N.O.S.

I once went to see a 30T Constructor tractor with home-made recovery boom owned by a Norfolk recovery operator.

He told me he'd been caught in a traffic jam and had seen it drag a fully laden artic, with all brakes locked, off the M11 in Essex. He was so impressed he bought it there and then. As it turned out he did nothing with it, and it has since been sold on.

There are two unusual things about this ex forces 20T Constructor -

1) The front end restyling

2) Believe it or not, it is still in service - currently at J6 of M1 for the widening scheme works. Had to park and run up the slip road to grab this shot yeaterday, sadly I could not find any staff to get any info. The lifting gear is a twin boom Holmes arrangement, same as Diamond T.

About 10 years ago I saw possibly the same truck at their Sandy depot, still with cycle front wings, though I thought at the time it was a civilian model. Can anyone shed any light on this / these trucks?

Was it NOS:rofl:

No way, I had absolutely NOTHING to do with it...........:nono:

I managed to cut a new rubber bits out of an old army boot heels and wire them in place to get home!

That deserves a special award!:rofl::rofl:

There is not enugh room to fit Layrub couplings at the gearbox end (well certainly not on Constructor with the extended gearshift tunnel).

The 30T Metalastik couplings are effetively 3 pieces of concentric steel tube of different diameters about 100mm long, sandwiched with 2 layers of rubber (about 8mm thick), where the inner forms part of the driving flange and the outer is the driven flange - this gives a very small diameter coupling of great strength, but failure is a terminal matter, don't think army boots would do the trick :shake:

I have been told I worry too much

Well maybe, but you're in good company:n00b:

Always good to anticipate parts supply problems, if not you could be off the road for a long time :thumbsup:

I don't know much "informed" :sweat:, but the petrol Constructors had a similar looking rubber coupling to Explorer. Some reckon they are different, so I've just looked in parts books and discovered that the 20T (Meadows petrol) is the same type, but the 30T 5th wheel Tractor (Rolls C6 diesel) has a "Metalastik" type coupling at each end.

Here are the Constructor part numbers (from WD parts books) - could you post the Explorer number so we can check that the 20T is the same coupling please?

Constructor (20T) Coupling - 28/263

Constructor (30T) Coupling - 28/R212

Thanks,

Tony

Built as a petrol 854 The Beach Family, amusement caterers converted this one to A Gardner 5LW, but I would have thought a 6LW would have been a better choice..

 

Would fit in a lot easier though! Guess it was what was available...

I admit to being guilty for being a bit whimsical and diverting things off course from time to time. But it's all done in the best spirit. MB

Just re-reading my post, I didn't word that bit very well - I hope you didn't think I was criticising the diversions - far from it, its all part of the experience that is the forum.

Tony

What is bugging you with the new forum - or it may not be?!

I like it, a lot, just one small point though, and I know I'm not alone in thinking this -

An increasing mumber of posts are pictures (and I've put my share up too) which are building up into a fascinating archive for each marque or subject. Now that's great, but without any other input that's all they are, pictures.

What I would like to see is more of the pictures acting as a catalyst for discussion rather than just becoming part of a photo archive, that way we can learn a lot more than simply enjoying browsing through the images. And that needs more input from members. Don't hold back from venturing a comment or two.

Sometimes this does happen, and yes it can go off track a bit. A few members are really good at posting anecdotes, perhaps relating to service days, and I enjoy this, even if I might not post any feedback to say so.

But sooner or later it steers back on course, and we've all learned a bit more in the process :thumbsup:

The beer is on me at W&P

Taking your new GMC then? :-D At least clean the tank out before you load up with ale for W&P......:banana:

Do you know the reg or chassis number?

Geoff acquired it from a large timber operator at Brixworth (Mabbots?) who also ran an unsual 4x4 Commer. It had been fitted with a Leyland 401 (hello Sisu ) but not very well as the front axle had been clouting the sump. It went to someone near Oakham and is thought to have been restored.

Getting back to the HMV theme, these Douglas tractors feature because of their Matador lineage, but did Douglas use new or reclaimed (from ex mvs) Matador running gear?

Dragline with Gardner 6LW, parked up for 4 weeks, went to start - not firing at all. Pull levers to crack injectors, fine. 15 minutes later, a full can of "Start yer B@$£&rd" and 24 volts instead of 12, it finally let out a big bang and clattered away a treat. Wandered around the back to gaze at the smoke display and found a blackbird's nest with asphyxiated youngsters laying on the ground, the poor bird must have made its nest way into the unsilenced horizontal exhaust pipe. We could have left the digger where it was for a while but had no idea. Sometimes you just don't see them :-(

Boy, those pink ears are a sight for sore eyes! welcome back Mrs HF :yay:

And as for next week, expect the worst and hope for the best -

that way you should be pleasantly surprised at the end of it :banana:

Could be oval drums. This would probably show up as good brakes on the brake test rollers, but not on the road.

Richard

I don't know about smaller vehicle brake test rigs Richard, but on trucks the brake test dial needle will oscillate during test, indicating ovality. The examiners are pretty sharp on that.

get each one so it binds then back it off a bit so it spins free

Sometimes the shoe pivots can be a bit stiff and prevent the shoe from sitting freely in the correct position- make sure the shoe is well aligned with drum by jamming the brakes on hard after this initial setting, and then repeat the process again (of adjusting 'till shoes just bind and back off a little).

One tip told to me by a very experienced guy was - on old vehicles which don't get a lot of use, if you adjust brakes too well the cylinder hardly moves - this can sometimes cause premature cylinder seizure/failure through lack of movement. This can be prevented by allowing a little more movement than normal. Anyone care to comment on this?

Do you know the reg or chassis number?

Sorry, no, but I'll find out histroy from Geoff himself.

When we put up the first T2 hangar slap bang in the middle of a very white chalk pit, the planners insisted we paint the galvanised sheeting (why?). We asked what colour?, they asked what colour the buildings were during the war, we said either camouflage or plain black, they said paint it black, we did, it still looks awful......What's the opposite of Camouflage?

Here's one I was lucky enough to drive around the parade ground during a Scammell Register visit to 19th Tank Transporter Regt. Bulford Camp. It is preserved by the Regt. along with a Diamond T 'Old Joe'.

As the sight of mechanical gore must be attracting quite a few views, I thought it might be useful, for those not familiar with the Scammell, to reveal the Scammell gearchange and gate in all its glory.

First pic shows the gate - apart from being able to skip 2nd and 5th you have to go up and down the box in sequence. Sounds tedious, but it is a lovely box to use, and it ensures you are always in the right gear or not far away! For me the best part of Scammelling is changing gear :banana:

Note there are several neutral postions (indicated by green line) - you would think the most convenient was between 1st and Reverse, but beware, the oil pump does not work in this position, so if left idling for any length of time you can run the bearings dry :shake:

Second pic shows the gearchange mounted onto gearbox. This view is of a Constructor - I think I'm right in saying the Explorer unit does not stick out anywhere near as much as this (?), so vibration effect would be less than on a Constructor. Even so a lot of weight hanging out there!

Tony

?? :idea: I think it was Geoff Rhodes who told of one which came his way because the recovery operator had cut off the gate in frustration, hoping to be able to skip a gear or two more than normal, but in so doing he made the gearbox totally unusable.

Well I spoke with him this week, he said it wasn't him, so I know who it was now!

Geoff said he's had several in over the years without gates, and they work very well without the gate - a case of experience and an intimate knowledge of "where to shove the lever"? I wouldn't want to do without the gate:sweat:

Decontamination tents are difficult to find and quite expensive. Make damn good vehicle covers though. Very tough material.

Each to his own - I prefer mobile laundry tents myself :whistle:

Problem is, tarp sections are quite small. Wouldn't be surprised if it is same material.

Talking of timber trucks, here is a pretty looking example snapped at Geoff Rhodes' yard in early 2000's. It got a quick bit of first aid and a change of boots there before moving on. Any ideas on history and current home?

OUCH..........

Says something for the strength of the truck when you realise it rolled twice before coming to rest as in the pic - as it went around it literally bounced on the spare tyre which sits at rear left of cab a little proud, but sadly not enough. I think it was driven home too! Damage generally limited to cab and other tinwork.

A good advert for fitting a spring brake chamber in case air is lost as in this case? Easier to do on Constructors than WLFs, but working on that one......

That looks very clean and nice, abn, just like mine should one day (I hope).

The cables - the only reason I can think of is they are safety straps - to limit travel of axle in order to prevent breakage of suspension etc when trailer becomes "airborne". Common practice on off-highway vehicles. Quite possibly a modification as a result of a nasty accident?

Don't think I would have done it that way though :confused: