kw573

Thank you for the heads-up.

There are plenty of Landrover owners in my club, I'll offer it there first.

Have a nice day.

Sam.

Hi all,

My question is what is this lamp for?

Will part with it if interested.

Located in eastern Australia..

Sam.

I've got a shipment at JeepDodgeGMC, stalled for almost 2 years now and we don't know why. It needs a vehicle preparations to be done, then packed for shipping. Hasn't been touched for a looong time, that we can see. Can't get contact and calls/emails aren't returned.

Very frustrated!!!!

Sam, downunder.

Hi all,

I have a GPW as a daily driver that is RHD. I'm in Australia.

It was RHD when I bought it decades ago, in the days when LHD rego in Queensland was quite difficult (prove rego during 3 year post WW2 LHD amnesty). Being an ex-Australian military vehicle, I presume that it was converted by the army. Anyway, when I got it, the poor Jeep was in very poor condition, including the steering.

So I rebuilt the steering system using mostly parts from common vehicles. The drag link is along the outside of the chassis, bent to clear the tire on a right turn and connects to a 'C' shaped arm that bolts to a modified top king pin bearing cap. It is 'C' shaped to clear the brake hose. The pitman arms are relocated to the bottom of the CV housing. Also, the top shockie mount has been moved forward to allow clearance on a full right turn.

It has very noticeable, though not prohibitive 'brake-torque-steering'. This is when the axle housing rotates forward on the springs when braking, effectively changing the length of the drag link, causing it to pull to the left.

As the LHD laws here have become very easy, I intend to convert it back to original some day. Amusingly, I'll have to obtain a modern 'modification plate' as the vehicle will be deemed to be modified despite going back to factory specs!!!

My 2cents.

Sam.

Hi Sam

Yes I am on F/B but I never use it other than for videos.

I don't know how to connect you to it.

Sam (downunder)

Wow, Sam,

you have plenty of work ahead of you!

The loose bearings in the top of the diffs seems fairly typical (to me) in both the 4 ton and 12 ton Diamond Ts and the WLFs. It seems to be due to poor lubrication of that section of the diff. If found soon enough, it is a (relatively) simple job to just replace the two bearings, but then you have to check the crownwheel/pinion adjustment. I notice that the bull gear is helical cut, whereas the 4 tonner has straight-cut bull gear teeth.

Question, are you doing riveting? If so, I'd be interested in seeing pictures of the process you do and a description. It (hot riveting) is something I know nothing about.

I look forward to a steady flow of pictures and descriptions of this trucks' revival.

An interested . . .

Sam (Downunder)

Thanks for that, lads.

I'll give them a go.

Sam.

Hi,

We need a scammel axle on a double pallet moved from Cornwall to south London.

But organized from Oz.

It is big/heavy enough to be professionally moved, probably.

Suggestions?

Is there a web site in UK that links transporters to jobs-to-be-moved?

Thanks.

Have a nice day.

Sam.

Hi all,

I'm in Australia and own (as of yesterday) 3 kw573s, albiet two are basket cases.

There are at least 3 more I know of, 1 is in a collection in Melbourne (John Belfield), plus another that was cut up for scrap only 15 years ago, despite my efforts to buy what was left of it.

Australians are great for working their vehicles into the ground, so mostly they are pretty poor.

As for differences between WLF Series 5 and KW573, from memory, including what has been mentioned in earlier posts:

- the shape of the radiator shell and brush guard. This is far less pronounced than in earlier models, not even noticeable in a casual look.

- the WLF whiffle tree is fabricated, the KW whiffle tree is all cast. Hang on, I'll check that when I get home in a few days, it certainly looks cast even from close up.

- the toolboxes on the rear body, under the boom are a completely different design. These tool boxes shown in TM9-796 (I think) are KW boxes, quite different to the WLF boxes commonly seen on European trucks.

- the 'mechanics' tool box, mounted on the drivers side front end of the rear body is, I only suspect, also different between KW and WLF. The KW box, as shown in TM9-796 is made by Plomb. They turn up VERY occasionally. I don't know about the box I usually see in modern European pictures.

From memory, WLF built about 4500 M1/M1A1s and KW built about 500 units. I'm told that the Australian Army received about 30 M1/M1A1 trucks, some of which were used right up into the mid 1970s! All Kenworths.

As I am away from home, all this is from my not-always-real-good memory.

(don't laugh, your turn is coming!!!)

Hope it helps.

Have a nice day.

Sam.

Here is a bit more M1A1 tool box info, the welding tool box which is mounted on top of the crane tower, presumably as you need to get up there to put the gauges onto the bottles.

See the short reference to it at http://g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=159540&hilit=tool+box+kenworth&start=165

at the bottom of the page.

Enjoy.

Sam.

Yes, you'd be welcome to them.

There is nothing wrong with BSW/BSF, or Metric, or UNF/UNC.

But the major pain is when they are mixed.:nut:

I am in Australia (now metric), am rebuilding a USA truck (UNF/UNC), but finding a lot of old standard (BSW/BSF {fromthe mother country!}) bolts/nuts/threads. So I am always juggling these. I avoid BSW/BSF like the plague as it needs its' own set of spanners, and is not right for USA stuff. I throw even new ones in the scrap.

The chart below is something I very frequently consult. A thread pitch gauge is also invaluable to me.

Except for 1/2", BSW and UNC are more-or-less interchangeable on low tech stuff, eg frame/chassis fittings. There is only 5 deg difference in the thread form.

If your threads are not BSW or BSF or UNF or UNC or metric coarse or metric fine, then someone has used a specialist thread on a non-specialist frame, eg, conduit, or cycle, or optic, or pipe or . . . .

Change it to the common thread of the day!

From one who has been caught a few times!

Sam, downunder.

Hi Sam,

I am also playing with my 969 fuel tank and associated bits and pieces.

Part of that has been running the gauntlet of finding replacement small parts, particularly piping fittings and bolts/screws.

You mentioned BSP several times. Being a US manufactured vehicle, it was originally fitted with NP/NC/NF fittings throughout, which are not always entirely compatible with British standard. eg, the thread for the drain plugs in the fuel tank is 3/8"NP, not BSP, close but different TPI. Yes, you can make them fit. I can only source some NP fittings locally, and so may have to do that.

Same goes for the bolts that hold the fuel tank sender unit in place, they are 10-32NF. I have no idea what is even close to that in British series.

Anyway.

See my thread on g503.com if interested. Same user name.

But nice work.

Sam, downunder.

Hey desertman,

nice to see your truck turning a wheel, albiet not very far. And thanks for the picture.

What have you done on it recently?

Sherminator,

I thought the placement of the pioneer tool rack on your truck was interesting, similar to a GMC.

Do you know if that was a standard placement or a one-off?

Is that an M1A1 wrecker I see lurking in the background?

Have a nice day,

Sam.

Hi Sam,

I can't open your attachments. Says the link doesn't work.

Sam, downunder.

I take a great deal of joy in leading these scammers on. Once I realize what they are up to, I figure that one of the most valuable things I can get at is their time on-line. So I lead them on, talk like a boffin who doesn't really know what he has/wants, delay heaps and ride them for as long as I can.

The best fun is when I come clean, tell them I know they are scamming, and thank them for their time over the last X days and "it's been fun".

Sam.

Hi John,

I did a temporary deck timber replacement some years ago. I used some available pine.

From memory, the planks slid in under the 'T' shaped member in the middle and dropped down onto the outer or inner lip and bolted there. I had to rebate the edge to fit under the 'T'.

My truck is away ATM but I'll have a look in the next day or so.

However, as these trucks were not mass produced, what you have may be slightly different to the next M1A1.

We'll see.

Have a nice day.

Sam.

I've just found this thread.

The horse may have bolted, but another technique that I have had good results with on ferrous jobs is to violently quench the red-hot nut. It seems this sharp shrinkage after expansion breaks all the holds of the rusty threads.

Either way, every job is slightly different and needs it's own special approach.

I get great satisfaction from getting stuff apart without destroying it.

So, did you win in the end?

Have a nice day.

Sam.

Thanks for the consideration.

No hurry.

Sam.

They are plentiful here, Down-under, as well.

It seems every air braked WW2 US truck had dozens of them, and the larger sizes, and they can be found on almost every wreck here.

I would happily swap a big handful for a pair of bonnet (hood) stays for my 969.

Have a nice day.

Sam.

Hi Gentlemen, I have seen it listed somewhere that these were hardwood logs, 6 feet long and 6 inches in diameter.

Although I can't lay my hands on the reference right now, I did not have the impression that it was a Commonwealth reference. It seems obvious to me that they were primarily designed to be used as rollers, although,as John noted, they would work very well as buried anchors as well. Has anyone got pictures of these logs on US vehicles?

BTW, looking for bits for a 969 or M1A1? I recently stumbled upon an ex-military double pulley block for the 'block and tackle set' for the 1" rope. The significance of this is identifing the brand. It is an 'Anvil' brand, and looks identical to the TM pictures I have. They are on ebay a bit. Enjoy.:-)

Have a nice day. Sam.

hhhmmm,

I like the siren, Mal.

Looks like the correct one for M1A1 and Dragon wagon and some fire trucks.

Big, heavy, loud.

Perfect for a wrecker!

Sam, down-under.

Hi Sam,

Again, welcome to the 969 owners club.

Ross Prince in Australia sent a bunch of Diamond T stuff to Europe a few years ago, and I seem to recall one or two NOS exhaust manifolds in the box. I could ask?

The proper welding repair of cast iron is, on the surface, a scary thing. But I have done it successfully on a vice and I am no welding expert.

I say this as you may find a manifold with a minor crack that could be successfully repaired as a backup if you can't find a good one.

It requires the correct welding electrodes (expensive items compared to MS rods), the correct type of welding machine (can't remember which right now), correct preparation, pre and post heating (nothing too complicated) and some time.

But I was lucky, I knew a welding man who told me what to do. It wasn't that hard.

Yes, the "swan neck" bar a.k.a. banana bar, tow bar is a bit scarce here too. I spoke to a bloke who saw about 100 of them go to scrap in the 1980s. Hmmmm.:embarrassed:

But also the bracket that goes on the end of it. Only ever seen one on a restored truck hereabouts.

The forward rear diffs give trouble from what I have seen, usually done all the work. And if you are going to drive it, check the inter axle drive shaft, often overlooked until it fails, dramatically!

Let us know what happens in the end.

Have a nice day.

Sam, down-under

There is another Plomb WLF tool box on ebay, be quick, finishes soon.

Looks tidy.

Sam.

Hi OZITIM,

If this is the one I think it is, I have pictures of it from about 10 years ago.

I have had recuring unrealistic thoughts of recovering it also.

It is about 2000kms from Brisbane and in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The local aboriginal council own it, I'm told, and I believe they would almost give it away. They towed it out of town some years ago as it was a safety issue to the kids playing on it.

It could be a much easier recovery than one might first expect.

If you could find an empty flat top semi-trailer returning to the mainland, then it would be 1/2 the trouble.

Surprisingly, they only weigh 12 odd tons, and aren't wide enough to need escort on Queensland roads. They just crane them (the expensive part, I imagine.) onto the trailer with the tracks hanging over the sides, turn on the flashing beacons, and away you go.

My info comes from the Walker boys in Bundaberg, just up the road from me, who swim their LVT4 each "Bundaberg Swim-in" and have experience occasionally moving them around.

Well worth having a chat with them if you are serious.

Were are you?

Have a nice day.

Sam.