Building "Thor"
Discussion
Lefty said:
Thanks Paul, very interesting.
What sort of transmission was used in the tanks where the Meteors were used originally?
Centurion had a Merrit-Brown Z51R Mk. F gearbox, 5 speed forward, and I think 2 speed reverse. Hideous things to drive (I had a brief 'cabby' in a 105" gun tank when exercising with 32 Armd Engr Regt). I was due to convert to Centurion, but thankfully I stayed on Chieftains, as the Centurion AVRE went out of service before my new squadron re-roled from field engineer to armoured engineer role. No gearstick or clutch on Chieftain - an electro-hydraulic 'automatic' box with just a wee motorbike style pedal near your left foot to select gearsWhat sort of transmission was used in the tanks where the Meteors were used originally?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centurion_...
Centurion arrangement shown in the image above. Tank gearboxes are very specific to each type of tank, and they're bloomin' big 'eavy things.
As you can see, they'd be of little use in a car or truck application, because they pretty much connect directly to the final drive unit, with no drive shafts to speak of. They also (for the most part) include the braking system too, so there's a lot of useless weight in them from a car point of view, plus no space to fit that box into the vehicle. You'd have incredible problems with suspension too. There is NO movement of the final drive sprocket assembly on a tank, other than rotational drive. All the suspension is done by separate freewheeling road wheels. On a car you need to provide drive to a wheel/axle free to move through the vertical axis on a suspension system, hence why a tank's transmission system is unlikely to be of any use to the build.
Pictures of a gearbox swap on a Centurion in this link... http://tanksforeverything.co.nz/gallery/displayima...
Edited by yellowjack on Friday 6th January 10:59
yellowjack said:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centurion_...
Centurion arrangement shown in the image above. Tank gearboxes are very specific to each type of tank, and they're bloomin' big 'eavy things.
As you can see, they'd be of little use in a car or truck application, because they pretty much connect directly to the final drive unit, with no drive shafts to speak of. They also (for the most part) include the braking system too, so there's a lot of useless weight in them from a car point of view, plus no space to fit that box into the vehicle. You'd have incredible problems with suspension too. There is NO movement of the final drive sprocket assembly on a tank, other than rotational drive. All the suspension is done by separate freewheeling road wheels. On a car you need to provide drive to a wheel/axle free to move through the vertical axis on a suspension system, hence why a tank's transmission system is unlikely to be of any use to the build.
yellowjack said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Oh, I dunno.
I wonder what the chains (and more importantly the drive sprockets) would look like to cope with the power output of a Meteor though. I'd love to see the engineering calculations for the leaf springs too!
And Storer's already got the leaf springs, remember? They might even be too beefy...
TooMany2cvs said:
yellowjack said:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centurion_...
Centurion arrangement shown in the image above. Tank gearboxes are very specific to each type of tank, and they're bloomin' big 'eavy things.
As you can see, they'd be of little use in a car or truck application, because they pretty much connect directly to the final drive unit, with no drive shafts to speak of. They also (for the most part) include the braking system too, so there's a lot of useless weight in them from a car point of view, plus no space to fit that box into the vehicle. You'd have incredible problems with suspension too. There is NO movement of the final drive sprocket assembly on a tank, other than rotational drive. All the suspension is done by separate freewheeling road wheels. On a car you need to provide drive to a wheel/axle free to move through the vertical axis on a suspension system, hence why a tank's transmission system is unlikely to be of any use to the build.
That Merritt Brown transmission is also quite lardy at over 1 tonne!!!
I love the fact that this thread is generating all sorts of information and comment.
Sorry there is nothing to update the thread with, but business and domestic stuff is now filling my days (apart from when I am pheasant shooting, or something similar!).
Business will be coming first for the next 6 to 12 months but there may well be a nice new workshop available at the end!!
Paul
I love the fact that this thread is generating all sorts of information and comment.
Sorry there is nothing to update the thread with, but business and domestic stuff is now filling my days (apart from when I am pheasant shooting, or something similar!).
Business will be coming first for the next 6 to 12 months but there may well be a nice new workshop available at the end!!
Paul
yellowjack said:
Lefty said:
Thanks Paul, very interesting.
What sort of transmission was used in the tanks where the Meteors were used originally?
Centurion had a Merrit-Brown Z51R Mk. F gearbox, 5 speed forward, and I think 2 speed reverse. Hideous things to drive (I had a brief 'cabby' in a 105" gun tank when exercising with 32 Armd Engr Regt). I was due to convert to Centurion, but thankfully I stayed on Chieftains, as the Centurion AVRE went out of service before my new squadron re-roled from field engineer to armoured engineer role. No gearstick or clutch on Chieftain - an electro-hydraulic 'automatic' box with just a wee motorbike style pedal near your left foot to select gearsWhat sort of transmission was used in the tanks where the Meteors were used originally?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centurion_...
Centurion arrangement shown in the image above. Tank gearboxes are very specific to each type of tank, and they're bloomin' big 'eavy things.
As you can see, they'd be of little use in a car or truck application, because they pretty much connect directly to the final drive unit, with no drive shafts to speak of. They also (for the most part) include the braking system too, so there's a lot of useless weight in them from a car point of view, plus no space to fit that box into the vehicle. You'd have incredible problems with suspension too. There is NO movement of the final drive sprocket assembly on a tank, other than rotational drive. All the suspension is done by separate freewheeling road wheels. On a car you need to provide drive to a wheel/axle free to move through the vertical axis on a suspension system, hence why a tank's transmission system is unlikely to be of any use to the build.
Pictures of a gearbox swap on a Centurion in this link... http://tanksforeverything.co.nz/gallery/displayima...
Edited by yellowjack on Friday 6th January 10:59
what's the fastest tracked thing on the road?hidetheelephants said:
Nanook said:
rolando said:
Dogs. There's no diff.
Durr...Of course, there'd be no point in a diff when the rear axle is one piece! I wasn't thinking properly.
This is a bit off topic, but to show some doubters that I am busy doing other things, here is today's acquisition.
This is the first stage of a project that will lead to a new workshop as well as a new base for both of my businesses.
It has a lot of work to do over the next few months once it has been serviced and had 4 track roller replaced.
Next week I am visiting a show to decide on the manufacturer of the building(s) that will form my new workshop and store.
One of the things I like is that most of what I am purchasing is UK made. Excavator, gates, fence, concrete, buildings and even down to the tree/hedge species and plants.
The next year or so is going to be a bit busy (read exciting) but hopefully there will still be some 'Thor' progress.
Paul
This is the first stage of a project that will lead to a new workshop as well as a new base for both of my businesses.
It has a lot of work to do over the next few months once it has been serviced and had 4 track roller replaced.
Next week I am visiting a show to decide on the manufacturer of the building(s) that will form my new workshop and store.
One of the things I like is that most of what I am purchasing is UK made. Excavator, gates, fence, concrete, buildings and even down to the tree/hedge species and plants.
The next year or so is going to be a bit busy (read exciting) but hopefully there will still be some 'Thor' progress.
Paul
Meteors, rust, tanks, and now diggers. It gets better! Now I've had a crazy thought..
Are there any road based vehicles that use a hydraulic drive like the excavator and some farm tele-handlers etc?
Engine can rev at whatever speed you decide - I am sure you could find a way to get maximum pump power at 500 rpm, there is plenty of power that can be taken through the drive, the tele-handlers can back off the throttle a LONG way and still maintain full speed.
One mega negative is that the engine would be sitting at one RPM for most of the time, as with a CVT.
Just a thought!
Are there any road based vehicles that use a hydraulic drive like the excavator and some farm tele-handlers etc?
Engine can rev at whatever speed you decide - I am sure you could find a way to get maximum pump power at 500 rpm, there is plenty of power that can be taken through the drive, the tele-handlers can back off the throttle a LONG way and still maintain full speed.
One mega negative is that the engine would be sitting at one RPM for most of the time, as with a CVT.
Just a thought!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff