Night Train

Yes I did. I have various drawings of my own take on walking beams using Land Rover gears and using chains as options. The chains would be ok as the tensioner could be an idler wheel on both the load and return sides of the chain but mounted on a swinging pivot so that the load side of the chain would be straight whether going forwards or backwards. I did also look at the road graders but they were a bit on the big side and the gear ratios were too low. The ratio within the walking beam would need to be 2:1 to prevent axle lift when under load so the diff ratio would need to be 2.35:1 to match a Land Rover 4.7:1 front axle. Alternatively the transfer box would need different front and real output ratios. Back in the 80's when I was designing it the availability of components and one off's was not as good as it is now. Even Ashcroft was only just getting into auto conversions then.

I have used a small 500kg ratchet winch to move my 6x6 up steep hills in the dim and distant past. I also used it to move my 110 V8 up my drive (a similar slope to yours) and it also moved my AEC Matador up it too. I currently have a range of old worm drive chain winches that are quite good for jobs like that.

I must admit I was very, very tempted to get my truck back but looking at the condition and the extent of missing/damaged/broken parts it would be a near complete rebuild. That would be both costly and time consuming and would probably fall foul of SVA/IVA at some point. It would be easier to build a new one with better components as a starting point. It would be cheaper to buy and run a real Scammell. I guess, also, I mourned it's loss long ago and as it was a project to get me through the grieving process after loosing my brother I also felt I shouldn't go back there. I may build another, but just yet.

This may be the easiest solution if you can get the clearance for all the bolts. Would it be an option to relocate the clutch? It might be an easier job overall.

If the clutch and flywheel will fit inside the Audi housing could you make the cut and shut closer to the gearbox on the Disco housing and move your adaption plate far enough back so that you can still have clearance for the bolts? ETA: Ahh, the Audi housing is already cut. Could you include a tubed cut out in the adaptor and Disco housing to allow access to each of the bolts? More work but I think it will be more work what ever you do.

You could cut the Audi housing flange off then cut away all of the Disco housing up to the front of the gear box and refabricate the bit in the middle to suit length and clearance as required.

Any reason why a replacement engine backplate can't be made to fit the Disco bell housing to the Audi engine? I can't see your links.

If there are no clicks then it could be no feed to activate the solenoids. Check the connections to the remote to make sure that it is getting a trigger voltage back to the solenoids.

I had no worries about walking on my Safari's roof or the roof or any of my Land Rovers. Just didn't walk on the canvas ones.

The 3 speed transfer box I built for my 6x6 weighed as much as a complete mainbox and transfer box together. I fitted it with scaffold pole across the open Series 3 door windows and a ratchet strap. It went in attached to the removable cross member before I welded the cross member mounting brackets to the chassis. I did have an engine crane but couldn't be bothered to get it out as it was heavy!

I used to have one like this from Machine Mart but in 500kg form. It wasn't much good folded as it didn't stand up very securely and fell over often. You can just make out the tiny little tabs that flick down to hold the crane upright when folded. Also when dragging it around it rolls on its casters and they flop about and cause the top end of the crane to bang on your chest right where it hurts. Also the ram pump lever is all pivoted on the frame and so removing the ram means dismantelling the pump handle mechanism. I would prefer this type as the ram and pump is all one unit and can be removed for other purposes. Also when folded it stands on 4 casters so it is easier to move about. It also has a handle on the top to drag it about by 'neanderthal' fashion.

Also don't forget to apply pressure to the pad for about 10-20 seconds to make sure it has stuck. Also the sticky pad is sided, can't remember which side the green peel off goes but it needs to be the right way round so the right side of the sticky sees sunlight.

Check the sort of fuses you are using. I think they need to be slow blow fuses to cope with the start up current. Alternatively, I assume that the amp is wired directly to the battery via the 25 amp fuse and controlled on and off by the head unit? If the fuse only blows when the head unit is turned on then the fault lies in the amp. Any chance of damage or something dropping into the amp or its connections? If the head unit controls a relay in the amp supply cable then the fault could be in the cables if you have snagged one and damaged the insulation some where. I last installed an in car entertainment system when auto reverse cassette players were the latest thing so I could be wrong about how it all works nowadays.

I just found this document and on the bottom of page 5 it mentions trailers submitted for inspection on or after 29th April 2009. Not sure how that relates to the 2012 date. Any new braked trailers built must have a spring damped hitch and auto reversing brakes. This isn't the same as having twin leading shoe brakes as the mechanism works differently. To test this effect on my trailer I applied the trailer hand brake. This brakes the trailer against both forward and backwards motion. However, when enough force is applied to reverse the trailer the brakes disengage and the trailer is free to reverse. The brakes reset when the reversing force is removed. There are many regulations around trailers that need to be adhered to when building a new trialer regarding size, weight, tyre loading capacity, lights and reflectors. I found the NTTA site very helpful and also the Haynes Trailer Manual. The Haynes is a little simple and 'lite' but it has stuff like wiring colour codes and dimensions in a format that is easy to have in the workshop while doing a build and locating lights and checking overall dimensions. To achieve a cheap build, like I have, you need to be vigilent on Ebay for a good hitch that is rated for the maximum weight of your trailer. The ones I have normally sell at over £250 but I found new ones that I won for £22.50 and £40.00 respectively. For both trialers I used the same caravan suspensions from Ebay both bought for £15. These were the centre sections of a caravan chassis cut out with the trailing arm, springs, hydraulic dampers and brake linkages all intact ready for a good clean and then a new chassis built up on top. I was prepared to travel to distant out of the way little villages to buy as the prices were lower as no one else wants to collect when the seller is in the middle of nowhere. I prefered these to the Indespension axle type as I wanted proper springs and dampers and also the ability to change the width of the trailers. However, for a car transporter, as long as the axle is wide enough you won't have this problem. The bigger problem is finding a matching pair of axles. Some sellers only show one axle but in reading the listing they sometimes have a pair to sell at twice the winning bid. Sometimes it is cheaper to just buy a half built trailer with the correct capacity axles and hitch, and then put a new hitch on anyway. It is also worth looking at whole but old caravans for sale and then stripping it down yourself and selling off some of the interior parts to recoup the cost. I have made sure both my trailers were complete before the April 2009 date just in case. I now only need to get the second one weighed and then I can have plates made up giving date, weights and dimensions. The only other things left to do really are to get new tyres with a higher load rating and to fit the detatchable crane onto my extending pole trailer. Both my trailers came in at under £200 each to build using mainly scrap and Ebay bargains. Built with 50mm x 3mm box section, Land Rover roofs and 2400mm x 1200mm x 3mm aluminium sheets found in a skip. Built with 60mmx 8mm angle for the chassis, 70mm x 3mm and 60mm x 5mm box section for the extending pole and two folding pallet crates as the body giving adaptability. The crates cost £5. Unloading trees. The pallet crates are 1000mm wide and 1200mm long. Drawbar fully extended. This adds 2m to the 2.4m main chassis. A heavy ladder frame is yet to be added at the front, in these images, to support the crane and long lengths of timber.

I do have a pair of 50mm 'bullet' type white fog lamps under my rear bumper of my car as 'work lamps'. They are connected to the reversing lamps via a no volt release contactor so that I can only operate them after I have selected reverse, if they are needed, and then they self cancel when I come out of reverse. Really useful when reversing a trailer down a narrow track in the dark as I can see where my trailer wheels are in the mirrors. The beams are aimed right at the trailer tyres. It got through the last MOT without a question.

So would work lamps be acceptable if not linked to the reversing lamps and with a tell tale in the cab or a means of preventing accidental use?

When I last fitted a copper pipe brake and clutch system to a race preped MGB we used electrical MICC 'P' clips. They were copper with a pvc coating and available in a range of colours and sizes.

Well, job done, tree felled and winched up a nasty slope with makeshift winch controller. The tree, 65' of Silver Birch: Makeshift winch controls: Makeshift rigging as well: The logging arch would only get to the bottom of the slope so from there I had to winch off a tree to gain some upwards lift. Occasionally the back of the car left the gound. And one of the 3 bits of tree trunk I had to winch out with a makeshift logging arch. It was made over night from a scrap multigym.

The front bumper looks like it used to have a winch mount. At the back the towing drop plate has either been plated over or is just made of chequer plate! For a couple more square metres of plate it could have been completely covered over for that real bling, rufty tufty, aluminium ingot look.

Hmmm, now there's a thought. A set of jump leads clipped to the switch and used as a wonder lead. Then I can still see what I am doing! B) I would still like to get some economic solenoids though. Need two for the winch and another one for the crane hydraulics. Has anyone got any going spare?

Having now got a Skoda with a rear demountable winch I have blown up the aging solenoids in the controller. Is there a good source, in and around the Manchester area, where I can get hold of replacement double pole change over solenoids (six terminal type)? I am looking for cheap and they don't need to be heavy duty as the winch is only a little 3300lbs capacity. I've done a search but can only find tech on how to wire them. Alternatively, what other options might I have short of making and breaking the connections with a set of jump leads? I was hoping to winch out a felled tree this weekend. Thanks you, NT

What's actually gone wrong with it? My dad used to do part exchange on faulty power and battery tools, repairing the faulty ones and selling them on again.

I've been with the AA for most of my driving life. When my 6x6 broke a bit made by A.N.Other in it's first transfer box near Preston the AA took me back to London with a swap over in Birmingham. When I threw a timing belt in Snowdonia they first sent a van with a fan belt and then several hours later they sent an RAC truck to take me to Birmingham and then AA took me back to London. Another time I threw a timing belt in East London and the took me, fully loaded with scrap steel, to the Norfolk coast. They gauged the weight by loading the 6x6 and checking if the recovery truck tyres touched the mudguards. They didn't so I got recovered. I reckon the tyres touched on every bump though. I've had hire cars from the AA during relays when I had a dog with me. I've had hire cars to keep for the duration of a holiday while they took my breakdown home for me. The AA have been great and they generally only use their own trucks and not local contractors so you know what sort of recovery truck is coming. This may matter or it may not but it is reassuring.

I wasn't a biker then and didn't have a helmet. If I was out without a windscreen or doors now I would have a helmet on and probably my leathers to keep the cold out! Haha! It was a two wheel drive S1 that had a modified MGB engine and gearbox in. 100+bhp and it did 90mph before my bottle went!

What's with the double front bumper and is that meant to be a big plastic monobrow or a moustache?