VICKERS MK6B's resto

[colin jones]

After making the round head bolts, I wanted to just put the drivers side final drive on as it was ready to do and I thought it would have been about an hour or so to do How totally wrong I was Much, much frustration. It is a very heavy and awkward component and I had to line it up perfectly horizontal, slide it over the spigot end, line up the two planetary gears and keep sliding until it slid onto the spigot bearing so it all meshed perfectly.
After a full day of on, off, on, off and not sure if I was doing any damage by forcing it on, I decided to continue this morning and disassemble the final drive and reinstall it piece by piece.
I remember removing it in one piece but that was 4 years ago and there was nothing to line up. I have to assume they did that in the field during the war as there just is no way of lining everything up unless you were really lucky. Anyway, it is now done and the other side will not be any where near as hard as this side.