# Antique Mobil Sweeper



## Lmo

Hi All, 
My name is Lew Morris, aka: Lmo. This is my first post on this forum.

I'm a heavy equipment operator here in Calfiornia. I've just been given the responsibilty of operating and maintaining an old *Mobil Sweeper*; its a 2TE3, if my memory serves me. I must be around 196-something. Ford straight-six in front, a little diesel in the rear. Chain drive rear broom, hydraulic gutter brooms, bottom dump. We do a lot of freeway work, and will be using it to keep job sites cleaned up.

We're talking _used and abused_, but the boss got it for $1,000 and wants to work it. For the most part it seems to be to be usable, but there are some issues that I've noticed in the first week I've been operating it.

1) The gutter brooms are shot, so I need new ones. Can you help me out with a source?
2) Spray heads; need to replace a few. Again sources for new?
3) Operation & Maintenance Manual. Need one ... bad.
4) Operation problem: the rear broom leaves a 1 inch "wind row" behind, on either side of the broom as it sweeps. I can't for the life of me figure out why, or *what to adjust* to eliminate it, but it's really frustrating.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Lew

Not ours, but the same machine.


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## 3APOWERSWEEPING

The sweeper in the picture is a early 1980s or up to 1986 as for leaving trails check the condition of the flaps on elavator system, make sure you have the drape assy. at the bottom of conveyor is there and in good shape,check and make sure skids are down andnot bent out and are free to fellow the road surfece as for parts try local at 1 800 543 6161 or www.local .com


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## hickslawns

Not sure but 3A might be talking about www.lacal.com . They are down the road from us and do have a large inventory for these units.


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## 3APOWERSWEEPING

Yes phil that is the place .


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## Destructo_d

IF you were up in British Columbia, Canada... or Washington state... The company I work for... Morfco Supply had a line of brooms for all trucks... We Sell brooms from United Rotary and belts, dirt shoes and other parts from Old Dominion Brush....

phone number is 250-372-3399 .... For the life of me, I can't remember the 1-800 number.....


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## big bird

curb brooms come in differnt size becarful


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## big bird

i drive a 1973 mb sweeper its kinda like the sweeper above


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## Lmo

Thanks for the replies everyone, I've just now had time to get back to this forum.

In the meantime I happened to meet a guy at a gas station who noticed the name of the company I work for on my truck. He mentioned to me that he had operated a broom company for ten years ... and of course I jumped on him for some answers. He also gave me the name of the American Rotary Broom Company, in Santa Fe, California, as a "local" supplier. I haven't called them yet, but will tomorrow (01/07/07).

This old machine was previously owned by a rock & sand plant; they used it to keep their huge parking lot, and the local city streets that lead to their plant clean. But that's all they seemed to have done maintenance-wise. They appear to have worked on it only enough to keep it running. It must have been parked under a conveyor belt, or something, because there is almost an inch of fine, silty, oily, dust on the floor of the rear engine compartment. The wiring harness is a fire waiting to happen and I've already found it necessary to jury rig new wires, outside the vehicle, to get it running for us. The fuel shut-off solenoid to the rear end is dead, so I have to get out and manually kill the diesel. The tranny won't shift past second gear, and reverse is something I have to wait to occur after I've placed the selector in "R".

This machine has the rear broom powered by chain drive ... I spent last Wednesday removing, and replacing, the right-side cartridge bearing that supports the rear rotary broom. That went a lot easier than I expected it to. Now all I have to do is rebuild the lift cylinder ... so the rear broom will stay up for more than five minutes. After that it will be the floor and/or the hopper rails ... the floor pulls to one side when closing sometimes; I keep a piece of chain and a come-along in the cab to encourage it to close.

I've also discovered that the water tank has a crack along the lower rear edge ... I pulled the cover off of the tank and it looks like a total pain in the a** to fix; just getting all the rust scale out is going to be a day long operation. Has anyone else done a repair like this? Is anyone aware of a plastic replacement tank that might drop into the old tank compartment?

I _said_ it was used and abused. Based on the maintenance requirements I encountered so far, I can see where the company could easily end up with a "sweeper department".

Thanks for the help guys, I _*really*_ appreciate it. The "lacal" lead looks like a lifesaver.

Lew


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## Lmo

Addendum

I just located the American Rotary Broom Company's website. Free pickup and delivery if your in CA. I'm not affiliated, I just thought this might be a helpful link.

http://americanrotarybroom.com/

I'd also like to restate that I'm looking for a copy (or pay to have a copy made) of a Mobil Operator's Manual for a 2TE3, or 2TE4; they are probably close enough mechanically.

And I just got a voicemail from my boss; there is a puddle of diesel fuel under the sweeper this afternoon ... guess I _know_ what I'll be doing in the morning.

Lmo


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## JudyM

As we have a Mobil water tank to repair, wondering if you ever found a plastic liner or how you repaired.


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## redman6565

hey...i have one of thoseeee


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## JudyM

You have one of what? The sweeper? The manual? The tank? The liner?


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## redman6565

the sweeper. do you need replacement parts? i'm out out of my office today but tomorrow i can you contact information for parts. there's a big dealer of parts in ny.


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## JudyM

I know of the NY parts place. Just wondering if anyone ever put in a plastic liner in their water tank.


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## redman6565

No i'm sorry i have not


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## Dwan

redman6565;610757 said:


> hey...i have one of thoseeee


I also have what I believe is a 2TE4
Reverse is a little weak but the rest of the machine runs great. 
I don't use it any more as I have replaced it with a newer machine.


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## redman6565

its not a bad machine, suits me for now because I only have a couple lots to sweep. It's night and day difference compared to the new ones though


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