question Bedford MJ HELP

[northhaddo]

I am a gamekeeper in the north of Scotland and am looking to buy a Bedford MJ to transport our beaters about. We have had 2 Renault Saviems but blown them both, soft engines.

I have done a lot of looking over the web for information regarding down rating the Bedford and have found lots of conflicting posts. By all accounts they can be down rated but how? I did see that there was a company that sold a kit to do this but I can't find it again.

Any help regarding buying, registering and down rating would be much appreciated.

I have seen some for sale on modsales.com but they are asking £4500+vat, is this a bit steep?

[David Ives]

to downrate a bedford all they do is cut off the extra spring hangers and then submit it to a vosa center for downrating

mod sales are where most come from but try http://www.crouchrecovery.co.uk/military-vehicle-specialists.htm as they seem to keep a few there and would probably do the job for you

[GlenAnderson]

Hi,

 

I've been speaking recently to VOSA regarding the licensing/registering/operating of an MJ and they've been very helpful.

 

They sent me a copy of a Bedford factory engineers report stating how to downrate the MJ. It states the MJ was offered as a factory variant at 7499kg gross.

 

The conversion (from 9500kg) involves:

 

Rear springs:

 

Helper pack removed and replaced with packing spacer Bedford part no: 9962650

(spacer dimensions 57.1mm thick, 76.2mm wide and 115mm long - that's 2-1/4"x3"x4-1/2" in real measurements)

 

Front springs:

 

Bottom 2 leaves removed making 7-leaf pack instead of normal 9-leaf.

 

These suspension changes give revised axle loadings of 2850kg front and 5110kg rear.

 

Hope this helps. If you want I can try and email you the pdf of the letter. VOSA technical officer told me that a vehicle presented for first plating and test with those modifications carried out would be plated at 7499kg with no arguments or worries. I imagine a copy of the letter would be on their files, but having your own couldn't hurt.

 

If you do buy one, and remove the helper pack from the back and bottom 2 leaves from the front, let me know as if I end up buying an older one that has been down-rated I'll be looking for the bits to put it back to it's full weight!

 

All the best, Glen.

[Big Al]

Hi,

 

I've been speaking recently to VOSA regarding the licensing/registering/operating of an MJ and they've been very helpful.

 

They sent me a copy of a Bedford factory engineers report stating how to downrate the MJ. It states the MJ was offered as a factory variant at 7499kg gross.

 

The conversion (from 9500kg) involves:

 

Rear springs:

 

Helper pack removed and replaced with packing spacer Bedford part no: 9962650

(spacer dimensions 57.1mm thick, 76.2mm wide and 115mm long - that's 2-1/4"x3"x4-1/2" in real measurements)

 

Front springs:

 

Bottom 2 leaves removed making 7-leaf pack instead of normal 9-leaf.

 

These suspension changes give revised axle loadings of 2850kg front and 5110kg rear.

 

Hope this helps. If you want I can try and email you the pdf of the letter. VOSA technical officer told me that a vehicle presented for first plating and test with those modifications carried out would be plated at 7499kg with no arguments or worries. I imagine a copy of the letter would be on their files, but having your own couldn't hurt.

 

If you do buy one, and remove the helper pack from the back and bottom 2 leaves from the front, let me know as if I end up buying an older one that has been down-rated I'll be looking for the bits to put it back to it's full weight!

 

All the best, Glen.

This is the same advice they gave me last year when I was looking in to it its a good bet that the letter is the same one, Im still looking for one but when I get some spare cash something happens well thats life!

Al

[robin craig]

Dear Mr Gamekeeper,

 

Speaking from past experiences buying direct from MOD sales agents Withams at Colsterworth I would caution you that there are other people who will take care of you better.

 

With the best will in the world everything we have bought from Withams could have been prepped a bit better.

 

Buy a vehicle from someone like Crouch Recovery as he will do as you ask and get the vehicle gone over thoroughly. Crouch has a good name from all remarks made here.

 

There are plenty enough of them around to make it a buyers market.

 

I would have thought that a Bedford might just be a tad too big for the job and have a turning circle of a pregnant whale when out in the boonies.

 

There are conflicting report on the RB44 vehicles coming out, if I read through the haze correctly thay are a step up from a Land Rover and would likely do the job quite well.

 

I have not ties to Withams or Crouch.

 

My 2 cents worth

 

R

[northhaddo]

A big thank you to you all. The information you have given is a great help. Will let you know when we get one.

Regards

Richard