M109 Self propelled gun info needed

[David Herbert]

Again the drawing in Malcolm's post #39 shows a rear mounted pack. The "right output flange" would be the left one on a front mounted instalation like a M109. I cannot think of a US designed rear drive armoured vehicle of this size and period.

David

[rob love]

I can check deeper into the manuals for the other relevant manuals. Often they will give away the applications.

[rob love]

Checked the manual, and for the XTG-411-2A with outputs, the end item applications are the M107 175mm SP, and the M110 8 inch SP. No doubt there will be other applications for similar set-ups. These two are the ones that use 8351100 powertrain assy. I'm not sating that is what John has, but rather that is what this particular manual covers. I'm not even sure why this manual would be in Canadian service. Edited toad: I have me answer...the M578 ARV was based on the M110 chassis. I had a look in my ARV manuals and it uses the drive units attached to the transmission rather than the separate final drives as used on the M109.

I also note in the first manual that they jump from calling the left output either left or right, depending on the photo, so perhaps that is the case of the photo Malcolm showed earlier.

[jdmcm]

Are any of those vehicles you mentioned Rob, powered from the rear? Or are they all front drive like the M109? The marines at Camp Pendleton were working on a few different self propelled guns so it is very possible it came from a different version than the M109...as long as they are all powered from the front and David has it nailed on the rotation of the T-55/55/62 final drive input...this thing is feasible...

[rob love]

All are powered at the front.

The manual talks about which way the rotation of the flanges and drives are (clockwise or counterclockwise). I can give you the manual number and you can compare the drive of your xmsn with the final drives of the receiving tank and see if things are going to match up.

Manual can be downloaded here: http://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-9-2520-234-35.pdf

The manual also mentions that the outputs are not necessarily left and right of the vehicle. It is considered that the transmission side that faces the engine is considered the front of the transmission, so left and right are off of that point. And the left and right outputs are reversed to right and left if the drive units are attached to the transmission.

[Malcolm Towrie]

John, just curious, why are you considering using this pack in a T55?
Malcolm

[David Herbert]

Possibly because although the original T55 engine is excellent, the transmission isn't. The whole thing is just plain crude. The service clutch is a metal to metal dry multiplate clutch which never fully disengages. If you are stationary, in gear for more than ten seconds the plates get hot, warp and engage themselves. Primary gearbox is simply crude, fan drive is unbelievably noisy, particularly at idle when you can hear the backlash in the gear train banging back and fourth. It also has clutch and brake steering which is just dangerous at the speeds that it is capable of driving. Note that all T55 / T62 in news programs have the fenders rounded off on all four corners, there is a reason for that !

Having said that, it is I believe the worlds most prolific tank family so someone loves them and we must remember that they were built for fighting in wide open spaces, not for the semi urban environment that western armour finds itself in.

David