expeatfarmer

Took it for a spin round the garden today very grunty!

That,s a show I would like to go to. Some very nice machines.

Just space and trying to avoid duplicate models.

Ransomes MG 40 Crawler for sale, 1964 serial number15123. 600cc petrol engine, full pto and hydraulic three point linkage. Good tracks, as original no new paint, very sound. Mudguards as originally fitted. Currently for sale on E Bay looking for offers around £1200.

I had a very helpful accomplice today helping me to move machines around and generally tidying up. It is so much more enjoyable when you can share your toys ! Many thanks for your help Norman. Not sure why the text is all over the place is there something I should be doing?

I cleaned an Amal carb today that had been untouched for 25 years, after an hour in the tank at 45 degrees it has come out looking like new.

I am hoping that I will only need to take the rare ones that other people can't get along with. I hope that as many owners as possible will take part , but yes I have a beaver tail and low loader on standby!

I hope you can ,the auto jumble on the Sunday is good also main auction on the Saturday

That would be good.

As a footnote to the above, Malvern is a long way for some members to travel and haul their machines, so that every Ransomes owner can take part in some way we are going to have a photo display board on which we will display photos and a brief description of machines from all over the world, I already have such photos from Australia, Norway, New Zealand and USA and will be happy to include as many as we can including machines from UK unable to attend. You can send photos and a brief description of the machine, where you are, what you do with your machine etc. either as a pm on this network to me or e mail me direct on cox746@btinternet.com

Looks like a great show, some tidy MG machines too.

A number of Ransomes MG Tractor enthusiasts are planning to stage a special display of Ransomes MG tractors at the Tractor World Show to be held at the Three Counties Showground ,Malvern over the weekend of 27th /28th February. The intention is to gather as many Ransomes MG tractors as we can in one place and include at least one of every model and derivative that was made between 1936 and 1965/6. The display will be supported by Ransomes Jacobsen, Neil Jarrett will attend with spares and is happy to bring along any pre-ordered parts you may need as well as general spares. If you would like to take part with a machine/s please let me know. I am hoping to bring along a fully restored MG2 number 137 which will be exactly 80 years old on the day as it was completed in February 1936 as the 36th tractor off the line. This is believed to be the oldest surviving MG2 in existence ( unless you know better ). The show is mostly indoors, is well catered and has camping facilities on site. As a tractor show it is well worth attending as there are literally hundreds of tractors as well as displays by vintage clubs. The Vintage Horticultural and Garden machinery club also stages a display. Whilst there are competitions for best this and most original that etc. which you are welcome to take part in, we are not looking for shiny machines it is more important that owners of theses super machines bring along their machines as they are, to share experiences swap bits and talk with other owners. Malvern is well served with hotels and accomodation but book early as it is a very well supported show. There is no charge for entering your machines, offloading and setting up is stress free as the marshals are all sensible enthusiasts and very helpful.

Mine is a 420 model 16D fitted with three cylinder Kubota engine ( a brand new one ). I have just found a front loader in USA, from pictures it looks as if it comes with most of three point linkage parts, waiting to hear from seller. Steiner also make a snow blower for the front which would be very cool!

Thank you James I am really pleased with it , it is a proper working digger, years ago I used to have a fleet of Mantis excavators I hired out to the gas board etc, they were a very handy tool but very much a single function operation when digging which made progress slow and jerky. The Ransomes flows from one service to the other and has more grunt than is probably good for it. The best thing I did when I built it was to fit an electric start dynostarter. Last night I left it outside and it rained all night, went to the digger this afternoon turned the key and it started and ran first rotation. Having spent an hour cranking over my dumper which annoyingly fired every turn but would not run I know which machine will be fitted up next!

Offloaded my trailer today ready to move my machines around using a temporary garage/tent I have put up. I used my Turftrak to pull the dead machines off the trailer, what a fantastic little machine it is , climbs slopes like a mountain goat, I was amazed that it could pull the skimmer the tracks are stiff with sitting for 25 years and on top of that there is a double reduction gearbox with huge wind up to overcome, no problem the hydrostatic transmission just steadily pulled, slipped a bit on the wet trailer and then it was off and towed it down the gravel easily. If anyone is looking for a powerful little tractor for trailer work or just around a big garden then this is the machine to go for. Trying hard to find a front loader for it as well as the rear three point linkage. It tows my big twin axle car trailer about without missing a beat superb machine.

Does anyone have a brass fuel float for the Amal 356 carb as fitted to the MG6 or 40 . I have a carb with a plastic float that has come apart due to the " environmentally friendly " fuel we use eating the glue!

I think basically it is a design fault, the ram shaft is 1" dia but the end of the shaft is turned down and threaded 1/2",,a 1" nut would probably solve the problem. Best place for a buffer would be between the tam piston and the screw on end cap but as it is now this would shorten the ram stroke and affect the digging depth and reach a slightly longer ram would be needed. Machine is up and running now and I have ordered a spare ram with a thicker shaft just in case. I just need to be careful when digging not to fully extend the ram harshly.

Would cut digging power, have managed to sort it thread on shaft was ok it was nut that stripped, new nut plus I have now peined over end of shaft rivetting nut on to shaft fingers crossed about to test it.

Manhole and pipe laid yesterday, backfilled, just tidying up when the dipper arm ram piston nut stripped off the shaft. It has happened before, I managed to re-thread the shaft on that occasion not sure I will be so lucky this time may mean a new shaft. It is caused by the weight of the dipper arm and bucket coming to a sudden stop at the end of the ram travel. I have been trying to think of some way to cushion or restrain the arm , a big spring in the ram might work but would limit travel. Any ideas ?

Waiting for a price from Rickerby

Found a front loader in USA waiting for a quote. Three point linkage and new seat still available from Ransomes Jacobsen through our local dealer Rickerby.

Sorry Norm I will be moving all of them around shortly so come over and have a go anytime. Thanks for your help, I decided the safest way to clean out the trench was to fill it in and then go back over it.

A hand would be welcome if you fancy a run over might even give you a coffee!

another driver would be handy Norm if you are around.

For some time I have had problems with a neighbors drain that crosses our land and so I have decided to intercept it and put in a manhole for rodding access. Good job for the digger so out it came nice hot sunny day, dug the trench, found the drains ( my wife is a dowser ) using two bits of fence wire, spot on location. made the trench much bigger for the manhole and then thought I would go back to the other end of the trench and clean it out ready to lay the pipe. I managed to straddle the trench without a problem until I came to a bit where the wall collapsed under me and pulled the track off the drive sprocket. Ho Hum! serves me right for being over ambitious, now I need to get some more crawlers out as a recovery team!