A Light Recovery Trailer from Downunder

[rob love]

I have one of these 7-1/2 ton trailers that was Canadian built. The tires and rims are the standard 16" CMP type. I bought mine thinking it would be a neat way to take the Bren carrier to displays. Once I had it, I discovered you would need a class one tractor trailer license along with air brake endorsement (and annual safeties) to take it out of the yard.

[Sam Scholz]

Wow! That sounds difficult!
I am sometimes surprised at the wide differences in different countries regarding the on-road use of our toys.

As I possess (in Australia) a national HC (Heavy Combination = semi-trailer/truck+dog>12t{IIRC}), I am able to use the 969/LRT combo once road registered. Very fortunately, I am able to club/historic/concessional register it with the brakes as they were when new.
It won't require annual inspections (COI), but does require annual registration fees which are a fraction of the non-concessional rates.

The rims on these Oz trailers were an odd 6 stud 18" split rim. Only recently has 18" tyres become available in Australia, albeit few and far between. Some Asian buses are using them, I'm told. This lack of tyres rendered many trailers unusable, or as in my case, adaptions were made. That is why I am on the hunt for some 18" split rims. One width is to suit 7.50 tyres and one is to suit 10.50/11.00 tyres.

Sam.

[Danny Devers]

Looks like a good project.

[Sam Scholz]

Hi all,

Thanks Danny, I see you are only a few hours north of me. Drop in sometime for a look if you wish.

I've been getting a few hours in to disassemble and remove the grain bin.

First cut off much of the sheeting and remove the augers.

LRT bin disassembly a 10 2019.JPG


Then when the easier-to-access stuff was done, we hooked a chain to it and tried to roll it off. But the lip of the I-beam caught on the lip of the trailer and its' rail hit the wheels and hung there 3" off the ground!!!

LRT bin disassembly b 10 2019.JPG


After a bit of crowbar work, it was safely on the ground where it needed to be. So then I could have a much better look at my trailer. It seems to have much of the original timber floor between the decks and there seems to be lots of dark gray paint on it. More pictures later.

LRT that's better 10 2019.JPG


I still have to cut up the bin to store/scrap the steel. Then I can deal with the wheels and axles problems.

Still looking for period pictures of these trailers in Australia.

Enjoy.
Sam.

[jack neville]

Looks like a lucky find Sam.
I’m amazed that grain would be heavy enough to bend the stub axles.
They weren’t carting wet sand in it in the off season by chance?

[Sam Scholz]

Hi Jack,

A grain grower told me that bin was more like a 15 - 18 ton bin. Add the excessive offset of the rims on an axle designed for more-or-less zero offset, then take it for a drive loaded on a bouncy farm track, and I can believe the damage it has sustained.
Fortunately, I have recently purchased a large workshop press that I am sure will be up to the task!!!
Have a nice week.
Sam.

[Tony Smith]

Maybe the weight of the Grain Bin skeleton has leveraged the wheels a little bit more to the vertical ? Or perhaps now you have warped wheel discs to go with the bent axles ?