Restoration of Hull 731- Carrier, MG (Aust) Mortar Carrying

Darrin Wright · #1 12-08-12, 13:32

Saturday- Day with the family and small jobs around home. Did have a BBQ in the workshop due to the fantastic weather. Minor clean up in workshop. But not much work on the BGC.
Have done a little research in to unit markings and what would have gone where on the hull. More questions than answers, will try and contact the 10/48 Aust Inf Batt unit contact through the South Australian RSL, they may be able to shed so light on what unit markings they had (if any as they may have had "NT Force" markings).

Sunday-Have now managed to cut all bolts that hold the cast plates in that support the tube axle and removed the roller in each, items are like new with good grease in each. Also removed the rollers and clamps that force the tube axle to follow the steering cam plate. They took a lot of heat and hammering. Strange how the rust affects some items and not others. The nuts were totally rusted away with only a very thin part of metal hugging the threads of the bolts.
I did recover a dust seal boot from the LH outer tube axle area, may be able to get that copied and remade so that I can put a new pair on. They appear to be made of sewn leather.

Bob Moseley (RIP) · #2 13-08-12, 08:37

Hi Darrin - I had some made several years ago and have the cardboard templates for the pieces of leather that, when sewn together, becomes a boot. If you want to borrow give me a yell.

Bob

Darrin Wright · #3 20-08-12, 13:32

During the week rang and organised to recover the engine on the weekend.

Went out to the farm after lunch to prepare the engine for removal from the truck chassis. 1 1/2 hours later in the cold and drizzly rain and all wiring and bolts removed or cut with the oxy. Managed to slide the engine forwards 1/2". All good, unfortunately the farmer has not arranged a floor crane for the lift, so will have to wait until another weekend to lift it out.
The radiator may be from a BGC, it has been recored but the lower tank and outlet pipes are stepped and I think this is a feature of BGC radiators. The overflow pipe goes down the left side just below the top tank. This may have been changed to suit the truck application.

I cut the remaining bolts that hold the roller assembly in for the centre tube axle, then spent another 20min pulling & pushing the axle back and forth to get it out of the hull. Figured out that it is a very tight fit and any grime and rust scale slows it down as it moves through the hull and the casting that holds the rollers. There is approx 1-2mm clearance between the tube axle and the casting. Once cleaned up, out it came.