The Classic Machinery Network

jcb4cx wrote:http://www.i-bidder.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/truck-and-plant/catalogue-id-truck-10026/lot-17fa8783-6c85-4a7e-9e88-a3fd00ac6290

Hey I like this but I dont think I could drive it home some how even if I stick it on the lowloader I dont reckon I could float it home


here some picks of Fowlers working in WA in the 50's I think I might have put them up before so please disregard if you have seen them before
enjoy Paul
top photo multiple hitch onway ploughs as we call them out here
multi hitches with oneway ploughs with seed boxs plough and sow in one pass used with rough country as in freshly cleared
looks like they are scrub pulling they use like a ship anchor chain hitched between two crawlers

Hi,
A bit more info on the chain between two crawlers here.
I lifted the pic. from the Track Marshall / Fowler site.
Fred

Track Marshall Fowler site ??? never new such a thing was around

we never used the steel ball much in Australia or at least not that I know of only on reel big scrub the Heytesbury Victoria I think I have posted a link before if not I can find it some were

ok some more waffle please forgive me for taking this off topic heres a couple more
if I have done the wrong thing and taken it to far of topic let me know and I will delete them seeya

Paul


URL of the original image: http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag265/MrsMackPaul/scan0002_zps70b930ce.jpg


URL of the original image: http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag265/MrsMackPaul/scan0003_zps63f90432.jpg


URL of the original image: http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag265/MrsMackPaul/scan0004_zpsaa98a63a.jpg

Well I am about to throw a spanner in the works. We have a Meadows powered MK 3 with the reduction box behind the clutch. We also have a Leyland unit with NO reduction box and NO planetry final drives. The final drive housing is a different casting, one has the bolt heads recessed into the housing and the other the heads are on the outside of the housing flange. As for the fluid flywheel Fred, they do reduce the shock load on the clutch, even when at high RPM and also they prevent engine stalling. A fluid flywheel will never be a 100% drive, due to slippage. Hope this doesn't complicate the dilemma. Nigel.

Tassie fowler wrote:Well I am about to throw a spanner in the works. We have a Meadows powered MK 3 with the reduction box behind the clutch. We also have a Leyland unit with NO reduction box and NO planetry final drives. The final drive housing is a different casting, one has the bolt heads recessed into the housing and the other the heads are on the outside of the housing flange. As for the fluid flywheel Fred, they do reduce the shock load on the clutch, even when at high RPM and also they prevent engine stalling. A fluid flywheel will never be a 100% drive, due to slippage. Hope this doesn't complicate the dilemma. Nigel.

Hi Nigel,
Any spanner in the works is more than welcome.
It doesn't surprise me at all that you have yet another transmission arrangement in one of your Challengers.
When Fowlers started producing the Challengers circa 1950 they faced a very steep learning curve. They were competing with the long estabished designs of Cat. IH and Allis and they made endless changes and improvements over a very short time.
I have read that they produced a few 3s where the reduction box was replaced with a two speed unit which gave the tractor 12 forward speeds and a top speed of about 12 miles per hour.
Fred

Mrsmackpaul wrote:Track Marshall Fowler site ??? never new such a thing was around

we never used the steel ball much in Australia or at least not that I know of only on reel big scrub the Heytesbury Victoria I think I have posted a link before if not I can find it some were

Hi Paul,
Log in to:- trackmarshall.co.uk the number one portal for all things trackmarshall

G'Day
i have a challenger 3 with no reduction box or planetry gears, i live on steep country and i find it is geared to high.
OK for flat country, but in the hills they do need the reduction.
I guess some were designed for road work,or out west where there are no hills, hence the higher gearing.
claudio

welcome Claudio were abouts a west as what part of the world are you from ???
It would appear that not many people no much about these crawlers me included seems to me there was no ryhme or reason to what was made but Im sure there would have been we just cant see it now days

Paul

G'Day Paul
I'm from central tablelands, near mudgee nsw. steep and rocky. The country is a bit challenging for the challenger.
I'm still learning about them myself, but apparently the victorian government bought a lot for road works, hence it's possible some might be left without reduction as they would get the job done quicker, but that's only a guess. also the later 3's were fitted with leyland 680 motors so would make sense to fit planetary gears to reduce stress on gearbox.
all in all they seem to be a good unit, and easy to work on, being 60 years now, they generally need a bit of maintanance.

Claudio