Track jacks

[Jim Burrill]

You probably saw this jack on epay...
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/WWII-Track-Ja...b7b2dc5&_uhb=1

And a price of 360.00 has not reached a reserve yet.

I found a common Ford bumper jack for a buy it now for 65.00. The ratchet part looks identical pretty much.

To convert it to be a pretty damn close replica of a real one, it looks like I need to grind off the lift spike from the ratchet ( looks like the Carrier ones had that part cut off before casting, so the fillets still lead in to the missing spike.

Then find two bits of tube stock that match the diameter of the main round stock, weld on the lift spike to match the carrier one, with one sliding up and down the shaft, and one welded to the end of the shaft.

Has anyone else tried this?

Anyone willing to make up the two lift spikes to sell to others?

Cheers,
Jim

[Lynn Eades]

Jim, I am headed down the same track. (excuse the pun!)
There are two diameters of the commercial jack. I have both and plan to use the large one.
Other than the markings and part number the main difference is that the actuating lever that fits the original is rectangular in section and has a matching casting on the jack. the commercial style car jacks are operated with a round rod. these have of course, a matching actuating casting as part of the jack.
Like you, I can live with these differences until I trip over the original at a reasonable price.
I was hoping to borrow the hook parts, and get some copies cast. This hasn't happened yet.
I have been thinking of doing some mods to a ratchet strap (just the hook ends) to see how well they work. I know they are in common useage, ( un modified) with some carrier guys.
The plan is to substitute the standard hook with the hook from an Australian carrier track jack.

[Michael R.]

Jim, I think you are heading in the right direction to modify an existing jack with the features that make it identical to the issue Canadian C01UC series jack. As your carrier is the Windsor, Canada production, it would be great if you could get the same body with the maker name and patent date. I believe the originals have the end track link hook pinned in place vs welded.

Regards the item being offered on eBay, it is not something you see every day. Is it the American production track jack for the G-166 Mk-I/MK-II T-16 U.C.'s out of Somerville, MA? The wider, shorter rod, and shorter track 'horns' suggest to me it is a G-166 tool. Similar principle as the C01UC and C31UCW series, same sub-contractor, but different.




Does anyone know if the British production U.C.'s had a similar track jack tool? Are there any images of a 'British' one in use, or are there any images to show the part numbers and other casting marks?
.
.

[Ben]

The British made track jack............... One of life's mysteries.

[Jim Burrill]

this is what I just bought on ebay for about $60.

I will try to make new lift horns and the spacer. The handle uses a round bar instead of a bit of flat stock, but I can live with this.

[Andrew Rowe]

Is this the type used in UC's ( Canada ) Is this a military one or civilian one?
Where do they stow? , any special place?

[Lynn Eades]

Andrew is there anything on the other side?
It is a track jack. Right hooks and right actuating lever.
1938 marked. how does that work? Made in Canada for prewar British carriers???? Anyone know?

[rob love]

The 1938 refers to the patent date, and not a manufacture date. The patent could be for the body system, or even be a patent from the UK. About the only thing you can be sure of when a patent date is on something old is that the item is no older than that date.

[Michael R.]

Canadian supplied comparison with images from Andrew D. and Andrew R.

[kevin powles]

Gents, That track jack on ebay, I enquired about a buy it now price, I was told $1200 wow

I think £200 uk pounds sterling is a fair price for the correct working jack from a seller who know what it is, a car boat sale buy is another story.

Kevin.

[RichardT10829]

Ratchet strap....... Job done

[Hans Mulder]

I recently located two track jacks locally, allegedly for the Stuart, (screw type, heavy), but work well on carrier track too. I'll post a pic if I remember.

[Jim Burrill]

On ebay now
Military Tank Track Track Jack Track Fixture 12252120



Pic of the more modern Track jack on ebay for buy it now of $59.50.

When I bought one for my first carrier it was $25.oo

Anyway, if you get one of these, You will need to grind the horns to fit in the carrier track. If you don't, you will have the track together and pinned and then not be able to drop the jack away from it.

Speaking from experience!

[rob love]

I'll second Jim's recommendation for a track jack. If you want a carrier jack, then you have to find an original or at the very least one of the T16 jacks. But if you actually want to join track effectively without worrying about breaking your priceless original, then get one of the APC jacks.

There were two sizes of them in Canada, so watch which one you buy. The regular APC ones are best. There are larger ones for the M109 which may be a bit too cumbersome for the carriers.

[B. Harris]

The jack was manufactured by Auto Specialties, Windsor Ontario, Canada.
The design was based on the Ford bumper jack, used from 1937 thru 1942. There are NO military markings on any of the examples I have seen. Any markings are casting and lot numbers.

What is even harder to find is the proper jack handle, part number 78 17801. It is listed but not illustrated. It is suspected this handle was manufactured by the K.R. Wilson Company. See attached pic.

Cheers..
Harris

[rob love]

Originally Posted by B. Harris

The jack was manufactured by Auto Specialties, Windsor Ontario, Canada.
The design was based on the Ford bumper jack, used from 1937 thru 1942. There are NO military markings on any of the examples I have seen. Any markings are casting and lot numbers.

What is even harder to find is the proper jack handle, part number 78 17801. It is listed but not illustrated. It is suspected this handle was manufactured by the K.R. Wilson Company. See attached pic.

Cheers..
Harris

Bruce
Your post about the handle lead me to do a quick google search. Since the part number is just a commercial number, and not a special CMP number, nor even a Canadian part number at that, it lead me to ebay, where there was one for sale. Auction closed a few minutes ago, and I am now the proud owner of an overpriced bar of metal. There will have been a hundred thousand or more of them made, since they covered many years of ford truck production.

The fellow listing it also has a jack which is similar to the carrier track jack, although I do see some variation to the main body. I already have a T-16 jack for my carrier courtesy of Stewart Loy some years back, so I have no interest in this one.

Forgive me for not posting about these auctions sooner, but as they say there are no friends at an auction.

Here is a link to the completed auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/321506664953

Here is a link to another completed auction that contained one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-1940-19...p2047675.l2557

And another: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-49-FORD...p2047675.l2557

I have come up with these examples without even trying very hard. No doubt now that photos are supplied, we will be picking these out of cabs and trunks of old Fords.

I have attached his photos and once it arrives I'll post some clearer photos of it myself.

[B. Harris]

Rob,
Nice score off of Epay. This is the place to go once armed with the knowledge and finances as well. Hopefully this "nugget" does not cause the price of the handles to blow thru the roof now.

Regarding finding them in the cabs of old Ford trucks...I think the only thing to be found now is mouse dung, rusty seat springs and spagetti strainers (FSM).

Perhaps when my tool book is complete, this will make the ident and search for tools easier. Thats the intent any-hoo.

Harris

[rob love]

Here is a nice clear photo from another link: http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/629728-tool-kit.html

I checked my 41-47 Ford Master parts catalogue, and it shows the handle as being supplied with 1941, 1946 and 1947 trucks with 112" comm, 114", 118" as well as 122" 3/4 ton trucks. Note this is a Canadian Catalogue so it may not include production during the war years which continued for a while in the US, nor the slightly militarized commercial Fords produced for DND. It also doesn't cover years outside the scope of the catalogue

The manual lists it as being used with jack 51a-17080A

[Jim Burrill]

Now we need someone to make the two lift horns as a "kit" to sell to all of us who find these civy jacks!

Real ones cast, but flat stock welded to steel hollow-stock?

Any one with the shop and time to fab these up???

[rob love]

I can put it to John Bizal and see if he would be interested. He had the track tensioning cam tools cast, and it came out very well. His prices for them was quite reasonable as well, especially when you consider how hard and expensive it is to find originals.

Rob

[Jim Burrill]

That would be great!

As I have said earlier, grind off the one horn from the ratchet part, drop a movable horn over the rod, add the length of spacer, then cap the end with the second horn, and, what? Pin it? Weld it on"

The one I just bought uses a round stock for the handle, not flat, so I just need to source some rod stock to length.

With the grind marks, I don't think it would fool anyone as an original, but it should function the same and be easier to use than the more modern square things I posted the pic of.

All the best,
'Jim

[jeff davis]

Found a civy Jack for 10 bucks and welded on 1/2 x 3/4 flat bar seems to work good. picked the jack up cheep as it was missing the bar and jack plate
Jeff

[lssah2025]

Wow the final auction price on that jack..

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/WWII-Track-Ja.../231346760446?

[rob love]

That was a "buy it now" as opposed to an auction. Works out to over $1200 Cdn. incredible, but I am thinking someone with more money than time decided to just pay the price.

Small wonder we don't have a lot of young people jumping into the hobby. It is getting to the point where you need to have your mortgage gone first before you can afford things.

[B. Harris]

Humph.....
Who's looking for a jack?
I have a spare, but needing a rad socket and cash for trade...STILL.

[kevin powles]

Originally Posted by B. Harris

Humph.....
Who's looking for a jack?
I have a spare, but needing a rad socket and cash for trade...STILL.

Bruce, How much cash plus jack are you going to give me for a rad socket?.

Kevin.

[B. Harris]

Ahhhh..surely you jest. Dyslexia applies?

[brengunman]

Did anyone follow up on casting the arms on the track jack?
George

[Jim Burrill]

Not to my knowledge. If I had a real one to use as a pattern, I would get a uote for the casting, but also see if a machine shop could mill a pair.

Maybe with the developments of 3-d scanning and printing, we could get the horns scanned and some lost wax material prints made to get cheap molds made. The casting costs should be reasonable as it is a one-piece pour.

Sand casting it by someone with a furnace to melt steel. For looks, could do it in aluminum or brass, but I would want something stronger.