Scammell Explorer fixes and workarounds

[julezee001]

HI AFTER GOING TO A SHOW AT THE WEEKEND WITH THE SCAMMELL AND A SERIES LANDY DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY PICTURES OF AN A FRAME FOR SUSPENDED TOW OF A VEHICLE LIKE THIS AS WHEN I GOT TO THE SHOW THE LANDY DECIDED TO CROAK ON ME I ENDED UP RATCHET STRAPPING IT TO A BAR AND LIFTING HER UP THEN I HAD TO DRAG IT ROUND ALL WEEKEND WHAT A PAIN ANY PICS SO I CAN MAKE ONE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

CHRIS:nut:

 

Hi Chris,

 

I have one which isn't original kit to the Scammell, but was from an ad in a Landrover mag from almost 20 years ago. It is simple and robust, with a Nato towing eye and tows a Series Landrover very well behind another Landrover, or would be good for a suspend tow on the Scammell (although I've not tried that yet). If I remember, I'll take some photos and post them asap.

 

Jules

[gritineye]

Can you believe I sold my a frame for the LR as I no longer needed it, only last weekend.

 

Sorry no pic, but what i did was to fit two of those fittings that take bow shackles above the front bumper, and fitted the A frame to those. Don't worry about them not being strong enough as I pushed my Explorer up quite a steep hill this way!

 

Easiest thing to do is to get a couple of shackles, fit them in the brackets, then weld two tubes to them to made the A, then weld a ring to the point, then a brace across near the shackles and you're done, on and off with the pins and no play or slop, wire or tie through the pin head holes to stop them undoing...........simples.

[gritineye]

These type of shackle fittings..

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=387&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1269158954

 

And here's a pic of the one I made, it was made to fit round a winch that has been removed, not very clear as it is cropped from a much bigger pic, but you should get the idea. Used it for many years no probs.

 

The red strap is for raising and lowering the frame from the driver's seat in order to couple up on ones own, devilish cunning or what?

 

 

Edited July 30, 2010 by gritineye

[utt61]

As the Landrover is over the unbraked trailer weight limit, how did you operate the brakes?

[gritineye]

Get-out one: Due to the Explorer being a Heavy Locomotive and the LR being less than half it's weight.

 

Get-out two: Explorer is a recovery vehicle so almost anything goes.

 

At least that used to be the generally accepted view, but after recent in depth studies into the minutia of the law on here, that view may have changed, but as I don't tow a LR any more I have little interest in the subject now. Make your own mind up and act accordingly, I wouldn't anticipate any problems......:coffee:

[utt61]

I accept that there are unlikely to be any practical problems - I can't see the LR causing you to lose control! Legal problems are a whole different ballgame!

 

Unfortunately now common sense has been made illegal anything can happen.

[big chris]

hi chris,

 

i have one which isn't original kit to the scammell, but was from an ad in a landrover mag from almost 20 years ago. It is simple and robust, with a nato towing eye and tows a series landrover very well behind another landrover, or would be good for a suspend tow on the scammell (although i've not tried that yet). If i remember, i'll take some photos and post them asap.

 

Jules

 

 

thanks would like that

[big chris]

these type of shackle fittings..

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=387&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1269158954

 

and here's a pic of the one i made, it was made to fit round a winch that has been removed, not very clear as it is cropped from a much bigger pic, but you should get the idea. Used it for many years no probs.

 

The red strap is for raising and lowering the frame from the driver's seat in order to couple up on ones own, devilish cunning or what?

 

[attach=config]31894[/attach]

 

does that just hook behind the bumper then and then strapped to stop it moving?

Thanks chris

[gritineye]

Chris, maybe you miss-read post my post #542, it is fitted to two of the bolt on eyes shown on the right of this picture, they bolt on above the bumper, click this link

 

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:fJZy-Mu6ACLE9M:http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z164/RUXPHOTO/IMG_1229.jpg&t=1

 

Although either type would do the job.

 

And shown fitted to a Lightweight here, click this link

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/attachment...1&d=1269158954

[big chris]

thanks yes i had miss read it as i couldnt see them in your picture

thanks will get on with one now

cheers chris

[gritineye]

I have tried "Quick metal" to ake up play in worn parts. I find that works and it is possible to dis-assemble.

 

Applied the Quick Metal and assembled it again, will road test when set and report.

 

Cheapest I found it was here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LOCTITE-660-50ml-QUICK-METAL-NEW-BOTTLE-EXPIRY-09-2011_W0QQitemZ250663073810QQcategoryZ30928QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3911.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D1%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6683601350141041442

 

Half the price of any where else I could find.

[gritineye]

Loctite rules!! :yay: went for a drive today accompanied by the smooth whirring of gears and no knocking/rattling in 5th and 6th gears at all..:-D :-D

 

It's amazing how the noise must have increased since the rebuild without me noticing.

 

So I think I can say that if a Scammell gearbox has the noisy top two gears problem then worn output shaft and flange splines are definitely the cause, and Loctite QuickMetal is the cheap cure, how long for remains to be seen..

[AndyFowler]

Nice one Bernard ! Glad it turned out ok !

[rbrtcrowther]

I havent got knocking and ratteling in 5th an 6th or a wobbly gearstick but it does whine like hell in 6th. Any thing to do with this spline or should i just buy some ear defenders:nut:

[gritineye]

These worn splines do not always make themselves known by excessive noise, the coupling flange fitted to this shaft had lost all its splines and was completely smooth inside, before the Explorer came to a stop on the road....:shocked: I think a lot depends on the state of the propshaft too.

 

 

 

The beauty of the Loctite is that it squeezes everywhere, not only the splines, so has the same effect as refacing the ends of the flange, gear and the special nut. So the whole thing in effect becomes one with no possibility of movement ever starting, (although my wear was outside that recommended) my only reservation is what happens to the Loctite squeezed out inside the casing, hopefully it is spun off and sticks there harmlessly and doesn't set into hard bits when covered in oil.

 

My neighbour, who spent his life as a design engineer working on big pumps is very interested to see how this lasts, as he thinks this type of product can vastly increase the life of new assemblies, by preventing even the minutest movement no wear should ever occur, and advocated their use. His colleagues resisted this as anyone working on the machine in future would probably see it as a factory bodge, but he says as it's cheap and easy why on earth would you not use it?

[gritineye]

I havent got knocking and ratteling in 5th an 6th or a wobbly gearstick but it does whine like hell in 6th. Any thing to do with this spline or should i just buy some ear defenders:nut:

 

Sounds more like worn needles or bearings to me, wouldn't hurt to tighten the nut just to see though..

[antarmike]

These worn splines do not always make themselves known by excessive noise, the coupling flange fitted to this shaft had lost all its splines and was completely smooth inside, before the Explorer came to a stop on the road....:shocked: I think a lot depends on the state of the propshaft too.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]32680[/ATTACH]

 

The beauty of the Loctite is that it squeezes everywhere, not only the splines, so has the same effect as refacing the ends of the flange, gear and the special nut. So the whole thing in effect becomes one with no possibility of movement ever starting, (although my wear was outside that recommended) my only reservation is what happens to the Loctite squeezed out inside the casing, hopefully it is spun off and sticks there harmlessly and doesn't set into hard bits when covered in oil.

 

My neighbour, who spent his life as a design engineer working on big pumps is very interested to see how this lasts, as he thinks this type of product can vastly increase the life of new assemblies, by preventing even the minutest movement no wear should ever occur, and advocated their use. His colleagues resisted this as anyone working on the machine in future would probably see it as a factory bodge, but he says as it's cheap and easy why on earth would you not use it?

 

I build trenching machines fron new and always use "quickmetal" in the area around the keys on the taper-loc bushes and shafts, As you say stops infintesimal movement from the start so no fretting, hammering or working loose. Definitley not a bodge. Thread locker is standard practce on vibration sensitive nuts, bolts and studs, it onlt seems sensible to use the same tecnonogy on shafts, and keyways, splines etc.

[N.O.S.]

The only downside of this stuff is when the shaft assembly needs to be dismantled - it can be much more difficult. But if dismantling is required far less frequently (if at all) due to using the stuff in the first place, surely that's a small price to pay. Also flanges etc can be deliberatley designed to be much more puller-friendly (like even just drilling big holes in the right place before assembly) to counter this problem.

[gritineye]

Heat to 250 C and remove while hot Tony, so no problem when laying under a dumper on a wet windy night in January..:angry:banghead::argh:

 

http://www.loctite.sg/sea/content_data/93755_Loctite_660_Quick_Metal_Retaining_Compound.pdf

[thor698]

I havent got knocking and ratteling in 5th an 6th or a wobbly gearstick but it does whine like hell in 6th. Any thing to do with this spline or should i just buy some ear defenders:nut:

 

mine whined like hell in 6th and it was the clutch center rivets worn on mine put a new clutch in and stopped the whining:-D

[rbrtcrowther]

I'll try to get mine on the road first and see how bad it is will tighten the nut up first, funny how all other gears are silent even at full chat

[thor698]

I'll try to get mine on the road first and see how bad it is will tighten the nut up first, funny how all other gears are silent even at full chat

 

i changed the gearbox in mine and it still whinned in 6th. thats how i ended at looking at the clucth. i put it down to the torce in 6th making the clucth whinne.

[rbrtcrowther]

Hopefully it will bw on the road in a few months so i'll see how bad it is. might just invest in some ear defenders:-)

[gritineye]

Hopefully it will bw on the road in a few months so i'll see how bad it is. might just invest in some ear defenders:-)

 

The usual complaint, which I have seemingly just cured, is noisy vibrating in 5th and 6th, also sometimes, accompanying this, is a low harsh jangley rumble at low speed, like tickover in 2nd.

 

It seems to me that the propshaft angle has a great deal to do with this, by "wiggling" the loose flange on the shaft, it must be just the prop speed that stops it happening in the lower gears on the road, as the resonance and harmonics change with the revs.

 

For now, you could try the low speed test for coarse rumbling, if it does it tighten the flange and see if it goes away, just a thought.......

[rbrtcrowther]

Here is a bit of footage of said scammell on a short test run. little bit of gental whiring in 4th, 5th ok only just managed to touch top gear for a moment as i had to stop and turn round but you get the idea:-) Also forgot how slow reverse gear is or i woulden't have gone so far past the gate:nut: