1944 Universal Carrier Wheels - Ford Canada

listerdiesel · #1 23-02-09, 19:31

While looking for some wheels for an engine trolley today, I came a cross a set of four wheels and stub axles at a local scrappie.

Bought the four, plus another set on a sturdy iron girder trolley (they were different wheels, but similar)

The four loose wheels have "FM CO 44" cast into the spokes, and the Firestone logo with "Made in Canada 28 44" moulded into the rubber wall.

Looks like these were from a Universal carrier made by Ford at their Windsor, Ontario plant?

Amazingly, all wheels turned on the bearings, all the hub nuts are off and two wheels are off the stub shafts. The shaft diameter is 40mm, reflecting the Canadian source presumably.

What I could do with is a blown-up picture of the bearings and seals, so I don't damage anything pulling it down to pieces.

I intend to strip the rubber and use the wheel as a plain cast iron type, price for re-rubbering the wheels was £221 each plus tax.....

If anyone has a picture of the wheel and bearings that they could post, I'd be very grateful.

Peter

Ledsel · #2 23-02-09, 22:18

Quote:

I intend to strip the rubber and use the wheel as a plain cast iron type, price for re-rubbering the wheels was £221 each plus tax.....

Those are hurtful words .I hope someone on here can come up with another solution for you.

listerdiesel · #3 23-02-09, 23:01

We have had someone asking if they can buy the wheels for their carrier.

I'd like to help out, but I still need a set for the engine carriage/trolley.

We'll see what turns up. It's taken me 6 months to find this set!

Peter

Hanno Spoelstra · #4 23-02-09, 23:14

Hi Peter,

I see your need, and I so those of carrier operators.

Please take a close look at de-rubbered carrier wheels in the Carrier Wheel Re-rubbering thread and decide if the end result is what you are really looking for.

I´m sure with some combined effort it is possible to provide you with the wheels you really need, and do the same for carrier operators.

Hanno

George McKenzie · #5 24-02-09, 04:51

My Friend has fixed his wheels with Neoprene or cold mold plastic .Easy to put on and very durable Cost $ 60 for 4 wheels some years back .This was used by some forklift companies .Does anyone know where you can get this material > We are looking into the process .The company that did it is gone now . George

listerdiesel · #6 24-02-09, 08:09

We'll go looking again, hopefully we can find something to meet our needs, then we can release the wheels to the carrier owner, who is in the UK.

Peter

kevin powles · #7 16-09-09, 22:47

Hi, further to buying the bearings for £4.30 I have just fitted two idler wheels with new bearings with the bigger centre hole, we made up a continous sleeve between the two bearings, and discarded the original spacer. I will post details of the sleeve dimensions if any one needs them, when fitted they run just great.

RichardT10829 · #8 19-09-09, 11:09

i will take you up on that offer Kevin my idler bearings are totally shot...... on the subject i just got a pair of CTL94's which were lying in a garden center near me and had been used on an ammo cart. Some dingus has sawn through one rubber (which was the better one too the other has some chunks missing but is still usable) but the cast are perfect, just got to get them off the rusted bar now.

the CTL94's are the 20" diameter bogey wheels rather than the CTL17's which i have read are the 19" diameter idlers. never the less a great find to replace my smashed rear bogey wheels yey !

kevin powles · #9 12-06-10, 19:38

When the two bearings are fitted in a carrier wheel upto the locating shoulder, the distance between them is 1 5/8" which is 41.275 mm, so your spacer needs to be 41.275mm long on its central widest part., the widest part is 60mm, with 50mm diameter for the bearings to go on either end and a 40mm hole drilled through the middle.

if you add 2 x 27mm then add 41.275 you get 95.275 mm for the total length of the spacer, I think my machinest made the total length as 95 mm, so each 50 mm diameter part was about 26.9 mm long, he did this so when you tighten up the nut you nip up the bearing onto the spacer.

I hope you can understad this without a drawing, remember each wheel casting is different.

I am running two of these spaced wheels on my carrier and they run fine with no wobble or movement, I have even left the bearing grease covers in the bearings.

Best to have one made up, fit it and put it on your carrier and tighten it up, then check the tolerences. so just to recap, total length = 95mm, 40mm hole through the centre, each spigot the bearing sits on is 50mm diameter and 26.9mm long, central part of spacer is 41.275mm between shoulders.

I know 0.075 mm is lost someware but dont worry.

kevin powles · #10 13-08-10, 00:25

Hi, I have a set of 12 110mm x 27mm x 50mm shielded wheel bearings for sale, I have fitted these size bearings to my carrier and they work well, all you need is a spacer machined up to run these bearings, details of this are in this thread. The idea of fitting these size bearings is for some reason 50mm bore bearings cost £4.50 each new and the correct 40mm bore ones cost £50each, I would like £50 for these new quality bearings, thats a saving of £550 total on the cost of the correct size bearings. I have made the spacer from both machine steel and Phosphor bronze, both work well.

Anyone interested please contact me

Aidan · #11 13-08-10, 01:09

How do you know when the wheel bearings are no good? are they like front wheel bearings on a car, loose when you move the tire back and forth when jacked up? Aidan

kevin powles · #12 13-08-10, 07:38

Hi, Yes, when you rock the wheel back and forth there is noticable play in the bearing, front idler bearings are the most critical, two of these are the correct size anyway, I fitted two plus the correct size bearing, so have spacers on all of my road wheels except the idlers. I left the shields in too so they dont require regreasing.