Tank track
 

Nearly tripped over this NOS track. The rubber pads are not worn in any way (still have casting nipples on the rubber), but it has sat for a while and the pins are seized up.

Nearby were these drive sprockets, which might provide an identity to the track. They look to me like M3 Stuart or M3 Grant, or less likely AC-1 Sentinel. Did the Stuart and Grant run the same track? If not, what is the difference? And how heavy is this stuff? I tried to pick up the end of about 20 links and nearly put my back out.

There was a fair bit lying around. How viable is it to unseize the track without damaging the rubber? What might the value of this be?

Re: Tank track
 

Tony,

Unfortunately the pics are not loading so cannot identify. A few years ago, a stack of M3 Stuart track was brought in from Australia by a local tractor dealer, about 6 or 7 sets, some rubber and some steel. I took several Stuart owners to look at it, the rubber being of interest for road driving. All came up with the same thing, the rubber had aged and exposure to sunlight over many years, the rubber would have scuffed off at an alarming rate that it was not worth buying, and of course it had siezed links.

Richard

Re: Re: Tank track
 

Tony,

Richard is right about the rubber...even NOS track propoerly stored suffers from this, let alone rubber track which has been left in the open.

As for identifying it, see http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoels...track_vvss.htm.
It could be T41 as used on M3 and M4 Medium tanks as well as related AFVs like the Sentinel and Ram. It is 16" wide and weighs 61 lbs/ft. Stuart track is narrower.

H.

Track
 

Tony
Looks just like the Stuart track for the one we have at the Museum. Sprockets look right as well. Grab it and work out all the other questions later. It don't grow on trees any more.
Bob

Re: Track
 

Bob,

I should have said, that old rubber track would be ideal for museum or semi-static vehicles as you probably have at Port Adelaide. The point I was making was related to tank owners in UK who are mostly very active and some do use them on the road, both here and in Europe, so good rubber is essential.

Richard

So how would one go about unseizing it? Normally, I'd try heating the pins with Oxy and giving it a sharp smack, but I think the rubber would burn off before I got that far. Any chemical means like soaking in soda, molasses or even diesel would require a small swimming pool. How would those methods affect the rubber?

Diesel and Rubber
 

There is a word that describes what diesel does to rubber Tony,...and I'm sure you'll recall the word.

I know diesel will dissolve rubber, but don't know a word to describe the presumably flammable result. I know a word for Napthalene, Petrol and Aluminium - Napalm.

It wont be seized at all..... The pins are rubber bushed into the links and only flex a small amount. You should be able to 'bounce' the track a little but not fold it. Incidentally, if you can fold it up, the pins have come loose in the track, this is bad! As others have said, get it if you can, it may be old but better on a tank than in the bush. I would say it is Stuart track, the sprockets are 14 tooth, Grant has 13 teeth.

Tony I measured the rubber pads on my M3 Stuart, they are 8 inches by 5 inches, and the sprockets are 14 teeth. Hope that helps with the id.

I thought it was Stuart track... the length/breadth ratio wasn't large enough for Grant/Sherman track. In line with what others have already said, I'd grab it - if nothing else, it can sit on a display piece.

More track
 

Heres a pile of new Matilda track I nearly fell over looking for tiger snakes.

Tigers
 

Did you find the snakes you were looking for? ;)

I imagine you crammed as much of the track into the boot of your car and departed the scene looking decidedly low in the rear end!

Even more track
 

Sorry about the duplicate post got the shakes still from the snakes. Its amazing after you see the first tiger your gaze is diverted exclusively to the ground one step in front of you. In the same paddock some very used Grant track.

Location?
 

Sort of has that Murrayville look to it...

Re: Location?
 

If that is Murrayville then the stuff has been breeding since I was last there. Although that was a while back, much had disappeared compared to when I first went there inthe 1980s.

I would be interested to know where it is though?

Tiger Snakes would be more like Queensland?

Regards
Doug

Re: Re: Location?
 

Didn't pictures of the Murrayville stuff appear in Wheels & Tracks? I recall pictures of M3 Mediums with all those distictive oblong holes cut in them. Wasn't there a C15 Wireless truck as well?

H.

This interesting link is from Andre Flener on the G103 Yahoo Group. Of particular interest is the mention of also using the product on rubber road wheels on a Half Track, which would presumably also work effectively on degraded Carrier road wheels.

more track
 

I saw in these discussions that a load of Matilda track has been found.I remember seeing a Matilda at Aberdeen Proving Grounds and it didn't have its tracks.I'm sure the people at Aberdeen would be very interested in getting enough to put on their Matilda.Apparently this Matilda came in a load of scrap metal during, or after,the war and someone at the dockyards informed the museum about it,and they went and picked it up.Regards, Bob Cohoon

Matilda track
 

The track is probably available but transport costs from Australia would break the national debt. Let me know if you want me to check it out.

Re: more track
 

I think this Matilda was shipped to the USA to be tested. Other British tanks were sent to the US for testing as well.

H.