Richard Farrant

Jim, have you reselected Neutral before trying to move the nut?

Hi Jim, A rod of about 1/4" diam (6mm) with rounded off end, the flat bar across top face of block which the gauge rod passes through with a pinch screw (it is shown in a cross section drawing in the EMER), The bus bar has a valley along its length and if you use the rod in between 4th and 5th adjusters you will be able to feel it in, no need to drain oil. You can adjust by a temporary method described in the EMER, done by trial and error and feel, but if you have not done it before, best to use the measuring way.

hi Jim, Great stuff, see how you go. When you screw the 2nd gear adjuster nut down to achieve the busbar height notice if it is free on the threads as something was stopping the auto adjuster from working, although it could have been from heavy use or a previous driver using it as a clutch and not going through the pedalling up procedure. regards, Richard

hi Jim, I am tight for time right now, but just to acknowledge your post. EMER is the technical document system for the Army, Electrical Mechanical Engineering Regulations cheers for now Richard

Nothing to do with gear selector in my experience. Band is out of adjustment for 2nd gear. You need to go through the adjusting procedure as explained in the EMER, it is called adjusting bus bar height. Each gear is independent, so only work on the gear with issues. Once done the bolt in the band (square headed one) will have to be reset in order for self adjusting to take place.

David, you are correct, it is shown in Bart's pre-war directory. Richard

9.00-22 Cross Country tyres (eg Trakgrip) were list in WD Vocab, 10 ply rating for 5 or 6 inch rims. The 10.50 or 11.00 ones were for certain White and Mack military vehicles used by British.

No need to have it converted to unleaded as B Range engines have Stellite tipped exhaust valves and hardened seat inserts already. I am currently overhauling a B61.

Tim, The letters mean Ministry of Public Buildings & Works, who maintained army property. I know of a few more of these army Fergies quite close to me. They would be used for mowing and all sorts of general duties around bases and camps. regards, Richard

While you are at this point, it is worth at least checking the exhaust valve clearances as they are a bugger to do in situ.

You need to read post #29 and check out this entry form, look at the IMPS Combined Ops logo at the top: http://www.headcornevents.co.uk/downloads/Vehicle%20Entry%20Form.pdf

There is a special puller to remove the crank pulley as an assembly. It screws into the pulley after removal of securing sleeve/starting dog then a screw in the centre pushes onto the end of the crank. If you do not have access to one of these pullers then you will have to improvise with another puller, or make one. There is no way you will remove the crank without doing this as timing cover has to come off as well.

The military RS tippers did not have cupolas, so that photo is correct

Having worked on one of these and put a clutch in, I would say, that if you can see the arm moving with no resistance, it sounds like the arm has broken at the fork. A gearbox out job, then remove bell housing. A fibre optic viewer through the lever slot might help diagnosis.

It could be something plain and simple like the head was not tightened down correctly when last fitted. There are no torque figures listed in the wartime military manuals for Bedfords, so it is quite possible the head was not tightened enough, causing water to creep past a transfer port and down past the pushrod chamber. For reference, the head torque for a 28hp is 78 - 83 lb/ft (from 1947 Bedford civilian wksp manual)

I note it is not a military type cab as it does not have the large removable panel to access the FV type air cleaner. The Royal Navy had some RS wreckers, seem to think they were Holmes type.

I would be interested to know a few more details on these data plates retrieved from a scrap yard and sold at auction. There must be some clues there.

Tom, The pipe has a female thread at one end and screws on the exhaust stub on engine, the silencer clamps on the other end of the flexy pipe.

Hi Peter, Mains are 63 to 66 lb/ft Big ends are 38 to 43 lb/ft regards, Richard

Richard, Negative Earth is correct for a Bedford MW anyway.

A great machine. I used to do a lot of repair work on these Army versions, both Royal Engineers and local ranges had them. Could tell a few tales of jobs done on them too. If I recall, the workshop manual was the US version and we had a supplement for the AV505 engine. Sadly I do not have any manuals for them. Have you checked its service history? I would be interested to know. regards, Richard

2601 was Light Tractor, with Winch

The electrician I used has converted many of these CAV units for me, to a later control box by transferring internals. He then sets the box up to the dynamo on a test rig. Sadly he is not available to take on work now, but any good auto electrician could do this.

Here is a statement just received from IMPS Chairman, Andy Neal. Dear IMPS Member, Combined Ops, Dave King and Military World Show. On 28th January, Dave King announced quite unexpectedly that he was not prepared to organise Combined Ops at Headcorn this year. He proposed an alternative show at a different location. This left the Board in a very difficult position, being already committed to Combined Ops but with no-one to run it. After much discussion and meetings with the Combined Ops volunteer team, the Board decided on 29th February to renegotiate the agreement with Headcorn Special Events to ensure that IMPS members continued to have the benefit of what has become, for many, their favourite show. They decided to have no involvement with any show run by Dave King at an alternative location. Dave King resigned from the Board that evening with immediate effect. Subsequently Dave King announced that he would run a new show at the Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, and chose to hold it on the same date as Combined Ops. While this is very regrettable, the Board cannot stop him, or any member, organising anything they choose to, if IMPS is not involved in any way. No Board member is assisting with the organisation of this new show, although apparently several members are. The Board continues to support Combined Ops and would ask members to do the same, as IMPS has a financial arrangement to benefit from the show. The IMPS Board

I remember when working for REME, back in in early1980's, I had to make one of these flexible exhaust pipes, we actually received the silencer from Ordnance stock, but the pipe was n/a, but looking around, I found the flexible speedo cable for a Saracen, Ferret, etc. was the same size, just stripped the plastic covering off, made some brass ends and brazed on. The silencer is reminiscent size and shape of a cigar case.