253cmg Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 I have been following this thread for a while now, very impressed with the work especially as it's all big heavy work and outside! A credit to you. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 yep ditto from me also...great thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob 110 Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Just out of interest, what oils do you use in the engine and transmission Rob? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 Haven't done an oil change on the tanker, yet, but the timber tractor has has several. I just use the stuff we have here in the bus workshop, mainly 'cos it's free. We use a standard long drain detergent one for engines and 80/90 in manual gearboxes. That seems to do quite well. Been giving it a change every 2 years or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted July 2, 2019 Author Share Posted July 2, 2019 Started out on Friday evening over a beer or two writing a list of jobs that must be completed prior to going out for a road test. It went on for 2 pages, some major tasks like wiring up the rear lights, and a lot of smaller but just as essential jobs like checking the wheel nut tightness. Up at the crack of sparrows on Saturday, armed with the list and lots of enthusiasm, and promptly fell at the first fence by leaving a tray headlamp mounting bolts behind. Nevermind, I can come back to that later, and ploughed on with the rest of the list. Rear lights on, wired in and tested. Brake light switch took a bit of fiddling to get right. It is a simple pull switch activated by a spring attached to the off side rear brake actuator rod. Spring too tight and lights stay on, spring too slack and no lights unless foot hard down on the pedal. Front bumper back on, dashboard finished and secured down, drivers seat finally fitted, I'd been stalling that to give myself more space to do dashboard and other "in cab" bits. Wheel nuts torqued up, and tyre pressures checked. They were a bit down, but, surprisingly enough, it has been over 3 years since we last pumped them up to move the old girl out of the barn. Mid afternoon saw me rushing back home to collect the missing bolts. Last job on the list, after all else done is fit headlamps. Should have been simple, except you can't get your hand in behind the front bumper to put the bolts through. So, undo front bumper. Fortunately I didn't need to take it right off, and was able to slide it to one side. All extra hassle, on a very hot day, but got a result in the end. Sunday morning, all hands on deck. Son Stuart delivered Timber Tractor, bought that up for an HCVS do at South Godstone last night. Other son Philip on camera duty. Quick first parade, and last check over. And a quick photo of both together Please excuse the cheap plastic bus mirrors on the tanker, but they are better than nothing, and I have yet to acquire the right ones. Last nervous fag and we are off. Nine and a half miles covered, with no maior issues. Couple of small things to attend to, brakes will need further adjustment once they have bedded in a bit more, and the clutch travel is right at the top, which could be adjustment required or it could be worn out. I have got a fresh clutch plate if it needs it, but I don't fancy using it just yet. That said she drives beautifully, and is so quiet with the cargo exhaust on, you can even have a reasonable conversation with the passenger without yelling. Very different from the other one. That is a raucous little go kart by comparison, very bouncy and a bit boy racer!! You can chuck it about through corners and have a lot of fun in it. Tanker is far more sedate, a steadier more polite mode of travel. That said it is by no means slow (well not for a Militant) pulls very well. Easily kept up the 30mph up the hill. The longer wheelbase and additional weight make it a lot smoother ride, seems to just sit nicely on the road. Gearbox on the Timber Tractor is very tight and unforgiving, miss a gear and you are doomed, Tanker is sweet, almost syncro, lever just glides through the ratios. Steering is lighter too, which must be down to not having a driven front axle. Certainly a different drive, but all positive. Well pleased with the days efforts, but I think it will be a while before we hit the road again, loads more bits to fit, and the small matter of a lot of DBG to go on 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 Sounds right, moves well, needs that DBG though. 🤢 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob 110 Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 Well done Rob, I bet that's put a big smile on your face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 Good one Rob. You can always tell an AEC by the brake squeal ! That one goes well. Look forward to seeing it in DBG and tac signs. All the hard work was worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 Thanks guys, well pleased with it, and yes still grinning. Have 10 ltrs of the green stuff stock piled so that's pretty much the next job. Cab first and on from there. Still got half a million other small bits to fit back too, like wipers, door handles and so on, but all in good time. Not sure on the TAC signs yet, plan is to do it as it would have been when in Scotland with 225 Sqn, which still needs a bit more research yet to get the right ones. I assume they would have been painted on back then, rather than modern vinyl stickers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highland_laddie Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 Hurrah!!!!! fab to the the old girl out on the road. Brings joy to my heart 😀 There's clearly a big difference between what you say is 'really quiet' and my view - lol Seemed much quieter in the outside shots, than on the inside ones. Also the sedate and steadier ride doesn't match the interior footage 🤣 or perhaps you need to sack the camera operator. Congratulations on the fab thread, fab outcome and for the hard work in bringing ice back to the old girl. 👍👏 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 Quiet? Not what the neighbours were thinking! 😂 I noticed you had a 'Spare' in the wheel barrow alongside. When I can get the dammed picture of fthe phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david1212 Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 You must be pleased with that run after so much work to get this far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 Great to see and hear that the Militant has had a good first road-run. Really interesting to see this project continuing to come together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted July 21, 2019 Author Share Posted July 21, 2019 Not achieved much since the grand run out, in the great scheme, but a fair bit of smaller results, have kept the progress going. First up, repair the damage caused by urolling the spare wheel into the blast skirt a while back, Tried straightening it up on the truck but it wasn't happening right, so whole lot had to come off and back home to the workshop. Couple of hours of panel beating, bit of heat in the right place and a fresh rivet in the end made all the difference. Tiny bit of filler in the hammer marks and a fresh smear of Bondaprimer and it looks like new. Awaiting a touch up of under coat here and I can bung it back on ready for DBG. One of the issues picked up on the run out, the other week, was the lack of charging from the dynamo. Timber Tractor came in handy here for diagnosing the problem. Spent half the weekend charging up and down the M2 between the Tanker at Swanley and the Timber Tractor on the farm, calling in at the home workshop on the way. Raided the control box out of the Timber Tractor, then up to Swanley and bunged it into the tanker. Start engine and it all charges nicely. Rush back down to the farm, put Tanker control box into Timber Tractor and get no charge. Proves Tanker dynamo and wiring are OK, so get both boxes on the bench at home and compare the two. Tanker box on the left. Bit dirtier than the Timber Tractor one, but nothing obviously wrong. Had a similar problem a couple of years ago and had to get an electrician friend of Richard Farrant to sort it. I watched while he cleaned and adjusted the contacts on the coils in the right hand side of the unit. He explained that these control the warning light on the dash and subsequently the charge output. Contacts on the tanker box were very black and not actually touching enough to make a connection. Thought I was on a winner, quick clean up and reset the gap, all looked good, so rush down the farm to try it. No change, still not charging, so back home to try again. Put a meter across various terminals and found very high resistances between contacts in the coils on the input/left side. Striped out the two contacts and although they were a bit discoloured, they seemed OK. But further testing with the meter and I found the highest resistance was where they mounted onto the frame. Careful cleaning here as they are quite delicate bits, resistance cleared, then back to the farm once more and try it again. Success this time, so refit Tractors original box, and back out to the M2 to refit the Tankers box. Pleased to say it is all good, nice 28 volt charge at anything above tickover, just as it should be. No idea how much diesel I used on this little jaunt, it's 50 miles each way, but I did get the result I was hoping for. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomEnfield Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 Cracking job. Just read the thread from start to finish. Really want to get a militant now. Thanks for detailing all your hard work and putting this thread together. I really enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 Hi Rob, Nice bit of diagnostic work there. Are you coming down to the steam rally at Woodchurch this weekend? regards, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted August 1, 2019 Author Share Posted August 1, 2019 11 minutes ago, Richard Farrant said: Hi Rob, Nice bit of diagnostic work there. Are you coming down to the steam rally at Woodchurch this weekend? regards, Richard Thanks Richard, it was watching Paul do the other one that pointed me in the right direction. Looking forward to going to Woodchurch, but not with Tanker. I intend getting her in DBG before she is seen in public. Will be tarting up the Timber Tractor tomorrow. We'll have a chat at some point over the weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 1 hour ago, Zero-Five-Two said: Thanks Richard, it was watching Paul do the other one that pointed me in the right direction. Looking forward to going to Woodchurch, but not with Tanker. I intend getting her in DBG before she is seen in public. Will be tarting up the Timber Tractor tomorrow. We'll have a chat at some point over the weekend Hi Rob, Look forward to catching up! regards, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 Hands up who wants to see a Tanker in Deep Bronze Green? Been a heck of a lot of work over the last couple of weekends, flatting off the primer and touching up the odd dink and chip that has occurred during fitting. Started early this morning with final DA-ing of the last bits Then dust off, wash off and tack rag all round. before masking up The patient is prepared Got to start somewhere, actually I started on the roof, but this was the most difficult bit, especially with the second coat, trying to spray one side without sticking to the other side. There was also a bit of laying down on the job too Have I missed anywhere? Nearside finished View from the top Offside looking very shiny. Paint is still quite wet at the time of the photo, but it was still shining after we had packed up. Appears to be drying nicely. Can't wait until tomorrow to unmask it and see how it looks once it is properly dried. Well pleased with the days efforts. Spare wheel carrier can go back on now, along with the tool bin that is currently underneath the thing. Start work on the tank after that 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 Rob, Looking very nice, good job there was little wind today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halftrackman Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 6 hours ago, Zero-Five-Two said: Hands up who wants to see a Tanker in Deep Bronze Green? Been a heck of a lot of work over the last couple of weekends, flatting off the primer and touching up the odd dink and chip that has occurred during fitting. Started early this morning with final DA-ing of the last bits Then dust off, wash off and tack rag all round. before masking up The patient is prepared Got to start somewhere, actually I started on the roof, but this was the most difficult bit, especially with the second coat, trying to spray one side without sticking to the other side. There was also a bit of laying down on the job too Have I missed anywhere? Nearside finished View from the top Offside looking very shiny. Paint is still quite wet at the time of the photo, but it was still shining after we had packed up. Appears to be drying nicely. Can't wait until tomorrow to unmask it and see how it looks once it is properly dried. Well pleased with the days efforts. Spare wheel carrier can go back on now, along with the tool bin that is currently underneath the thing. Start work on the tank after that like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob 110 Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 That's what I call a proper job. Well done Rob, it's looking great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted September 9, 2019 Author Share Posted September 9, 2019 10 hours ago, Richard Farrant said: Rob, Looking very nice, good job there was little wind today! Couldn't have got a better one, perfect temperature too. Being sunday there weren't any buses or people coming in or out to stir up any dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck257 Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 Waw Rob she looks fantastic !! Really excited to see her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 A very nice job, I wish I could spray as well as that. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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