Every manufacturer of that era was still using old designs of gearbox leyland mf ford deere db all of them were updating old tech adding bits here and there leyland were slow to get their act together strikes finances etc but they were getting things moving towards the end marshall gained from most of this and we're themselves moving along but not fast enough and leyland did lots of development work on so many things you'd be surprised at but it was all in vain too little too late .
Ready to go!!!!
- Thread starter John 1594
- Start date
I think most of the R and D money got spent trying to shore up the car division which lets be honest was making some monumental
It's the same kind of story with top end lorry brands like AEC they were starved of investment and anything they did develop was rushed out untested look up AEC V8 as an example
Very much so and leyland s biggest cock up was that one piece head and block truck engine it soured everyone's attitude towards all their products .my dad ran a few princess /ambassadors and to be honest they gave good service
Awful on the eye but essentially not that bad but again the giant was slow to move .
Awful on the eye but essentially not that bad but again the giant was slow to move .
In essence a good solid idea but badly executed again terrible workmanship from the factory at Farrington . My dad started work their he was a leyland lad born and bred he went to school with most of them and knew so many that worked there .I can remember him coming home and being throughly pee'd off saying he couldn't believe what ass holes his mates were that worked there , he hated it because of their pee poor attitude . He wasn't there long before the doors shut for good .
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
I thought the gear box was the modern bit of the Leyland. Didn't they have syncro in nearly every gear?
Neighbour had a 272 syncro, lovely gear shift
Stopping, going round corners, even straight lines was a problem and it was just so awkward
Remember old cake motor driver telling us about his fixed head Buffalo
It was a good motor but every time it drove past the dealer's it wanted to go in
His next (and every one since) lorry was a Scania which says it all really
We're about 20 miles from Bathgate and used to hear similar stories about the workers there
Funny thing was the old man's cousin used to work at Albion and the workforce there seems to have been a lot better by the sound of it
Maybe part of the reason why the Albion plant is still open although much reduced
Albion automotive is still doing machining work for mainstream manufacturers I was in there a few years ago all the K series machines were still there but stood idle . That was another brilliant design way a head of its rivals but again badly executed .that's why bmw couldn't get in there quick enough they wanted the lean burn tech and specs mini was a cover that proved successful .
John 1594
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- Location
- Cambridgeshire
1494 has the edge...its slightly faster on the road (11/49 drives as opposed to 10/49s on the 90)...better cab layout, side console controls, more insulation, better padding etc. Blower is also different, takes air from side of bonnet as opposed to engine bay, means its much cooler in summer. ARM pickup hitch is ok once its had our "patented" modifications done to it.
None the less, the 1490 is a more capable machine than the 1390, which has to be one of the most dissapointing tractors ive owned, it never did anything with great gusto, it had a weak lift, weak axle, it was noisy, slow and unbearable hot in summer. Putting a bigger tractor into the same loader has transformed the usability of it, it can now safely lift 1200kg without fear that the front wheels will snap off as they did on the 1390
Netherfield
Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Similar problem with the 990/5/6 with a loader, solved by fitting a 1200/1210/1212 front axle.. didn't make it lift anymore,but did stop the axle bending or breaking.
Netherfield
Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Daf took the old Leyland 680 design,which had a liking for blowing head gaskets,solved it's problems and made it into the 330 ATi engine.
DAF also got the last true BL truck engine , BL were struggling to get all electronics to talk to each other and gave up on it and sold it too DAF and they got it running right that's why DAF bought leyland trucks they were surprised as to how good this new engine was and it's the very same one they still use in the higher hp trucks albeit badged up as a paccar BL designed it and all its systems .BL had some brilliant minds in the design team but poor management and rushed development proved to be foolish even though they development team were crying out for more testing it was ashame they weren't listened too BL could have been a world leader again
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
Don't they both have the same front axles?
John 1594
Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
2wd yes.....4wd, no. Early 1490 4WD had the square DB type axle, later 90s had carrero, 94s had a later version of the carrero
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
But didn't you have trouble with the axle on the 1390? Surprised you didn't go for a 4 wd