Found MkI carrier - Page 2

Ralph Volkert · #31 22-04-08, 01:46

Rob Thanks for the info. When I found the lower hull number on the rear yesterday I soaked the iron with rust solvent. This afterrnoon I checked again and another digit is now visible. So it now appears the hull number is 8015. I checked around the gunners position and nothing was visible. The angle iron there is pretty crusty. I will spray it down and check it later.

I have gone over the carrier and spayed all the linkages, nuts, bolts, rods etc. So I have determined the Steering is not siezed There is some movement to the brake rods. (The cam to the cross hull tube has been disconnected from the steering linkage.) But over all it is beginning to look pretty good.

Ledsel, thankyou! I am so glad you said that about the flat iron I thought it was just some trash that had been thrown inside! I guess the moral of the story is go SLOWLY at first! I will take lots of pics when I start to take things apart.

I will probably have to start a post in the restoration area when things start getting interesting!

Ledsel · #32 26-04-08, 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Volkert

here are some more pics

I just realised there was a battery tray still there and the oil breather was still there in the cargo bin.

Sorry ralph but I don't think it's the piece I thought it was. Anyway don't throw it as I know it's for something. Perhapes a radio mount?

greg anderson (RIP) · #33 27-04-08, 22:53

I have both tanks for my carrier but don"t use them -alway gas left in them to go bad -I use a plastic marine gas tank about 2 gal. which does for most runs and its easy to remove and keep fresh -Greg

Ralph Volkert · #34 02-05-08, 14:27

Finally have enough rust cleaned and can read my hull numbers.

Upper Hull: CB 8075
Lower Hull: 8105

Only 30 apart so from what I have read that seems reasonable.

Would any one hazard a guess a ball park production Date for these numbers?

Is there any where to back track the S/N given the Hull numbers and determine the the reall production date? Archives of Canada ie?

Ralph Volkert · #35 27-06-08, 14:52

Well my baby has finally come home to Papa!
We only had 1 "OOPS" unloading. The UC slid sideways as well as down the tilt bed transport. So with 12' to go the left hand tracks slid off the bed of the truck! The good news is the suspension flexed nicely!

I have already made a new left front tow hook to replace one that was missing. (Man it was interesting to bend 1/2" steel!). It made loading the carrier so much easier!

The Battery box has been removed from the inside of the carrier and sandblasting has begun on that. It will eventually be mounted in the correct spot

This weekend is fun TIME!

Ledsel · #36 27-06-08, 19:35

It already looks better than where you found it. Now the fun starts.

Ralph Volkert · #37 07-07-08, 16:52

Well you are right! The fun started this weekend!

I ground off a lot of the old welding scars from previous owner, removed all the old cut rivets from the angle iron for the side armour.

removed the mangled angle iron from the rear of the carrier and straightend the rear top metal. That metal (which has the muffler guards) is badly cracked and rusted pretty thin. I will have to replace it!

The drivers side track has been removed! That was a REALLY FUN job!!!

I found out that my coil spring compressor works like a charm as a track jack!

The wheels all turn easily but will be removing / cleaning and repacking the bearings any way

Cant wait for tonight!

rob love · #38 07-07-08, 17:55

I have used the coil spring compressors as track jacks before, but often as not you end up bending them. The best rack jack is to get a surplus one from a M113 and grind down the hooks so they fit into the carrier track. There is incredible power in those track jacks. That way, when you do find an original track jack, you don't end up breaking the hooks off it (and they do break).

Be prepared to cut a few cork O rings for the sealing of the bearings. These are often cracked and shrunk so bad they have little usefullness left to them. I went with actual conventional seals on mine, but, besides being expensive, may have been a bit of overkill.

Ralph Volkert · #39 08-07-08, 04:15

me sweating to an oldie!

alleramilitaria · #40 08-07-08, 04:49

i love it when the track flops down, it gets the adrenelen running knowing its gonna hurt if you dont jump back fast enough

dave d

Ralph Volkert · #41 15-07-08, 00:13

Well this weekend was spent freeing up rusted bolts. Most went "easily:

enough. I have a couple of cotter pins that are giving me a bit of trouble to remove but It is early yet.

HELP!!! Is there ANY trick in removeing the 3 bolts on the track tensioner at the front of the carrier? The track is off. I have been using a 3/4" drive bar on a 1 5/16" socket with a big ass pipe on the end. I have used penetrating fluid, heat, and a bigger pipe! I had to stop because something was going to snap! (my @#*& temper probably)!

One thing I have learned so far...I need much bigger wrenches than what I had in my tool box to date!

alleramilitaria · #42 15-07-08, 00:23

i have done it 2 ways....
1 scor the nuts and chisel the nut in half without damaging the threads on the bolt. then replace the bolt. you can make a cage bolt with a pice of stock and a grinder.

2 cut the darn thing off with a angle grinder and make a new bolt with the base of the old one.

i would not even think of useing the old nuts again.
also if you have a MK I carrier just remember that some parts out there from MK II will NOT fit on your carrier. keep that in mind when you are out there buying parts.
removing the bolts is going to be the fun part.
dave

Jordan Baker · #43 15-07-08, 00:31

Charlie Fitton recommends heating the nuts 3 times. Each time heat until cherry red and let cool. I have yet to try it but he swears by it and said they came right off. I wouldn't recommend cutting them off unless you have NOS ones to replace with. One thing I learned with the UC resto is don't cut off original stuff unless you have a replacement at hand. The stuff is hard to find.

alleramilitaria · #44 15-07-08, 00:37

i agree with that statement but like the break links that i had remade some items on carriers are just too stressed out. of the 12 or so front bolts i have removed about 4 or 5 have snapped clean off, and i would not want that to happen coming off a trailer or going into a ditch.

on the break links of the 8 used ones i have inspected 4 of them were cracked and had to be replaced. lots of people tont think about them till they break and you can only make left or right turns.

dave

rob love · #45 15-07-08, 05:35

If you have access to a oxy acetylene torch, heat the nuts to very warm/almost red and then spin them off with the impact gun. The nut will heat and soften while the stud will remain hard. Works 99.9% of the time.

If you don't have access to these two tools, then, as Dave suggests, sharpen a large chisel and split the nut. Even just making a good chisel mark in them may spread them just enough to loosen them.

Ralph Volkert · #46 21-07-08, 16:50

Well The tracks on both sides are now off. I just have to roll them up and get them in the garage. Working on the tracks is something I think I will work on in the fall/winter.

I was surprised considering how long this machine has sat, exposed to the elements the only part of the track s that weren't flexible was the part wrapped around the rear drive wheels and the front driven wheels!

The tension adjusters even came off...finally. I didnt have a 3/4 inch drive impact gun or an oxy/acetylene torch. (I have to watch what I spend now! The wife is starting to give me the evil eye when ever I start making up a list of things I need to get!)

I do have a oxy/MAPPS gas torch and it was able to heat the nuts to the point of Just trying to turn red. That and a power bar with a pipe extension took off the nuts with out too much trouble at all. One nut took 3 tries at heating it up but it finally came off!

The carrier is starting to look pretty bare now! On the outside at least! Soon I will be able to start gutting the inside....I hope.

It is pretty satisfying once things start coming coming along!

Oh yeah my carrier still has the asbestos heat shield on the rear. It seems in fairly good shape and should come off with out any trouble. Is it worth reusing or should it just be disposed of? If not put back on should some other sort of heat shield be installed? Or does anyone even worry about the heat from the mufflers?

Jordan Baker · #47 21-07-08, 21:38

Mine never had the asbestos heat shields and it never will. I don't have any problems at all with heat. I know of a few others who have also removed them while restoring and never put them back on. I would keep them for reference purposes down the road instead of throwing them out.

rob love · #48 22-07-08, 00:18

If the asbestos shields are in good shape, then keep them. It's not like you are breathing the stuff, they have served 60 years now, and no doubt they will serve 60 more.

Mind you, I doubt very much that there would be that much problem without them. We are not driving hours in the hot desert after all.