Buying and renovating a Benford TT3000 dumper

[doobin]

The Thwaites swivel went for well over £5k with VAT and fees so I was out of the running. Stuck £1200 on the Benford and wasn't outbid, so think I've won it
Will wait for confirmation, the invoice and sort out transport.
Then see what delights are brought this way. You can't beat buying new toys can you?

Just wait until the seller decides it’s worth more and realists it…

 

[LKSF]

Just wait until the seller decides it’s worth more and realists it…

Just had the invoice through, It was a proper plant auction, not Ebay or anything like that.

 

[JD450A]

It was a proper plant auction, not Ebay or anything like that. I don't think it had a reserve on it, but aye, we'll see.

PES at Exeter will supply pretty much everything you need for it.

Drain and change the oil in the gearbox, chances are it probably wants a rebuild. It'll be a 85M box and the kit from PES is about £100 with all the seals and bearings.

FYI the center bearing is what dies and often wears the shaft. A man with a lathe will sort that and fit a bush which will solve that issue rather than buying new shafts.

Check the oilways are clean in the box if you do rebuild it.

Other than that, change the engine oil and the axle oils.

They are pretty bomb proof.

Also get a Roll bar made and fitted....... @Danny actually has one that would suit kicking round his yard.

 

[LKSF]

PES at Exeter will supply pretty much everything you need for it.

Drain and change the oil in the gearbox, chances are it probably wants a rebuild. It'll be a 85M box and the kit from PES is about £100 with all the seals and bearings.

FYI the centre bearing is what dies and often wears the shaft. A man with a lathe will sort that and fit a bush which will solve that issue rather than buying new shafts.

Check the oilways are clean in the box if you do rebuild it.

Other than that, change the engine oil and the axle oils.

They are pretty bomb proof.

Also get a Roll bar made and fitted....... @Danny actually has one that would suit kicking round his yard.

Thanks hydraulic oil change or just check level? And brakes, brake/clutch fluid probably. I would be surprised if it's got working brakes
Will watch out for metallic silvery oil out of the 'box, that's usually a dead giveaway, plus a fine paste on the mag sump plug if it has such a thing.

 

[LKSF]

Benford has made it to his new home and the sun is shining



Now the hard work starts on the long list of faults
I'm in trouble already. I fired it up and decided to go on a very careful little drive to learn what was what. Put it into second and crawled off really slow, tried to turn the corner by the barn, but found i've got to put both hands on the same side of the wheel and pull as hard as I can it's so stiff (Ooh Matron). The steering wheel moves slowly and Benford starts to turn a few minutes later so even though we're crawling on tickover we're heading towards a wall. I managed to pull hard enough to clear that, but now we're going towards the barn so I pull on the wheel with both hands again and some minutes later the lumbering beast turns and misses the 17thC barn wall, but tramples all over the other halfs new flower beds Crocus, daffs and God knows what else get pushed into the soil
The steering is ridiculously hard to turn and slow to react. I wondered if the hydraulic oil was too low, but the skip goes up and down ok. I slopped some more in the tank anyhow, but it's made no difference. There is some kind of filter lodged in the filler neck which means you can see about 6" down inside.

The other problem is lots of black smoke from the exhaust on acceleration. This indicates to me over fuelling perhaps? I took the air filter out and it is filthy, but it made no difference running it without.

It was getting dark so just had time for a quick poke around, other things noted:
Footbrake works vaguely, but can start to work through that myself ok, it looks like the brakes themselves are inside the rear axle.
Zero handbrake, but again that's probably simple enough. It looks like that is a disc on some central shaft?
Clutch biting point very high and grabs quite suddenly, but not unworkable. Looks like the operating rod is adjustable, but probably clutch is past its best.
It now sprays fuel out of a pinhole in a rubber injector leakdown pipe, a hose clip has sorted it out temporarily, off to the hose menders with that soon for a proper fix as they are crimped on.
Rear tyres are really old and cracked with not much tread. One has a puncture I think so will need some new ones soon enough, but no idea where to go for best prices on those.
An owners manual is on the way, then if I can cure these basic issues service items will be ordered.
I think in time a lick of paint would be useful too, there isn't much left on......

 

[Lancs Lad]

View attachment 33235Benford has made it to his new home and the sun is shining



Now the hard work starts on the long list of faults
I'm in trouble already. I fired it up and decided to go on a very careful little drive to learn what was what. Put it into second and crawled off really slow, tried to turn the corner by the barn, but found i've got to put both hands on the same side of the wheel and pull as hard as I can it's so stiff (Ooh Matron). The steering wheel moves slowly and Benford starts to turn a few minutes later so even though we're crawling on tickover we're heading towards a wall. I managed to pull hard enough to clear that, but now we're going towards the barn so I pull on the wheel with both hands again and some minutes later the lumbering beast turns and misses the 17thC barn wall, but tramples all over the other halfs new flower beds Crocus, daffs and God knows what else get pushed into the soil
The steering is ridiculously hard to turn and slow to react. I wondered if the hydraulic oil was too low, but the skip goes up and down ok. I slopped some more in the tank anyhow, but it's made no difference. There is some kind of filter lodged in the filler neck which means you can see about 6" down inside.

The other problem is lots of black smoke from the exhaust on acceleration. This indicates to me over fuelling perhaps? I took the air filter out and it is filthy, but it made no difference running it without.

It was getting dark so just had time for a quick poke around, other things noted:
Footbrake works vaguely, but can start to work through that myself ok, it looks like the brakes themselves are inside the rear axle.
Zero handbrake, but again that's probably simple enough. It looks like that is a disc on some central shaft?
Clutch biting point very high and grabs quite suddenly, but not unworkable. Looks like the operating rod is adjustable, but probably clutch is past its best.
It now sprays fuel out of a pinhole in a rubber injector leakdown pipe, a hose clip has sorted it out temporarily, off to the hose menders with that soon for a proper fix as they are crimped on.
Rear tyres are really old and cracked with not much tread. One has a puncture I think so will need some new ones soon enough, but no idea where to go for best prices on those.
An owners manual is on the way, then if I can cure these basic issues service items will be ordered.
I think in time a lick of paint would be useful too, there isn't much left on......

There's no escape now

 

[JD450A]

Smoke is common. It's a Lister and it's spent 90% of its working life left idling. Change oil and dog s**t out of it.... It will likely improve.

Steering is likely to be a case of you not revving it hard enough..... Might also be the actual orbital pump is worn.... Cheap enough to replace. Might also be tight on the steering column.... Wd40.

If clutch seems worn get the box out and sort it. Cheap enough. Again Plant engineering services Exeter will sort you. Change the clutch fork bearing at the same time as it's only a carbon bearing.

Whilst box is out, get a new set of seals and bearings in as its cheap and easy to do.

FYI probably about £800 worth of parts tops. Still a profitable dumper.

 

[Mogman]

Priority valve is my guess,
Probably be part of the tipping spool ( leaver) look where the pipes run

 

[Mogman]

Try tipping while steering

 

[JD450A]

Try tipping while steering

I forgot that random valve block is stuck on there.

From memory fluid should go to the Tipping spool, then direct to the orbital on the return then back to tank. If they have stuck that s**t block on the end it might be causing the issue.

 

[V8Druid]

View attachment 33235Benford has made it to his new home and the sun is shining



Now the hard work starts on the long list of faults
I'm in trouble already. I fired it up and decided to go on a very careful little drive to learn what was what. Put it into second and crawled off really slow, tried to turn the corner by the barn, but found i've got to put both hands on the same side of the wheel and pull as hard as I can it's so stiff (Ooh Matron). The steering wheel moves slowly and Benford starts to turn a few minutes later so even though we're crawling on tickover we're heading towards a wall. I managed to pull hard enough to clear that, but now we're going towards the barn so I pull on the wheel with both hands again and some minutes later the lumbering beast turns and misses the 17thC barn wall, but tramples all over the other halfs new flower beds Crocus, daffs and God knows what else get pushed into the soil
The steering is ridiculously hard to turn and slow to react. I wondered if the hydraulic oil was too low, but the skip goes up and down ok. I slopped some more in the tank anyhow, but it's made no difference. There is some kind of filter lodged in the filler neck which means you can see about 6" down inside.

The other problem is lots of black smoke from the exhaust on acceleration. This indicates to me over fuelling perhaps? I took the air filter out and it is filthy, but it made no difference running it without.

It was getting dark so just had time for a quick poke around, other things noted:
Footbrake works vaguely, but can start to work through that myself ok, it looks like the brakes themselves are inside the rear axle.
Zero handbrake, but again that's probably simple enough. It looks like that is a disc on some central shaft?
Clutch biting point very high and grabs quite suddenly, but not unworkable. Looks like the operating rod is adjustable, but probably clutch is past its best.
It now sprays fuel out of a pinhole in a rubber injector leakdown pipe, a hose clip has sorted it out temporarily, off to the hose menders with that soon for a proper fix as they are crimped on.
Rear tyres are really old and cracked with not much tread. One has a puncture I think so will need some new ones soon enough, but no idea where to go for best prices on those.
An owners manual is on the way, then if I can cure these basic issues service items will be ordered.
I think in time a lick of paint would be useful too, there isn't much left on......

you are going to be in so much trouble when SWMBO sees all that black oil on't pation slabs .... everything else will, pale into insignificance

 

[JD450A]

I'm a bit concerned, @V8Druid is getting polytunnel envy.

 

[V8Druid]

I'm a bit concerned, @V8Druid is getting polytunnel envy.

I had clocked it Rory

 

[LKSF]

Ok will look into the steering thing a bit more today following what you've said. I fixed the fuel leak, learned how to bleed it off (as it wouldn't start afterwards) and also managed to get the whole top part, footplate, seat and all to lift up for better access. It had been fixed down with coach bolts and square nuts so took some opening up.
The rest of the day was spent familiarising myself and checking stuff, the brake fluid res is dry Then as darkness fell I did the right thing and set fire to it got the powerwasher out and gave it a blast. Years of grime, rust and inches of oily dirt washed away so it'll be a bit easier and cleaner to work on. I was so sh*tted up myself with it I practically had to bath in hand cleaner. I left the full pot of hand cleaner at the top of the stairs so I wouldn't forget to take it down. Didn't put the landing light on and kicked it down the stairs shitthebed, it went everywhere. As it was red it looked like someone had been murdered and thrown down the stairs.
Took her out for a meal last night (O/H, not Benford) to smooth things over, but she'd already clocked the 'disturbance' on the flower beds on the way out
Patio is not much of a problem, it was laid (and too high) for the last owners and will be ripped up by us to make way for a garden eventually. Oil stains and all
I had to build the Polytunnel myself last Summer (can post pics) as we were running out of space to store stuff, Northern Polytunnels supplied it and it's been great. Well if it's stood up to three storms on the Pennines it's done ok.
I can tell you more if needed, but don't want you getting PT envy too bad

 

[LKSF]

We

Priority valve is my guess,
Probably be part of the tipping spool ( leaver) look where the pipes run
Try tipping while steering

Tried tipping and steering, no difference
You'll have to explain the other a bit more, i'm new to plant and hydraulics. Can't even find the steering pump yet.

 

[Mogman]

We

Tried tipping and steering, no difference
You'll have to explain the other a bit more, i'm new to plant and hydraulics. Can't even find the steering pump yet.

There is no steering pump as such it uses the hydraulic tipping pump
a pipe from the hydraulic oil tank goes to the pump then out of the pump to the tipping spool (the lever that tips the skip) then one pipe will go back to the tank (the return line)
then two will go to the tipping skip (will be on one slice of the spool)
and a pipe will go the the steering unit this will have a valve that will be sticking

OR

the pipe that comes from the pump goes to a splitter valve where one pipe goes to the tipping spool and the other to the steering unit this is a priority valve that may well be sticking

 

[LKSF]

There is no steering pump as such it uses the hydraulic tipping pump
a pipe from the hydraulic oil tank goes to the pump then out of the pump to the tipping spool (the lever that tips the skip) then one pipe will go back to the tank (the return line)
then two will go to the tipping skip (will be on one slice of the spool)
and a pipe will go the the steering unit this will have a valve that will be sticking

OR

the pipe that comes from the pump goes to a splitter valve where one pipe goes to the tipping spool and the other to the steering unit this is a priority valve that may well be sticking

Ok thanks, will look into it tomorrow hopefully.

---

Not a very productive day as we had visitors. The bastards.
Took the handbrake cable off and unseized it, assembled it all and set it up so it now works.
I've noticed the upper rear half of the machine is supposed to rock radially if needed, yet the front is solid. Is the pivot joint which is midway between back and front supposed to rock or twist to take up this difference or is this one worn (as it does rock)? I'm thinking it does otherwise it would break or wear out.

I'm going to Google how to change ram seals to see if it's possible. The ones on the 803 have a screwed in end so look do-able, on Benford it's just a plain cup on the end with no clue as to how they open. It needs to be some thing cheap and easy as the chrome rams themselves aren't in the best condition, covered in smooth dents which i'm assuming are caused by rocks thrown up by the wheels perhaps. Hmmm, ram conditioning how do they do that I wonder....

 

[V8Druid]

I'm going to Google how to change ram seals to see if it's possible. The ones on the 803 have a screwed in end so look do-able, on Benford it's just a plain cup on the end with no clue as to how they open. It needs to be some thing cheap and easy as the chrome rams themselves aren't in the best condition, covered in smooth dents which i'm assuming are caused by rocks thrown up by the wheels perhaps. Hmmm, ram conditioning how do they do that I wonder....

could well be a ring clip holding the end cap in the cylinder ... have to tap the end cap in to reveal the ring after removing the retaining cover held in this case by the SHCS,s in pic 1

 

[V8Druid]

Ok thanks, will look into it tomorrow hopefully.

---

Not a very productive day as we had visitors. The bastards.
...

selfish ****ers always turn up when yer's busy

Only kidding Doob .. was nice to see you both, as always ... welcome here anytime Boyo ..... don't leave it so long next time

 

[LKSF]

could well be a ring clip holding the end cap in the cylinder ... have to tap the end cap in to reveal the ring after removing the retaining cover held in this case by the SHCS,s in pic 1

I can only try unscrewing it by gently tapping or turning on the banjo boss and see if it comes off that way.