militant-nick

been looking about and it seems to be too big for a 3/8" or 10mm and too little for 7/16" or 11mm so the only one i can find to be between them is 13/32".

 

Did you get chance to check it out Nick?

7/16” fit perfect 👍🏻

Some more images from this weekend, found the leak from when the foot brake valve is pressed is from the exhaust port on the RIC valve, possibly the exhaust port not seating correctly. Few photos of the hydraulic repair also.

Got to do the same on my Militant as i have to pump the clutch about 6 times, i assume due to moisture in the system. What size spanner is needed for the upper bleed nipple, what version of DOT 4 did you use and do you need to bleed the slave cylinder too?

 

Thanks,

 

Ian.

...just checked - page 14 of this thread for the DOT fluid - sure it was just from a local factor.

Hi Ian,

yours looks a beauty, I can't remember the spanner size for the bleed nipple but will try to work it out on Friday & let you know. If I remember correctly you top up the fluid via a tiny header tank under the driver's seat. We didn't bleed the slave I don't recall.

Despite the big cost I'm glad the box & clutch pack is now sorted.

I need to tackle the cab interior next and drop the engine oil & filters.

cheers

nick

Spotted on the Derbyshire Distinguished Gentlemens Ride my brother organised last Sunday.

I have to persuade my windows up too, that vice is very smart 👍🏻

After having a total lack of air pressure in the system following a test drive once the rebuilt gearbox & refurbished clutch pack had been fitted I decided to call in Dr Air Brake from Wolverhampton. They traced the lack of air to a defective diaphragm in a valve just forward of the second axle. There was a wiring fault to the main gauge. Both of these were repaired and refitted.

I then decided to go for a test drive and this time the back axle did not drag, gear changes nice and smooth too. On returning to base I thought I'd try operating the crane as it hadn't moved for a year. As I came to use the lever to move the main boom up & down, nothing happened except a large gush of hydraulic fluid from under the back deck below the spare wheel. It must have dropped about 6 litres of oil.

After this my Dad & I went round and sorted out several air leaks pictured below; union to bottom of footbrake valve, n/s outer air tank union, n/s inner union & one below the tyre inflator. There is one on a relay valve with some form of filter or

breather on it which I cannot tighten yet.

I rang an old work contact, a hydraulic firm called Tidyco in Derby - cheaper alternative to Pirtek, who attended this morning. A forklift had to be used to remove the spare wheel from the back deck (crane usually does this) then the fitter could get to & find the ruptured pipe to replace it, I will try and get photos of this.

These at the Anglia Motel on the A17.

Would be such a shame to cover those glorious colours with green. What a beast.

Yes very similar Clive, same tyres on my Mili.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/09/09/new-military-vehicle-hailed-answer-british-armys-needs/

From today's online Telegraph.

I've enjoyed reading his thread, my interest in the hobby started with airfix & Tamiya model kits and then at age 15 I visited The Tank Museum...

On the subject of attracting young blood to the hobby, I was 30 when I purchased my first MV (my Militant) and that was four years after buying my first property. I've not had help from family in purchasing either. I was one of thousands of students in the early 2000s who went to university but should have probably gone into an apprenticeship or job. What little careers advice there was given was focused on which university to go to - driven by the government of the day.

Whilst at uni and for a while after I got a driving job with a large car rental firm which I loved as I enjoy driving. After uni and with £16,000 student debt I couldn't get a graduate job anywhere - too many graduates to compete with, I made just over a hundred applications. There's that supply & demand element again.

I'm glad it happened that way now as it meant I concentrated on the rental industry and moved from driving to a junior office job as a fleet administrator for a large HGV rental company. Over time I worked my way up to be Maintenance Manager in charge of six HGV mechanics & four workshop office staff. All this fitted perfectly with my interest in MVs and the knowledge and local contacts made at work has been invaluable in maintaining & storing my Militant.

My employers paid for my Class 2, I paid for my Class 1, I also managed to wangle a rough terrain telescopic handler & a lorry mounted crane course out of them.

Regarding the recruitment of trained mechanics/technical staff, we struggled for months to recruit HGV mechanics as the local hourly rate surpassed £13.50 an hour - we also have the likes of Rolls-Royce, Bombardier & JCB locally actively poaching HGV mechanics for £18 an hour. In the end we partnered up with the Ford Skillsnet apprentice scheme and we're lucky to have found a committed young lad who after six years in the job is now a good HGV mechanic - we had two applicants for this position when advertised. The last two mechanics I employed were the only two who applied for the job at ages 62 & 52 respectively.

Without all of the above I'd probably have purchased a Land Rover sized vehicle to join, learn & show at MV events. As regards the price bubble, my vehicle is niche so the prices seem stable over the last six years.

Interestingly, around the time I purchased the Militant I deleted my Facebook account and haven't been back since - these types of site hold much more interest.

M40 north bound yesterday morning MAN 8x8 EKA recovery.

This Oshkosh HET and one other also yesterday A34 South near Oxford.

Hi Nick, I got to play with these in the late 70's - early 80's. Sadly, didn't do any recovery work with them ( I drove Explorers and Martians for recovery work), we were acting as a ferry service, moving them from the RA ranges in the Hebrides to 26 Command Workshops in Stirling. You can see from the pics, that as a civvy MOD driver, we were not held to the same dress code as the military!

 

Regards - David

Apologies for the late reply David, great to see the militants back then 👍🏻

Passenger seat base fabricated, painted & fitted along with a new stronger floor & secure clamp for the batteries.

dual handbrake valve to be removed and pressure tested next.

Sad times for RTR, RiP & speedy recovery to the survivors.

Soldier dies and three wounded at Castlemartin tank firing range - The Telegraph

https://apple.news/ARwWOQYWCQ3qyAqHEsEtkuQ

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/15/soldier-dies-three-others-wounded-atcastlemartin-ranges-training/

After five hours of stripping, cleaning & fitting back various pipes, the anti-freezer(2) & valve(15) trying to chase/trace the lack of air we think there may be a fault with the unloader valve (4), changeover valve(16) or compressor (3). Air is being fed to tanks 5 & 7 but not 6. There are no audible leaks in that area. Next job is to get the supply pipes off the unloader valve to see if the compressor is feeding air.

...forgot to mention the dual foot brake valve is exhausting air rapidly, I replaced this a couple of years ago.

After an initially promising start to yesterday afternoon by replacing a leaking tank union & reconnecting the air intake hose, a large air leak appears to be causing the rear axle to almost lock resulting in overheated brakes on a short test drive. Investigation to happen today.

Looking forward to this Resto, nice truck 👍🏻

I am always sad to see these fine vehicles carved up like a circus show. One of the first jobs that I had as an MOD driver was to look after three DUKW's for a couple of weeks - just drove them around keeping the batteries charged and making sure that nothing seized up. I couldn't believe that I was actually getting paid for having so much fun! Attached pictures taken in 1975.

 

Regards - David

what a job indeed, anymore photos from your job pal?