Using The Right Oil In The Tank: Introducing Mr Hewes
Historic vehicles do not come more rugged and robust than military models. The engineering and build quality within can take a lot of work to restore and repair. One person who understands their make-up is restorer, and social media star Joe Hewes. And when it comes to lubrication, he is teaming up with Morris Lubricants. Classic military vehicles were built for a purpose, but interest in them beyond the battlefield has grown. For restorer and repairer Joe Hewes, his work is not just a job, but an interest that has grown throughout his life, from one chance encounter. Today, he is not only an expert in his field, but a social media star, and now an ambassador for Morris Lubricants.
Having grown up on the family farm, Joe has lived around heavy industry equipment for all his life. He learnt to keep tractors and other old pieces of equipment going, developing a knowledge for engineering that would carry on into his current work.
“I had to learn pretty quickly how to keep tractors going, and repair machinery, as it is costly to pay others to do it,”
Joe comments. “As time went on, I got older, went to college and studied farm mechanisation. But when I left, I did not know what to do. Having grown up in agriculture, I wanted to find a new challenge.”
The interest in military vehicles came when Joe went to do some work on a farm that provided paintball events. “They bought a military vehicle, and I had never seen anything like it,” he reminisces. “I ended up speaking with someone about it, and my interest grew from there. I ended up working on their vehicles, and my first job was repairing a Centurion tank.”
For Joe, this interest is borne from the engineering and development that has gone into these military vehicles, rather than their time spent in battle.
“Everything in them is extreme, the engines are pushed to the limit, the gearboxes are rugged, and the weights are crazy. I worked on tractors when growing up, but these machines are in a different league.
“But the engineering, intelligence and technology involved in it is really interesting, and I think people can learn a lot from these vehicles.”
BUILDING REPUTATION
Today, Joe has not only built a business restoring tanks and other heavy equipment, but he does so in front of an audience of thousands.
Having started filming his exploits, today, Joe has over half a million followers on TikTok, and more than 450,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel. With almost 300,000 more people watching his work on Facebook and Instagram, he has become instantly recognisable in the field.
“I have always taken videos and photos, and when TikTok became a thing, it was just a natural progression. We started filming the repair work on some of the tanks, and that seemed to do well. We grew quite a large TikTok account, that then transitioned into YouTube, and where we are today.”
In the fast-paced world of social media, standing out is key. Joe’s work certainly allows for that, with some of his YouTube videos racking up millions of views.
FINDING THE PARTS
As you can imagine, tanks are not cheap, and the parts to repair and restore them are few and far between.
“Any time parts for some of these vehicles come up, I will try and get them. For example, on the Chieftain tank, we have quite a lot of pieces in stock, including 10 or 15 engines, and a similar number of gearboxes. It sounds a lot, but they are not being made anymore, and that stock might just save 10 vehicles over the course of 40 years.”
As technology progresses, Joe has found ways to make some parts when it comes to restoration and repair. “Lots of pieces have to be remanufactured, which is actually easier now thanks to things like 3D printing, and metal 3D printing,” he comments.
“But it is still costly. Some parts just do not come up for sale, and prices can be ridiculous. You could be paying £100,000 for an engine, or even up to £1 million for something like a Maybach HL230 engine out of a Tiger, for example.”
Historic military vehicles, such as tanks, are engineered to be robust. They were designed for use in battle, and while many will now spend more time on show rather than in combat, those mechanical aspects still need a good[1]quality lubricant to prevent premature wear and tear.
“These tanks have special gearboxes, far more complicated than in most vehicles. Then there is the traverse gearbox, for the turret. The wheel stations all have oil in them, so does the steering system, the axle houses and the brake system. There are so many different oils used, just on one Chieftain. When you think about all of the different types of military vehicles, that is a lot of lubricants.”
WHEN OIL IS CRITICAL
Considering the age of these vehicles, and the scarcity of the parts available, ensuring that they run properly is essential. “Oil is critical, and you have to treat tanks like a Rolls-Royce. The army have to buy it in, and they will not be using cheap oils, it has to be the finest of the finest."
“Once it comes out to us, the end user, that does not change the type of oil that needs to be used, to keep it serviceable. They still need quality oils and lubricants for each part, especially with so many different oils in the tank."
“You are not buying a cheap vehicle with these historic military models. You are buying what was once worth millions of pounds. No matter its value today, not using the right, and quality oils, will ruin it.”
WHY MORRIS LUBRICANTS?
This is where Morris Lubricants comes in. With an extensive range of lubricant products, Joe is able to stock various different products that can be useful in his work and keep these engineering marvels moving.
“When it comes to Morris Lubricants, they offer brand security,” he adds. “They have a name that has been built over many, many years, so you know you can depend on their experience and expertise. That matters in what I do, using just any oil could risk a vehicle that is irreplaceable. That is not an option.”
Joe has experience with Morris Lubricants dating back to his days working on the family farm. Recalling the recognisable blue and yellow barrels, he highlights how his knowledge of the right oils grew through the company’s expertise.
“We used Morris Lubricants products in the tractors when we were fixing them. It was funny, as at the time my Dad would be looking to save money at every opportunity. But he always bought good quality oil. That is something that has stuck with me today.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Joe is certainly not short of work, and he likes to keep busy. “There are so many doors open to us,” he highlights. “We get access to vehicles that we never thought we would be around, and we are very fortunate and grateful for that. It does mean we never know what we will be working on next, with so many good things happening.”
With tanks, cranes, lorries, steam engines, and all sorts of mechanical marvels in the pipeline, Joe has no idea where his skills will take him to next. However, he intends to keep on enjoying what he does, building on his experience, and working with Morris Lubricants along the way.
You can head over to Morris Lubricants' YouTube channel, by clicking here. Or click here to check out Joe's YouTube channel.