Re: [MV] UNIMOG STEERING

Richard Notton (Richard@fv623.demon.co.uk)
Sun, 21 Mar 1999 07:44:30 -0000

-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Foley <redmenaced@yahoo.com>
To: mil-veh@skylee.com <mil-veh@skylee.com>
Date: 20 March 1999 13:33
Subject: Re: [MV] UNIMOG STEERING

>---Richard Notton wrote:
>>
>
>
>> >
>> It can still be dangerous; as the crank whips back safely out of your
>> hand but then breaks the fore-arm from the other side.
>
>>
>> Beware.
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>The idea here being that when you pull on the crank for 1/2
>revolution, this WILL start the engine, when you let go you have
>backed up out of the way so the crank can do whatever it needs to
>without hitting you.
>
Thats the theory Joe, but we have many people who can testify to a
bone-breaking counter-clockwise whack from the crank. It depends a lot
where the starter dog is positioned, a compression just past BDC on the
crank handle is the danger; I doubt any of us have gone to the lengths
of shimming the dog to achieve the optimum positioning. . . . . . . . !

It always safer to try a tow, push or fresh battery start whenever
possible but in absolute desperation when the other options are
impossible here's a technique that's often over-looked but actually
written-up in the official FV622/623 manual and having had to try it I
can happily report it worked amazingly well; it is especially applicable
to vehicles with a ballasted ignition system. Knowing the ignition to
be correctly timed and of the past TDC static variety helps the
confidence enormously too.

With a really low and it wont crank battery, have someone hit the
starter momentarily before you pull it smartly over a compression, the
ignition ballast should be out of circuit whilst the starter is pressed
and just getting it over the first "lump" often gets sufficient momentum
in the engine and starter to have it go through the following
compressions and fire up. Should a back-fire occur the starter effort
and drag minimises the back-swing to a great extent.

Whilst all the usual caveats and disclaimers apply, this did fire up
6.5L of cold and stiff RR straight eight without any drama at all first
hit, push or tow starting 10.5 tons of 6x6 amphibian was not an option;
both the button-pusher and the crank-puller looked at each other in
abject amazement.

Being the button-pusher I witnessed this first-hand. (Not totally daft
y'know. . . .)

Regards,

Richard
(Southampton UK)

===
To unsubscribe from the mil-veh mailing list, send the single word
UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of a message to <mil-veh-request@skylee.com>.