Front Axles for 10 bolt Front Hubs-1.5 ton Australian Chevrolet Trucks 1940-1945

[Andrew H.]

The Chev 1533X2 trucks made in Canada especially for the LRDG had a wider and heavier Timken front axle - not sure what kind of bearings. They are quite hard to obtain in NZ and require wider front mudguards, so some replicas (including ours) use the standard beam axle with the bicycle bearings on the stub axle.

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Andrew

Nice to hear from you.....followed your build up with great interest....... you are to blame for putting this crazy idea in my mind to build one also.

I am working from 1940 GM master parts catalogue and specific GM 1940 parts lisitings including the Maple Leaf.

My biggest Handicap is that teh 1940 1 1/2 ton Civilian Chevrolet is still stuck in the Ice and snow......worst year in Ottawa since 110 years ago.

Meanwhile learning from a spare front axle I dragged in the barn....spare axle dates to 1946 to 51 according to casting numbers.

I have concerns that the long extension on the front HUB will put undue stress on the front bearing.....but the the manuals reminds me that the weak bicycle bearing was used well into the 1950s with a 2 1/2 ton capacity using duals.

Wish I would score a spare set of axles from a C15 Parts truck...... but no luck so far.

Am I to assume that your axle is a "Famous Timken Bearing axle" and if so could you share the cast raise part number from the front beam.....any photos????

Another two weeks and should be able to crawl under neath the 40 donot truck........currently in MUd, Mud Mud......

Last supplemental question.....what was the source of the dimension and design for your cargo box????

Thanks for the inspiration.

Bob C

[Andrew H.]

Hi Bob,
Great to hear that you got the idea from my blog - I see it has now received more than 64,000 hits. To answer your questions: Firstly I don't have a Timken front axle, if I did have one I would have used it and widened the front mudguards as per the original LRDG trucks. Secondly, the "weak" bicycle bearings on the stub axle must be stronger than we all think, as they were originally on our 3-tonne Chev dual-rear-wheeled truck that had been used for many years as a tip truck carting heavy loads of road gravel, with big fish plates riveted onto the chassis to give it extra load-carrying capacity (we later shortened the chassis). Lastly, I have a factory diagram (see attached) and also several factory photos showing the dimensions and general layout of the rear 4B1 body of the 1533X2 Chevs as they left the Oshawa factory in Canada.

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Andrew

I guess the old bearing were much better than we imagine.....and since I am not likely to overload my LRDG as in real life I may be worried for nothing. But I am still keeping an eye open for a HD Maple Leaf front axle with Hyatt barrel roller bearings.

I have those dimension for the box also but hoping you had some treasured diagram to work from. Since my truck will be an emulation of the original 33 handmade Egypt version I may have more options for the box...... not sure I want to build a wooden body replica due to all the storage care it "wood" need!!!

The chase is half the fun as they say!!!!!!

Thanks for documenting your efforts and will try to do the same from my end.

Bob C.

[Tony Smith]

From the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces Chevrolet and Maple Leaf Catalogue:

18" x 8" wheel: 5802210
Front hub: 5802242
Front I Beam Axle 1940: 1796042
Front I Beam Axle 1941: 5803481

[Tony Smith]

18" Wheel:

[Bob Carriere]

Thanks for the info Tony.

All models under one cover....... I have to thumb through different manuals to achieve the same info....

Nice to see the "naked" 18 in. wheel........ with five holes.... were they running five bolts on the rear axle???? ....all the unmounted wheels I have seen are drilled for 10 holes.

Now that I have cornered a C15 from a Canadian MLU member my quest is greatly simplified.

Cheers