Tarland Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 58 minutes ago, johann morris said: Guten Abend zusammen, The steering box is bolted in it's final resting position, which isn't exactly as per the original but because of the components that i am using it was always was going to be a compromise. The final drives / reduction boxes stuck out too much from the side of the chassis, meaning that the front sprockets wouldn't be inline with the rest of the wheels. I therefore removed material from the castings, first of all with an angle grinder and then I finished them to size on the milling machine. The next problem was bolting the final drives to the chassis as I had cut the original studs off of the castings. There are six 1/2" UNC threaded holes already in the front of the castings that I can utilise but I need some in the flange area. The answer was to drill five new holes for M16 bolts and then weld bosses on the rear of the flange so that the flange bolt securely on to the chassis. 838.68 kB · 0 downloads The output shaft was then reassembled into the casting so that I can position the final drive housing onto the chassis and drill all the attaching holes. That's all for now folks, Jon Jon, Nice to be away from the electrics and back on the tools?? In that last photo - in the background - is that the output of the steering box in the cut out of the hull? I presume the final drive/reduction box is going to bolt over that? You have a shaft to bridge the "gap" across the hull to the other final drive/reduction box? I'm assuming the existing shafts are going to be "modified"/adapted to marry up with the steering unit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted June 2, 2019 Author Share Posted June 2, 2019 To be honest, I liked doing the electrics, it was a challenge, the machining is just the same old same old but it doesn't matter what I am doing, it's interesting. Yes that's the output from the steering box, the input shaft for the final drive will somehow be attached and final drive casting will cover it. However, there will be a cover that covers the final drive casting, so that it all looks as near as possible as the original did. Connecting the steering box to the final drive on the left side of the hull is the easy side, if it can be called easy, the right side is a completely different matter because there is very little space available between the output of the steering box and the final drive casting. I have a plan, lets just hope that it works. Jon Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 Evening All, Today I trial fitted the first final drive unit, it all lined up as anticipated. The original had an armoured cover over the final drives, obviously my cover won't be armoured but it will hide the castings and make the area look roughly like the original. The big question is, can I get my welding to look like the original? Jon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citroman Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 Looks like painted pur foam...😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citroman Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 Here maybe you have seen it already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 Hello Citroen Man, Thanks for the video, no I hadn't seen that before, I would be incredible to find something like that and then restore it. Evening All, Just a quick update, in truth there's not much to tell, I seem to have spent the last week doing everything other than the tank. Getting the final drives inline with the steering box took quite a lot of time and I lost count of how many times I had to remove the steering box to make alterations but the easy side is almost complete apart from the drive shaft cover. The right hand side has been a right pain because of the limited space and the need to have the longest possible splines on the drive shaft. Time has moved on from when I was a full time machinist, had someone brought us a hardened shaft and asked us to machine splines on it, it would have been a no go but I bought a carbide cutter and even my old milling machine made easy work of the job, impressed, I should say so. In my opinion this is still the weak point in the drive chain but time will tell. I fear that things may slow down even further in the near future as I have some rooms to refurbish in an old rectory. Jon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 great thread...great fab skills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) I like it all started with a magazine for a gun Edited June 17, 2019 by fesm_ndt . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted June 22, 2019 Author Share Posted June 22, 2019 (edited) Evening All, I have been making the flanges for the final drive housings. On my tank, the covers are really for aesthetics, however the flanges will actually add some rigidity to the area. The area concerned on an original tank The outer profile of an original housing The profile of my housing My housing profile was always going to be a compromise in order to cover the tractor final drives but in actual fact, it's not that different from the original. The flanges were made by piecing sections together then welding and grinding them to finished shape. Flange welded onto the hull. Final drive housing flange bolted to the hull flange. Now all I have to do is fabricate the housing cover. Jon Edited June 22, 2019 by johann morris Its just me 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cush Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 On 6/22/2019 at 8:49 PM, johann morris said: Evening All, I have been making the flanges for the final drive housings. On my tank, the covers are really for aesthetics, however the flanges will actually add some rigidity to the area. The area concerned on an original tank The outer profile of an original housing The profile of my housing My housing profile was always going to be a compromise in order to cover the tractor final drives but in actual fact, it's not that different from the original. The flanges were made by piecing sections together then welding and grinding them to finished shape. Flange welded onto the hull. Final drive housing flange bolted to the hull flange. Now all I have to do is fabricate the housing cover. Jon Jon, This is Tonia's brother Paul, been following this build thread in awe of the skills and determination shown in this project. I was quite chuffed with myself when I built my kit car and like you made my own wiring loom but this build is on a far superior level and with far inferior internet connection. Tim keeps promising to bring me down for a look around which would be an absolute pleasure for something who enjoys both engineering and 2nd World War history. It appears you have broken the back of this project and hoping that the finishing stretch is somewhat easier. Keep up the great work, it inspires others to give it a try and never believe that projects like this aren't acheivable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 Any updates? I love this project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted August 13, 2019 Author Share Posted August 13, 2019 To be honest, not much that I could show you, I have been really busy doing other things that were more important or so I am told. The rest has been a good opportunity to plan the next stage, do some more research and reinvigorate the creative juices, after the Victory show, I shall be back on it. Jon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 Thanks for the reply. There are more things in life than military vehicles (I am told). Take it easy and succes when you continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 (edited) Evening All, After my last post, fate intervened and stopped me getting to the victory show or really achieving much at all, however on Friday I decided to do something to take my mind off of life. I have started tackling the steering brake mechanism, obviously it's not going to perfectly replicate the original but I will make it look as near to the original set up as I can. I still need to machine the ratchet teeth in but I will wait until the whole mechanism is bolted in place, to see where they need to go, Jon Edited September 2, 2019 by johann morris 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 the steering tillers on a 432 are really long to give you enough leverage to stop the buggar. make them as long as you can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 3, 2019 Author Share Posted September 3, 2019 Morning Eddy, I hope that you are well, when I saw the thread regarding the Churchill tank recovery, I thought that you had another project. The levers are as long as I can make them without creating clearance problems, I am hoping that I will be able to introduce some extra leverage throughout the linkage between the levers and the steering box. It's tight fit in the front of a Panzer II. Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 not guilty mate some other bugger had that churchill away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 14, 2019 Author Share Posted September 14, 2019 Evening All, For various reasons I have achieved jack since my last post but this afternoon I managed to finally complete and connect all the brake, steering linkages. How efficiently it will all work, is yet to be seen and I still have to machine the ratchet teeth into the quadrants. Jon 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 21, 2019 Author Share Posted September 21, 2019 Evening All, I thought that I would make the drivers seat so that I could test the driving position before I finish things off with the steering /brake levers etc. I can't believe that anyone could clamber into the drivers seat if it had a fixed backrest, so I fished around and found several designs of Panzers drivers seat and came up with this. As the steering / brake linkage is my design the seat had to fit around it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-boy Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 I have been fascinated by this thread from the start, as the way you deal with problems and come up with work-arounds are a revelation. I am in awe and can hardly wait to see the finished product. You are an inspiration: thank you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 EX-boy, What can I say but thanks and I am glad that you are enjoying following it, as much as I am constructing it. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonBrown Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 On 9/14/2019 at 8:26 PM, johann morris said: Evening All, For various reasons I have achieved jack since my last post but this afternoon I managed to finally complete and connect all the brake, steering linkages. How efficiently it will all work, is yet to be seen and I still have to machine the ratchet teeth into the quadrants. Jon Seeing this dug into the memory banks... I worked on a modified AFV432 project at RARDE Chertsey a long time ago. The K60 engine had been removed and a 6-cylinder Cummins unit with variable geometry turbocharger fitted to the crew compartment. The driveshaft ran forward into the steering box...right past the driving position. The tank shop foreman insisted we made up a guard that would retain the driveshaft in event of any failure of said shaft. It was a very substantial hooped bracket. In due course the driveshaft did fail whilst the engine was under max load...had the guard not been there to restrain it the damage to the driver would have been described as "life changing injuries" as it flapped around unrestrained. Looking at that driveshaft running across the hull and its proximity to the drivers legs triggered this memory...and if you have not already done so...do please consider a guard or restraint to limit how much damage the driveshafts could do in the event of a failure. Apologies if its already in hand, but it would be remiss of me not to share this experience I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 4 hours ago, SimonBrown said: Apologies if its already in hand, but it would be remiss of me not to share this experience I think. No problem Simon and I am very grateful that you have, the thought of the at drive shaft spinning around near my shins fills me with horror. Thankfully on the original there was a cover that enclosed the drive shaft and covered the brake assembly, also there is a cover that covers the drive shaft from the engine to the gearbox, in my case from the gear box to the steering unit. My intention is to recreate the interior as near as possible to the original, so all rotating shafts will be covered and my legs should be safe. Jon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 27, 2019 Author Share Posted September 27, 2019 Steering / brake lever assemblies finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 28, 2019 Author Share Posted September 28, 2019 I had a very informative and enjoyable conversation with a forum member this morning, the reason for the phone call was to give me the benefit of his experience regarding the brake / steering levers, in other words I had dropped a boo boo. I had produced the levers to operate as a standard handbrake does, in other words the ratchet locks as the lever is raised, to unlock it you depress the knob on top. I didn't realise, because I have never driven a tracked vehicle, that the levers are free running, for the application of the handbrake, once the levers have been raised into the correct position,you depress the knob on top which locks them into position. The assembly has now been modified and I would just like to thank said gentleman, for his time and extensive knowledge. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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