FV 432 repairs

[rob love]

I picked up one of the FV432 a bunch of years back, and marvelled at how complicated one could make the wiring on a land based vehicle.
One of my recurring problems was the pair of generators which fed the 6 batteries installed in my carrier. One would work and the other wouldn't. So I would change that generator, then it would work and the first one wouldn't. So I would change that generator and it would work, but not the second one.
So I tore both generators out, along with that big regualtor/converter box in the front right corner of the drivers compartment, and instead installed one 60 Amp North American Military standard alternator, like that used on the M38A1s, the M151A2s, the 5/4 tons, the MLVW...
Long and short I never had another problem with it. Quite a few of the other guys have done it as well.

In the few miles I had my FV432 I replaced the:
starter
generator (see above)
oil pressure switch
distribution box (end of the manifold...very prone to filling up with water)
both fuel pumps.

When I first had it, I couldn't believe guys would go to war in something so gutless. But when I re-installed the power pack after changing the starter, I discovered the fuel linkages were no where near using their full potential. Once those were adjusted, the FV432 went like a bat out of hell. It could easily kick ass against any M113A2 I had ever driven, as long as you limited the race to 32 MPH, which was the 432s top speed.

I sold my 432 when I got tired of bouncing over the bloody ruts the thing made all through the yard. But it was certainly great entertainment at my daughters birthday parties, and the locals loved the car crush events.