carrier wheels and tracks

eddy8men · #1 17-06-11, 00:27

i need to use the tracked bogies as a temporary sled for my churchill hull (18 tons) as there are no tracks and the wheels are shot to hell, so i dug them out last week and set to work. i wasn't looking forward to trying to free the links up as they looked really solid but seeing as how i was using my digger to move them around i had the bright idea to stand them upright and use the digger bucket to free em up and it worked a treat, an hour and a half later all the bogies were freed up and i never got off my arse to do it (bit easier than a sledge).
while i was messing around with them i noticed they had been painted olive drab so they were definately originally military, whether the whole sled assembly was or just the bogies i don't know as the rest of the sled is still at the yard where i bought them from so i can't check it but it raises the question again of what were they, i wouldn't want to cut it up for the wheels and tracks and find i'd destroyed something rare. any ideas ?
cheers

Lynn Eades · #2 17-06-11, 01:02

What would you have to cut up?
Drop the track off,pull the axles, thats it, isnt it?
Next question; Why would you put 18 ton, on some thing thats meant to carry 4 ton?

eddy8men · #3 17-06-11, 10:30

i was trying to be a little dramatic to elicit a response, i wouldn't cut them up i'd just pull em apart. as to why i'm using them for the churchill basically i can see no other way to move it to my garden where the restoration will begin. they only have to last for a journey of 50 ft from the back of the tilt bed down a ramp to the workshop. there's 4 bogie assemblies so each will carry 4.5ton, not ideal but i believe they'll last 50ft at least i hope they do as if anything goes wrong with the unloading i'll end up blocking a major road between manchester and sheffield so as ever, no pressure

. i'll put up some pics of the bogies and the churchill recovery and let you all know how it goes.
by the way anyone know what the bogie assemblies could have been used for ?

anthony urek · #4 17-06-11, 11:37

Maybe to facilitate easy transport of some track and wheels while keeping the bearing spacers intact and the bearings clean.

Lynn Eades · #5 17-06-11, 11:39

How big is your digger?
They look like they may have carried an RSJ between a pair of them..... Maybe to move a building?

Hanno Spoelstra · #6 17-06-11, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddy8men

by the way anyone know what the bogie assemblies could have been used for ?

Something like this? Seriously, these type of bogies were used on dollies during WW2 to recover aircraft which had run off runways etc. - look on this forum for some examples.

So while you plan to use your bogies for the purpose they were intended for, I doubt they will withstand the load you plan to place on them - even if only for a few feet. Chances are you simply squish them under your Churchill hull. Have you tried asking the local blacksmith if you can borrow or rent his heavy load dollies?

HTH,
Hanno

eddy8men · #7 18-06-11, 12:28

here's the link to the pic of the complete assemblies when they were still in the yard i bought them from

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...53353449qWxmOz

i will pick the rest up one day as it's still at the yard, just need to get my crane truck on the road first. i went down yesterday with a labourer and fitted the bogie assemblies (in the rain) things didn't go too well as i ran out of oxygen for the gas axe, broke the only grinding disk we had, couldn't get a weld on the hull as the stick welder wasn't up to it and the plates i had manufactured didn't line up with the bolt holes on the bogies but apart from that it was easy

anyway we got it done, just need to get a welder genset and fix it to the hull properly then it'll be time for the crane and flatbed and the 100 mile trip to manchester, once it gets here the pressure to move it soonest will be off and i might be able to enjoy this hobby for a change !

rick

ps. too late hanno they are fitted now, i will let you know how it goes good or bad i'll put the pics up. lynn i've got a 800 kg hitatchi, belting little digger and fits in the back of my van.

Lynn Eades · #8 18-06-11, 12:57

I guess if it doesn't spew the rubber out, she'll do the job.
I was picturing a slightly larger digger...... about 30 ton......I don't know why.

Just looked at the original set up. I'd say it was for moving power poles

shaun · #9 29-11-11, 19:39

Rick, i hope you have not broke up those wheel/track units 0 have a look at this film.

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=4253