British Reynolds Boughton RB44

[SteveJ]

A link to my 1991 RB44GS TUH out and about in the rockies. I hope this link works

http://s53.photobucket.com/user/rb44...oeyil.mp4.html

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Steve

Interesting little video, tell us a little more about the truck? Oh about the grade at the end of the video every time I try to take a video with my phone I end up doing that.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers Phil

[SteveJ]

Hi Phil

I got this truck in 2012 from a friend who got 2 from an auction out of Suffield in 2009.
It is a 1991 British Reynolds Boughton RB44 General Service Heavy Utility truck.

It has only 12000 original miles on it.
Engine is a Perkins 4 liter Phaser turbo diesel
5 speed gearbox
2 speed transfer case with a locker
It is awd all the time.
It will do 65 MPH all day long and get 20-25 mpg but in low range it will really crawl.
The cab holds three. And if it looks kind of familiar it is European Dodge and dodge van doors and windows all fit up to 93. I just called a local glass company to change the front screen for its safety and they had one on the shelf. It has an aluminum cargo box with locking tool compartments along the side. It has a L/H side tailgate and a rear tailgate and is designed for nato standard pallets and containers there are six folding tiedowns in the floor. There are also three lockable jerry can stowage boxes for 60 liters of spare fuel just below the box sides. It would originally had troop seats but mine are missing. Tires are Michelin ZXL's and brand new (fit 900x16).
This one is a right hand drive but they made both. I think a total of about 800 to 900 trucks but as far as I know there are only six on the North American continent and only 4 are runners.
They took some bad press early on due to brake problems while breaking hard while towing a heavy load like 105 mm gun. British MOD had the whole system redesigned and the problem solved. It turns out a lot of the problem was moisture and vehicles long time in storage. I use mine regularly and in all conditions and never had one problem. They are becoming quite popular in the UK and are converted into expedition vehicles. Here is a good video the RB it is after the Kamaz truck.
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...7OjUZm6r1nmNeg

All in all its one of the nicest military vehicle I have ever owned. It is comfortable, fast, and yet you can haul something anywhere. I drove it 400 KM to our place in Kimberley BC and never had to take it out of top gear the whole way aside from going through a town. Makes a cool moaning noise when the turbo comes off the waste gate. For a while I kept looking in the mirror to see if the cops were behind me. The only real con is that it is loud in the cab. Enough to make you cranky after a long drive. Earplugs fixed that though.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Steve

Being different is always fun, thanks for the information on the truck and the additional pictures.

Anyone with a CMP can appreciate the loud in the cab, I have and intercom system in the cab of my C60S makes it lot more pleasant to drive and you can actually talk with the person sitting 3 feet away. I also find that the noise cancelling head set of the intercom make it so I can hear noises outside the truck better. Also much less tiring on long trips.

Cheers Phil

PS Just watched the Off The Map Tours video, ah to be 20 years younger and the money to go do a tour like that, but I'd want to drive one of the trucks. Got a real kick out of the opening sequence of driving through the wide water. Reminds me of being on a woods run with a friends on motorcycles and we got to a river we had crossed many times before and the lead drive said "follow me" and headed down the bank of the river and proceeded to disappear. Came spuddering to the surface a moment later. We fished the motor cycle out drained the water out and found a new place cross. Being already wet he walked across first then road across.

[SteveJ]

Hi Phil
I had a 1944 Ford CMP cab 13 crane truck (big winch in the box right behind the cab) back in the 70's. Used to take it fishing in BC. I wondered at first why there was no heater. Then I realized there was as you sat right beside that hot v8 with the tin cover over it.