Jonny Garwood Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 Hello Sir, Don't know about that Phil, She's coming together slowly. We were worried about sandblasting the gearbox, steering box and transfercase incase the sand damaged the oilseals or sand got inside any of the casings, so thats why we used the wire wheel which seems to take forever ! Hopefully all the primered parts will be olive drab by Sunday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Whiting Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 1 minute ago, Jonny Garwood said: Hello Sir, Don't know about that Phil, She's coming together slowly. We were worried about sandblasting the gearbox, steering box and transfercase incase the sand damaged the oilseals or sand got inside any of the casings, so thats why we used the wire wheel which seems to take forever ! Hopefully all the primered parts will be olive drab by Sunday. Nice one mate. Definatly don't want sand ingress in your seals.🍻 Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted July 12, 2021 Author Share Posted July 12, 2021 Spent this Saturday painting more cleaned and primed parts ready to be fitted. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted July 12, 2021 Author Share Posted July 12, 2021 Sunday we rolled the chassis out which sits on a trolley so we can move it around before we get too much weight on it, we are still waiting for the go ahead so we can get to Belgium for rear springs as ours are not really that good. Odd looking picture which appears to have a 67 mustang shell sitting on our trolley 😂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted July 12, 2021 Author Share Posted July 12, 2021 Sunday's plan was to fit in place the transfer box, although we have a forklift we can use this was still a huge task, obviously trying not to scratch too much paint and having to lift it in a way to fit it correctly, doesn't sit upright at all but lays sideways. This is now in an now there is a fair amount of weight to the chassis. Had to remove the hand brake but will put that back now. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scammell4199 Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Cracking work chaps. Where did you get the sleeving on your air pipes? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 Thanks Scammell4199, my brother has messaged you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 This weekend we decided to take the rear springs off the axle, not any easy thing as there seemed to be eighty years of rust holding the U bolts to the axle casing, eventually after braking the seal of the nuts with a bar and some persistence with a copper hammer the U bolts and castings were free. Also took the prop shaft off. The front axle had been stripped previously so spent some time cleaning with a wire wheel, still need to finish but it's getting there. I must say that everything is so bloody heavy! One rear spring alone is no easy thing to move, you really wouldn't want to lift this on your own, we are lucky that we have access to a forklift or else this would be impossible for us to do. Pictures in no particular order. IMG_20210725_133254568.jpg.crdownload 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Whiting Posted July 27, 2021 Share Posted July 27, 2021 Looks like tough heavy work. you guys are the right stuff. top job can't wait for more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted July 27, 2021 Share Posted July 27, 2021 You were lucky getting the U bolts out of the front axle in one piece, they are similar to Matador ones which can rust in the housing. The rears look a bit easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted July 28, 2021 Author Share Posted July 28, 2021 Thanks Phil, Radiomikw7 yes you are correct, front axle U bolts more of a pain as they go through the actual axle casing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 The plan for the weekend was to carry on cleaning the front and rear axles and we were hoping we would at least get them in primer. Unfortunately we arrived only to find that the forklift that we use was out of action! We cleaned some more of the front axle as it was easier to get to than the rear and done what we could with it being so low to the ground, not too good for the back but we are getting there. There is a small round data plate on the front axle which was rusted through and wasn't save able, however we do have a spare front axle where we took a better condition one off, this being brass where the other was steel. Heavily covered in paint we carefully removed the layers and exposed a rather nice original brass one, interesting to see these were stamped with production number and both say rear axle even though they are from the front axle! There are many bonding straps which we cleaned a few up and gave them to a very good friend to see if he could get them better for us, he did a great job and he told us that they have been tin plated, will dull slightly but we think they look great, still more of these to do now we know the results can be achieved. We have been waiting to see if we can get to Belgium to hopefully pick up some rear springs, at this point we are not sure on the condition of those and so we dug out our ones just to see condition and if it would be a better option for us to have these repaired. Many years of rust were in the leafs and several clips broken and some leafs flat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Whiting Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 Top job on your axle. How did those wire brush heads hold up wear wise? The bonding straps came up like brand new. The little data plate is really nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Garwood Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 Hi Phil, Yes the wire wheels worked great . It takes ages cleaning parts this way especially the hard to get places, luckily I didnt have this Job ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rootes75 Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 (edited) We are in the process of doing the springs and running gear on our Commer with wire brushes etc, agreed its a hard job to keep going at! The cleaned up data plate looks great. Edited August 9, 2021 by Rootes75 Spelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted August 30, 2021 Author Share Posted August 30, 2021 We still cannot lift the axles to a good working height due to the forklift still being out of action, so the plan for now was to continue with the rear springs, at this point we think that what we have will be okay to use. There seemed to be lots of rust between the leafs and this was pushing them apart making them look worse than they actually are. There is no real easy way to clean these so we stripped them down and started to chip away the rust and then we used the angle grinder and finished off with the wire wheel, the sand blasters next door have gone which would have been easier but would also cost a fortune. This is a very long process but we are happy with the results, lots of pitting between the leafs but not rotted away at all which is good, the front springs were in much better condition as obviously these are fully covered where as the rears are exposed to the elements. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted August 30, 2021 Author Share Posted August 30, 2021 started top coat, went on with roller really well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted August 30, 2021 Author Share Posted August 30, 2021 We had a broken rebound clip so a piece of steel was shaped and ready to be bent to shape. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted October 11, 2021 Author Share Posted October 11, 2021 We are still cleaning and painting springs but this weekend we managed to get back to lifting the front axle with the now fixed forklift to a good working height, we cleaned with wire wheels and then primed ready for top coat, we are hoping that we may get the green on this in the next couple of weeks if the weather holds! For now we have wrapped it up in plastic as this is outside. Many casting numbers and dates are cast and stamped. I must say again that without a forklift such jobs would be impossible. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted October 11, 2021 Author Share Posted October 11, 2021 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted October 11, 2021 Author Share Posted October 11, 2021 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Whiting Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 Tidy job gents looking really good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rootes75 Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 It is looking good. Good job you have the forklift as that axle looks a heavy lump! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Reid Posted October 27, 2021 Share Posted October 27, 2021 Great to see this truck getting the attention it deserves I owned it from 93 to 03 did 700 miles on d day 50th without a hitch the Bedford 466 is a good engine does 15mpg solo and 12mpg with a trailer and pulls like a train don't bother with the Hercules. Bloody noisy though. I believe you can get modern hub oil seals to fit the brakes were always good even with oily linings. The only problem was terrible wheel shimmy which I cured with temporary spring wedges to reduce the castor angle they seem to have disappeared unless I missed them. Keep up the work it's a great truck to drive the Clark gearbox is a peach to shift 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushman 53 Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 Wow, thanks for coming forward Alan. I am going to message you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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