Canadian 10cwt Trailer rebuild

[Jordan Baker]

Hi all.

I just picked up this nice Canadian 10cwt trailer on the weekend. No data tags were on it. However this thread http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=892, is also about this same trailer. So at least I have one number.

Yesterday I started in on the restoration of it by pulling it all apart. Other then needing two GPW/MB rims, it is a very complete trailer. Most of the rust is limited to surface rust. I may have to replace the sheet metal for the floor and the hat channels as they appear to be rather thin. I am not too sure how they will look once sandblasted.

One interesting point that I can't quite figure out. The front mounting brackets for the tow ring are back to front. The mount with the 4 springs should be located at the front end of the trailer. However it isn't a simple swap the parts around as the hole spacing is different and the frame is welded to the trailer. I wonder if this was a production error that slipped by the inspector.

[Jordan Baker]

Tear down begins. They sure didn't skimp on the bolts. By the time I was done I had two rather full bags of them.

[Jordan Baker]

Lastly the back to front tow ring setup.

[Grant Bowker]

Looking at the pintle setup, it looks as if all of the parts are fitting well with respect to each other. You would think they would have wanted the two solid supports as far apart as possible for strength (with the friction block between), that doesn't seem to fit with your parts or the manuals. If the drawbar is different diameters in the solid mounts and friction areas, that would be just too much to be a production error (manual seems to show only one diameter). I agree the photos in the AEDB Design Record and the Maintenance manual both show the friction block at the tip of the drawbar. One theory might be that the manuals used photos taken early in production and that a change was made part way through for an unknown reason. Another theory would be Brantford Coach & Body making the assembly one way and Frost & Wood doing it differently for their production. It will be interesting to see what others have on their trailers.

Is that a grease fitting on the top of the spring loaded part of the drawbar assembly? On the 15 and 20 cwt trailers, the spring loaded part contains friction blocks to reduce fore and aft surging against the brakes and there are specific cautions not to lubricate this area. I'm curious what you find when you open this area - steel, bronze bush, brake lining material?

[Jordan Baker]

I found another trailer that is in Italy with the same setup. However it is missing the two frame rail risers. It still has its data tags on it and I have emailed the owner for more info.

[Grant Bowker]

I am not a vehicle design engineer but I think I prefer the way your trailer is built over the design shown in the manuals. The way it is shown in the manuals, the springs are under constant load to support the tongue rather than just providing a friction load.

[Jordan Baker]

I heard back from the chap in Italy. From him, the steel bodied trailers had the springs for the tow ring at the rear whereas the wooden bodied ones had the springs at the front.

He also passed on a nice picture of his data tag. 210 PGS-2-320

[Grant Bowker]

The AEDB Record photos show both the composite body and the steel body with springs at the front with the springs at the front. This could fit with his statement if the photographed steel body was on a carry-over frame. I have no proof either way on this but the composite body was described as 10-P-GS-1 while the steel body was 10-P-GS-2.

[Barry Churcher]

Hi Jordan
Here is the photo of the body data plate that you asked for. I would need to get on my hands and knees and crawl around the back of the trailer to get a photo of the other plate. I am getting a new knee in two weeks so just can't do it yet. Janet said she might be able to crawl in there for me so we will see what we can do.
Cheers,
Barry

[Jordan Baker]

Thanks Barry

Interesting. So your body code tag is 2-10E2-200. I'd assume then that the frame tag would be 2-10-PGS-2-200. In the other thread Brian gave a body tag number of 2-10E2-225 for my trailer. Does your trailer have the same spring setup on the tow ring with the springs towards the rear?

From what I've found so far the composite body trailers have body code of 2-10E1-### and frame code of 2-10-PGS-1-### and the all steel body trailers have a body code of 2-10E2-###. This make me wonder then if the 2-10-PGS-2 frames had the tow ring springs changed to the end closer to the master cylinder.

This gets more interesting with every post.

Barry do take it easy and all the best on your change over to a bionic knee.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Barry Churcher

Hi Jordan
Here is the photo of the body data plate that you asked for. I would need to get on my hands and knees and crawl around the back of the trailer to get a photo of the other plate. I am getting a new knee in two weeks so just can't do it yet. Janet said she might be able to crawl in there for me so we will see what we can do.
Cheers,
Barry

Heal properly! Don't do anything silly like rolling around under some greasy vehicle. Your health is far too precious, and we keep paying taxes in Canada to let you have it.

[Brian Gough]

Jordan,

I think the last 3 digits on the body code tag on Barry's trailer read "203".

Brian

[Jordan Baker]

Thanks Brian for the correction.

[Colin Alford]

Jordan,

The Illustrations in "SB-8A, Maintenance Manual, 10 CWT. Two Wheel Trailer, June 1945" all show the drawbar set-up like yours with the springs to the rear

[Colin Alford]

Conversely, the images in "Box Opening and Trailer Chassis and Body Assembling Instructions for Model 10-P-GS-2 Two Wheel Trailer Chassis and Body" show the drawbar set-up with springs to the front.

I presume that there must have been a production change.

Note: There is no official date on these instructions (there is an ink-stamp of Feb 6 1947 but this stamp also appears on the first page of the maintenance manual and is likely the date when a unit first received these documents)

[Jordan Baker]

Thanks Colin for those pictures. Is there any mention of what the box is located in front of the left side fender?

[Colin Alford]

Jordan,

The box on the left front corner is a tool box (I don't know why it is so large considering the few tools that it should contain). On the right rear corner is a literature holder.

From the body description: "The trailer is equipped with a tool box and literature container bolted to the outside of the body. The normal location for the tool box is the left side front and the literature container right side rear. The sides of the body are interchangeable, therefore if this is done the positions of the tool box and literature container would be automatically reversed."

Does your trailer have any mounting holes to accommodate the tool box and literature container? If not then maybe this is another production change.

[Jordan Baker]

There might be some welded over holes. I haven't yet taken a super close look at the sides for any extra holes. Although i did notice what might be two filled in near where they would be according to these pictures.

[Luigi Divano]

Dear all,

due to the fact that I'm going to restore a 10cwt Canadian trailer missing of the two tool boxes, someone of you guys has the measures / detaied drawings in order to replicate these tool boxes?

Thanks in advance for your help and cooperation

Best Regards

Luigi

[Luigi Divano]

Sorry if I bother you again; I forgot to ask you if someone has for sale a reproduction / original Spare part list of the 10 cwt Canadian trailer with the detailed drawings for each part of the trailer

Thanks again for the cooperation

Best Regards

Luigi

[Brian Gough]

Hi Luigi

email sent

Brian

[Alex van de Wetering]

Jordan,

That's a really nice solid trailer you have there; well done! Please keep us updated on the progress.

Alex

[Jordan Baker]

I havent had much progress to report on for the past while. However with the arrival of spring/summer weather the past few days I have made progress. Ive got nearly every piece that can come off the trailer off and sandblasted. I will be rebuilding the brakes over the next week. One set of shoes had the pads looking really good but the other set the pads were crumbling and falling apart.

It is supposed to be really nice out again tomorrow so I plan to start painting some POR on many of the parts once I get home from the OMVA show.

[Jordan Baker]

And all blasted and clean.

[Jordan Baker]

I took advantage of the great weather yesterday and somewhat today to paint the parts in POR15. After this I will start priming them and then painting them in the final colour of Khaki Green #3. I originaly was going to paint the trailer in SCC2 but I found KG#3 on most of the parts when I pulled them apart.

[Jordan Baker]

Ive also found some interesting differing features on these trailers from the information in the manuals.

In both SB-8 and SB-8A the body description has the fender brackets being riveted to the fender and bolted to the body. However in the Box Opening and Chassis/Body Assembling instruction it mentions using 26 3/8-24 x 3/4 hex head bolts to mount the fender brackets to the fenders and the body. The pictures in the manual show rivets whereas my trailer has bolts.

Another difference is a change of master cylinder. SB-8 in the parts listing has a part # of 91A-2140. This is a master cylinder with a 1-1/6" bore for a Ford 1/2 ton pickup. Whereas my trailer has the larger cylinder with a 1-1/4" bore for a Ford 1-2 ton truck. Looking over the picturs in the manual you can make out a difference in the reservoir height between the 1/2 ton and 1-2 ton master cylinder. So obviously both were used but only the small is listed.



Lastly a bit of a mystery item that doesn't show up in the parts listing or the wiring diagram. An extra side mounted tail/stop light. This was in the SB-8A manual only.

[Jordan Baker]

Took advantage of the warmish weather yesterday and got a bunch of parts painted in KG#3. Ive also got my brake shoes back from being relined and can now assemble them.

[Jordan Baker]

I have finally finished all of the body work repairs. I ended up cutting out the old brazed repairs and welding in new sheet metal. For the brazed over holes I found it easiest to simply use a punch and hammer and knock them out. Next will be getting the frame and body panels all sandblasted. One thing I noticed is that one of my side panels is a thinner gauge sheet then the other.

[Bob Carriere]

.....becoming a dentist??????

[Jordan Baker]

Parts all came back from sandblasting earlier this week. Today was the first chance I have had to get them prepped and then painted with POR15. Hopefully will be spraying KG#3 on Monday and then parts can start going back on mid week. The chassis frame is a royal pain to move around without any wheels.