A Light Recovery Trailer from Downunder

[Sam Scholz]

Hi all,
Thank you for the replies. Gradually, the information is coming to light. Some responses and clarifications:

Richard,
the front wheels are 20"CMP that have had a disk welded into them and the original, unusual 6 stud pattern drilled. Pretty agricultural. The rear wheels are regular 10 stud Budd type commercial wheels fitted to an adapter plate that is reasonably well made.
Hugh Davis tells me that these trailers were made by Ford in Geelong, they even pressed the 18" wheels themselves. I wonder how many Australian ones were made?

Mike,
Thank you so much for that very welcome information.

1) The stop block is a very simple item, Dave M may have one that I can use as a pattern. They are about 8"x8"x16". What I don't know is the securing spring(?) to hold the latches in the locked position, the video shows it briefly and indistinctly.
3) Now I know the size of the chain, easy and cheap to get. How long were they, anyone? I'll be able to rough out a guessimate from pictures either way.
4) And the size of the shackles. I wonder if they are the same as the ones used on the Australian ground anchour ("Holdfast") which is thread-less, the pin retained with a split pin/small bolt?
5) I have a set of ramps .
6) Scotches? I have no clue, haven't see them. Any pictures, anyone?
8) Wrench for wheel nuts? No clue. Pictures anyone?

No jack???

I don't know what the significance of MVFS or census is.
Would I find a chassis number somewhere?

Rick,
I have these pictures, but thanks for marking sure. When I zoom in, they pixelate out before I see the detail I'm looking for. The two lower pictures appear to be from the same photo shoot as the pictures of this trailer coupled to a DT969 hard cab truck.


I have found a lathe big enough to swing a 20" CMP rim, if I choose to go that way. The 10.50x18 tyres are non-existent here, so I'll be going to, maybe, 9.00x20(same as DT969) or 7.50x18(original rim but lower profile) or 8.25x15(modern low-loader/float). Dunno.

And nothing significant is going to happen anytime soon, my time is taken up preparing for BTTT2020 in the DT969, with, possibly, a 3ton G.S. cargo trailer in tow. We'll see.

Have a nice day.
Sam.

[Mike Cecil]

MVFS: the Military Vehicle Field Specification. It is the Aust Army document that provides the basics about the vehicle, and a list of the equipment issued with the vehicle/trailer. There is no jack listed in the MVFS, which would seem to be a deficiency but it is assumed the jack from the towing vehicle is available for any spare tyre changes. It needs a wheel brace because the wheel nut size on the Aust 18 inch hub is quite large, so the brace from a towing vehicle like an DT 969A won't fit.

Census Code: the code number used in any inventory reports, request for parts, etc. All MVs have an assigned Census Code number. It becomes important in research when you encounter archive documents that only list vehicles by the CC, such as field returns and write off/disposal lists.

Mike

[Sam Scholz]

Thanks for that Mike,

How would I get a copy of the MVFS for the LRT?

So, do we know how many were made?
Or who used them? Were they issued forces-wide, or to only specific units or types of duty?

Sorry, I don't know much about this side of the vehicles, never done any service myself, not even close.

I know of a couple of these trailers, ie,
- there is the remains of one in a town near me, deck only. It is where I got the ramps from years ago;
- John Bellfield has one, I'm told;
- I've seen pictures of one, less wheels, along with some other MV stuff also w/o wheels, somewhere in NSW.
- I stumbled across an old remote area roadworks trailer riding on the rear suspension of a LRT in the Gulf country a decade ago. It is gone now, I'm told.
- Darian (SA) has or had one, see thread on MLU.

There is a British version in a museum somewhere, Adelaide or WA (or both?), which is visually similar, but very different underneath.

I also notice that many pictures show the LRT without the winch, fairleads and/or spare wheel bracket and other bits and pieces. So I'll be interested in information/pictures on these details. And I also notice two types of turnbuckle, probably 'as issued' and generic 'as available' at the time.
Also, I'll report on the wheel nut sizes and wheel stud PCD compared to CMP and DT969, . . . one day.

Have a nice day.
Sam.

[jack neville]

Hugh Davis may be of some assistance to you Sam.