As we finally reach summer and the rain stops for a few hours after a horrific year, show season has begun. And that means the time has come to prepare the Ford 7610 for the Kelsall Steam Rally 2024. With general maintenance up to date, a quick wash and some snagging should see me at the show for the weekend—or so I thought!
Preparation
Preparation for this year’s Kelsall Steam Rally was meant to be straightforward. The tractor has been getting plenty of use, so it generally didn’t need much. There were a few electrical issues I wanted to tackle, including a failed fuel level sensor, a worn ignition barrel, and a non-functioning horn. Easy peasy?
First up, dash out. I’m getting quicker at stripping the dash down. The construction is slightly heavier than a car, but the principles are the same. Just keep removing fixings until the panels come apart.
Pretty quickly, the ignition barrel is accessible and swapped out for a new CNH replacement. The difference is night and day in terms of getting the key in and out. One thing that is clear is that the keys I have are worn and are as much of a problem as the barrel.
With the dash out, I could also access the fuel sender unit. My expectation was that the float had filled with diesel and no longer sat at the top of the fuel tank. However, the issue was probably more to do with age and wear. The coil of wires that gives the variable resistance had actually snapped!
As is often the way, things start to escalate at some point. I wanted to see the top of the valve chest; there was no particular reason, just interest. And I found half a field, including a rock in the ASV linkages. The knob has always been stiff, and evidently, all the very heavy clay earth wasn’t helping. The pressure washer soon did away with the packed mud.
Wiring Harness Damage
Then, I started to work on the electrics. The horn has never worked as long as I’ve had the tractor, but there was power to the horn button, and the button was working fine. At the front of the tractor, the wiring seemed fine. The first thing was to test the continuity. This was going to be easiest at the cab interconnect.
On first look, with all the blue/green corrosion, I expected the worst, but the interconnect cleaned up really well. All the pins were in good condition and given a little electrical lube before being reassembled. Shortly after the tractor was delivered in 2022, it was clear the cab had been lifted off it at some point. One clear sign was that the main harness was wrapped around the steering linkage. To aid the diagnostic of the horn, I felt it wise to pull the cable back so it could be routed away from the steering.
At this point, I found the first repaired break in the harness: a 4mm inline crimp join, which had no waterproofing and was filled with corrosion. Okay, it’s a forty-year-old tractor; that’s not a big surprise.
And then I found another wire, which didn’t seem to have a friend. Nowhere in the harness could I find the other half of this brown and yellow wire!
In trying to find the other end of the wire, I found many more poor joints. Unfortunately, while finding these joins in the heavily wrapped harness, I discovered a few connections that were no longer together!
Wiring Harness Repair
There clearly wasn’t going to be a quick fix for this handful of breaks, so the easiest solution was to take the whole tractor harness and repair it back at BX Project HQ. By this stage, we’re on Wednesday evening, planning to set off for Kelsall Steam Rally 2024 on Friday afternoon. No pressure.
With a long evening ahead of me, I got stuck straight into repairing the harness. The more I looked, the worse the harness repairs and breakdowns got. The alternator exciter wiring had been bypassed and run straight through from the bulb on the instrument cluster. The horn wire was completely missing from most of the harness.
In total, thirty-seven connections had to be remade! All connections were soldered and waterproofed for longevity. The by-passed wiring was replaced, and the damaged wires at the instrument panel were remade. All the missing connectors for the alternator, temp sensor, and airflow sensors were remade. When I came to try starting the tractor late on Thursday night, it started on the button, better than I’ve ever known the tractor to start. But still, there was no horn; the sounder itself had actually failed.
Drive to Kelsall
The drive to the Kelsall Steam Rally 2024 would see me travel around 10 miles through the Delamere forest. However, the first stop would be at the local petrol station. Despite my infrequent visits, I don’t think they get many visits from tractors. After installing the new fuel level sensor, no fuel was showing on the dash, which worried me. However, after spending £100 at the local Shell garage, I could confirm the fuel gauge was working correctly!
The day was perfect for a drive. Warm and bright without being too sunny. Unfortunately, I don’t get the tractor up to top speed very often, so I really enjoy opportunities to stretch her legs on the road. While far from the most comfortable 15mph I’ve ever driven, there is something very satisfying about taking the tractor for a drive.
A stop for pictures highlighted a significant smell of diesel when opening the door. Looking under the tractor, I can see drips on the chassis in many places. The old dip, smell and taste test confirm that it is indeed diesel. There was no leak before filling, which pointed fingers at the level sensor. Sure enough, with the few tools I had in the cab, I quickly found the locking ring on the level sensor wasn’t located properly, and fuel was coming out the top! Oops.
Despite the quick break to resolve the fuel leak, the drive to the Kelsall Steam Rally 2024 is otherwise unremarkable. A nice, steady pace sees me set a new speed record, just about sixty minutes of travelling time. And as in previous years, I’m one of the earliest tractors. Now I have to wait for the tent and the rest of the family to arrive!
Tractors
The Kelsall Steam Rally, as the name suggests, is about a lot more than just tractors. However, the main attraction for me is the tractor field. This year, the tractor field seems really busy. I would guess that there are 20 to 50 more tractors than there were last year.
A broad range of tractors.
There are several rallies and tractor gatherings I try to get to throughout the year, but none are quite like the Kelsall Steam Rally. The mix of tractors on show has a broad range, and the line-up changes every year. A handful of tractors on show are recognisable from previous years, but there are many more tractors that I’ve not seen before.
I love the mix of workign clothes and fully restored tractors that make it to the rally. They give some real motivation to tidy up the bits of my tractor I think could be better. However, they also reassure me that function is as important and form.
Plethora of blue Fords
This year, the Kelsall Steam Rally was a great surprise for me. This was the most blue tractors I’ve ever seen in one place. Okay, I’ve clearly not been to enough blue gatherings, but it was quite a spectacle. From 000′ series, through 10, 20 and 30 series. I wonder if I can afford a 40 series in Ford livery by next year (no, no, I can’t).
Parading
One of the highlights of the rally is the numerous parades that happen throughout the day. From the steam engines to the motorbikes or classic cars, bringing all this equipment into and out of the main arena is quite a spectacle. On the Sunday trip to the main arena, the organisers clearly recognised how many blue tractors were present and held us all back for a special photo opportunity.
Commercial Vehicle Heaven
The Kelsall Steam Rally 2024 is the national meet of ERF and Foden brands. Unsurprisingly, this means that commercial exhibits outnumber tractors, motorbikes, steam engines, and vintage cars by a big margin. There is a huge variety of vehicles on display, from some very pretty Foden lorries powered by steam to the latest Scania tractor units. I definitely prefer the older trucks, but I enjoy seeing the whole range.
Show Highlights
There were a few clear show highlights for me this year. Number one was the Ford 7710 ‘Swain’s Land Drainage’ custom conversion. I didn’t get a chance to chat with the owner, but this was something very special.
This is the sort of special vehicle I’ve only seen in Classic Tractor magazine. The finish on this example was better than the factory. Every aspect of the tractor was impeccable. The hinge between the front and rear section was just huge, and the steering was a real work of art.
Another small favourite of mine was this AA Defender-esq pedal car and trailer. As a young child, I had the police version, and I still love that thing. While I don’t want to be too nostalgic, seeing this AA-liveried version made me very happy indeed.
Looking forward to next year!
Well, this ‘quick write-up’ is already getting far too long, so I’ll try to wrap it up. The Kelsall Steam Rally 2024 was far too hot, and running out of beer on Saturday afternoon was a near disaster. However, I absolutely loved the show. I obviously enjoyed the tractors and chatting with the many interesting people at the show. But I also love the family feel and the general safety that allows my kids some freedom to find their own way around.
Already looking forward to next year!
M
NEXT – Who Knows?
PREV – Drive It Day 2024
Kelsall Steam Rally 2023
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