Richard Grosvenor Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Hello, As I would like to go a little further afield going to shows this year I have been wondering about what would happen if I had a break down with a big vehicle. This firm regularly advertise in CCV Magazine, http://www.h-c-r.co.uk ,they're a bit like a heavy RAC. Does anyone here have something like this in place in-case of an emergency or have any experence of this firm? Regards Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karoshi Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Richard I don't know how heavy "heavy" is, but when I renewed my Jimmy insurance with A Flux, this year, they offered me "Get you home" recovery protection for an additional £100. on the already very reasonable premium. Maybe the package deal with them would be a good deal for you also. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Grosvenor Posted January 11, 2006 Author Share Posted January 11, 2006 Hello Karoshi, The Militant is 16 tonnes unladen, it's normally towing the Ferret on a trailer, (which is 4 tonnes + 1.5 tonnes for the trailer) or it's towing the FH70 . Then in GTW is over 25 tonnes. Total length is also over 56ft. We're insured with Footman James, but we've never asked them about if they do a "get you home insurance". :oops: We will have to find out. Many Thanks Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Hi Richard, That must be one hell of a site to see, not to mention one hell of an expreience to drive that lot down the road, looking at the Militant in your pics I'd never have thought it was 16tonnes, like they say "pics dont do them justice". Tyler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Grosvenor Posted January 12, 2006 Author Share Posted January 12, 2006 Hello Tyler, It's a big truck, not as large as modern HGV's but they are built light to increase payload, were as the Militant was built to tow Heavy Anti-Aircraft guns. I look down on the drivers of most artic's, it's only Volvo FH12's and Renault Magnums where the driver is higher. It's very easy to drive, once I got used to the crash gear box and a very heavy clutch that is. Here's a picture of it on the Wisbech Historic Road Run forcing a Hereward Radio's Black Thunder off the road! :wink: Regards Richard Ps. The Wisbech Historic Clubs Road Run is very good and well worth going on. About 175 vehicles with at least half of them Lorries. It's held on the first or second Sunday in August. It would be nice to get more MV's take part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy FV432 Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Hello Richard, Last year I depended on a local recovery firm to get me home if any problem arose with my lorry. It is a heavy vehicle recovery firm and it was something I couldn't fix on the side of the road to get me home I always had their number to get them to come and straight bar me home. I also made sure I was able to get hold of a tyre company, even though i carried a spare wheel for the lorry and the lowloader trailer, that way i knew that the right size tyre was available and all they would need to do would be to come and fit it. I always carry some tools and some bits and bobs just incase. Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 This is interesting for me.... Round about this time next year - if not earlier - I aim to be the owner of a Stalwart and, money permitting, will use it as often as poss. Reading these threads raises some questions - not least of which is how do/will commercial Heavy breakdown forms cope with the armys 24v electrical system? Punctures in theory shouldn't be a problem (he says with a straight face!!) as the Alvis 6x6 is supposed to be designed to run with up to 2 wheels on on side missing (ever seen a spare wheel on a Stalwart/Saracen//Saladin???) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 The 24 volt electrics aren't really a problem, most trucks are 24 volts anyway. If you carry some spares like points and plugs you shouldn't get too stuck.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Grosvenor Posted January 13, 2006 Author Share Posted January 13, 2006 Helllo Again I always carry tonnes of spares and tools, it's just that there's all ways that fear of breaking down on a Sunday afternoon, on the A1, 50 miles from home. Hang on..I forgot....it's an AEC, built in the days when this was GREAT Britain and we ruled the world when it came to quality engineering. I shouldn't have any problems then! :wink: (But if anyone has any more suggestions on recovery services, I would be pleased to hear from you...just for future reference of course :lol: :wink: ) Regards Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy FV432 Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Hi Richard, Try your local area for heavy recovery firms or try a truck dealer if they have a wrecker and set up an account if they will let you. Depends if you are going to want to be towed home or if far from home just to a safe place, but if you have called someone out you might aswell get them to take you home. There are some companies that deal with breakdowns and get a local dealer to go out. when I had to go out we did it for about 4 different firms and they used us for different things. the one that the firm I work for now responds for is called Delta Rescue. The firm I would use is called Taylors of Woodford sited between Gloucester and Bristol. Just hope they don't turn up with this...... I have always said if I haven't got enough money to cover the cost of a recovery I won't go out. Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Just hope they don't turn up with this...... Dougy, That pic of the Foden EKA brings back memories of when I was rebuilding them. We had one back from Bosnia after an accident, not quite as bad as that one, and had another scrap one to use for parts, which had rolled in Norway. Used parts from the recovery gear on it and then cut it up, all major components were salvaged for reuse. The Leyland DROPS used to come in from Bosnia with the cabs flat to the bottom of the windscreen, where they had rolled over. They were rebuilt and sent straight back out there. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Grosvenor Posted January 14, 2006 Author Share Posted January 14, 2006 Just hope they don't turn up with this...... That's no way to treat such a beautiful vehicle as a Foden! :cry: Cheers Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy FV432 Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Hello All Foden pic taken in mid 90s, and yes there where a lot of damaged leyland drops aswell. When I got the pics a lot of damaged vehicles were outside and the base got told of " because it was not good for the British public to see the army in this state". They moved inside and there were hangers full of damaged kit including drops and landrovers etc. Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Blimey :shock: Tyler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 yes there where a lot of damaged leyland drops aswell. Dougy, Most that we were doing were worse than those! Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy FV432 Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 yes there where a lot of damaged leyland drops aswell. Dougy, Most that we were doing were worse than those! Richard Hello Richard, Where did you get to put these back together. Pics were taken at Ashchurch in Tewkesbury. I was there doing warranty repairs on Seddon Atkinson Stratos bet they wish they hadn't shown me how to do pictures on this forum now Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 yes there where a lot of damaged leyland drops aswell. Where did you get to put these back together. Dougy, ABRO Ashford, formerly a REME Dist.Wksp. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy FV432 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Hello Richard, ABRO.......Sounds like the perfect job. Did apply to the one at Warminster, glad I didn't get in, now that they are laying 100's off. Don't suppose you came across any common charging faults on Fv432 Mk2s in your time there. Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 ABRO.......Sounds like the perfect job. Did apply to the one at Warminster, glad I didn't get in, now that they are laying 100's off. Dougy, Our workshop was closed nearly 10 years ago, it is sad to see what was the old REME Static Workshop empire, gradually being whittled away. I suppose that is progress. Don't suppose you came across any common charging faults on Fv432 Mk2s in your time there. I was on the mechanical side, we had dedicate electricians to do that sort of thing. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 I have an electrical manual, including fault finding charts for the charging system. http://www.sirhc.co.uk/documents/432mk2elec.pdf I suggest you save it (right click, save target as..) since it is a big document. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy FV432 Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Hi Richard, Have heard now that the ABRO at Warminister is all but closed down. Did you get to play with all different types of vehicles, when I went round the one at Warminster, it seemed that it was a dedicated team that rebuilt the Drops. Hi Chris, Thanks for the elec manual link, going to try to download it when I've finished hear. I have had a couple of goes at tracing this charging fault, looking at the litrature I have on the subject, it is a very complicated system. I did find the fuse blown that is in the rectifier, I was very disappointed when that didn't cure it, then I found one of the plugs at the powerpack junction was not connected properly. Still no joy. Haven't really had any time lately to look at, getting lorry through it's MOT is priority. Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Going back tot he original theme for a mo' - does anyone know if this lot - http://www.h-c-r.co.uk - do a flatbed recovery service or is it just a suspended or fixed tow?? If they don't - anyone know a firm who does?? Reason for asking is the Alvis 6 wheelers - esp. the Stalwart - aren't meant to be towed more than 2 or 3 miles max as damage is done to the hubs, BB's etc due to lack of lubrication!!! They need to have the engine running and the gearbox/transfer box engaged to get the oil going through them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Grosvenor Posted February 4, 2006 Author Share Posted February 4, 2006 Hello Neil, I honestly don't know, I would think they would use a low-loader rather than a suspended tow. But thet don't say anything about it on their website do they? Hello Dougy, I'm know nothing of vehicle electrics or 432's, but I was at Marcus Glenns once while he was having a problem with the charge light staying on on a 432. It turned out to be a problem with a connecting cable between two of the control boxes. The cable looked perfect, not a trace of damage anywhere, but replacing it for a known good one (easy when you've got a yard full) cured the problem. This might not be your problem but since I saw this I tend to check the cable itself aswell as all the joints/connecters when I get an electical problem. Regards Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Reason for asking is the Alvis 6 wheelers - esp. the Stalwart - aren't meant to be towed more than 2 or 3 miles max as damage is done to the hubs, BB's etc due to lack of lubrication!!! Neil, If you had to have a suspend tow on any of the Alvis 6 wheelers, or a Ferret come to that, it is neccesary to remove the sun gear in the wheels that will be running on the road. In other words if it is a front lift, then remove sun gears from rear wheels. This does two things, firstly it only means the hub is turning and none of the gear train and secondly, it would be considered against the law to have the raised wheels turning, presumably in case anyone got caught in them. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Thanks Richard. I tried using the contact form on their web site to ask this question directly - but thus far have had no response. Been nearly a week now - so maybe thats not a good sign either :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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