Tony Lawrence Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Just managed to dis-assemble the tow hitch. I had to drill out the rear cotter pin as even heat would not shift it. The front pin/wedge has a distinct home made appearance but now all cleaned, greased and re-assembled with a new cotter pin cut from one of the old mounting bolts. Tomorrow onto the first of the wheel hubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Careful of the casing! I know to my cost they can be very fragile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 At the risk of boring people I have just received my ash wood - all planed to Imperial spec. of 7/8" (23mm) and various Imperial widths as based on my previous trailer wood that in turn was based on the measurements of the wood on the trailer when I got it. Tow hitch is back on and one wheel hub has been dis-assembled, cleaned and put back together with no fuss. the 70 year old grease had not dried up and the bearings were OK. It is a pity that the wood has to be painted as it has a lovely grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordenj Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 "At the risk of boring people"QUOTE] Can we have a live feed of the paint drying? Seriously, ash looks very good and brakes have cleaned up well. Bearings all ok? I have the parts numbers for replacement Canadian made TIMKEN bearings if you need them (none the Japanese bearings allowed in one of these trailers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 I am going to get my trailer plate printed on vinyl as I described back in the thread and will use tin sheet as the base instead of steel. Albion Alloys produce 15 thou sheet 4" x 10" tin sheet which is convenient as the data plate is 4" x 1 1/2". Also tin will not rust! I have also noticed that most of the restored trailers have the channel section of the vertical supports as a channel right to the top, as do the illustrations in the manual whereas mine are cut back by 2" at the top so that there are no channel sides. This is probably how my one piece top wood sections came to be. I cannot believe that anybody would go to the effort of cutting all these uprights for what would be only a cosmetic finish so is it a difference between manufacturers? Mine is an Orme Evans trailer so was this one of their peculiarities? Does anybody have any ideas? Also nobody appears to have come up with a solution to the three small brackets underneath the next to rear cross member - any further thoughts yet? Finally I have had no luck sourcing any of the cast iron cleats that are so prominent so I have commissioned Marshall Brass in Norfolk to cast some in brass using one of my three originals as a master. This is much cheaper than casting in cast iron - although b****** expensive - don't tell the other half as I need a total of 14 (3 original and the rest fabricated). The fact that I do not have any more originals also suggests that the woodwork on the trailer when I bought it in 1986 was not original except for the fold down front trailer board that still had the cleats. David, you still appear to have all your cleats on your trailer - look after them as they are gold dust -literally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austintilly Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 the restoration of our second 10cwt GS trailer is going well. It's hard to find out what make it is. It does have several differences with our other trailer. Can anyone confirm that 82ZA70 can be part of contract S4198 or S5363? I think the trailer is from Orme Evans, but I'm not sure yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 82ZA70 looks like a post-war army registration number - I don't know how it would fit into the contract system. In my chaotic filing system I found this photocopy of a manual that shows the mortar trailer from the rear fully loaded with either mortar or ammunition but also it shows the detail of the floor planking with a wide central plank and 3 narrower planks to either side and an even narrower one against each side - just like the planking on my trailer when I got it in 1986 so the odds are that at least the floor was original. It is the pattern I will be replicating.Hopefully you can make out the detail but it is a scan of a photocopy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David B. Posted October 3, 2013 Author Share Posted October 3, 2013 82ZA70 looks like a post-war army registration number - I don't know how it would fit into the contract system. In my chaotic filing system I found this photocopy of a manual that shows the mortar trailer from the rear fully loaded with either mortar or ammunition but also it shows the detail of the floor planking with a wide central plank and 3 narrower planks to either side and an even narrower one against each side - just like the planking on my trailer when I got it in 1986 so the odds are that at least the floor was original. It is the pattern I will be replicating.[ATTACH=CONFIG]82476[/ATTACH]Hopefully you can make out the detail but it is a scan of a photocopy. Tony, I think that your photocopy is from the Small Arms Training Pamphlet for the 4.2" Mortar. I wouldn't mind a photocopy if you could do me one at some time. I will check to see if the plank spacing is the same on the Orme Evans GS model. Cheers, David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austintilly Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 82ZA70 looks like a post-war army registration number - I don't know how it would fit into the contract system. My other GS trailer has two contractplates. I never understood why there was a plate with 80ZA54. But I was hoping that it was somehow connected to the contract system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 l would like to throw some light on your question about the plates on your trailer when a contract was placed with a manufacture a block of cenus numbers would be allocated for use on them a example would be X5221000 TO X5222000 these numbers stayed in use until 1948 when the military reorganized the way the numbering by using this type of system as in your case 80 ZA 54 To be sure of the answer you could write to THE RLC MUSEUM DEEPCUT here in ENGLAND giving them the ZA number and they if they have the B vehicle card they can tell you contract number/wartime number and who made it they do charge for this information REGARDS WALLY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon king Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 i don't know if anybody is interested but I've had an original tailgate key scanned and have had a small batch laser cut from 3mm plate. Cost is £6 each - which is what they cost me - plus postage. If you're interested pm me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woa2 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 It's hard to find out what make it is. It does have several differences with our other trailer. Can anyone confirm that 82ZA70 can be part of contract S4198 or S5363? I think the trailer is from Orme Evans, but I'm not sure yet. The census number X5392500 refers to a contract S2490 and went to SS Cars (now Jaguar cars). The 82ZA70 will be it's re-registration in 1948 and this can be confirmed by the RLC Museum at Deepcut, but they want a fee to tell you this. Contract S2490 went from X5391001 to X5392640. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 A tip for reproducing collared bolts such as the ones that the brake cranks pivot on. The bolt is a 7/16" BSF but the collar is 1/2". I used K&S brass tubing no.s 138 and 139 that are telescopic fit and are respectively 15/32" and 1/2". They form a perfect collar and when greased the crank swivels perfectly. Another tip - don't think you have painted the trailer frame completely when it is standing on it's wheels!!. I turned mine onto it's side to finish the brakes and then found all the areas I had missed. Also sandblasting does not get rid of all the 70 year old underseal gunge. I had to go over patches with an angle grinder and wire brush. Onwards and upwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordenj Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Another tip - don't think you have painted the trailer frame completely when it is standing on it's wheels!!. I turned mine onto it's side to finish the brakes and then found all the areas I had missed Anthony, I don't spray my trailers like this just for fun! But you do need a suitable tree to secure the pulley block to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austintilly Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 The census number X5392500 refers to a contract S2490 and went to SS Cars (now Jaguar cars). The 82ZA70 will be it's re-registration in 1948 and this can be confirmed by the RLC Museum at Deepcut, but they want a fee to tell you this. Contract S2490 went from X5391001 to X5392640. The two plates on the picture are from the same trailer. 80ZA54 is connected to contract S2490. But my second trailer had a plate with only 82ZA70 on it. The original plates are lost. I was hoping someone had a simular plate with the same number on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woa2 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 The two plates on the picture are from the same trailer. 80ZA54 is connected to contract S2490.But my second trailer had a plate with only 82ZA70 on it. The original plates are lost. I was hoping someone had a simular plate with the same number on it. You can only find the wartime number if you contact the RLC Museum at Deepcut. Your 82ZA70 number plate is unique, like the licence plate on a car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Somebody has just bought a GS Mk 2 trailer on e-bay for £800 and it needs a lot of work to make it reasonable, such as new wood, metal repairs, etc. Makes my expenditure seem a little more reasonable now - at least that is what I will tell the other half!! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290987425402?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Sometime back I posted photos of the towing hitch on my mortar trailer and somebody said it was a post war Bradley hitch. I am sceptical about this as it looks nothing like any Bradley hitch I have ever seen and the fact that it is attached in exactly the same place with the same hole spacings/tubes as originally fitted to the trailer. Now an identical hitch has come up on e-bay (although with a much smaller ring) and it is described as a NATO hitch. Could it be a post-war army hitch designed to fit in place of the wartime hitches but allowing for the larger tow ring and shaft?. Also in passing I thankfully had some new spring clamp U bolts made by Owens of Rotherham as when I came to undo the nuts, six of the eight bolt ends snapped as they were so corroded. The fourth U bolt had to be cut up in situ to remove it. Lesson learnt - don't cut corners!! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NATO-TOW-EYE-/121192650571?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Other_Vehicle_Parts_Accessories_ET&hash=item1c37a5174b#ht_101wt_956 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon king Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 When I got some replacement mudguards for my GS trailer, they came with the remains of the brackets to which they were attached. Between the curved plate attached to the brackets and the top surface of the mudguard there appeared to be a packing much like hardboard. Was this common on all the trailers with curved mudguards - and is there a modern substitute which will not act as a moisture trap and start the rusting process all over again? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurice Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 On mine there was a rubber piece between the mudguards, but there were manny layers of canvas in the rubber to reduce the amount of rubber used . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon king Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 On mine there was a rubber piece between the mudguards, but there were manny layers of canvas in the rubber to reduce the amount of rubber used . Maurice - thanks for that Might see if I can buy some cheap cutting mats off a market stall or the like to cut down and use as a substitute. Seems more manageable than a cut down inner tube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 On mine there was a rubber piece between the mudguards, but there were manny layers of canvas in the rubber to reduce the amount of rubber used . Hi Maurice, That would be balata belt, rubberised canvas belting, often used for packing under bodies, exhaust mounting straps, etc. It was not done to save rubber, it is in fact flat drive belt with many other uses, like axle check straps, etc. regards, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoseman Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Hi Maurice,That would be balata belt, rubberised canvas belting, often used for packing under bodies, exhaust mounting straps, etc. It was not done to save rubber, it is in fact flat drive belt with many other uses, like axle check straps, etc. regards, Richard Also could use conveyor belt. Plenty of old stuff about. Got a local reclaim or scrap metal dealers? Use conveyors? Local company that fits them for off cuts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurice Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 What was between it , was only 3 to 4mm thick ., no rot between wings and rubber , still original olive drab underneath . Rest of trailer was bad , wood still there , but under the wood a lot of steel rot . I will take a picture , it is almost finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWMike Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 I picked up the trailer at the Castle Coombe auction last week- it is a 10cwt mortar trailer, no makers label, and its been used as a tender to a road roller- evidence of coal, tar and extra brackets for the rakes and spades of the workmen. I think the back end has been bodged around and certainly the woodwork is not original, so my next project is to return her to as near original as I can. I'd appreciate any help on the woodwork sizes and layouts, what wiring these things had, photos of the rear end and if anyone has any cleats or tailgate ironwork.............My target is to have her running behind my MW for the XXX corps run next year, and as this will mean a huge change in the comfort levels for the eight of us travelling in the MW, my life wont be worth living if I don't fix her up! mike, 1943 Bedford MW D 1938 Hillman Minx staff car ? 10 cwt Mortar trailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.