steering question

[greg anderson (RIP)]

my carrier track has 163 links on the right side and 164 left side--if drive on level ground with steering centered;-1.will the carrier pull left or right 2.-will my spider gears be turning 3.--is this important like say global warming--greg

[Stewart Loy]

Greg,

I have a different link count on each side of my MkII* Carrier track also - possibly due to the different style of return roller that I have on each suspension set. Mine is one link different with the extra on the drivers side.

When I drive real slow, or as fast as I can - it flies striaght as an arrow. I need to make small corrcetions in steering as the vehicle drifts slowly from warping one track to the other, but I think that this is normal ( and similar to an older Dodge car I once drove ).

I wonder if the T-16 crowd would notice a difference with thier fancy differential steering?


Stewart

[Tony Smith]

The M113 APC has an assymetrical track count, also. 63 links on the left track and 64 on the right track. The M113 also has a certain amount of differential steering, although I don't know if this is similar to the t-16 design. Needless to say, the M113 has been around for 40 years and all sorts of wars and still seems to steer OK.

[greg anderson (RIP)]

Stewart --I agree-it makes no difference-altho the shorter track would make more revolutions over a given distance the sprockets would turn at the same speed --- by the way I had a parts carrier when I was restoring mine -the gear shift quadrant of the early Mk1 parts carrier was solid brass which I installed in my keeper--I would have thought that steel or cast iron would have been used -it would be nice if you could bring your carrier to Coe Hill this year -Greg

[rob love]

The M113 has the different amount of pads because the torsion bars lay beside each other, making it neccessary for the roadwheels on each side to be different in their locations. I never have operated one that drives very straight down the highway, it seems like you end up with a very tired arm on one side or the other constantly yanking the tiller bar off and on..
On the Bren carrier, if the track is worn a little more as it would be on the side with less links, then you would in effect be getting more distance out of each link of track on the short side. The sprockets are in mesh; they dont skip, so I would think that the shorter side would push slightly. There is, however, the differential action which likely would negate the difference in track.
I've driven them with one link difference; at the speeds I am comfortable with (never been faster than 24 mph, and more normally at around 12 mph) I cant say they've been particularily difficult to steer.