expeatfarmer

They were a factory option to lower the ground pressure on soft ground and increase the stability. They are also a lot better on grass for not chewing up the ground when turning. For me they will stop or reduce chewing up the garage floor and the drive.

Started the task of fitting wooden swamp blocks to the new WR8 tracks. Firstly cut 128 blocks of geen oak ( enough for the WR8 and digger dozer ) Set up a simple jig to drill and counter bore two holes in each block. using a router I cut rebates on the back side of the blocks to clear the track rubbers and trimmed the blocks to width with a power plane. The green oak is full of tannin which appears to be corrosive so for a few pence more I used stainless machine screws washers and nuts to bolt the pads on. To start with I made the blocks one at a time and bolted them on but this was apparently painfully slow progress so I took ten blocks at a time through each stage rewarding myself with a cup of coffee or a puff on my pipe after each set. Listening to Planet Rock turned up loud also eased the tediumand the back ache. The digger pads are slightly different in that they bolt on above the tracks using an alloy spacer block , I have the pads ready to dress but not started fitting them yet. I have been using a small Clarke bench drill and found it very disappointing that the spindle turns out not to be vertical to the work table such a shame that for a few quid more the tool could be really useful.

The clutch plate has been returned re furbished and re lined. Whilst i was waiting I cleaned up the engine and engine bay and re sprayed them as a part refurb ready for a full rebuild later. Now have it all back together just waiting for a new fuel tank

I did think of that and then thought if it has lasted 60 years loading sand it should be strong enough for the odd load of soil.

I meant to say that it never ceases to amaze me at the quality of the steel used by Ransomes, this machine is over 60 years old and look how the metal cleans up for welding, the paint must be good too!

Waiting for the clutch I decided to refurb the engine bay and clean up the engine, in the process I discovered some nasty stress cracks in the body at the point where the main lift rams are bolted to the body. Any worse and the arms could have ripped off! I drilled the crack ends to stop the stress line, ground out a deep vee and then welded first from one side and then repeated the process on the other side. All better now and sprayed up with primer. I also found tha the diesel tank was full of pinholes that had been filled with Isopon, hopefully I will have a new one before Malvern but if not I will have to solder up the old one.

I saw that MG2 at the auction it was sitting at £200, I didn't really want it but it was a decent refurb so I bid it up to £400 and then saw that I was bidding against a young lad, being a kindly soul I let him have it at £460, I met him afterwards and asked him what he was going to do with it, instantly he replied "bang it on Ebay and make some money it was so cheap". True to his word it was on later and sold for £600. So much for being a kindly soul.

Hi Stormin Don't think I have ever been called johanathan before! First for everything. If you are passing Rumneys would you call in and ask if my MG6 barrel/ valves are ready. Thanks

if anyone knows of another of these I would be interested, they are a very clever machine with loads of pull.

Many thanks, I have found a company in Bedford, Auto and Industrial Friction Services, they seem to specialise in oddball clutches.

When I bought the Whitlock a few years ago, the unique centrifugal plate clutch was inoperative, I stripped it down and found that most of the internals were missing. Using a parts diagram and reference parts I managed to make the missing parts and reassembled it. The one unknown was how thick the clutch friction plate should be, the original was worn but not u/s so I refitted it. The clutch worked but was unable to transmit much power without slipping. As I have entered it for a display at Malvern in March I thought I better strip it out and have the plate re lined so today I removed the engine and split the clutch ready to send the plate away, does anyone know where I might go for a re line? The previous owner had rebuilt the tracks with new grousers,rubbers plates and bolts but unfortunately had not tightened the track bolts enough with the consequence that the tracks are at full adjustment and still slack, a nice job for a cold day will be to go round each bolt and tighten them, fortunately my new platform lift makes life a bit easier , I will also replace the two track roller pins with new units instead of the current bolts.

She did , which is why I had a few hours to play!

Some things are best kept to yourself!

Chores become easier when you can tinker with your toys at the same time. Need a tow behind gritter for it now. Even more brownie points because Janet's car was snowed in and now she can drive it out thanks to the snow plough. She says I should have got one years ago.! I did not tell her I had all the bits for years.

Had a day out with the Digger today in snow plough mode, worked well with plenty of grunt but ideally the hydraulic ram for the dozer could do with a float position. The ram is double acting so stays where you put it instead of following the ground contours. Gave the old Whitlock an outing to blow the dust off.

Neat little dynamo what is it off? Shed looks good where have you put it?

Is it a croftmaster?

The one in bits has sold !

Somewhere near Sittingbourne I was told. Both MG2's are now listed on E bay. The complete tractor has been dry stored and is remarkably good, I think it must have broken a gear years ago and never been repaired, no signs of dismantling.

where is that and when?

Thank you. I am hoping to take it to tractor world along with my unrestored Whitlock loader

I should be about Norman.

Hooray up and running today, 40 psi oil pressure at tick over. Took it for a test drive along the road delivering Christmas cards and then back home for a dig.I am amazed it is fast powerful and operates on multi service functions so that you can lift and crowd etc at the same time. Going to make a set of swamp pads for the tracks next.

MG5 now sold, pleasingly it has gone to a chap in Dalston about 5 miles away. I shall point him at the forum.

Some photos showing the extent of previous block repair and the stellite weld peeling off the crank. The stellite must be very hard, the grinder said his machine had taken 4 thou off the crank and 10 thou off the grinding wheel !