filthy boy

It's recently set up by Chris to do retail. He has been around for quite a few years in wholesale and distribution. So he's a wholesaler now doing retail (Marlow, IBS, Frontrunner, Outback Import etc.). We have dealt with him lots for Staun stuff. Give him a call. Tim

Then the off road event would have to be motorway maintenance work and a genuine part of your job. The onus would be on you to prove this if you had an accident miles from home and killed someone. Anything else would be in breach of the terms under which the vehicle is registered. If your job / business is contract work with plant then you are at your place of work so it is acceptable. And you may well have to trailer any vehicles if the distance is significant although this is less clear. Tim

Radius arm suspension with a panhard rod is set up with the drag link geometry to match the panhard as close as possible. This means as the axle moves up and down in a sideways arc prescribed by the panhard, any change in distance between the steering box and steering arm on the knuckle is minimised. This means that the drag link is not trying to turn the wheel as the axle moves relatively to the chassis ( axle moving up or down or the body rolling). If the drag link and panhard are way out of line (like on a lot of lifted vehicles) then any relative movement between axle and chassis / steering box results in the drag link pushing or pulling on the steering knuckle. This is why drag link and panhard should be as close to parallel and the same length as possible. As the amount of travel increases the problem can get worse. On a triangulated 4 link the axle moves straight up and down with no sideways arc (because there is no panhard to pivot around). In fact you cannot run a panhard with a 4 link because it will bind. If you have a drag link mechanical steering link then as there is relative movement between axle and steering box this will generate steering input. We deliberately set our buggy up like this so we could pass SVA. So a major advantage of full hydraulic steering is no linkages so no bump steer caused by steering linkages. You will still get some steer induced by body roll but this is dependent upon the axle links, not any steering links. Hope this makes sense and explains what I said before. Tim

Just had to comment on the AGRICULTURAL VEHICLE REG. This form of registration of vehicle is limited so that the vehicle can ONLY be used on the public road to go between the primary building (farmhouse or whatever) and the land upon which the vehicle is working. The rules actually state a maximum permitted distance. So unless the event is on your own land or very close to your house and you are in the agricultural or forestry business then your vehicle is NOT road legal when you turn up at an event on someone else's land and a decent distance from your house. This is fact and law. Argue all you want but it's the law. You can object and say it's stupid but you will still be breaking the law. And we have gone through SVA and worked with the DFT so this is not based on a chat down the pub. And hydraulic does give you an advantage, you can turn the wheels when with normal PS you would not stand a chance. Plus, if you run lots of articulation without a panhard then it is the only way to eliminate body / roll / bump steer unless you get into complex linkages or axle mounted racks. Tim (Filthy Boy)

My new hideout. 1650 sq ft. Beautiful estate in a great village. And a fantastic pub just down the road. Moving the beer fridge in this weekend. Just on the lookout for a sofa and armchair. New frame arrives in a couple of weeks, then the build starts! Tim

That's mine pm me if you want to chat. Or call, my number is on the website. Tim

Morning Dave Would be interesting to get the HP and torque figures for the BMW 850 V12 as that used the ZF 4HP24. Mind you, for all I know they may have a terrible record for eating boxes. Tim

You certainly can. We are going to be making bell housings to mate an LS V8 to a ZF 4HP 24 (uprated internals!) box. It's better than using an adaptor plate. So you can have small block chevy power and an easily available / fixable auto box that will mate to the LT230 giving you full time 4wd with a centre locking diff. Sounds good to me! Tim

Thanks everyone, that's been helpful. Tim

As it says, trying to find out what vehicles (not just LR) did the ZF 4HP24 come in? Help appreciated Tim

WIll Any ideas how you will get your system perfectly balanced? If there is any "mismatch" between the valve / ram / steering box you will get a feedback loop going with each component trying to correct to a different version of straight ahead. The Sweet type remote servo is more commonly used with rack and pinion where this problem seems not to arise. ALso worth looking at Woodward steering in the US. Tim PS the box doesn't actually fly the Atlantic 3 times, there is a way round that

We have a SPAL on the buggy after the Pacet packed up, mind you it was pretty old and had suffered. The SPAL is very low profile and great if you have packaging issues. Tim

700kg lihgter??? You not driving it then? Tim

Sole looks a bit like these http://www.palladiumshoes.com/spring2007/f..._men_baggy.html Tim

Art Carr or Winters. Tim