Thwaites Orion dumper parts ?

[Anth p]

Hi I have an vintage thwaites Orion dumper I am looking for a replacement vintage steering wheel like the original dose any one know where I can get one in the uk thanks Anth

[cobbadog]

Hi Anth and welcome to the Forum. While waiting for a local to you to offer an answer try using Google search for spare parts near you on the Dumpy. I have seen a couple of places listed from time to time but they are not relevant to me out here.
Or try a search in the Forum for spare part suppliers.
Good Luck.
Cobba

[essexpete]

I wonder on what else the steering wheel was used? Perhaps the Thwaites specialist David Cornwallis might be able to help?

[Anth p]

Thanks cobba I have looked all over google and finding Orion parts on the internet is a nightmare but I wondered if any old tractor or cars used the same parts to make it easier to purchase

[Anth p]

Hi Pete I have contacted him he only has the key slot version not the splined one

[Anth p]

[Slooby]

Have you tried measuring up the conical seat, the thread and the number of splines?

A lot of the running gear on British made dumpers of the period borrow parts from other British vehicles, 19 inch three stud pattern wheels for example come from Morris 8's, while the 5 stud 16 inch wheels are a Morris Commercial pattern that also happens to be the same PCD as Land Rover. So with that in mind the steering wheel could be another part borrowed from a Morris, or say a Massey Furguson or Ford tractor

[cobbadog]

Now on my Liner roughrider the steering box on it is BISHOP and was used in many British vehicles and the most common was MG and would not be surprised if they go back to the early Austin as well. BISHOP went on to supplying steering boxes for our GMH Holden here in Oz and still make steering boxes for the racing cars up to the F1 so they are still viable.
Not too sure because the pic is a very close up shot of the spline but it looks as if you also need ta replacement top bearing as well with that bearing cone rusted away and is where water gets into the steering box itself. Now with my box it is mounted originally upside down and is almost impossible to put the correct amount of oil in it. There is a trick to it all like so many things, 1 - put the oil in the box before fitting it back onto the dumpy but make sure you fit new oil seals and I used the new style and not the felt type that came out. OR 2 - have the oil measured out and pour it down the steering shaft plus a bit more because the box is upside down in my case. Dont make the same mistake that was done to my box. Because of the leaking felt seal they filled the box with grease. This never works as the grease is displaced as you operate the steering and only leaves a small amount of lubricant on the surfaces and eventually none. Oil is the best lube for this situation.
What is wrong with your original steering wheel? Mine was badly cracked so I used a wood rasp and "vee'd" out all the cracks and filled them with a plastic metal product named out here as U-Need-It and made by Selleys. You mix this stuff like plasticine and push it into shape and allow it to cure for about an hour then file and sand it smooth. You cannot tell the repair and then I pray painted it using an Epoxy paint in a spray can.

[Anth p]

Thanks guys for your help the shaft is 3 quarter in diameter 18 inch steering wheel size and 42 fine splines on the shaft and my steering wheel is totally nackerd as it was pritty much snapped in half by a digger bucket years ago I didn’t realise that different machines had different steering boxes I thought they all was standard