philm1 Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 On 1/11/2017 at 1:06 AM, challenger said: The turret inside is complete less the gun guard and striker. The breech block has been tack welded to the breech ring in the closed position, the rest, seats, boxes, sights etc.. all seem to be there. I was in it just before it was placed. put it's engine back in and good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 Continuing to tidy up small bits and pieces to bolt back on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted December 22, 2017 Author Share Posted December 22, 2017 Gosh 5 November was my last posting. I haven't been idle and continue to plug away at smaller items and hopefully over the Xmas break have a bit more time to progress things. Had hoped to have some parts in from UK but this has not happened yet. Really need a replacement dash panel as ours isn't worth the effort to restore. Most of the switches are either seized or broken. Some more photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted December 22, 2017 Author Share Posted December 22, 2017 (edited) Also found a couple of aerial mounts locally that seem to fit. Edited December 22, 2017 by philm1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted December 22, 2017 Author Share Posted December 22, 2017 Generator is in with Auto Electricians for checking and new bearings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted December 23, 2017 Share Posted December 23, 2017 All looking very good and impressive! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted December 26, 2017 Author Share Posted December 26, 2017 On 24/12/2017 at 12:04 AM, andym said: All looking very good and impressive! Andy Thanks. Slowly but getting there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted December 26, 2017 Author Share Posted December 26, 2017 (edited) I have been studying the CVRT Technical Handbook – Field Repairs -Chapter 7A and decided Boxing Day would be as good a time as any to try and free up the Turret race which whilst not seized, did not rotate as freely as we would like. First I marked off the reference holes 1, 7, 13, & 19 to ease in reassembly. I then removed all the screws that held the nylon strip in place. I was expecting trouble here but they all come out relatively easily with just a little occassional help from the impact screwdriver. Removed the circular helical spring and lip seal Removed all the hex head bolts that secure the 2 inner halves of the turret race. Edited December 26, 2017 by philm1 delete photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted December 26, 2017 Author Share Posted December 26, 2017 (edited) Then became the unknown. I lightly worked my way around the ring splitting the 2 halves. With only one pair of hands I set up the engine lifter to take the weight and slowly the 2 halves separated. Yummy gunky mess but no signs of water ingress. All the shims appeared to be in similar arrangements but to be on the safe side I took them off in number order and placed them on a board. I then removed the first of the steel ball bearing guides and lift the ball bearing race up and removed all the ball bearings. Edited December 26, 2017 by philm1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted December 26, 2017 Author Share Posted December 26, 2017 Then the start of the cleaning process. Ball bearings first. Plastic ball bearing retainer next Still some cleaning to do but looking better Turret and 2 turret inner race halves to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrev Posted December 26, 2017 Share Posted December 26, 2017 That gear rack looks like it has had almost no use. Would I be mistaken in guessing the grease is graphited? Regards Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted December 26, 2017 Author Share Posted December 26, 2017 10 hours ago, dgrev said: That gear rack looks like it has had almost no use. Would I be mistaken in guessing the grease is graphited? Regards Doug Hi Doug. yes gear rack cleaning up well. Not sure on grease but would appreciate any feedback before I start reassembly. A maintenance schedule I referred to states 'Turret Raballo Ring" - Ring - Lubricant Solid Film and, Seal (do not overcrease) XG-279 (Nato Code G.403). Not sure what Solid Film Grease is but I'm sure someone out there knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrev Posted December 26, 2017 Share Posted December 26, 2017 Phil That spec appears to be "Commercial equivalent: LITHIUM GREASE N.L.G.I. No 2". From what I can Google, it is a semi fluid grease, but what that means in reality I don't know. However the maintenance schedule description would indicate the exact opposite properties. So you will need to do a lot more research I think. Regards Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 26, 2017 Share Posted December 26, 2017 1 hour ago, philm1 said: Hi Doug. yes gear rack cleaning up well. Not sure on grease but would appreciate any feedback before I start reassembly. A maintenance schedule I referred to states 'Turret Raballo Ring" - Ring - Lubricant Solid Film and, Seal (do not overcrease) XG-279 (Nato Code G.403). Not sure what Solid Film Grease is but I'm sure someone out there knows? Hi Phil, XG-279 is a general purpose mineral grease that was used universally on military vehicles and equipment (unless otherwise specified) and was used in things like wheel bearings or slew rings on cranes and excavators, so a general purpose automotive grease would be fine, it is not as if the turret spins round at a high speed !! Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpsmit Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 Teaching Granny to suck eggs here, but the product of choice for early MG steering racks (which also demand a semi-fluid grease) is Corn head Grease http://www.cenex.com/~/media/cenex/files/lubricants/cornhead grease/corn head grease_pds-h9-02.ashx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted January 2, 2018 Author Share Posted January 2, 2018 nearly finshed cleaning up all the turrent ring parts so nearly time for re installation. Just need to finsh off some of the many gear teeth which is a mind dulling task. Do a few a day amongst other bits and we will be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 All teeth cleaned now - roughly 226 of them. Time consuming with a steel bristled tooth brush and rag. Also sourced graphite grease to use in re assembly which appears to be the correct grease due to the high bearing load from the turret. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 (edited) Started the reassembly of the turret ring today feeling confident that I knew how it all went back together but apprehensive whether I could get it all to work. Bottom half of ring was installed along with the steel ball bearing guides and graphite grease applied. Next the ball bearing retainer. All the ball bearings greased and inserted in the retainer. Thankfully none was misplaced in the cleaning process or trip home to continue cleaning (fell over in car boot tyre well). Edited January 6, 2018 by philm1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 (edited) The next stage was where i wasn't sure how things would go. There were still 2 steel ball bearing guides to go in but these were on top and how I would get them to stay in place? all the steel shims had to be inserted and remain in place whilst the upper half of the ring was put back on. The first steel ball bearing guide tucked nicely behind the ball bearing retainer and kept its position. I tried to position the other to the upper half of the ring but when inverted it wouldn't stay in place. I then decided to insert 4 of the steel dowels that go through the top ring and into the bottom ring. I thought these were probably for locating the correct hole alignment. I had them protruding just enough through the top ring to locate into the bottom ring. This would also hold the 2 halves slightly apart. I then inserted the steel ball bearing guide around but it still didn't really stay in place. Next phase was to put all turret race bolts loosely back in. Then clean up the threads on the bolts that hold the turret to the turret race and also insert these loosely. All the steel shims could then be inserted correctly without fear that when things tightened down they would move. Back to how to get the last of the steel ball bearing guides to place properly. With a small screwdriver I pretty much got it in place. I then lightly tightened down the turret race bolts numbered 1, 7, 13 & 19. To my pleasant suprise everything seemed to be postioning itself as it should so I continued to tighten the remaining bolts, insert the remaining steel dowels and the job is almost complete. I will tighten the bolts down further (I see the turret bolts get tightened to 40 lbf ft) but mindful not to overtighten as it may cause the turret race to stiffen up. It now turns freely with one hand. Edited January 8, 2018 by philm1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 Good work Phil. I've only carried out this process on a seized Striker commanders cupola, so am aware how tricky it can be. The bearing rollers were so bad that I ended up placing them in a bucket with an oil/derv mix and spinning them around for a good while with an electric paint mixer to try and get the rust off! Vince Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 On 8/01/2018 at 11:23 PM, Grasshopper said: Good work Phil. I've only carried out this process on a seized Striker commanders cupola, so am aware how tricky it can be. The bearing rollers were so bad that I ended up placing them in a bucket with an oil/derv mix and spinning them around for a good while with an electric paint mixer to try and get the rust off! Vince Thanks Vince, Finally got back to putting the rubber seal in and screwing down the plastic retainer strip. I had applied a small amount of grease to both the turrent ring and inner of the rubber seal and was slightly disappointed how with the seal back in place it did tigthen up my lovely spinning turret ring. Still better than what it was and as I have nothing to compare it with I guess that's how it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 I have now stripped down the fire wall and panel between driver and engine ready for sand blasting and re painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 Also finally fitted tracks. We will tension these up once the turret, engine and transmission have been re installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm1 Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 Very hot here at the moment which makes working in the shed more like a sauna. Played around with the exterior hull warning lights as most of the lens were either broken or missing. Some of the lens holders were also bent and damaged. As soon as you try and remove a bolt it snaps so that was part of the course here but thankfully only one of the lens holders I need to replace. The others I have been able to gently work back into shape then take the wire wheel to clean them out and finsh up by applying a rust preventer and undercoat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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