?

Jules

Doh! All excited seeing a new post on Daisy...... Eagerly awaiting an update on the progress and new photos!

I hope to make it with the Militant and Scammells on Friday afternoon, and look forward to catching up with many folks I didn't get to see at War & Peace Revival.

Jules

I just remembered that when my brother bought the Militant, it came from Withams. it was one of twelve which had Atlas cranes fitted, and there were about another 60+ in the neighbouring yard, some with winches, some 6 x 6 some 6 x 4. He decided to get it delivered, and it came down on a trailer very similar to a Weeks 10 ton tilt bed, behind a rigid which was smaller than the Militant! I think it cost £100, but that was over 20 years ago. There shouldn't be a height problem as ours was 11'11" with the canvas hoops on, so unless a very high low loader trailer is used you should be fine for all the motorway bridges?

Jules

I worked it out as 300 miles from Rhyl to home. A long way for a first run out with a Militant. Looks like a nice truck for the money!

When ours was first run for M.O.T. tests, and it's first registration (a 90 mile round trip to Brighton), my brother was fully tooled up, with water, oil, etc. He had problems with the top radiator hose coming off, and latterly with the tiny standard fuel pre-filter blocking with sediment from the tank. This is something it still sometimes suffers from, even with a larger filter and water trap.

The furthest I've done in a day with is about 200 miles which as others have described is knackering, even on a motorway or A road. Keeping cool is easy, open the windscreens. Even on the hottest day it works really well, but wear glasses! Anything over 5 miles at 30mph wear ear defenders, or your ears will be ringing when you try to go to sleep.

I really enjoy the Militant, it's pretty well unbreakable, other than the need to test it as it's 1964, it's really been a stress free vehicle.

If you buy one, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Jules

A well known Pioneer. I wish the driver a speedy recovery from what was clearly a huge accident.

Jules

It's the wrong time of year again, and I've just tested my Militant and it's failed on a front wheel bearing. Not a major drama getting the bearings, £198 for the two wheel bearings, £120 for the top swivel one (ouch!), but does anyone have spare shims or know if anyone can still supply them for the wheel bearings and the swivels? It's a 6 x 6 version.

There used to be adverts in CMV, but the 01200 numbers don't work any more, are they still contactable?

Thanks, Jules