Night Train

Anyone considered the front portal axle design that Mack Trucks used? The axle falf shaft ended with a bevel gear that meshed with a corresponding bevel gear bushed over the steering king pin. The king pin served to provide steering and to carry a hollow drive shaft down a drop box and to another pair of bevel gears that drove the stub axle. The bevel gears were set at the king pin angle so that the steering geometry still worked and the opposing torque from each end of the axle balanced out through the track rod. It did away with the need for a cv joint and allowed a reasonable lift in the axle tube. See parts diagram here. Alternatively, just to raise the axle, how about using a diff and cv jointed drive shafts, as in an independent set, up but having the diff and king pins set in a frame so that the axle ends are at maximum drop and the diff is at its highest. The whole assembly can then be spring monted as an axle case.

Looking at lorry exhausts they seem to exit underneath the load area or the off side or, in the case of tankers, at the front. I guess it probably needs to not allow fumes into the driver/passenger area or be at face level to pedestrians.

I've just bought two collapsable plastic pallet crates from Ebay to build my trailer from. It looks like a useful box but you are too far for me to get to. Stick it on ebay or freecycle.

Hmmm, I am studying an MSc in Architecture, Environment and Energy at The Centre for Alternative Technology...

New blood is always good, even if its been lurking for a while. I must admit I also use another place but it is full of women talking food, shoes and hunky men. I came here because I needed some interesting conversational subjects.

Why so few posts, Steve? I've only been here since 31st Dec 07, I haven't had a Land Rover of my own for nearly 10 years and I still managed over 300 posts. Mostly rubbish though!

If the engine is going in the back then there are plenty of mid or rear engine set ups that can be used, Porche, Lambo, VW Beatle

My most humble apologies for my pre judgement Lord Rick (tugs forelock).

I have to say it is Direct Line. I couldn't phone at the time as it was after their claims line closed but the very next morning they phoned me and set everything in action. I then got a call from the repair shop to pick it up tomorrow morning as that suited me and then the car hire people got in touch and will be picking me up tomorrow lunch time to get a hire car sorted out. I didn't even need to do anything as Direct Line said that the third party accepted full liability. I guess it make no difference to DL as they need to pay out either way so it is just the other guy who gets their no claims hammered. Just need to see what they do about the injuries now.

Hello Rick and welcome, I take it that isn't parked on your own drive in that photo.

Yep, if you're going to hit anyone make sure it isn't a lawyer, or the Police. The GP says I have a thumb sprain and pulled muscles in my back and neck so not too serious, but it does stop me working with heavy timbers though.

I had a crash on Monday evening after work. A car pulled out of a side road straight into the nearside front of my car. I had spent all of my Land Rover driving years keeping my thumbs out of the steering wheel spokes and encouraging those I taught to drive to do likewise. But I got lazy. I had my thumbs around the spokes of my steering wheel and when the impact happened it jerked the steering wheel and now I have a sore left thumb to go with a sore back and neck. So, anyone who doesn't already know - Keep your thumbs out of the steering wheel spokes! Off to the GP in a moment to see about it. At least the other driver was a sensible insured grown up who is insured with the same people as I am and so my car is going away to be sorted out tomorrow.

I mounted my Jackall on Jackall mounting brackets behind the front seats. I had a Safari at the time and the brackets went in the front of the rear seat footwell at the back of the front seat box. I didn't have any rear seats (didn't have any seats in the back) so it didn't matter.

I'm just thinking that this could look interesting with an MGB Salisbury axle at the back and an MGB front subframe bolted onto the chassis. It could then have wire wheels and center lock nuts. You could use MGC wire wheels which were 15" so they wouldn't look too small. The front subframe is an easy bit of kit to use, only 4 bolts and a steering uj and it is completely self contained and very low to the ground. Mine only had 2" ground clearence when it was road race preped.

Well my suggestion would still work and it would be an interesting vehicle. Looking forward to it now.

I did figure the Random 109 thread as the April fool and made my suggestion accordingly.

I always have a 4" adjustable spanner as a keyring. It has proved very useful but when I last booked a flight security wanted to confisgate it as an offensive sharp impliment!

How about droping the body and leaving the chassis where it is? You could then stick to 7.50 tyres as it will look better and fill the arches better then the 205's would. If you had a tube front axle then it could have a a drop in it so it was slightly U shaped. The engine and transmission could be mounted lower in the chassis by changing the mounts. All the body mounting points could then be moved down and the floors repositioned to suit. In the back the floor could almost be the same height as the wheel boxes and a small hump could be built in the wheel box to clear the tyres. The front floor and seat box could almost be flat, as in a road car. The pedal box could be pivoted up so that you push forwards rather then downwards allowing you to sit with almost straight legs.

It looks really great. Would have been good if it was all polished stainless. It does remind me of a claymation mouth though. Wallace.

How about something like this on Ebay with a wider base bolted on and a cup on the end of the ram. 530mm stroke and 8 ton capacity. Or the Machine Mart Tractor Jack as already mentioned.

I always change my 60,000 mile timing belt at 50,000 miles max of if there is any reason to have to tamper with it.

You have been busy, both with the camera and the tools. Well done.

Looks like you made a nice easy job of it there. Good photos and description too.

I still have a very old double extension screw jack from my old S3. I must dig it out, it might be useful to someone.

And then you can drive around offering to tarmac driveways for a couple hundred quid cash cos you were just doing a job up the road and had some left!