blazer

The non invasive prototype model:thumbup1:

or was it 'agent orange' I sure you could find an old C130 to apply it with. I have cleared some well overgrown tracks with 6 ft high brambles but found to stop regrowth if I could drive over lower growths the tyre pressure killed off the stems.

Thanks for the tips, it got harder to start than near impossible. When we first brought it we had flooding/smoking problems but seamed to adjust it out. I checked the valve clearance ok. But suspected the ignition module. I had a simular ign unit fail on my MS280, the resistance on the faulty 280 unit on hte LT side was +2 M ohms both ways and the FS100 as 4M ohms the new MS280 unit was 1.8Kohms both ways, so have put one on order, but will take a couple of weeks via the local supplier. As the LT side is an encapsulated electronic unit a simple DVM resistance test gives a good indication. Its always a bit of a problem with engine faults as the more you touch the more could be wrong by putting faults into the system. I stripped and cleaned the carb and tried new plugs + hot plugs but still took say x3 plugs to fire up, then it would run fine but not restart.

I was really barking up the wrong tree with my guess:sneaky2: I suspected tree related asthma or being kept awake by the sound of acorns on the tin roof.

My wife is a nurse and that's what she told me, yrs ago everytime you went to A+E they gave you a jab. At that time I was told Oxfordshire is like a giant dung heap = high risk of catching it. There are so many infections like Leptospirosis, which I caught yrs ago that are a risk of broken skin infections, plus many others.

I don't know the regs but many friction systems use say 2 wraps for enough friction to hold, but with a ratchet strap it wraps x2 at a time so it could give the impression there are enough turns when in fact it needs more to hold or the operator has stopped because the device has jammed. Also note rachetstraps are not rated as a lifting device, so shouldn't be part of a lifting system. I have recently brought a load of ratchet straps of higher load rating and chain products on line from the 'ratchetshop', quality products.

You could try spraying in some WD40, should help. Don't use some types of 'switch cleaner' as in the past I used some on a switch and it melted the plastic casing, so after that I test out any new cleaning product on an old item first.

I have had the Stihl FS100 for say 8 yrs mostly starting ok but now it really is a problem to start. I often have to dry out say x3 plugs and am lucky if using x3 dry plugs it will start. Mostly it will splut once per pull for a few times before the plug wets itself. If it does start it will run well but not start from cold next time. I have done all the normal checks, stripped and cleaned the carb, reset the ignition close to the flywheel. Rare for me to be beaten by a put-put but this time I'm close to giving up.

One paper had the best headline -'Elkaholic'

I first brought 'Snowchains' to use in mud on my 4x2 ranger - works brill. I used to call it the 'poormans 4x4' due to getting my hands muddy getting them off. But really for say £120 for a set of quality chains against buying a new truck has to be cheaper. Look on the Brindley chain site - snowchains shop. These are top quality Austrian chains easy to fit don't damage tyres, I suggest contacting Brindley if you have double wheels. There is a 'thing' against snow chains in the UK - as if you loose 'man points' putting them on a 4x4 but driving on greasy mud/ice down hill, they cut through and you find grip. Since buying the first set I have x3 sets the latest for my L200, worked great last winter in 10" of snow towing cars uphill and when working in muddy woods. Brindley make all types of chain products - see the 'forestery section' even large tractors with chains fitted. They fit easier over A/T or road tyres but will fit over M/T's, another good point is you don't need to put up with the noise of M/T's just carry a set of snow chains. The tip is to practice fitting in daylight a few times and to fit them before you get stuck:thumbup1:

couldn't edit this bit to add on. Just 'googled' recovery driver killed, bit of a shock how many die on the roads. With the dangers of tree work - add on roads and it must be well up on risk level.

lo-temp wash, dry inside out:thumbup1:

One bit to add on, during the big storm nearly 20 yrs ago a 11kv line gang were working at night on a road when an 'expensive car' crashed in the guys killing one, in court he got away with it claiming he was confussed by all the 'flashing lights'. For me I don't trust barriers, I use the truck to block the road.

I agree with all the comments just want to add abit, first walk around it and make a plan - at this point you can walk away safely, Assess the balance - where it could roll, high even small branches can whip down on you. Remove small brash to assess the tree, then using a hammer/mallet tap the ground contact branches to find which ones are under load supporting the tree. Be carefull of bowed branches under load, they can whip out under massive power. You are typically under pressure to 'get on with it' but have a good escape route in case it rolls. The one word that keeps coming up - Winch. I clear alot of boughs on a large estate and for my own safety fitted a 4 tonne winch to the back of my L200. I found it's the difference between doing the job or leaving it but even then you have to know when to walk away, and it becomes a big tractor job. Ok I did alot of heavy engineering in the past so the experience is valuable, the main part often overlooked is a structured command safety procedure.

For me, we are talking about the typical jobs that most of the guys on this site would expect - so a typical 'Conifer wall' would tick all the boxes, to be felled but if asked to fell an old tree, I guess most on here would query it. I have heard of a case where on a contract to make sure it states, ' the marked trees are to be felled' don't assume - I guess the wrong half of the whole wood was felled My best wrong felling story was a large old oak wood with different guys felling at weekends etc - so to make sure it was clear which trees are to be left standing, the owners wrapped large orange bands around the trees to be left standing - clear enough. But the wrong mature oak trees were still being felling - turned out that squirrels were removing the orange bands and using them to make their dreys.

I brought some from the Altberg site, they show two types so I brought x10 tins to offset the postage, will do me for over a year. Both types are good and soak in well on my different boots. One bit of caution with some Gortex lined leather boots, the leather treatment can soak through and block the Gortex from breathing.

My take on it, is the guy saw a 'conifer wall' blocking out light to everybody else, and as one 'conifer wall' looks like another with equally obstructive residents the chopped it down. Being 'housing ass' he expected problems so simply carried on doing his job. The residents did say the conifers were 20 yrs old and planted for to keep the garden private = conifer wall to me. As the housing ass only gave limited compensation, they could have been the next house garden to be felled anyway - give the guy a bonus, not sack him:thumbup1:

I don't know if it's where the idea came from to soak ships Oak timbers in sea water for years before building, in Milford Haven (Pembroke Dock) & Portmouth there were large salting pools where timbers were soaked for years before construction, then the frames were left again for years untill planked up. On the land in the Scottish bogs there are plenty of Pine roots going back a long time, Once on a winter climbing trip we dragged some slush soaked roots out and they burnt ok on the bothy fire - work the effort.

Another Altberg fan:thumbup1:

We need Megatron or Spud for pictures:sneaky2: I was wondering if it was excessive accumulator pressure, exceeding the hose connector pressure rating - maybe an upgraded o-ring will solve the problem:confused1: I was going to enquire if there was an electrical leaking problem with the RET18 power washer as Miss June was laying by the pool. When I showed the picture to my 'nurse wife' for trauma symptoms, she replied," you would have me scrubing the pool on my hands & knees" I told her ,"if you looked like that you could lay there all day"

One for Megatron - just turned my Stihl calender to find Miss Septemper with her foot on a HS 420 Disc cutter and the poor lass is all wet with her babs showing:blushing: Is this a generic problem to all new Stihl disc cutters water hose connections. All I can say is a big thanks you to Stihl for not putting the average builder with hairy bum cleavage with a wet tee shirt on September:thumbup1:

do a lot of beating on a large shoot:thumbup1:

Take a look on the 'Alt-berg' site, they are all handmade with fullgrain leathers in Yorkshire, their range of Military boots goes from light use to Norway to desert mountain special forces etc. I brought a pair of 'traditional' keeper boots (simular to their Norway boot) really comfortable had them 2 yrs. On the last x2 winters out on a shoot riding a quad my feet were 'toasty' all day long. I wanted a pair of their traditional motorbike boots with buckles on the side but my son said,"they look camp":blushing: For a pair of boots for everyday winter use with possible walking crams they should be fine.

only the basics, get a big trolley jack (garage type)and lift the whole truck up by the axle, place the wheels with extra large wood under the chassis to make a safe support, remove brake drums etc if you want to reduce weight, disconnect brakes (they will need pressure bleeding afterwards) and use the trolley jack to lower the axle ( with a bit of extra support +keep well clear), from memory the 4x4 ranger has the axle under the springs making it a bit easier (I haven't tried it but I guess you could leave the prop shaft on to help stability when lowering and disconnect when on the ground support wood. All the rangers have different ratio axles so you will need to check the speedo out by following another car to check it at 30,40 mph etc. If it's limited slip diff, you need limited slip diff oil not 90. Hope it helps

Depends how it goes I guess:laugh1: If he gets stopped with x2 saws and a penknife in the back:blushing: How did you know I are an enginner, from my spelling:sneaky2: