Military Vehicles, September 1996,: Re: Responses & another question

Re: Responses & another question

Colin Brookes (Colin@h-bplan.demon.co.uk)
Wed, 18 Sep 1996 18:55:54 +0100

In message <323FCF0F.2201@ruralnet.net.au>, dgreville@ruralnet.net.au
writes
>Thanks for your response to my Ferret manual query.
>
>Next question:
>
>To anybody who owns a Stalwart,Saladin or Saracen. When I
>enquired with the Australian Army about the feasibility of
>owning any of the above family of vehicles they warned me
>off them,as follows.
>
>They claimed that the accumulators were a pain, that the pump
>and related system but especially the accumulators would not
>hold pressure. That the longest they were able to get between
>charging the system with Nitrogen was 3 months and on many
>vehicles as little as a week. That it was almost impossible
>to keep the final drives and bevel boxes oiled as it ran out even
>on virtually new vehicles in as little as 2 days.
>

Hi Doug....seems like you really are having your plonker pulled, first
with the mail enquiry and then with your prospective ownership of
Stolly, Saladcream and Sarrycan.

Fact is .......the one and only problem of any significance with them is
with regard to 'cooling'. The 'forced-air system', was much modified
over the years, finaly ending up with a complete 'forced reverse air-
flow system'. It was never successfully formulated for extended use.
The resultant fuel vapourisation problems were fixed by fitting the
larger fuel pump from the FV432.

The lads who gave you the info were obviously not fully aware of the
proper maintenance techniques required for the climate. Remember the
vehicles were introduced back in the early 50's when leather was still
used for oil-seals. In extremes of climate as in good old Oz certain
proceedures were enacted to maintain the softness of the leather seal.
We ran (me personaly), Sarrycans in the NFD in Africa where temperatures
reached 120 in the shade before 9am on an average day......with no seal
problems!!

regards
Colin Brookes
Invicta Military Vehicle Preservation Society (IMPS)
colin@h-bplan.demon.co.uk