A was for Austin, but now B is for Bedford

Repco sell a product called Hylomar both to brush on, or in a spray can. for applying to head gaskets. I have used the spray can version for the last several heads I have replaced. All many years ago now. Mine were all new gaskets but it should help on good condition used ones.

You have to watch out for that arse-bestos but I am 75 and experts say it takes 40 years for mesothelioma to affect you, so I don't care.

Continued cleaning up around the shed this morning and came across a packet of Mighty Putty that I must have bought at least a decde ago and thought I could give that a try - until I went back inside and saw the two comments from Lang and Morris, who are now the latest members of the combined brains trust.
Both of you, thanks for your input - but I think you've nailed it Lang and at $106.40 (+ free postage) I will be ordering one after posting this.

I only suggest silastic for filling holes ....I used to renew head gaskets every six months on the 6cyl Continentals in the Hyster forks ,mainly because the blocks were badly corroded .Especially where two exhaust valves were side by side .....narrow surface ,and lots of heat distortion......silastic made the gasket job watertight and permanent.......Only catch with Continentals is the head bolts went into the water ,and would rust in the threads if not disturbed regularly.

On the subject of Bedfords ,the 300 petrols and 330 diesels (and fours ) have long studs right through the water space ,and without corrosion inhibitor ,these rust and can break off down inside the block......Would not touch one ,now ......once they were a good,reliable motor.

Hylomar is a great product - just a copper spray instead of the silver frost zinc. I have used it on old rough jeep heads with great success. I am pretty sure it is a Perkins product with a Perkins part number. My 6-354 Perkins workshop manual actually says to use Hylomar whenever replacing old or new head gaskets also useful on any other gaskets to stop oil leaks. It does not harden or glue the parts together.

Here is a well known Kiwi engine builder commenting on copper (Hylomar) head gasket spray. It looks like that a with new gasket and shaved head and block it is not necessary but any roughness it is good. In your case I would use it but up to you.



Lang

I think he needs sub titles.

Try Auto Surplus in Melbourne for a gasket set. They have a huge range for the old stuff. I managed to get a head and manifold gasket for my Morris 6 when they were unobtainable from the UK. Good luck with it.

PS Lang beat me to it.

Okay the combined brains trust can now move on to other problems as I've ordered the gasket and it's already on the way.

With that issue out of the way I took a break from cleaning up the garage, which was better than cutting up the timber from the old tray (tomorrow's job maybe?) and went back to the axle relocation. My solution was to make up two plates, which I did using the two pieces I mentioned a few days ago:

These were cleaned up, narrowed, and marked out to accommodate the required forward relocation. Currently unfinished as I have to open up the holes for the three u-bolts that I intend to use:

The springs angle in at three degrees from the straight ahead, resulting in the axle locating studs being off centre slightly.

The plates are not held by anything in this picture other than by a neat fit with the spring centre bolt. :blink: The drill is sitting in the hole where the stud will be and I had it there to take a measurement across to the one on the other spring - and yes, the measurement was correct for the axle:

So, once the plates are drilled out for the u-bolts and some locating studs are fitted, I can roll the axle back under and mark out the u-bolt holes in the axle as they will need to be slotted towards the chassis centre-line. Some round file work will allow the u-bolts to go in and then it should be back on wheels again.

Now I need two u-bolts from an M series axle, OR maybe the J series truck has the same width springs and I can use them?
But perhaps I'll decide to drop out the lowest leaf from the springs, and . . . or . . . maybe . . .

For spring u-bolts I would try the trailer supply places (domestic trailers not truck). They have many different sizes both mild steel and high tensile. Most of them have suppliers who will make up one-off u-bolts at very reasonable prices.

Standard trailer springs are 50mm and 65mm.

Lang

Already done a quick check there thanks Lang, but nothing quite the right size, two and a quarter inch wide spring (about 58mm), 9/16" diameter bolts. and then the length also. Probably easier using the J series u-bolts IF they are the right spring width - could someone with a J series 1/2/3 let me know what width their springs are?

Ideally M series - so all u-bolts will be the same.