Centurion tracks binding
 

We are working on restoring a Canadian Centurion. I rebuilt the clutch. It's in ok condition but not great. We have a rebuilt Mk 4B engine to go in. One concern I have is the tank had not been moved for years, possibly decades. While it was being towed recently, I could see the track links were binding both sides. To avoid abusing the clutch when we first start moving it, I would like to free up the track a bit. I was thinking of spraying penetrant on all the track pins and towing the tank up and down the road a few times with the wrecker. Is this reasonable? Anyone tried this?

I noticed that the track is not resting on some of the idler wheels, so they can be turned by hand. I'd like to free up the track enough that it is resting on all the idlers.

Malcolm

It's just corrosion in the links. Tow it around a bit, they should soon free off a bit and will slacken noticeably. I wouldn't bother with any penetrant or lube, the tracks are designed to run dry.

As Adrian says but it may well make quite a trail on the road with rust dust so don't do it anywhere that people will complain about the brown mess. There always seem to be a few links that won't free up but when you start to drive it they should sort themselves out. Leave the tracks a bit loose for a while to reduce the load on the idler bearings. Also towing it on a hard surface will have more effect than on a soft surface.

David

David, do you agree with Adrian about not using penetrant? I was thinking of using a penetrant like WD 40 which is mostly mineral spirits so it doesn't actually lubricate that much. And it's wonderful stuff for freeing up rusted joints.

Malcolm

I would not use WD40 primarily because of cost but also because it is probably not too good for the tyres which are natural rubber. The same would apply to diesel or any mineral oil. Quite a lot will finish up on the road too, which might not make you popular. I think there is a case for just spraying water on the tracks once you have some movement as it will have some effect in flushing rust dust out of the hinges but to be honest the biggest effect will be just from towing it back and forwards on a hard surface. Once you have some movement the tracks will sort themselves out once you can drive it.

Whatever you do, do NOT use heat to free the really stuck ones. The links are manganese steel and will go like glass if heated enough to make a difference to a stuck pin. They may look fine but will crack if you try to use them afterwards. The same applies to Sherman end connectors too. Heat them to anything like red hot and they are scrap !

Anyway it is fun towing tanks around !

David

Ok. Thanks, guys.
Malcolm

Oh, to have these problems....

Malcolm

we have the same issue with our Type 69, all steel dead track, dry pins, can put up quite a fuss in the spring after a long moist winter. If you use a lube then it will just attract all kinds of dust and grit which will help wear the track even faster, eventually you end up having to remove a link, once that fails to give reasonable adjustment you are looking at replacing the track, not a lot of "NOS" centurion track around these days

John

John, we have a guy here who "made" WD40. He said it was a 5 gallon pail of the special sauce added to 100 or so gallons of mineral spirits! So basically it has very poor long term, lubricating properties. It frees stuff up and then evaporates. That's why I think it might help free the tracks up without making a long term grinding paste. But I'll play safe and not use anything. As you say we have to baby the track we have.

Malcolm

Water will work wonders on stuck dry pin track. Worked on both the carrier and the Sexton. One problen you will find is that the pin will only free up in one link, increasing wear on the pin on only half it's length.