A Light Recovery Trailer from Downunder

[Sam Scholz]

Hi all,

I have compared the CMP wheel cylinders with the remaining LRT ones and they are very similar. The mounting bolts are so close that a very little massaging of the mounting holes and they will bolt up. Yeah! The cylinder is the same diameter and about 1/8" (3mm) longer, which is of no consequence. The pistons are different, engaging the brake shoe in a different manner. However, the manufacture of replacement pistons on the lathe should be a fairly straightforward exercise.

In order to strip out the timber decking, I first unloaded the loading ramps.

LRT Unload ramps 11 2023.JPG


Using my none-too-accurate crane scales, they weighed out at 170kgs, less than I thought, but still a solid 6 man lift!

LRT Weight of ramps 11 2023.JPG


Then stripped out the decking and removed the many cup-head bolts with a cutoff wheel on the angle grinder.

LRT Deck timber stripped out 11 2023.JPG


Earlier this week I was able to collect the special spanner I had made at the laser cutters. The tang on the right side is to use a hammer on, if needed. There is a spanner type specifically to use a big hammer on, called a flogging spanner. The idea came from that.

LRT Rear rockers trunion nut spanner 11 2023.JPG


It fits perfectly, making an otherwise difficult removal into a bearable but slow process. As the keyways (slots) on the nut are at 90° intervals, it worked out that by 'clocking' the handle away from a key by 22.5° (half of 45°) allows 45° bites at the nut instead of 90° increments by flipping the spanner over then back again later. Much easier.

LRT Rear rockers trunion nut spanner in use 11 2023.JPG


So hopefully it won't be too long before I can get the rockers and trunnion disassembled.

Enjoy.
Sam.