Carrier Track Variations

[Lynn Eades]

Here I hope we can gather in one thread the various different track types, details, interchange abilities etc.
Basically all of the Allied carriers of WWII ran a similar style of track, An S.G. (malleable) iron track link with a hardened steel pin of 7/16" dia. The pitch was the same for all types, but it was not all interchangeable.
The Pre Universal Carriers, The British and Canadian Universals, the Loyds and the U.S.A built T16 all ran the narrow bogie wheels and track with the close spaced track guide horns.
In the other camp originating with the British built Vickers Light Tank Mark VIB was a track laying down the same foot print but with wider rubber and wider spaced track horns. This type of track was the spec for all of the Australian carriers, (New Zealand as well) and the later Canadian Windsor carrier.
The pluses and minuses of each type are not discussed much because we run that which our carriers came out with. I believe that the reason why they went wider on the V.L.T. was about stability and reliability and I suspect that the possibilty that all might change to the wide rubber was at least a momentary consideration. I digress.
The number of track links fitted to each different model carrier varies.They start off with the numbers below but as they wear, links are removed.
The standardised pre Universals, the British and Canadian carriers are all the same length and all were new with 168 links on each side.
The Australian LP2 and LP2A Has 176 links each side.
The Loyd has 187 each side
Someone else will need to post on the T16 and Windsor Carriers.

See below: the wide track was original to the V.L.T. Mk.VIA, not the Mk VIB.

Starting at the bottom end, Here are extracts from an Australian manual.

[Lynn Eades]

Here we have a few pictures showing on the left Australian lead plug track with the wide horns. On the right, Std British or Canadian track. Included is the long skinny punch for chasing out a track pin from the small hole, and the short fat punch for setting in place the lead plug (38 wad cutters?)
Note that one Aust. link is pinned onto the "common" (Brit/Can) track just to show their common details.

[Lynn Eades]

Im waiting now for the enlightened among us to post up details from the T16 and the Windsor.
I thought this was interesting and may help some people.

[Lynn Eades]

I have not yet arrived at step one, Mr Miyagi. I have no knowledge what so ever, of what you speak.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

Here I hope we can gather in one thread the various different track types, ......

Basically all of the Allied carriers of WWII ran a similar style of track,......

As this thread will likely become a reference compendium that people will keep coming back to to ID some component of track, would it be stretching the friendship to include the Horstman suspension and track of the German Maultier, pieces of which turn up from time to time in Europe and are confused with carrier components?

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=20110

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...d.php?p=148181

[tankbarrell]

T16 is 173 or 174 per track, the parts list is contradictory and the manual doesn't state a quantity.

Windsor is 195 per track.

[Michael R.]

Originally Posted by tankbarrell

T16 is 173 or 174 per track, the parts list is contradictory and the manual doesn't state a quantity.
Windsor is 195 per track.

T16 was produced in two lengths, the standard first model parts list showing the track link count, type and part numbers displayed in the image below.

The carrier that eventually became known as the Windsor carrier was produced with two track types. The first version used standard carrier track links and bogie wheels, the second version used wider bogie wheels, track adjuster wheel and return rollers, with track links that had a correspondingly wider space between the track horns. Guide horns, if you will, Grasshopper... I cannot use “tongues”.

[Lynn Eades]

So as I see it, (so far) a joining track pin, (the one with split pin hole and head) will work in every kind of track (even in the Aust. lead plug track (if it was cut) because apart from the two horn widths(and the two corresponding rubber widths) they are basically speced the same.


BTW. from a British "Manual of Driving and Maintenance for Mechanical Vehicles (tracked) 1939" the "horns" are called "tongues".

Now what about this Swiss track?

[David Herbert]

Lynn,

The Australian lead plug track with the blind end with the small hole would have to be drilled out to fit a conventional pin. If you just shortened the pin it would not be retained.

I have never seen British (or any) books referring to "tongues" on track. I think this must be a pre war thing as WW2 books use the words horns or guides. I expect that someone will prove me wrong now !

We now need someone to post pictures of Swiss and WW2 German Maultier track.

David