Fordson WOT6

[67burwood]

The restoration continues!!

Now the cabs off it makes life easier to access the mechanicals, the engine conversion needs a bit of fettling to get it right, at the moment it sits too high and is touching the handbrake assembly, the front cover was also sitting on the hand throttle bracket. The conversion plate looks to fit the bell housing quite well but both engine mounts will need to be altered.

 

The 4D engine starts well, doesn’t rattle ( anymore than usual ) and doesn’t appear to smoke, the gearbox  however is a different matter!! It had filled with water after sitting for many years  which is apparently a common problem, where the gear lever is exposed, water can enter via the reverse gate rod, the gearbox was completely seized and stuck in gear, after several goes with a plumbers torch and plenty of patience all gears freed off, bearings will all need replacing and the gears will need further inspection once removed.

 

 

 

[67burwood]

Almost forgot, the manual arrived today, yes it’s for a WOT8 but the mechanics are the same and it has the all important lubrications chart.

I am still looking for a WOT6 manual if anyone has one and is happy to sell.

[Niels v]

Would this be relevant ?

[67burwood]

Absolutely, any info on this truck would be greatly appreciated 

[Richard Farrant]

17 minutes ago, 67burwood said:

The restoration continues!!

 

 

 the gearbox  however is a different matter!! It had filled with water after sitting for many years  which is apparently a common problem, where the gear lever is exposed, water can enter via the reverse gate rod, the gearbox was completely seized and stuck in gear, after several goes with a plumbers torch and plenty of patience all gears freed off, bearings will all need replacing and the gears will need further inspection once removed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I got started on the WOT6 machy wagon, I went to drain the gearbox and it was full to the brim with water, as the boot on the gear lever had disintegrated. We found a CV boot for a car fitted nice and snugly. The gears all cleaned up well but a 100% bearing renewal.

[67burwood]

Any recommendations for buying bearings, I am hoping that they will be marked and replacements can be matched. 

[67burwood]

Perhaps the gearbox was already noisy as the previous owner had left his ear defenders in the cab

 

[Duson]

14 minutes ago, 67burwood said:

Any recommendations for buying bearings, I am hoping that they will be marked and replacements can be matched. 

It seems your truck still keeps its original gearbox. It is a standard type Ford gearbox as below

 

I think parts and bearings can be obtained at Macs for instance:

https://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_mercury_early/transmission-and-driveline.html/?location=home_featured&crosssell=Homepage_Featured_Category_Transmission+%26+Clutch

 

Just for your interest the WOT8 has the same gearbox with so called "remote control" - a tower like extension for the gear stick.

 

[67burwood]

thanks for the info, I will have a look on there website

 

[Richard Farrant]

16 minutes ago, 67burwood said:

thanks for the info, I will have a look on there website

 

All the gearbox bearings will be available at you local bearing supplier, nothing special.

[67burwood]

👍

[woa2]

On ‎4‎/‎1‎/‎2020 at 9:09 PM, Noel7 said:

The final 7 of 7257367 looks as though it may have been struck over a different, much larger, 7, presumably part of the earlier number. There is also what may be an F [or perhaps a 5] the other side of the 6, if that is what it actually is. It doesn't really look consistent in shape and size with the 3 and the 5 to me.

An F means Foreign in Ford speak, or built outside USA.

[67burwood]

 

5 hours ago, woa2 said:

An F means Foreign in Ford speak, or built outside USA.

 

Thanks for the info, something new learnt today. 

[john1950]

I see the 4d has the early hard fuel pump drive, these create a lot of noise and alter the injection timing as they wear. the later engines had a rubber drive coupling. 

[67burwood]

Ok thank you, Something else to add to the 4d maintenance list. 
 

On a separate note I started the cab repairs today, there will be many many many more hours of welding required!! I also came to the conclusion that I hate welding panel work, it’s just that bit too thin, ideally a spot welder would be useful but the Mig will have to do, I am more used to welding Land Rover chassis’s so any advice on panel welding would be appreciated, as you can see in the pictures below I have tacked the first 2 repair sections in place, now if I were welding a chassis I would do a continuers seam but given the sheet steel is 1.2mm is it likely to Distort?

 

 

Woven pad preparation wheel from screwfix £7-8 , absolutely blasts through Layers of paint and rust to a bear metal finish without damaging the metal. 

[rog8811]

No expert here but most repair work I have seen they tack in between the tacks until they all join up, no continuous welding.

Nice project keep the pictures coming

[Pete Ashby]

I guess your using 16 gauge steel  for your cab work?  If so it's a case of slowly slowly catchy monkey.

Your tacks look fine now you need to join the dots,  don't do more than an inch at a time one weld in the middle of a long repair then move to one end do another inch then to the other end then let it cool off and go back to the middles section again.

  Things can be speeded up a little if you use a short piece of copper ( a short length of 15mm water pipe flattened with a hammer works fine) keep it clean with some wire wool or emery as it gets sooty and can lead to weld contamination.   Clamped to the back of the joint in line with the weld this will then act as a heat sink and also helps prevent burn through.

A damp rag to cool the weld and panel  is useful but don't over do the damp rag as it can lead to unequal shrinkage and a brittle weld area it's better to just use the copper unless you actually want to shrink the panel to take a bow or spring out of it.

Pete

Forgot this bit, if your doing a long run more than say 6" don't run the weld in one direction only.

Work in opposite directions from each side of the middle tack.  the reason for this is if you run the weld in one direction only on thin sheet the heat expansion and subsequent contraction of the weld pool will make the patch "grow" and distort so by working from opposite ends each time it helps to cancel this effect out

Pete

Edited April 9, 2020 by Pete Ashby
Added a bit

[Zero-Five-Two]

I feel your pain, having the same fun with my Tanker wheel arches. Too much heat is the enemy. I really have to stop myself getting carried away and welding too quickly. Spot welds joined together is the way forward, and wait til it cools between spots.

There's quite a bit stuff on Utube, various tips on stopping the heat distortion. Well worth looking at, then see what works for you

[67burwood]

Thanks for all the advice, it looks like slowly is the key ingredient, I will definitely try clamping some copper to the back as I have never heard of doing that before, I will also try adjusting the gas as the pressure might be a bit to low, I’ve googled which gas is best but still not sure!! I currently have argoshield universal ( which is almost run out )  but everything I have read states that this is for thicker steels, any advice on gas and where to get some, I used to get refills from a garage friend owner who had a BOC account but he’s closed down.

[Richard Farrant]

28 minutes ago, 67burwood said:

Thanks for all the advice, it looks like slowly is the key ingredient, I will definitely try clamping some copper to the back as I have never heard of doing that before, I will also try adjusting the gas as the pressure might be a bit to low, I’ve googled which gas is best but still not sure!! I currently have argoshield universal ( which is almost run out )  but everything I have read states that this is for thicker steels, any advice on gas and where to get some, I used to get refills from a garage friend owner who had a BOC account but he’s closed down.

I had an account with BOC for nearly 40 years, but as cylinder rental went up, I now use Hobbyweld, where you pay a fee for the cylinder initially then only pay when exchanging cylinder. This way there are no rental fees and your initial deposit is returned if you ever stop using the welder. You will find suppliers to be local hardware shops and you can go to any of their stockist to exchange cylinders. Much more economical.

Another tip when welding the sheet metal on the cab is to joddle the new piece of metal going in, this is putting a step of the sheets thickness at the join so the edges overlap without standing proud. You will find it easier and a better join. I had to do a bit of extensive work on the WOT6 cab in the back corner where the mudguard bolts under. Will try and find a photo.

[Richard Farrant]

Try this web link for a local Hobbyweld stockist;

https://hobbyweld.co.uk/find-an-agent/?lookup=Esher

[Pete Ashby]

14 minutes ago, Richard Farrant said:

I had an account with BOC for nearly 40 years, but as cylinder rental went up, I now use Hobbyweld, where you pay a fee for the cylinder initially then only pay when exchanging cylinder. This way there are no rental fees and your initial deposit is returned if you ever stop using the welder. You will find suppliers to be local hardware shops and you can go to any of their stockist to exchange cylinders. Much more economical.

 

Exactly the same Richard I had my BoC account for nearly 30 years for Argoshield, Oxygen and Acetylene but like you I just could not justify the the rental price each year,  it was almost as if you were being penalized for having an account so like you I now us Hobbyweld .

Pete

[Richard Farrant]

15 minutes ago, Pete Ashby said:

Exactly the same Richard I had my BoC account for nearly 30 years for Argoshield, Oxygen and Acetylene but like you I just could not justify the the rental price each year,  it was almost as if you were being penalized for having an account so like you I now us Hobbyweld .

Pete

Odd thing was though Pete, when I closed my account I was offered a small user account, it would have made a saving but not as much as going to Hobbyweld. Why could they not have offered me that years ago? My usage would show on my account. I also had oxygen, acetylene and nitrogen with them over different period, but still only in small quantities.

[Pete Ashby]

15 minutes ago, Richard Farrant said:

Odd thing was though Pete, when I closed my account I was offered a small user account, it would have made a saving but not as much as going to Hobbyweld. Why could they not have offered me that years ago? My usage would show on my account. I also had oxygen, acetylene and nitrogen with them over different period, but still only in small quantities.

They did exactly the same with me Richard so I asked to speak with a supervisor and asked why I had been paying full rate all these years. The answer was that BoC weren't really interested in small volume users anymore and that they were offering me this option as a recognition of my long term account.......... needles to say I told him what he could with his offer.

Pete

[67burwood]

Hobbyweld it is, I’ve seen them advertised but never used them, I don’t do that much welding these days ( until now ) so my last bottle has lasted quite some time. I’ll have a look on the website and find a local stockiest.