T-16 S/N 5399 T.D. 97377 Restoration

[horsa]

The tool I've always used for the tracks so far is a modern US type that I modified. Had to grind the hooks down quite a bit so they would work with the T-16 carrier track links. It does the job but can be a pain holding it in contact with the track with one hand, while cranking the central nut around with the other until there is enough tension to keep it in place. One shot shows a crescent wrench holding the track up. That was so I could tighten up the track enough to make up for the link I took out. Before getting the track broke, all wrench work had to be done in the limited space underneath the track.

I'm still unsure about the different length tracks causing the vehicle to creep to one side as it drives. Seems like the speed of the turning drive sprocket would be the only factor. If you put the vehicle down on a mile length of flat carrier tracks, it would simply crawl along it if everything was locked to spin each side at the same speed. Sure someone with more mechanical engineering smarts knows the answer for sure.

Still happy to have the same number of links on each side now either way.

And one day I'll hopefully have a proper track jack