sirhc Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I'm exhausted today after an intensive weekend of track changing on the Sabre. We fitted a set of NOS track, 20 NOS wheels and also new sprockets and carriers. I figured most people haven't seen this done before, so I've posted a few photos. This isn't the method in the manual, that suggests driving off one set of track and onto the next. Since I wanted to change all the wheels and also paint everything I did it by removing the track from one side, jacking the vehicle up, removing all the wheels, painting everything and then reassembling. We did one side a day. The track weighs somewhere around 750kg a set, so we have lugged about 1500kg of track this weekend. Not to mention the wheels etc! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Wow what a job to undertake!! How many miles will this new track last? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Out of interest, is there any value in the worn tracks for reconditioning, and by who? I sometimes see unused sets of very rare tracks for some vehicles (thinking perhaps more WW2 stuff) for sale, and can't help thinking they are very much a finite resource. It would be a shame to discard something which could be reclaimed :??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 The problem with CVRT track is that the rubber pads are moulded into the links. Although the actual track links are ok, as are the bushes, the pads are worn out so the track is scrap. If you could find a way of removing the old rubber without destroying the rest of the link, then in theory you could recondition it. As it is the track is usually thrown away once it reaches this stage. Hopefully I shouldn't need to change the track again for a long time, I should get around 1000 miles out of it. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 ISTR we used to bash tracks every 500 miles. They also stretched. The correct tension was when the top centre of the track was four inches above the centre roadwheel. A quick measurement was to ensure a clenched fist would fit comfortably between roadwheel and track. Tension was adjusted by greasing a nipple in the idler suspension arm which pushed it back to increase tension (when bashing the tracks, the tensioner would be reset to zero tension, then tensioned up as required). If the tensioner had no more give because the track had stretched, a track link could be removed. There was a minimum number of links permitted. If the track could not be tensioned sufficiently, the track was condemned and a session of track-bashing ensued. The minimum number of links permitted on a Scorpion / Scimitar sticks in my mind as 76 but I could be wrong. Because of the extra body length of the Sultan / Samaritan / Spartan / etc (note extra 3" gaps either side of the centre roadwheel), ISTR their permitted minimum was 78, But, usual, I could be wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I doubt it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Doubt what?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I doubt if Alien is wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Well he's not entirely correct, although along the right lines. The correct tension is 5.3 - 6.1 inches for Scorpion/Scimitar and 4.7 - 5.7 inches for the other variants. There is also no minimum number of links in the current AESP, it just gives a pitch measurement between pin centres over 10 links, when the pitch becomes excessive the track is scrapped. The number of links of track per vehicle is also given as an approximate number, due to slight variations in track and vehicles when new. Unlike Alien I have the manuals close to hand, and have read them Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Ouch !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Well he's not entirely correct, although along the right lines. The correct tension is 5.3 - 6.1 inches for Scorpion/Scimitar and 4.7 - 5.7 inches for the other variants. There is also no minimum number of links in the current AESP, it just gives a pitch measurement between pin centres over 10 links, when the pitch becomes excessive the track is scrapped. The number of links of track per vehicle is also given as an approximate number, due to slight variations in track and vehicles when new. Unlike Alien I have the manuals close to hand, and have read them Chris Of course they have reworked the suspension on CVR(T) since my day: new idler, new track etc. That's my excuse and I am sticking to it. Manuals? What they??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Something else that I omitted to mention. There is (WAS in my day before they wrote manuals ;o) a right way and a wrong way to fit the tracks to a CVR(T). The right way round, the pitched rubber pads struck the tarmac flat. The wrong way round, the rubber pad would have a lot of bite as it dug into the tarmac, which Bundesverkehrsministerium no likee cos they'd be forever relaying roads behind CVR(T)s (and is why they only ever let heavies play in designated training areas; and why they no likee when CVR(T)s chewed up cobbles and kerbstones. The word was that when the Cold War went hot, the tracks would be off, rotated and back on before the tail of the Soviet first echelon cleared the IGB. Let's face it, the West Germans would have far more to worry about (smoking, city-sized, glass-filled craters; ponds of nerve agent, etc etc) to worry about that roads chewed up by CVR(T)s ... and the Chieftains. who'd be off the leash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 When we changed our Spartan tracks, we weren't changing roadwheels. I can confirm that it is easier using the drive-off, drive-on method, although we did use a second vehicle (Mikes old Volvo) to assist dragging the new track over the top of the roadwheels to the front. We did fit new sprockets and drive wheels though, and had a real fight getting the old ones off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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