Stuart Tank Trailing Arm Pin Extraction

[Andrew Rowe]

Has any body out there extracted the pin from a Stuart Tank trailing arm?
It is the pin that holds the two cast arms for the main wheel.
This pin goes in the main casting that is bolted to the tank and has a slotted groove on the outside face
This pin appears to have a thread on it.
Is it threaded all the way through the bushing in the housing??

[Steve Greenberg]

Andrew,
I have never taken the trailing arm pin out before. I looked it up in the parts manual and it appears to have threads on most of the shaft.
Steve

[Andrew Rowe]

I think this is going be the standard answer from most people.
It looks like a very difficult pin to extract.
I think if the arm is seized most people will just heat and leave it there.

[drcowie]

Hi Andrew

Yes, the pin is fully threaded (for what ever reason!)

Here are 2 options - drill out pin with a series of holes (on radial drill) or slot housing with a grinder, it will spring out to allow the removal, then prepare & butt weld joint.

Regards Des

[colin jones]

Hi Andrew, after having a look at mine, I can't see why you couldn't make a clamp devise for portapower, apply heat and press it out. Just a thought of course. I think that is what I will do or at least try when I get to that stage.
Colin.

[Andrew Rowe]

Hi Colin, Des is right. The pin is fully threaded.You cannot press it out. It needs to unscrewed out. I don't know if you could set up to opposing portapowers with a key that locks into the groove and then apply heat to get it to turn.I have just finished boring one out with a 70mm drill and then gas cutting the remaining pin to collapse it onto itself, so it can fall out the hole.Then of couse you just need to machine new pin that will fit in smooth.
Even thinking of making a tap to clean thread, haven't checked dia. and TPI yet ,but its about 3 inch dia.
I cannot understand the reason why this was not just a pin and bush, Maybe there is somebody out there that can enlighten me on the reason why they have chosen to screw a pin into a housing like this??

[kevin powles]

Hi Guys, Whilst you stuart tank boys are together, anyone got a spare M3/M5 stuart gun mount lower horn castings like the pic below have you?. left arrowed.

kevin.

[tankbarrell]

It is an odd design which was not perpetuated on the M5 high speed tractor. That uses a simple shaft with bushes in the arms and is clamped on its ends with trunnion caps.