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Sanderson SB55 "TC"? TC means what exactly?

Gavin Phillips

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May 20, 2007
Messages
90
Location
Newcastle, England UK
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office worker
COuldn't find a forum dealing with RTFL's and since most Sanderson trucks seem to end up on farm's... :rolleyes:


A couple of days ago I returned from a short trip to the Isle of Wight and naturally took some snaps of equipment which was more or less close to my line of travel at the time. :cool: Nice weather and the boat yard owner had no problem letting me in to take this picture.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/balacau/Sony DSLR-A350 example pics/SandersonSB55TCforklift.jpg

Two-wheel drive, rear wheel steer, typical of the RTFL's of the period. I have a brochure for the SB55 around here somewhere, but I'm at a loss what the TC is supposed to mean.

I have a picture of the smaller SB45 machine which lacks this designation so I'm assuming its an option built-in during its construction.

Any ideas?
 

Gavin Phillips

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May 20, 2007
Messages
90
Location
Newcastle, England UK
Occupation
office worker
Torque Convertor ? It may mean it's a Powershift model .

Interesting point, I would have thought modern forklifts were all powershift machines as standard but were such fitted forklifts a common thing back in the 60's and 70's?

Perhaps this means that its a slightly more rare machine, either way its nice to see this forklift is still in use and outwardly at least; still in decent condition. Obviously its well looked after! :)
 

Gavin Phillips

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May 20, 2007
Messages
90
Location
Newcastle, England UK
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office worker
Mystery solved

TC does indeed stand for Torque Converter. Those forklifts without the TC designation (SB45) are manual transmission machines.

Confirmed this when I bought a Sanderson SB50 RTFL brochure from eBay last week.

There was a Sanderson SB55 TC on eBay not long ago either, although I didn't keep a note of the item number.
 

footsfitter

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Oct 6, 2008
Messages
4
Location
UK
Occupation
Agricultural workshop manager...(Farm Mechanic!)
Had more dealings with Sanderson Teleporters rather than their fixed mast RTFL's, but 99.9% sure that what you were looking at will have the same Ford 4 speed shuttle shift with Torque Converter.

Commonly used the Ford 4000 size rear axle with their own transmission, also used in 4555 and 550 series Ford diggers. Sandersons used to buy in the skid units with either 3 cyl 4000 engine or 4 pot 5000-5600 ones.

They were prone to the cylinder block core plug behind the flywheel corroding thru from the build up of sludge created by the angle of the engine being nose up when sanderson used them in the teleporters, may be the same in the SB's

although sanderson made the steering axle, the hubs/king pins etc were also taken from the Ford industrial range

Only other common fault was the Torque Converter is secured to the flywheel with a double thickness of tin plate bolted to the back of the TC and around the flywheel. when this fractures there will still be drive for a while but there will be a lot of "tinny" metallic noise emitting from the bellhousing when it is ticking over. continued use may damage the TC and the charge pump

ff :cool:
 

Iron Horse

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That means i was right about something this millenium , i'm going to go and tell the wife:D .
 

footsfitter

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Agricultural workshop manager...(Farm Mechanic!)
That means i was right about something this millenium , i'm going to go and tell the wife:D .

Whoaa, steady on there, part correct, Power Shuttle would be a better term, the 4 gear ratios are usually what you chaps call a stick shift??, ie conventional manual gear change (no synchromesh!:crying)

ff :cool:
 

Iron Horse

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I wonder why the manufacturers don't designate them PS instead of TC then ?
 

alamarah

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Mar 28, 2010
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scotland
As a service engineer for 20 years up here in Scotland,We were main dealership agents for Sanderson.The TC is indeed Torque Convertor and although ive cursed many a time when out on site say perhaps pulling an engine out of one etc i have to admit they were a great piece of kit.The 55 range came either in the basic manual 4 gear (clutch) range or the TC.powered usually by a Ford 4000 engine.Peak production being around 1973--78 for this range.With around a 2 tonne lift the unit could be uprated to an SB65 or indeed SB75 with additional rear weight "slices" with extra long securing bolts etc.Interestingly (without wishing to bore you all ) there was also a 4 wheel drive range with early models sporting the Ford County rear axle prior to the newer range (SB50 ETC)with Shindler or Carrera...Ok..im done..Thanks for rekindling happy(ish) memories..
Pete
 

Gavin Phillips

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I'm quite surprised this topic is still going, its a welcome surprise though. :)

Thank you for your input Pete, I was unaware that the SB55 could be uprated due to the addition of extra counterweights. Would the decals on the machine be changed to reflect this (ie, SB55 changed to SB65)?

Best regards

Gavin
 

matty207

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Apr 1, 2014
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England
Forklift has lost drive

I'm quite surprised this topic is still going, its a welcome surprise though. :)

Thank you for your input Pete, I was unaware that the SB55 could be uprated due to the addition of extra counterweights. Would the decals on the machine be changed to reflect this (ie, SB55 changed to SB65)?

Best regards

Gavin

Hi I now own the exact forklift pictured! I recently changed the hydraulic fluid and filter and now the forklift has lost drive, do you know why this might be?
 

Gavin Phillips

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May 20, 2007
Messages
90
Location
Newcastle, England UK
Occupation
office worker
Hi I now own the exact forklift pictured! I recently changed the hydraulic fluid and filter and now the forklift has lost drive, do you know why this might be?

Hello

Wow it certainly is a small world!

I'm sorry but I really can't help you there. I've only seen the machine myself a couple of times over the last few years and couldn't resist snapping a few pictures of it as I haven't seen many Sanderson machines before.

I do hope that getting it fixed won't be too expensive. It would be nice to think it will still be in use for quite some time to come although I'm a little sad that I'll probably never see that SB55 again!

There is another forklift-dedicated forum which I'm also a member of. The users are very helpful and may be able to assist you.

http://www.forkliftaction.com/marketplace/BrandsWholeInfo_IAsync.aspx?brid=370

Best regards

Gavin
 

Michael Kilbride

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Dec 7, 2022
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Lancashire
Mystery solved

TC does indeed stand for Torque Converter. Those forklifts without the TC designation (SB45) are manual transmission machines.

Confirmed this when I bought a Sanderson SB50 RTFL brochure from eBay last week.

There was a Sanderson SB55 TC on eBay not long ago either, although I didn't keep a note of the item number.
Hi Gavin
Just found this Forum and yes the Sanderson SB55 TC was on Ebay and I bought it from memory about £1,100. I still have it now but dont use it very often. It is a great little machine and starts on the button all brakes work well along with mast and side shift. Dif lock is good.
The only issue I have is there is no gear lever and is in low gear so pretty slow round the place.
I'm thinking of selling it soon as i got old and dont do much with it now
 

Alharry

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Joined
Jan 1, 2023
Messages
4
Location
Ireland
As a service engineer for 20 years up here in Scotland,We were main dealership agents for Sanderson.The TC is indeed Torque Convertor and although ive cursed many a time when out on site say perhaps pulling an engine out of one etc i have to admit they were a great piece of kit.The 55 range came either in the basic manual 4 gear (clutch) range or the TC.powered usually by a Ford 4000 engine.Peak production being around 1973--78 for this range.With around a 2 tonne lift the unit could be uprated to an SB65 or indeed SB75 with additional rear weight "slices" with extra long securing bolts etc.Interestingly (without wishing to bore you all ) there was also a 4 wheel drive range with early models sporting the Ford County rear axle prior to the newer range (SB50 ETC)with Shindler or Carrera...Ok..im done..Thanks for rekindling happy(ish) memories..
Pete
Hi Pete
I have a Sanderson 55sb tc and trying to remove the engine as when i took off head i found one of the pistons on turning over by hand and stopping would drop another 10mm when the piston head was pushed down by hand and the top of the head shows carbon dust marks only where the corresponding valves made same. I guess upper or lower bearing is shot? Anyway tried to take a look by removing the oil pan off but rear 4 bolts securing same are pretty much inaccessible in a tight area beneath the crankshaft flywheel and one cant pull them fully out because that part of the oil pan has clearance to the main frame of a few cms i guess i have to take off the back end to access removing the whole engine? Any advice on procedure to do this and remove engine pls as never tackled such a job on this old girl? Or does the engine come out without separating the main frame from rear axle housing frame? . Any advice gratefully appreciated or a tel number to have a chat. tks much
Alan
 

Alharry

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Joined
Jan 1, 2023
Messages
4
Location
Ireland
Hi Gavin
Just found this Forum and yes the Sanderson SB55 TC was on Ebay and I bought it from memory about £1,100. I still have it now but dont use it very often. It is a great little machine and starts on the button all brakes work well along with mast and side shift. Dif lock is good.
The only issue I have is there is no gear lever and is in low gear so pretty slow round the place.
I'm thinking of selling it soon as i got old and dont do much with it now
 

Alharry

New Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2023
Messages
4
Location
Ireland
Be interested to buy the sb55 tc. Let me kno if gone or available and where to see pls. Tks Alan
 

Alharry

New Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2023
Messages
4
Location
Ireland
Hi Pete
I have a Sanderson 55sb tc and trying to remove the engine as when i took off head i found one of the pistons on turning over by hand and stopping would drop another 10mm when the piston head was pushed down by hand and the top of the head shows carbon dust marks only where the corresponding valves made same. I guess upper or lower bearing is shot? Anyway tried to take a look by removing the oil pan off but rear 4 bolts securing same are pretty much inaccessible in a tight area beneath the crankshaft flywheel and one cant pull them fully out because that part of the oil pan has clearance to the main frame of a few cms i guess i have to take off the back end to access removing the whole engine? Any advice on procedure to do this and remove engine pls as never tackled such a job on this old girl? Or does the engine come out without separating the main frame from rear axle housing frame? . Any advice gratefully appreciated or a tel number to have a chat. tks much
Alan
Hi
 

outinthewood

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Joined
Apr 12, 2023
Messages
1
Location
Ireland
Some time ago when I got hold of my 55sb I found this forum and got great help with a inj pump issue and since then no problems and it's in regular use with forks and large bucket.
However few days ago the hyd pump gave up the ghost and the input shaft snapped... the rad is being re done but I am having problems with pump. The pump fitted is an Eaton 24505-LCJ so any help anyone could give as to a replacement etc would be great. So thank you in advance !!
 
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