Australian M816 wrecker build.

[Ron King]

Australian Army during the 1980s used a hold fast system which was a cast steel frame with about 8 holes for ground pins to be hammered though.
Early pins were round and later pins were hexagonal as the hex pins when twisted round a bit were easier to remove.
The cast frame had a big D shackel which could join it to other holdfasts in line to increase anchoring force..
I don't remember any special anchoring gear just for the 816 as it's 20 tons weight with hydraulic micro switch brake lock on was usually enough for most jobs.
On the East coast of Australia where I did use the 816 plenty of trees are around.
Heavy winching done out the back with the front winch for self recovery and if necessary out to a tree or another anchor point.

[Robin Craig]

Dear Howard,

congratulations on another barking mad project, great read and great attention to details.

Do you still have the 1 Tonnes?

Love reading this

Robin

[Robin Craig]

Ron,

I call them ground anchors, but hold fast works for me also.

was this similar?

[Ron King]

The Aussie ones were the same in concept with the same pins, but the main body of the holdfast was a steel casting and thinner in the body of it.
The pins were angled the same.
The Aussie holdfast did not use a pin arrangement to join them together, but had a hole in the end of the body which took a large D shackle which was normally left in place.
I remember it well..........having to knock in those pins into the ground with a sledge hammer in rocky ground,40c degree heat .............and having the drama of trying to get those pins out again.
Then having to lift it all into the back of the wreaker which is shoulder height on me.

[Ron King]

Found a picture of the body of the holdfast we used in the Australian army in the 1980s.
ground anchor by john smith, on Flickr

[Howard Smith]

Ron/Robin... I was actually trying to find out what the Canadians used!!

For mine - I have a pile in the UK (same as you pictured Robin) slowly building - I need 8 sets, that's 64 pins! Used in a V formation with two links of 4 out each side. They will all "just" fit in one of the tool boxes up on the bed. Trick will be to fab the carrier so that I can get them out with the crane in one go - I believe that was sometimes an "end user" mod...

The Recy Mech I have been taking to in Oz used the same MoD style though I had seen pics of the thin cast ones too.

Robin - you got any of those for sale maybe?

- yup, still have the 101! Just ordered a load of parts from the UK to get it tidied up a little bit.


Ron - stop lights - I have the Hella "stop, reflector, turn" lamps that were road reg necessary (amber turn) but do you recall what functions of the original US lamps were retained seeing as the red turn had to be disabled...

[Robin Craig]

Howard,

no I have no stocks here.

Glad to hear you have someone finding them in the UK for you, I would be interested in a co loading perhaps for some lumpy bits.

Sent you an email also.

[Howard Smith]

Ron - Just realised that Phil also lives in Nowra!!! I think I have his address somewhere - he was in 21 Const Sqn.
He currently has a WWII Jimmy shop van (CCKW) so you should know him!!

I found out that his actual M816 is in the back lot at Bandianna!
Apparently they are going to make a special exhibit of it, to show off the ingenious skills of the 'crafties' seeing as his was the most modified of all in service.