From: Bill Chambers (bchambers@hoovers.com)
Date: Mon Oct 21 2002 - 07:16:07 PDT
Have a friend with some Bren problems, thought this esteemed group may be
able to help.
He is not on our list, please contact direct:
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From: renactr2@aol.com [mailto:renactr2@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 8:59 AM
Subject: [britcommww2] Bren Carrier/Ford maintenance challange
Hi Folks,
15 Recce had our Mk 1 Bren carrier had the Boonsboro, MD, event this past
weekend and we run into a maintenance problem that forced us to leave her
parked in the woods.
When returning to harbour after a display, the vehicle would not turn,
neither left nor right. It would run straight forward or back.
I was called over, and I checked the steering linkage on the floor under the
wheel. All seemed attached and normal. (I had the first horrible thought
that we had sheared the linkage pin there, but it was all in place.)
Bren carriers do their hard steering by applying mechanical brake pressure
to the drum on the side that you want to turn. All the brake linkages from
front to back were intact.
In the past, I could pull the wheel had over, and in first gear, easily spin
a "donut" with one track locked. When I tried to do this, the engine would
bog down, even when I gave it more gas as I slipped in the clutch. The
engine would seem to run OK in idle, or moving the carrier straight forward
or backward. (could only move it a few yards each way due to the location)
We had a tank full of 1-day old petrol, a fresh fuel filter, checked the
brass screen int he fuel pump, and had made sure the wires to the plugs and
coil were tight.
1) I don't think both left and right brakes could fail at the same instant,
so I don't suspect brake pads (remote possibility though).
2) The common point for the left and right brakes is the brake pedal and
hand brake. I checked then for operation and it ****seemed**** normal.
3) The previous weekend event, we seemed to have a vapor lock problem after
running the carrier for a couple of hours, though the engine temp seemed to
be in the normal range. We had replaced the inline fuel filter "just
because" that weekend.
4) We had dropped out of the initial start of the freeform battle exercise
due to an apparent loss of power. The engine idles normally and it would
turn as expected, but in second gear it seemed to be laboring to get to any
speed.
OK, I think I am getting close to saying it is a fuel problem, either the
carb or the fuel pump - possibly both. It was suggested by the other "head
scratchers" that it could be the coil breaking down under a load, or it
could be the distributor.
I am a shade tree mechanic and have never messed with a Ford Flathead
distributor yet. I am told you don't use a timing light, and in a carrier I
can see that you couldn't get in to look at the timing in a conventional way
anyway. This engine uses the "Crab" type and not the "Diver's Hardhat" type.
I have the week to source parts and drive 4 hours back to the site to try to
effect all the repairs so we can get the carrier home.
Boy! I wish some group reenacted a Light Aid Detachment of the REMEs!
With all the knowledge on these lists, I am sure we can get the solution.
TIA
Jim Burrill
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