Steam lorry front axle

[reedx]

My father-in-law and I are in the middle of restoring/modifying a 1/5th scale steam lorry. The modification has involved some pretty drastic surgery to the front end i.e swapping the cart spring solid front axle for a Foden style transverse suspension front end. The only power tools we've used so far are the stick welder, drill press, angle grinder and £20 Lidl belt sander (linisher). Materials have been donated by the scrap bin.

Build progress will be updated here

http://www.reedx.net/me/pop/

Colin

 

[rusty69bus]

different but nice

 

[knoba]

Wow what a great project to be in on! You've both done some nice work on it too. Is it rideable at 1/5 th scale?

I love the Toylander on your website - that's great!

 

[reedx]

Hopefully it will be rideable at 1/5th scale. One of the biggest problems originally was lack of ground clearance under the ash pan. It was about 3/4 of an inch and we've added a couple of inches to that already. It's now looking a bit underwheeled so I'm trying to source suitable replacements. Closest I've come up with so far are some 3" scale Atkinson ones, but at nearly £700 for the castings I'm hoping to find something cheaper.

We made the body for the Toylander a couple of years ago but have just got round to making all the running gear this summer, at the same time as doing the steam lorry. Just the front axle to make now (a bit simpler than the lorry one though ). I need to take some pictures and update that webpage too.

Colin

 

[andypocock]

I think you'd get away with some solid steel wheels a la later Foden Lorries.

I've never been a fan of the PoP design myself. It looks underwheeled as standard (which is probably why the rolling chassis I have sitting on the bench is still there after two years)

Andy

 

[TurboShed]

Andy, wow is that road legal? I like that

 

[andypocock]

Not mine Turbo I'm afraid but yes fully road legal.

Andy

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

could you make up the wheels yourself if someone supplied some 'rims' made with a ring-roller?

Regards
Peter

 

[snowcat]

Hi,

could you make up the wheels yourself if someone supplied some 'rims' made with a ring-roller?

Regards
Peter

I did just that for a set for a Friends traction engine, ring rolled the rims then laser cut the spokes, and machined the centre.... worked well

 

[Hitch]

Ive done them before aswell, half round handrail sections welded together to make the spokes, rolled rims, machined centres, weld it all up, then use a bullnose cutter in a die grinder to concave the weld a bit, so it all looks like one casting. Quite a lot of work though!