It might be worth looking into what machinery alignment services are available locally. When I worked as a machine design engineer I once had to align an electric motor with a gearbox precisely. We had a technician come out with laser based equipment and we were able to get everything lined up within tolerance to prevent damage of an intermediary coupling, etc
These tank restoration videos fascinate me. I am envious of the knowledge and ability of people to take what looks like a heap of scrap and make it run again. I will definitely be following along. Well done!
We use a very similar set of jigs to determine the mounting position of marine engines relative to the inboard shaft or Stern drive. I think what you're doing is fantastic,. I have no doubt that Chieftain will be driving in no time.
I was a steel guy for 35 years and have seen at least a few hundred cardboard templates and can’t believe this is the first time I’ve heard that one!!🤣 🏆
Considering that was a concrete box the fact much of the i assume fuel or brake lines and wiring and the steel looks that good,repairing is but time and money id love to be repairing tanks with you lads keep it up only halfwits say it cant be done
I am amazed how good you managed to get the engine compartment cleaned out, must have been a lengthy job, looking forward to next video on this project,👍👍.
Good morning. Magnificent project. I never imagined that a cement filled motor and gearbox housing could be so clean after removing the cement. An important matter. A few years ago I collaborated in the recovery of a Chieftain and we had some problems due to the presence of asbestos in the barrel sleeve and other elements. Seeing you handling the motor cables reminded me of that. Stay safe.
If you make a jig in the good tank that bolts to both engine and gearbox mounts and use it to line up the replacements in the buggered tank then welding in replacement plate and gearbox mounts in the concrete chieftain is totally doable! Just remember to fillet the welds to get full thickness penetration. Looking forward to see the concrete chieftain up and running.
When doing this type of work it's vital to measure between the trans mounts left and right and also diagonally to the opposite motor mount to verify the trans mounts are square and the right width apart. Your brackets don't verify that. I usually use cut off bolts and measure outside edge to outside edge. The alignment is still going to be a joy but it's doable.
You have the motivation and the skills to get it sorted only thing you need is time. Just listening to you it will be done. At the end of the day you will have a working tank under £20,000 jobs a goodan. You have done the hardest but digging out the concrete.
Personally I'd probably build the gearbox mount in a sliding bracket arrangement so you can adjust the height to be absolutely perfect for the box you're mounting, then once you have it all perfectly lined up, weld it good and deep so it can never move again. Bit easier to do the precision height adjustments that way rather than removing material with an angle grinder. Damn shame they torched the brackets to begin with though
I,m 60 + gammon and am amazed at the skill and determination of the young lads,no different to me,when I crewed the beast,5thRIDG(except for the skill and determination bit)
Needle guns are a machine few have used and fewer are good at. I am proud to say I am pretty good with one, having learned fighting rust on ships at sea. Love the show.
I was having a nice chilled out Saturday rest and I came across this video. Now I am fascinated. and can't wait to see the next update. Brilliant stuff. I am not a mechanic or engineer and no F all about anything like this but I do know I love it.
Great project idea and one I'm looking forward to seeing you and the team tackle, clearly some issues to resolve, and no doubt some other "surprises" to come.
If you try hard enough, it will work. frame jig will make this easy I feel. Not sure if it will matter, but the rewelding could add some rigidity. not that it needs it. Worth it I woulds say!
I don’t know who you are, I’ve only just come across this video but damn what a cool project. Wishing you guys the best and looking forward to seeing the final tank.
Almost every recommissioning, repairing rebuilding of machinery can be accomplished with a specifically designed jig. Small jobs, big jobs, a jig makes everything easier and better. All the best with this wonderful project.
Some people in the comments are always "experts" that know best lol. Just have fun with the projects thats the main thing. You've done great job on this beast so far from where it began full of concreate. I'm sure the end result will be great
The APU/Donkey engine,H30. Was used to start the main Engine in really cold conditions. Generally in fair conditions the main would start OK. But the H30 was used to warm the main engine through. Which was a great advantage in certain extreme circumstances. Er um, Germany? Anyone! The thing was not to let the main engine get too cold. So run the H30 occasionally to keep the main engine warm. That’s if the H30 itself continued running. I’m absolutely certain that if the H 30 was built by me! It would be brilliant. And I rebuilt many of them. And a bit later the Perkins P4108. Although that Engine was problematic! Three bearing Crank! Urgh.
The bracket idea sounds like it'll work rather well. Only one caveat though is that it's easier to cut off than add back, so for the section of vertical metal web, go ahead and fix on a oversize piece that you can mark and trim down with a grinder to get your height for the bracketed pad set. More so if you build it with mild steel or wood to get the pattern. The more prepared you are for the work, the easier it should be. You don't have to listen to me though, because I think you've already got a plan in mind.
Brill simple when you know how roll on next week Q/ once brackets are welded in will the power out let's line up once everything is bolted back in Is that what your hoping/ expecting to achieve with the shims Sorry not a tank mechanic lol
Good luck restoring that Tank. It's a cool project. However, to boost the success of your content on RU-vid, get yourself a wireless microphone so we can actually hear you talk when you are not witing half a meter from the camera. Can recommend RODE wireless go 2.
Thanks for taking the time and effort in posting your fantastic chieftain tank restoration video’s On top of all the hard work that you do. Effort and Can do mind set at its very best. Mind your knuckles…….
Laser cut a jig out of at least 1/4" to 3/8" that has the right hole pattern. Bolt said jig to existing holes and transmission bracket and weld er up. No fancy machine alignment laser man or anything
How about pulling the mechanical guts out of a "largish" mining truck. The ones I saw were 7t tonnes gross wt and they can be MUCH bigger. And were diesel electric. Spare parts are available. Link the motors to the drive sprockets and tuck the generator motor and the battery packs in where they can be made to fit.I don't know how big the drive motors are; but they would be smaller than a 1000 Hp diesel.
If the engine is still out when the jig plates come back then join them together with a bit of flat bolted on, to save doing corner to corner measurements. I’d say weld, but that will warp them. Mega odd to cut the mounts off though? Cracked? bent? As a fitter/engineer I don’t like mysteriously hacked off parts :D
So if I’ve got this right, somebody left the hatches open and it filled up with water. That presented a problem because it’s too heavy to turn upside down and empty so somebody else came along and said “if we fill it with dry mix concrete that’ll take up the water and it’ll all be good”. That’s the kind of ingenuity that’s lacking in British industry nowadays…….
It's probably best to redo the engine frames, since US Army do basically the same thing anyways, due to the frames being a wear item owing to the rumble of the jet turbine or regular diesel engines used therein for propulsion (ie. cracks in the frames, mechanics tend to also pay attention to the attachment points, not just the powerplants), they're so much more powerful than the one in your truck. Yet it's good that you went into this project knowing it's a lot of work, you shall be rewarded soon enough with the screams of the tank engine once you rebuild the tank - they're epic machineries.
I remember in my home town this dude had a M41 Walker Bulldog parked out by the road and had huge sign on it that said not for sell, no photography! That thing was still there like 20 years later... Lol its still there on Google Maps...
I think that is a good idea long as the surfaces are flat and level. I’d leave the pad a tiny bit thick and lap or sand it down. I’m sure you know all that and more so really all needs said is cool and good luck!
Talking about not wanting to stand behind thd breach when it fires, the firing circuit needs the loaders shield made, which the operator makes when standing out of the way Ex chieftain/challenger gunner scots dg
There is a website i cant remember where police & military auctions off old stuff, i did see two BTR going for 10k (one was working, the other did not it was just for spare parts)
Well done for rescuing this old machine from the scrap yard gas axe. I don't think anyone else would have the courage or resources to take on such a job. Apart from that how is Phil Harding's Chieftain coming along?
Suggestion,, do not use the gas cutter with the hose under where you are cutting. Ask me how I know, and no I did not do it but was stanging near it, And the bottles so I turned the bottles off quick. Scared the crap out of me,, they guy cutting was as white as a ghost after have heavy flame around his feet and charred overalls. And minor burns to his ankles. Earlier on he had been working in shorts.
