I have bought a Sankey 3/4 Ton Widetrack Military trailer at long last. I purchased it from Drop Zone Military down in Bury, West Sussex.
| Their full address is: The Barn Bury Mill Farm Bury Gate Bury Pulborough West Sussex RH20 1NM Tel: 01798 831955 |
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They had a pile of them there including the later Wolf versions with disk brakes, I chose one that I thought was in good nick and drove it home with a trailer board as it was still wired with 24V lights and a military connector. I had originally forgotten the NATO pintle required to tow it and had to drive all the way home to collect it (doh!).
It has a brand new Bradley overrun damper which is connected to the drum brakes via a collection of rods, levers and grease, (although most of the grease is now in my hair and on my clothes) and the chassis is in excellent condition, so everything else can be fixed as and when needed. There are no holes in the tub and apart from some rust it is in good condition.
Background Information
Sankey is a generic name for this style of trailer manufactured by: Reynolds Boughton, Viking Trailers, Universal Engineering, Roots and Pressed Steel Company & Sankey.
The pdf technical handbook / manual can be downloaded here. Or please view our manuals page for a complete collection of manuals, Rave CD’s and Microcat.
The early examples were made in 1/2 and 3/4 Ton spec and were identical in most respects apart from the springs and shock absorbers were of a higher spec on the 3/4 Ton. Constructed of a welded steel body, early models of Sankeys were designed to be water tight and capable of floating, later versions have a tailgate so are not watertight. All trailers have internal load lashing rings, two front and two rear, and exterior lashing hooks for roping and covers. The later bodies were fitted with a small round flap in the tailgate which pivots open to allow a bowser to be placed in the trailer body with the tap and T bar fitting through the flap.
Standard Features
Dropdown tailgate (widetrack)
Military lighting
Tow ring
Drum brakes
Handbrake
Adjustable front jockey wheel
2 rear levelling legs
6.50×16 wheels and Avon tyres
Wooden duckboard
Suspension consists of 2 semi-elliptic springs with shock absorber dampers
Capacity of 3/4 ton (widetrack)
Dimensions
Length 2.92m
Width 1.425m
Height 0.94m
Track 1.2m
Weight, laden 1.12 tonne
Internal distance between wheelboxes: 1.05m
Lamp Lens Part Numbers
Brake: FV760732
Fog: FV939003
Indicator: FV760733
Front: FV817224
Converting from 24v to 12v
To convert a Sankey from 24v to 12v all you need to do is swap over the bulbs and change the plug so it fits into a civilian socket. The 24v bulbs are as follows:
Indicator/Fog/Running lights: 24v 21w
Stop/Tail lights: 24v 21/5w
Replace these with the 12v equivalent and job done.
Next job is to remove the 12 pin military plug and swap for a 7 pin12N civvy plug which plugs into the ES01 socket. The wires are as follows:
Military Spec wiring
| Wire Letter/No. | Function | Pins on 12N |
| [Pin A] wire #1 | Spare | not used on 12N |
| [Pin B] wire #2 | Left hand Stop | Pin 6 / Red |
| [Pin C] wire #3 | Convoy | not used on 12N |
| [Pin D] wire #4 | Earth | Pin 3 / White |
| Pin E] wire #5 | tail and number plate light | Pin 5 (RH Tail/Brown) & Pin 7 (LH Tail / Black) |
| Pin F] wire #6 | Fog lamps | Pin 2 / Blue |
| [Pin H] wire #7 | Spare | Not used on 12N |
| [Pin J] wire #8 | Right hand stop | Pin 6 / Red |
| [Pin K] wire #9 | Aux | Not used on 12N |
| [Pin L] wire #10 | Earth | Pin 3 / White |
| [Pin M] wire #11 | Left hand Indicator | Pin 1 / Yellow |
| [Pin N] wire #12 | Right Hand Indicator | Pin 4 / Green |
Military to Civilian Wiring 12N
| Terminal No | Mil Letter | Wire Colour | Function |
| 1 (L) | M | Green | Left Hand Direction Indicator |
| 2 (54G) | F | Blue | Fog Lamp |
| 3 (31) | L | White | Earth |
| 4 (R) | N | Yellow | Right Hand Direction Indicator |
| 5 (58R) | E | Orange | Right Hand Tail Lamp, Sidelamp, No. Plate Lamp |
| 6 (54) | B&J | Red & Brown | Brake lights |
| 7 (58L) | C | Black | Left Hand Tail Lamp, Sidelamps |
Sankey 3/4 Ton Widetrack Chassis Dimensions
Here is a diagram I did for someone on Lr4x4.com. It shows the chassis dimensions of a Sankey Widetrack 3/4 Ton Trailer. All measurements are in inches.
Further images
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| Diagram depicting the Sankey Trailer Brake System | Sankey widetrack trailer rear showing lights |
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| Sankey Widetrack Mh35 Overrun Damper (made by Bradley) and Handbrake | Sankey Front Left Quarter |
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| Close up of the Bradley damper Type MH35 Part Number: FV2124172 | Close up of the Number plate light |
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| Wide track follows the same wheel track as the One Ten | Close up showing how the number plate was mounted. |
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| Dixon Bate Adjustable Plate | NATO Pintle |
23 users commented on " Sankey Widetrack 3/4 ton trailer "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackHi,
Really like your website – wish I had found it sooner!
Have got a sankey wide track. Am starting a business that involves it being towed at max payload.
The trailer pulls and brakes beautifully, but the big problem is that it really clonks and shakes when I pull away. Shouldn’t it have some sort of damping system to prevent this?
Am worried that something is amiss and could cause damage, any thoughts?
Thanks. Ricky
Thanks for the feedback on the site, it is always nice to know people find it useful.
The clonking and shaking you describe sounds odd. Is it possible to tell if it comes from the brakes or the damper?
Might be an idea to post a question on LR4x4.com (http://forums.lr4x4.com/) where there are a fair few Sankey experts who will be able to help.
Hi,
Great to get your response.
The clonk does seem to come from the damper. It occurs when pulling away.
I had a friend stand on the trailer and he could see and hear that there was no shock absorption when the shaft with the NATO ring (pintle?) is pulled out from the damper to its fullest extent. Instead there is a harsh clonk that sets up a jarring shake between the truck and trailer.
Would be grateful if you have any more suggestions. Will try the 4×4 forum and will download your Sankey manual and see what I can figure out.
Hope I can get it sorted, as in all other respects the trailer is perfect for our venture. Best wishes. Ricky.
That does sound as though the damper needs attention.
On mine, I can’t move the damper by hand as it is rock solid, but if I stick the landy in reverse and have a loaded trailer then the brakes will come on. It takes a fair amount of force to move it and doesn’t look as though it is moving.
It is possible to strip and rebuild the damper. Might be worth having a quick look at it?
Hi,
Thanks for your speedy reply.
On my trailer it is possible to pull the damper in and out by hand. So you have pin pointed the problem!
Obvious, now that you have explained it, that a lot of pressure should be required to move the damper so that it can function as such.
Will go through manual to see if I can figure out how it works and if new parts are needed.
Could I ask you for some further advise? i.e. do you have any idea how tricky it is to strip down damper? Are parts are easily available? – Might it be better to replace with second hand unit?
Many thanks for all your help, Ricky.
“do you have any idea how tricky it is to strip down damper?
That I don’t know sorry. Try lr4x4.com, someone is bound to have stripped one down.
“Are parts are easily available? – Might it be better to replace with second hand unit?”
If you phone Pete on +44 (0)1798 831 955 from Dropzone Military (http://dropzonemilitary.com/) I think he has a bunch of them. Say Hedley sent you and he should do you a good deal. I think I saw a stack of them last time I was down there.
Hi Hedley,
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
Probably the best move for me is to get second hand unit. So will use your intro and ring Pete tomorrow. (He might also be able to help with my search for field kitchen prep tables.)
4X4 forum looks good, have registered on it, but still waiting for clearance to post message.
I’ll keep reading your website – The only place where I have found clear info on how to convert Sankey trailer lights to a civilian set up!
So thanks again, and will let you know how project progresses.
All the best, Ricky.
Hi Hedley,
Got Pete to ship me replacement damper unit, popped it on and Hey Presto – problem solved! Trailer now behaves impeccably. If you like, will send you pics when project complete.
Thanks for all your help.
Ricky.
Hello, thank you for your Web site, very interresting. I want to buy 2 Sankey Widetrack mk3 in England, one for me and one for a friend. I live in France, and I want to find them not to far from Newhaven. Do you have some adresse, do you think that The Barn have some in relatively good condition, because I have te towing them back in France.
Do you approximatively the price?
Thanks for your help.
LØLØ (Laurent)
Hi Laurent,
I am not sure what they have in stock just now as I didn’t look when I was down there today but I am sure they will be able to help.
Phone +44 (0)1798 831955 and ask to speak to Pete. Say you have spoken to Hedley and he will do his best to help you out. I will also pass your email address on to him.
Hi Hidley,
Thank for your quikely answer. I will shurly call Pete as soon as possible. We are also speakin a lot about Sankey on our’s website here: http://www.landroverfaq.com/viewforum.php?f=34 but it’s in french. If you nead some translation, post an “mp” private message to LØLØ, I can maby help also.
All the best
Laurent (LØLØ)
Hi Hedley,
So I have been in you beautiful contry to visiting the Barn.
I have bought two CARGO Sankey. They have been very very kind with us in Drop zone. We have put one Sankey in an other to came back home.
Thank a lot again for your help.
Laurent(LØLØ)
Guys
Information that may be of use to others
I have just acquired a ‘Sankey’ with the disc brakes – which needed attention.
For your information the calipers on my trailer are FORD / Lucas identical to those fitted to a ’85 – ’90 Ford Granada 1.8. I have been able to get new pads and caliper seal kits now I have found that information out – and my brakes work!!
Using your site I have converted the lights to 12volt and now she looks sweet and is fully functional.
Regards
Kev
hi guys new here, forums looking good
hughseyp
Hi i have just bought a Sankey trailer and on the journey home everytime i had to brake it felt as if the trailer was pushing me forward which makes me thing the braking system is U/S. You cannot move the damper by hand and reading the above this seems the norm. i stripped the unit down yesterday which was an education (for those attempting this, there is a pin behind the reversing pin which is held underneath by a C Clip. with this removed the whole piece slids out the front) but i cannot see anything obvious. The hand brake operates the brakes perfectly but i am at a loss with the damper. if you say your not supposed to be able to move the damper by hand do you have any other suggestions on how to check if it is working properly. The obvious one would be to reverse without the pin in up hill and see if that works. Hmmm might give that a go.
That does sound odd. I have never felt the trailer push the landy under braking, but I’m not even sure if the brakes are activated under normal braking. I have been meaning to get someone to sit in the trailer and then brake to see if the damper does move. Funnily enough the wife told me where to go when I asked.
One thing to check is how far away from the damper plunger (for want of a better word) is the brake lever? Mine has a very small gap so it won’t take much to activate the brakes. Maybe the gap on yours is too wide?
What happens if you reverse, do the brakes come on? I have only had the brakes come on when reversing if there is a load in the trailer. If it is empty then I don’t have to push and turn the reversing knob.
I had the trailer under load and i reversed back quickly which should apply brakes and jack the trailer but it just went backwards, the gap is around 3 inches.
Hi Heds,
I found your website very instructive. I have a 1986 110 and have been occupied with the “cosmetics” of it rather than the mechanical end of it. Not much point in driving around in tidy 110 if i dont know how to service it.
Thanks for supplying the advise.
Gerbal
Dear Hedley I am a 27years member of the Southern Rover Owner Club I own a 90tdi station wagon have found your site today 070411 and hopefully with the VIN info I can prove my landy is a genuine sw because if not I cannot work /enter London anymore due to the low emission zone on 030112, its only a slim chance because on my v5c it states light 4×4 utility so it will be not allowed within the M25 have spoken to DVLC they maybe able to change my log but do not know if this will make any difference!!!!!
Thanks again will read and pass on site to other SROC members
Gregg
Hi Hedley
Your site is a must for anyone with a Sankey so I’m sticking it in my favourites. At the risk of getting mauled I’m making better use of my trailer. I bought a really clean model and having just sold the tub and wheels (half my money back) I’m modifying the chassis to take a new body. It’ll have lockers at each corner with a pull-out hob & sink on the side. An elevating full size roof so that two can sleep inside on a full size luxury mattress Just the thing after a long days drive. Three awnings will roll off the top to both sides and rear giving full cover for long stays. I think the Sankey trailer is made for the job and I may have one of the smallest MRV’s. My only concern is spares. I need brake hoses so has anyone got a link to a reliable supplier?
Hi Don,
Glad you like the site. Your trailer sounds fab. Do you have any pictures we could post on here?
regards spares. Talk to Pete at DropZone 9http://dropzonemilitary.com/) he should have spares or at least be able to point you in the right direction.
Hi mate, great site. You probably know this, but the Sankey manual you’ve got posted isn’t the right one for the trailer you’ve got, you need a widetrack manual. Main difference is probably the reverse lock mechanism (stirrup v. lock button), probably others as well. Cheers.
Moreton, Thanks for the heads-up, I probably knew this when I posted it but forgot all about it. I will amend the link soonish and try and find the widetrack manual as well.
Glad you like the site. It has been quiet recently due to work commitments but I have some pictures of some Landies in Turkey to add as soon as I get back home.
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