teletech

The retard at very low RPM was so you could hand start the motor without danger of kickback. I'm now informed the Canadian manual has the procedure, you use the marks on the fluid flywheel and line them up while using a light connected across the points to set static timing. Then you just adjust it from there as far advanced as you can without any detonation. With modern fuel and a 6.7:1 compression ratio, that's likely to be quite a lot!

The Ferret or the ignition module? I simply bought a Crane XR700 universal ignition unit off Ebay, The new units are labeled "Fast" rather than "Crane", so Fast XR700, they are on Amazon and such as well. Actually the 3000 model might be a better choice as it self-limits the coil current and I think has rev-limiting as an option. Anyway it was about $80US and pretty much dropped right in. I did use a 24v to 12v converter I picked up off ebay as well, just put that module in the engine distribution box where the connector plate and dropping resistors had been. I fed the 24V module from the ignition wire and used the wire going to the coil for the output. Getting the three small wires from the coil to the distributor into the shielded cable is going to be slightly annoying I expect, but hearing it run you know it's all worth it.

The user manual says don't touch the red screws in the distributor or you will mess up the point synchronization. They don't offer any way to set the timing. I've read that you can't meaningfully use a timing light because of the retard at very low speeds to allow for hand-crank starting. So, if someone has messed with those red baseplate screws or if things got out of sorts in some way, or (in this case) if one decides to install an electronic ignition module, then what's a good timing and how do I know that I've got it?

Ok, now I've officially joined the "I installed electronic ignition and it works, but I don't know my timing" club. I went with a Crane XR700 optically triggered unit and just hid it under the ignition coil. It works fine so far as I can tell in the driveway. Sadly I can't take a test drive as I broke my foot a week ago.

Well I was off this forum for something like two years because I hated the new user-interface and only just recently came back, so I'm not of much help.

Indeed, how does one measure the timing on a Ferret? I read something about a special setup so it is very late near 0 speed so it won't rip your arm off when crank starting and timing lights aren't helpful, but don't actually know how to set it.

I'm in the process of fitting an electronic ignition to my Ferret and was wondering about the best way to set the timing. I have read that the usual process of using a timing light isn't helpful so unsure how to proceed. The user's manual has information about setting pint gap but noting about timing apart from "don't fool with the point synchronization" which isn't particularly helpful.

I made up a FV55522-ish fixture and had at it. Some of the "X" measurements were off by a good 1/4"! I dialed them all in to within .005" of what was listed on the one document I found but by the time I selected all the gears a couple times it seemed like there was something on the order of .020" of variation depending on what gear was last applied. Sitll an order of magnitude closer to book spec. Of course I also notice that the desired busbar height changed at some point. In the 1968 guide I have 2nd gear is supposed to be 7.05" but in this (later?) guide it's listed as 7.125". Other gears are changed as well. My hunch is that the "Y" measurement in the (I assume later) guide is supposed to be the gap between the adjuster and stop screw, but I don't know.

First gear is slipping badly. Otherwise the gearbox seems to be working as it should. The forward-reverse selector can be fairly easy or very hard to actuate at times and if I miss that shift I have to stop the motor, but I gather this last bit is totally normal. I've spent time reading various manuals and I think I now understand how to make and use the busbar setting gauge. I'm perplexed that my stop-screw settings don't look like any of the others I've seen pictured and I'm not sure how those are supposed to be adjusted? Is there a gauge for these as well or will that sort itself once I get the height adjusted? I suspect there must be some sort of gauge as I saw a drawing for a perplexingly complex Australian busbar setting gauge that might have provisions for measuring that spacing. In any case, it would be nice to know how to proceed since first slips and while the stop screw does make contact with the adjuster ring I don't think it has enough stroke to do it's job. I also have a question regarding the brakes. I am accustomed to non-servo drum brake situations but this one is bothering me. I had to overhaul the complete system as pistons were all stuck and lines all rotted, now I have firm high pedal if I leave it overnight or haven't travelled far or fast, but if I get even a little speed or distance there is considerable pedal travel before they get firm. In adjusting the brakes I can tell none of the drums are perfectly round and wonder if this might not be the cause but am very much open to other suggestions. Thanks for your patience with a novice Ferret owner.

I must confess that as an American I'm a little in awe of the idea of a government agency that would do something because it was reasonable! Here I think the government would want to reclaim such an item regardless of the cost or practicality because it's proper procedure even if it meant the eventual destruction of said item.

Seems odd they didn't have an opinion. I guess it's important to have enough torque to hold the wheel from rubbing, but anything more than that just robs the fasteners of strength to resist the air pressure forcing the wheel apart. I went with 60ft/lb as a value that seemed sufficient.

I need the divided wheel values, harder to find it seems.

Interesting point about pressing the grease into the drums, but not relevant in this case since it's the two wheel halves I'm joining. It is true though, torque values for most fasteners are very different for dry or wet application, by something in the order of 20-30%typically. I've run a die over the threads so I won't have false readings due to the friction of rusty studs.

Are those the the fasteners to hold the two halves together or the ones to hold the wheels to the vehicle?

I broke down a wheel to change a tyre, but don't know the correct torque to put it back together. The Ferret manual I have says it's a maintenance-section job so doesn't list the torque for anything other than fitting the wheel back to the vehicle. Also, when reassembling a wheel for a Ferret, do you use anything to prevent the studs from rusting/seizing? I know there are those who would worry about them working off but I've read that the whole pint of the nut socket and not the job of the stud. Just looking to preserve the wheels for another generation and make my life easy when next I need to replace a tube.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/874262009 $23,000 starting bid with no reserve. Not sure what they sell for in the UK, but in the US that's cheap for any armor.

See, now there's an optimistic take on the situation. Nicely done.

I have some rather sad but still intact examples. I'm in the USA though so if you can find a local one to copy I'm sure that would be faster and easier. If you fail to find one in a week or so PM me and we'll see what we can do.

Oh, I need stuff alright. 🙂 PM sent.

I just bought a barn-find Ferret and some parts seem to have gone missing over the years. The thing I'm most eager to get is a gearshift assembly. I also need both seat bottoms, a jump-seat, a set of good/new brake hoses, a single amber lens, and a rebuild kit for the Solex. I'm in the USA, so anything will have to be shipped I'm afraid. thanks,.

I'm right behind you: Just over a week ago I bought a Ferret someone added a turret to, removed the turret. It had sat for a decade or two and was right filthy. Brakes are all seized and carburetor trouble. In my case I got lucky in the previous owner had left a modified wrench in the vehicle that did a good job removing the nuts and I've (so far) kept them all. The wrench in question was bent 90 and then back again to provide more leverage. It also was narrowed at the end to give more range of stroke. Mine ran great the first time I moved it around the lot but barely would move under it's own power the a couple days later, opening the Solex showed a bad diaphragm. I guess it had just one trip in it before it bit the dust. I'm in the USA so at a distinct disadvantage getting all but the simplest of spares spares. For instance I'm totally out of luck for the Solex parts until I find someone willing to ship internationally. Anyway, best of luck on the project. I'll try to keep up. 🙂

Yes, it's an ancient thread, but I do have a relevant update for those of us trying to maintain Ferrets in North America: I tried ordering the specified NAPA parts and while the UP214 master cylinder kit is still a valid listing in the catalog, none are available and they don't know if they will be ever again. Apparently there is a Raybestos number that is also a 214 but it's similarly unavailable. The wheel cylinder kit NAPA 152 is now NAPA UP152 and still available for about $8/ea. I have four coming, so we'll see. Oh, FAIL! The Napa 152 contains a 1-1/4" brake cup and my Ferret's wheel cylinders at least are all 1-1/8". So, time to go shopping (again). Ford part DIDZ-2221-A contains a pair of 1-1/8" cups as well which are Wagner/Lockheed FC-2936 which, as we come full circle are sold by NAPA as UP 2936 for a bit under $3/ea.

As a citizen of the USA, I humbly apologize for that complete lack of taste (and tact) exhibited by my countrymen. As a feeble defense, I will offer that since our government won't see fit to allow it's citizens to buy it's surplus armor, we who enjoy such things have become a bit of a desperate bunch.

I bought a ramp truck so I'd be more compact and maneuverable. It's a single-axle truck, so where the CVR(T) sits will affect axle loading a fair amount. There is a friendly scale in town, so I can weigh the empty truck on each axle then go get the CVR(T) and do it again but I'm also interested in taking the rig some places out in the sticks so I can play in the dirt, as such doing the stability calculations would be a prudent safety measure. I can come sort-of close assuming the CVR(T) is a uniform density, which all things considered might not be too far off, but I know for US military hardware there is a big book with rigging information for pretty much every vehicle in the inventory complete with centers, weights, lifting points, and tie points. I would have assumed such a thing existed for commonwealth vehicles as well and just hoped someone had a copy ready to hand.

As I am working on setting up a transport truck for my CVR(T), I realize it would be greatly beneficial to know the nominal center of gravity for both the Spartan and Scorpion. I'd also like to know what privately-owned vehicles weigh in practice (i.e. without a combat load of ordinance). In my case, the Spartan is dieselized and the Scorpion is original. Neither has and additional armoring, etc.