croc Posted April 14, 2008 Author Share Posted April 14, 2008 I had managed to let the main winch cable pull in a little to far when putting it away, not far enough to damage anything, but enough for the rope clamps to get behind the fairlead rollers from the side. There is no way to power out the main winch on the Explorer so I set up some snatch blocks to pull it back out sideways with the jib winch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted April 14, 2008 Author Share Posted April 14, 2008 The main winch on Explorers is quite big, early ones were rated at 10 tons and later ones 15 tons, the only difference (as far as I know) is the setting of the overload switch, which killed the ignition on the petrol engine. As mine is a diesel this switch wouldn't work anyway and I suspect it has worked quite hard as a commercial recovery unit; as the winch rope is down to about 150 feet of the original 450, and the serving gear, (paying on device) which layers the cable on the drum, was broken. I managed to get a spare serving gear and bracket so I fitted that and ran the rope in and out a couple of times. Winching up the road to my house, just enough of a hill to get the rope tight. Adam Elsdon and the Explorer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted April 14, 2008 Author Share Posted April 14, 2008 There were some comments about running winches out of the front fairleads on the Matador thread. It is only supposed to be done for self recovery but I can't see why there would be a problem for "light" work and it is much easier to see what is going on. I took these to show the route on an Explorer. Newly fitted serving gear. This moves up and down to guide the rope onto the drum and must be timed correctly. View of serving gear from back of unit. Rope passing round the back pulleys and forward to front. View from front fairleads. Rope comes forward from pulley behind fuel tank and passes through the loop bracket, this bracket is to protect the brake pipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Thank You for showing the details of the winch system . Thats a pretty little lane indeed ! the Explorer fills it completely ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 Great truck, I like the way it looks like - like a MONSTER!! Keep it like it is! This photo of your truck just reminds me of the movie "Duel" - ever seen it? You should try the same feeling when next time you are following a Reliant Robin!! The maximum they would see would be your front bumper, "honey this is a nightmare, that awfully big truck is following us"! Cedric Great plan, but I am not sure an Explorer would keep up with a Robin :-D The traffic is never bad when you drive something big and slow, but it doesn't always look to good behind you :rofl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Nice to see someone has the wire rope grips fitted the right way round for a change!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Nice to see someone has the wire rope grips fitted the right way round for a change!! When I was working on cranes and recovery vehicles, my old workmate had a saying...."you never put a saddle on a dead horse". If you remember that, there is no excuse to getting them wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 X 6 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 What a lovely blog ! Your Scammell pushing the snow 'photo now my screen saver, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 I remember the "U" bolt is against the "U"nstressed rope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Elsdon Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 I have put a video clip "Crocs Scammell Explorer" on HMVF TV, its still pending waiting for the administrator to clear it, but should be on soon. Get to see it burbling around our neighbourhood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 I have put a video clip "Crocs Scammell Explorer" on HMVF TV, its still pending waiting for the administrator to clear it, but should be on soon.Get to see it burbling around our neighbourhood! Sorry for the delay... it's Live now :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted April 19, 2008 Author Share Posted April 19, 2008 Watch HERE Added by: da bomb Tags: Scammell Explorer,Recovery,Scotland,Diesel Date: 2008-04-18 Thanks for that Adam. This was the first session out playing with it, in a handy field behind the house. It was very soon after I had it delivered, before I had dumped the spare wheel off the top or found glass for the headlamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 Time for an update. I havent done much cosmeticly to the Explorer, apart from wash it down with a steam cleaner, so nothing new to look at. I have been doing more important things on and off the vehicle. One major fault which is now sorted was that the servo for the rear brakes was seized. After looking at diagrams in the workshop books I decided that the most likely place it for it to be stuck was in the end plate, so rather than taking the whole thing off I removed the end with the servo in place. As I had guessed the problem was where piston runs through the end, I managed to free it off by leaving it boiling in an old saucepan on the stove for a while then smacking it about with a rawhide hammer. With it re-fitted I now have much more respectable brakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Croc, it's also worth having a look in the steering ram and lubricate it as mine was completely dry and the seal rolled back and forth and bent the retainer back, again you can just drop it down and take the front end off to do this. KUTGW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 The "off the vehicle" job has been the registration process, which has been reasonably straightforward. I contacted the REME Museum with the chassis and contract number, and they let me know that the service registration number was 01 BD 98, and the deliverys for the contract ran from June to November 1951. I managed to clean up the date plate on the side of the winch, revealing the date 2.10.51. I have been told this plate was the date the vehicle was finished, but can't be certain. The information I had matched the records of the Scammell Register, and Chris Jones (Scammell Register DVLA Officer) provided me with a letter confirming the year of manufacture as 1951. The next thing to do was sort insurance out. Footman James quoted £112 for the Explorer, I already had my Gipsys insured though FJ and the renewal was due at £195 for three of them. I had a letter through the door from a company called Peter D. James, it turns out the director was involved with setting up Footman James but sold out to retire a couple of years ago, and has now started a new company. I got a quote from them for three Gipsys and the Explorer, unlimited miles, for £190. I have never had a problem with Footman James, over many years, but they couldn't beat this price. So for a saving of £117 I am giving the new outfit a go. Armed with all the information I went through to the local DVLA Office in Aberdeen and the Explorer now has a Tax Disk and a new number, 239 XUE, which arrived last week in time for the Explorers first show at weekend. To complete the process a registration document dropped through the door this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Hey Croc, in view of the insurabce grumbles at the moment, can you post a link for Peter D James? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 Croc, it's also worth having a look in the steering ram and lubricate it as mine was completely dry and the seal rolled back and forth and bent the retainer back, again you can just drop it down and take the front end off to do this. KUTGW. It seems to be OK on mine, it is working fine and I have squirted some oil into it, but I will have a look. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 Hey Croc, in view of the insurabce grumbles at the moment, can you post a link for Peter D James? no problem, www.peterjamesinsurance.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Thank you kindly!!:flowers: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 With new number plates made up, and a tax disk in the window the Explorer (Along with Adam Elsdon in his Pig) made its first show appearance at BA Stores vintage working weekend. This is a fairly new show, now in it's fifth year and quite entertaining as you can move about. It is about 30 miles away on quiet roads, so an easy first outing (although we did have a run to the village for fish and chips on the Thursday night before the show), I was pleased with the Explorers economy, using about a jerry can of diesel for the 30 mile drive. There is a large area of topsoil at the bottom of the field for Plant demos and driving about on, this was enough to get the sticky walking beam to start moving, but it is still not completly free. The Cat Traxcavator in the picture is not a runner but was good for putting a bit of weight on the Explorers winch. Also at the show was Peter Thomson, who also has an Explorer, with his Centurian ARV which makes a meadows look economical! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Sounds like you had a good weekend and good news on the walking beams, thanks for the pics croc, all good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Sounds like you had a good weekend and good news on the walking beams, thanks for the pics croc, all good stuff! Yeah 'nice to see you are having fun in the old girl ! Shame you are so far away ! Did you try towing the Cent like Bernard ? Keep her rolling mate ! Andy F! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 We had another show last weekend, the "Kids ride on day" at Grampian Transport Museum in Alford http://www.gtm.org.uk/ this is quite a fun event where various machines are available for rides on the museums circuit. The Explorer behaved really well and got lots of interest. Although billed as a kids event I have a feeling lots of dads were just using it as an excuse...:-D There are quite a few of us with "interesting" motors in Aberdeenshire so we have been talking about trying to organise a regular meet. The first of these was last night in Insch, It didn't quite go to plan as the first choice pub had had a flooding problem the day before and certain vehicles are not running worth a sh*t at the moment. So, although we had a good turnout of owners we only had two motors, my Explorer and Stuart Lees' desert scheme Hotchkiss. We have decided to try and have a meet on the second Thursday of the Month and hopefully get more vehicles out. The next one is planned for the 12th of June. Whilst chatting we realised that if all Stuarts jerry cans were full there still wouldn't be enough to fill the Explorer :shocked: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Elsdon Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 As a passenger in the Explorer (damn Pig had ignition lead probs) i found that because of the height of the thing and its straight out the bonnet exhaust system, its a great way to see Scottish wildlife fleeing from the hedgerows!, deer, hare, grouse, badgers, foxes the lot!:-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croc Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 (edited) For everyones enjoyment here's some video of the walking beam starting to free off. :-D Edited July 2, 2009 by croc HMVFTV link changed to youtube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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