 | Home > Off Topic > Latest Purchase : Harvey Frost crane |
 
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10383  
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Yep, that won't float
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19th Aug 2012 8:24pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5953 
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That won't but my 9ft Dory style boat does! 1999 Defender TD5 110
Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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19th Aug 2012 8:35pm |
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| spudfan Member Since: 10 Sep 2007 Location: Co Donegal Posts: 4800 
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Is that for self recovery? A winch might be more practical.
Don't forget a trip to Zag for the Dinitrol treatment.  1982 88" 2.25 diesel
1992 110 200tdi csw -Zikali 2008 110 2.4 tdci csw-Zulu 2011 110 2.4 tdci csw-Masai |
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20th Aug 2012 10:52pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5953
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Nope this is for recovery of crashed rally cars on events. For self recovery I have a 12000lbs Goodwinch. 1999 Defender TD5 110
Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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21st Aug 2012 8:04am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17762 
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Aha, I wondered what you were going to use it for! You are aware I imagine that the use of towing dollies of any kind on the public highway is a very complex and grey legal area. In essence the only use on the public highway to which they can be put is to recover a broken down or disabled vehicle to the nearest 'place of safety', and that the broken down or disabled vehicle must be road-legal (taxed, tested and insured). Strict speed limits also apply under these circumstances I believe - 20mph on normal roads). It is totally illegal to use a dolly to transport a vehicle (due to the trailer braking regulations and the fact that a dolly plus car is legally two trailers not one), or to move a disabled vehicle that is not road legal (since it is half on the ground it is still considered to be on the road), or to move a vehicle which is not broken down or disabled, or to move a brioken down or disabled vehicle any further than the nearest 'place of safety', whcih in practice means the nearest lay-by or safe parking area. This of course is the reason that these excellent devices are no longer in use. There should be no problem using it on closed roads (as I imagine you will be doing) or towing it unladen on the public highway. The only problem I recall from the good old days when these were widespread (before Europe killed all common sense and fun) was that they do tend to fall over quite easily. It is a very nice period piece however and good to see one being kept in working order. Do you also have the missing bits for it? |
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21st Aug 2012 9:37am |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5953
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Thanks for the words of warning, but I wont be using it on the Highway as a a dolly, just mearly towing to events and then dragging cars around through stage. I have seen these driven hard through a stage and they have been stable(but maybe thats down to the extra weight he carries on the dolly, i.e camping stove and food lol.) The dolly will be getting a lick of paint and tidied up. Is that an offer of missing bits? My mate who used to have a Series with a HF on the back has the missing bits. Will be needing a mudflap and bracket. 1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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21st Aug 2012 11:03am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17762
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No, sorry! I just noticed that you were missing some of the towing gear and wondered if you had it. The rest of the dolly seems to be in very nice unspoilt condition. From memory the missing bits (the thingy to hang the towed car from - a bar with rubber things and chains - and the struts to keep it at the right distance) should be quite possible to recreate if you want originality. Just a question of finding one to use as a pattern, but you've already got that problem licked! Good luck with the project, and please post some pics when it's spruced up. |
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21st Aug 2012 1:25pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5953
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No probs.
Hopefully once spruced up it will look good. Just need the weather and a free weekend now! When its spruced up I will post some pics. 1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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21st Aug 2012 2:36pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5953
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Had a quick look at the HF today. Picked up a new wheel bearing for the hub, and then had a look at the wheels and decided they are a bit scabby, so split the rim (oh err sounds a bit rude) and attacked the wheels with a wire wheel. Treated with some rust treatment and then gave the wheel a coating of primer. 1999 Defender TD5 110
Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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25th Aug 2012 9:25pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5953
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Got around to doing a bit more yesterday and today. Wheel rims painted up and fitted two new Vredestein 4.00 x 8.00 8ply tyres and two new inner tubes. The rims are split rims held together with 12 nuts and bolts and mount onto a 3-stud hub.
 Click image to enlarge So stripped the hub to re-grease the bearings and clean up and while in there sussed why the brake drum wasn't fitting correctly, turned out to be caused by the outer bearing racer was not fully pressed in. Cleaned up the brake actuator so now this moves and works the brake on the N/S wheel. Put all back together and adjusted the hub bearing to remove play. Re-greased the 9 grease nipples. 1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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23rd Sep 2012 1:09pm |
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| DefenderIrl Member Since: 10 Sep 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 3 |
Apologies for resurrecting an old thread! My first post too!
Did you do any more work on your crane since your last post? I have recently purchased a Mk1 Harvey Frost Crane/Tow Boy and need some advice and parts. - Where can I find out some history about the Harvey Frost company? - Is it possible find out in what year (approx?) my crane was built? - Where can I purchase tyres for it? Cost? |
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10th Sep 2014 11:17pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5953
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Not a problem for resurecting the old thread.
I have done more work on the crane since I started this thread. Work done; Its been painted blue. It has a trailer board mount A new drum of winch wire A new set of chains Two new tyres New wheel bearing Rear towing point (re-inforced) Spot rear facing spot lights Just started building a rack to store tool boxes I think Harvey Frost might have become Brockhouse trailers Tyres I got from my local tyre place at about £35 each with new inner tubes - these are Vredstein V54 8.00" I have some PDF drawings of dimensions etc. A while ago I did roll the crane onto its side on a sharp bend into the services of the A55. I will be at making the crane wider by replacing the axle, the hitch and also making it longer. I will post some more pictures of the crane when I get them off my phone. What are you using yours for? Motorsport recovery or picking up the odd scrap car? 1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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12th Sep 2014 8:05pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5953
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Some pics of the HF as it is now
Spare wheel mount Click image to enlarge Tool boxes (part way through construction) 1999 Defender TD5 110
Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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12th Sep 2014 9:45pm |
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| DefenderIrl Member Since: 10 Sep 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 3 |
Thanks for your reply. You've done a nice job with your crane! ..it looks like it's ready for any towing job you can throw at it!
I worked in the motor trade for many years and used various towing 'attachements' over the years ...Tow Dolly, A-Frame, HF Crane, Transporter trailer. I decided in recent times to get an example of each for my garage collection. I plan on restoring my HF crane to its original condition to display in my garage and bring to car shows. It's in good overall condition as far as I can see (I havent collected it as yet) - it only needs a few parts to complete it, e.g. mudguards c/w supports, new tyres, the top pin for rear the bracket...and a spare wheel would be nice too! A few months ago I also purchased a 1930's-era towing ambulance.... Click image to enlarge |
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14th Sep 2014 10:55pm |
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