Crank Handle

Not being a stationary engine man I wonder why you blokes don't go for a rotating set of front wheels like a shopping trolley. Unlimited radius turns and full 4 corner support at all times..

The main thing is the turntable, particularly if you can get the front axle nearly 90 degrees makes those tall stationary engines very unstable. I have seen a couple tip over at shows and a lot of very unstable units being maneuvered off trailers or across rough ground.

Lang

Turning circles are not that important because if too tight they can fall over. In a showground you have a heap of room to turn but its a bugga if it falls over while turning too tight.

Today I got the front end finished and bolted on. Turntable seems to be ok and has plenty of turning circle for when the 'fat pig' is bolted down. All cross members have been plated and bolted and axles are bolted firmly in place just need some more coach bolts to hold the rear cross member onto the rails. This thing weighs a ton as is so it shouldn't break in a hurry.

Looking for ideas of the best way to attach a steering handle, any ideas out there?

I could just imagine castor style wheels under a transporter. What fun it would be to steer around the showground. Would possible work alright on the smaller engines that are not so heavy as castor wheels are not as large and wide as you need them to be at rallies and on grass they bog down quick.
Yes tight turning circles can turn into a roll over and that would not be any fun with this heavy little bugga I;m going to sit on this mobile tree. When I add parts during this build it certainly gets a lot heavier and not just a little bit at a time. I am not sure of the weight of the engine but I do know that 2 of them managed to overload my fairly new box trailer when I first bought them home and it is rated at 750kgs. Soon enough I will send off for some more details on these engines I have as to date of manufacture etc and weight will also be one of the questions I need answers to. IT took a long time to find the injector system these engines run. It is known as a Hivid / Bronz system which requires all components to be spot on for it to work, The compression ratio can be altered by adding or subtracting shims to the conrod. I hope I am up for this challenge, I know it is not going to be a walk in the park and as I already know how to swear I think I may well be half way there.

Cobba

You would not steer from the back like a shopping trolley but have a solid tow bar/A frame on the frame of castoring end like you are doing with the turn table axle. Many factory trolleys back in the day behind tow motors had this system for strings of them without getting out of control.

No problem putting wheels the size of your current project on with a drop axle style arrangement.

Lang

having made a few trolleys over the year it makes life easier if the wheels are in line and also wide (like you have done) aids stability. The only time I have found the turning circle an issue is in the shed but compared to trying to get a couple of hundred kg of cast iron upright again its the easier option.

The SE Mcdonald weighs in around 400kg just for the engine. Then you add the weight of the transporter any fuel (10 litres should run it for more than 2 days), ramps, chocks, tiedowns etc and you're getting close to the limit of your 750kg trailer

No wonder the springs went a bit flat. I understand what your saying Lang and thanks for the input.
Here it is completed except for drilling 2 holes for the R clips to fit into the pivot pins. I can remove the long handle and tuck it under the frame for storage. Next the fun really starts to happen, the engine.

Love your work Cobba. It's looking really good. Just for reference, here is what I use to transport my Inter 3M around. This is an old factory/warehouse box trolley with the caster style wheels front and back. Works great in the shed, but I've never had it out on rough ground so I can't say how easy or hard it would be to push around where you want to go.

Cobbadog that trolley looks the part. The removable handle is something I wish I had done on my Ruston Hornsby PB. It removes a tripping hazard at shows.

IHScout. I have seen an engine mounted on a trolley like yours and it didn't seem to have the flexibility to cope with uneven ground when the engine was running. Also the owner had difficulty getting it onto his trailer as he only had 2 ramps and he was trying to run it up only on the side wheels. he couldn't get the front wheel onto the trailer without tipping the thing backwards which 3 people nearly wore! It would be magnificent in the shed.

I am preparing to sell my stationary engine collection as I don't think exposed flywheels and wobbly legs make a good combination and don't want to prove that theory. They are a 1920 Crossley PH 1060 (open crank with twin exposed sideshafts) on trolley, Ruston Hornsby PB on trolley, Cooper Small Flock Shearing plant on wheels and a 3hp 2 stroke sunshine on timber (no wheels). I haven't started them for a couple of years so want to ensure they still run and video it as evidence to make them easier to sell. I am keeping my Howard 2000 tractor and are looking at truck-based vehicles to replace the XP

Here's a shot of a transporter that was at the Longwarry Truck Show



And some more at the Steam Festival yesterday

Sleep apnoea is a big problem. I have to sleep with a positive airway pump or I might wake up dead after snoring like a lion's roar all night. When I was diagnosed, I had to spend a night in a sleep clinic and the equipment showed I had woken 102 times.
By the way, it is NOT me in the pictures. I do not have a stationery engine!