Richard Farrant

Hi Tony, If you have a vehicle of the older type with bypass oil filter, then a classic type monograde is the best type of oil to use, especially if you do not know what has been in it before. The danger is changing the oil on an engine which has been running on non-detergent ( or very low) oil for considerable time, there will be sludge or sediment laying in the lower parts of the engine. Changing it to a modern multigrade with high detergency, will scour the sediment and distribute it through the system, but not having a full flow filter, it will probably contaminate the bearings, if not block the oil ways. So if in doubt, go for a classic monograde. Be wary of diesel monogrades as they will have a high detergency as well.

Hi John, That all came together well, when the chap called me about the request, you were my first thought, being in his locality, and the event timing could not have been better. Great to hear the gentleman enjoyed his day out. regards, Richard

Just had thunder and lightning over here :shake:

A few months ago a friend contacted the auctioneers about entering a vehicle in the sale. He was told there was very little interest. on checking the auctioneers website last week, there is no mention of the sale.

Best of luck Paul. Problem is, although it might be the plug washers that have been leaking, running it with a low level wil cook the seal, so a viscious circle.

If that is the sand painted one, I think it belonged to a RA section based at Bovington, seen the complete outfit many times taking part in the HCVS London to Brighton run.

My late father never ever took a driving test as they were suspended at the start of the war. As he was on war work in railway workshops, he had to drive. After the war he drove lorries for a good many years. I always looked on him as a safe and careful driver.

Mark, I realise you are not familiar with the layout, the spherical housings are under the rubber bellows gaiter between the wishbones ( in wheel bay). I might be wise to set the steering on the lock you are getting the knocking from, jack both wheels on that side, clear of the ground and turn this wheel, putting your hand on the gaiter to feel the tube underneath. If you feel the tube moving, or jumping as you turn through the notchy bit, then the worst has happened. Where is the oil coming from, out of the gaiter? As for filling the bevel box / inner tracta, some Fox were modified to have a filler tube come through to the top of the hull. Level plugs are on the side of the bevel box/inner tracta housing, where it comes through the hull in the wheel bay. If you have the EMER's for the Fox, you should study these and familairise yourself with all this and make sure all lvels are correct, before using it. regards, Richard

In the foreground.........looks like a bonnet from a Hillman Tilly......

Hi Paul, Enjoy your meal :-) See how much oil it needs to fill, I think the capacity is about 9 pints. If you are getting a mist, then it sounds like the seal is well on its way out.

Paul, I always say that if you have to top up with more than a couple of pints, then there is a problem which needs checking. Sometimes it is as simple as leaking plugs, damaged sealing washers. Oil is a ISO10 hydraulic oil, this is much thinner than the ordinary hyd oil in plant, which is about ISO32

I remember one of these RAF Constructors later served with the army (circa late 1970's) and it towed a trailer for the Infantry Display Team. A sign on the front said "Jolly Green Giant". Anyone recollect this?

Paul, I have witnessed this and it is almost like smoke haze, the oil is hot and churning in the flywheel creating a pressure and being forced out of a worn seal (usually), the vanes on the outside of the flywheel create turbulance and it exits from the aperture at the top of the bell housing. There is a lot of heat generated in the flywheel, and low oil level only makes it worse. To be honest, most seal problems are due to driver error. Sticking in too high a gear for road speed, is one and another is leaving in gear with engine running while stationary. These things will lead to the seal cooking and often cracking or burning. regards, Richard

Hi Mark, That will be a tracta joint that has friction welded at some point. What happens is that on the normal straight ahead position, there has been a a point on the tracta fork and tracta knuckle that has friction welded, transfering metal form one to another, leaving a pimple and a hole, when on hard lock the joint is running out of line so the pimple is jamming in its articulation. Normally, these can be stripped and polished off, the hole, if not to large, is a slight asset as it retain a bit of oil. Damage to tracta housing (challis) can result from all this knocking and it could already have happened if you are loosing oil. Visually check the challis, inner and outer, to back sure they have not broken at the neck. If you are not sure, I am talking about the polished spherical housing where it joins the tubular flanged part.

Eddy, With cable and rod brakes, no servo assistance, it would not be very good to drive in a loaded state in present day traffic, even if it were plated and tested.

I agree, Stefano, that a lorry without shock absorbers or dampers would not want lubricated spring leaves...........but, it was TonyB, the Threadjacker, who managed to get the subject off course........yet again :embarrassed:. Apologies to Tim and his crew :-)

Hi John, I have some info on Hillman contracts and chassis numbers, should be able to date completion of contract as well. Richard

Tony, I somehow don't think you read the manuals thoroughly, Bedford's wartime workshop manual states "before finally bolting the spring together the leaves should be lubricated by lighlty smearing them with graphite grease". Then another quote, from the official book, Manual of Driving and Maintenance for Mechanical Vehicles (Wheeled), "open leaves with screwdriver occasionally and see that oil goes well in between the leaves; if gaiter fitted, keep this filled with grease" :-D

Paul, Are you losing water out of the radiator? That actually looks like a leaking flywheel seal, might be worth checking the fluid level, to eliminate. The fluid is clear and very thin, so does tend to "mist". regards, Richard

It could be from a RAF rescue boat, some of them were powered by Packard marine engines (not Merlin design).

:-D :-D :-D Thank you Monty. Nice to hear the advice was of help to you. regards, Richard

Monty, PM sent to you

Monty, You are looking at the wrong items. Look at the item page of parts list, the column headed F12 ( this is the illustration page) all numbers in that column relate to parts that are illustrated on F12. Ignore numbers on first column, irrelevant. The shaft shown, Item 2, is the one in the tracta housing. The shaft in the bevel box will be shown on the Bevel Box page. More to follow, just going ot have my meal

Hi Monty, I can see the edge of the cork ring still visible, so the tracta housing should go in a bit more. From some of your posts on here, I get the impression you are feeding the innermost tracta shaft in along with the wheel station. This might be where your problem lies.......if this is how you are doing it, please let me know and I will explain further. The brass nut you refer to, I guess is the inner one that holds the spherical tracta housing (challis) in place. This adjust the free movement of the challis, it should move smoothly, but not be loose, else pressure is taken off seal lip and it will leak. Mentioning leaks, I see from enlarging your photos, there is a lot of hammer rash on the spherical face, this could damage the oilseal lip and cause leaks, it might well have dented it too. I can also see a strike on the outer brass ring that the tracta seal is pressed into, this might have distorted the seal. If this damage was there when you stripped it, perhaps this is why the tracta failed, through lack of oil ( leaked away at this point?).

There is a distinct advantage on a long term project like this where you are painting as you go, in that, if it was a matt paint finish, it would no doubt be marred by oil and grease absorbtion as work proceeded, at least with gloss it can be cleaned down on completion, without marking the paint. Full marks to you all on the Dennis, it is great to see this restoration unfold.