From: jim gilmore (jgilmore@ptd.net)
Date: Mon Oct 21 2002 - 18:57:03 PDT
I would suggest you trailer this Carrier to Combat Vehicles in Easton PA.
and have them effect repairs to it. They have the knowledge, equipment and
personel to repair any armoured or soft skinned vehicle.
They are also able to "think British"........
Jim Gilmore
At 09:59 AM 10/21/02 -0400, renactr2@aol.com wrote:
>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
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
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