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WW1 Dennis truck find


Great War truck

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There has been something like 530 "hits" on this site since about 7.30 this morning, an unprecedented number in such a short time - it appears to be mainly from "visitors". Can anybody tell us if there has been some kind of link or comment on another web site which is aiming interested persons in our direction?

 

Tony

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There has been something like 530 "hits" on this site since about 7.30 this morning, an unprecedented number in such a short time - it appears to be mainly from "visitors". Can anybody tell us if there has been some kind of link or comment on another web site which is aiming interested persons in our direction?

 

Tony

 

I've seen links to this thread on many forums.... We have on average approx 400 different members logging every day (368 so far today) & most members read this thread & may come back more than once during the day.

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It is strange that the 'box joints that Steve has just referred too were used on fire engines but not on his subsidy lorry. Here are the essentials of a box joint

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22206[/ATTACH]

 

The bronze 'slippers' wear or in the worst case the actual box splits apart. Making sure that they are full of graphite grease before any journey ensures a longer life. Jezebel the RCS Dennis 'N' Type has had a fair share of box joint trouble but this probably because it is driven by students who have yet to hone their mechanical empathy. (Steve, didn't you use to drive Jezebel....?)

I used to drive "Jezebel" and box joints were never a problem if you regularly greased them (at least every 60 mile). This short service interval was probably the reason they were not used on the subsidy lorry. The original box joints (as listed in the parts book and drawings for my 1908 Dennis) did not have the bronze slippers and were just a square block in a square hole.

 

Ben

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If you don't have your Meccano ( or Trix ) to hand to visualise the motion of coupling shaft with two universal joints, here are some pictures which demonstrate the non-linearity of the motion. All the pictures show the input and output shafts in synchronism which mean they are running at constant speed. The first and second pictures show an angle lead and then an angle lag of the coupling shaft. This relates to the coupling shaft running fast and then running slow.

 

The last three pictures show how the angle (speed) change is greater with a larger mis-alignment of the shafts.

 

Barry.

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Edited by Asciidv
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There has been something like 530 "hits" on this site since about 7.30 this morning, an unprecedented number in such a short time - it appears to be mainly from "visitors". Can anybody tell us if there has been some kind of link or comment on another web site which is aiming interested persons in our direction?

 

Tony

 

Tony, So impressed was I that I posted a link on www.Austinsevenfriends.com which usually deals with slightly smaller projects..

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Well, thanks for that information, Damian! It certainly helps to explain why there were 1,298 "hits" during the last 24 hours! Usually never more than 100 in a day. We are so pleased that so many people have found what we are doing of interest and grateful to have had so much input from others who have been able to help with suggestions and advice.

 

Tony

Edited by Minesweeper
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Good explanation on the propshaft joints this should be pointed out more to the folk that put high lift suspension on there 4x4s

 

so many visits Maybe because its a great project showing in detail how these trucks were built , and many of us could only dream on doing a build like this ,,,, I'll be logging on later as going to take the sons laptop to show my father this thread :-)

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The pump delivers the water from a pipe on the top to the top of the front block. This pipe is of 1 1/2" diameter copper, bent to a very tight radius which is unfortunately beyond us to make so we have asked a specialist to do it for us. Steve has turned up the end flange from brass and Tony will machine the other elbow from a casting when it arrives. Once the pump is complete, the pipe can be cut to length and the ends soldered on.

 

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The bronze blocks in the flexible couplings have been machined to size by Tony but rather than bore them through, he has tapped the centre 3/8" BSF. Steve has then used this hole to secure them whilst machining the outer surface. This outer surface is a bit of a challenge as it is spherical and has to be generated. To do this, Steve fixed an angle plate to his dividing head such that the top face of the block was held at the correct spherical radius from the centre.

 

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The centre line of the dividing head was carefully set to coincide with that of the milling spindle. Into the mill was fitted a boring head with a boring tool set to a radius just bigger than the width of the block. Now, if you cut a slice anywhere through a sphere, you will always get a circle. The tip of the boring tool moves in a circle so if you rotate your workpiece beneath it, you will generate a sphere and it is this principle that has been used here.

 

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As you can see, it works well and all four were done successfully.

 

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Steve then bored them through to fit the cross pins.

 

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It only remains to drill the cross-ways oil ports and cut oil ways in the bore and on the outside faces. Hopefully, they will be completed this week.

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Barry has very kindly arranged for the two female coupling parts of the Universal Joint to be wire cut for us and templates are now in the post from him to us so that we can prove them. Provided that they are OK, then the actual parts will be cut.

 

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The square coupling should be quite straight forward as the male part is new and should be spot on size. The male spline is the one that came with the very corroded gearbox and whilst that has been well, cleaned, it appears to be a thou or two undersize now because of that corrosion. So the original Dennis Drawing for the female part of the coupling has been adjusted to allow for this. The photographs show the templates after wire-cutting.

Edited by Great War truck
Photos not appearing
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The two templates were received today and were offered up to the male parts of the coupling. As anticipated, the square one fits beautifully with no problem at all with that one.

 

The five-tooth one does not slide on and we put that down to insufficient cleaning of corrosion on the original male spline which had remained open to the elements for so many years. Further cleaning and scraping called for here until it does fit!

 

The final water pump castings are still not done and are promised for next week now.

 

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Steve has had a busy day in the shed. He cleaned up the gearbox input shaft by just tickling it with the dremel and now the gauge slides all the way along beautifully so we are very pleased.

 

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As we couldn't do any more to the water pump and the drive shaft today, we have started to take the prop shaft and torque tube to pieces. As it was in use until recently, it all looks very good and we hope that we will only to have to clean it and replace the oil seal before putting it back together and fitting it.

 

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It does look good doesnt it? very pleasing to have a part that does not need a full rebuild.

 

On the subject of parts needing a full rebuild, we have had this bit knocking about for a while:

 

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It is attached to part of the subframe which was so rusty it had rotted through altogether. Not knowing what it is Tony tied it to the good subframe so we wouldnt forget it and we might find inspiration.

 

Inspiration came on Saturday when Steve identified it from the original manual i acquired. It is the bracket to support the fuel filter!

 

Fuel_Filter_Bracket.jpg

 

Now we just need to find a fuel filter just like that.

 

Tim

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...and this is the Enots fuel filter in real life. As one who has searched for one for the past 15 years I think it might be a case of another trip to the foundry to have the top bracket and body cast. Put me down for two please!

 

Barry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited by Asciidv
Enots with one 't' not two!
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