WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY: Changing rusty worn out track on our WWII RADIAL Grant Tank! 

"Workshop Wednesday after Dark". What a classic.

‘Start Ya Bastard’ so Australian 🇦🇺, as an Australian 🇦🇺 I approve that name

I know this is something tankers do all the time, but there are not many videos that document the process. Hats off to the guys for their hard work, and Kurt for documenting it and sharing it with us. A special thanks to Daryl for "keeping it real!"

'Start Ya Bastard' 😂 That's made my day.

I would've just called the RACQ. They change wheels an stuff as part of their Roadside Assistance package. Be worth it just to see the guy's face when he rocks up!

Didn’t realise Darryl was a Commando! Like Kurt said, imagine being a 21yo tanker in the Western Desert 80-plus years ago, hungry and thirsty and far from home, having to do that with just hand-tools. Hat-tip to those people, and to you for another great instalment

I remember track changing back in my day on the buckets. All done by hand, no power tools no forklift etc back breaking work.

Track jacks and tanker bars. Oh, the memories!

Breaking track inside on flat pavement sounds like a wet dream. Former tanker here... 19D, 19E and 19K

Man, that track skipping on the driving sprocket, the Chieftain would have a fit. I guess the track is so stretched it could not be tensioned any more.

Daryl knows how to spice up a track change! You folks made a a hard job look easy! Great hearing that radial start up! Thank you!!!!

Memories of track jacks, end connectors and wedge bolts. Many a field track repair on M48 and M60 series MBTs over 35 years as an armor officer in the US Army. And yes, the officers on tank crews were right in there to get the job done. Thanks, Ed Conway, LTC, Armor (ret)

I had to break track in the field on both an M60 and an M113. Back breaking work. All tanker bar, sledge, and drift pin work.

Ah, the old Start Ya Bastard.

Aus Armor After Dark? Kinda catchy.

Thanks for a fantastic day at the museum,all four of us had a blast. Thanks also to Archie who looked after us in the shooting gallery,maybe you could feature him some time. 👍👍👍👍👍

Im an ex mazda mechanic from UK...I would sell my soul to work on vehicles like these ....its truly amazing wot you guys do to get them back in the amazing condition you do .......love watching the films

Yes it has been a little steamy in Cairns lately, hope yous got enjoy a cold beer after this.

LOL! I think that this one is the best yet! Sounds like me at work!

We, my Battalion and I, retracked 58 M-1 tanks So that they could be turned in. We were then issued 58 M-1A1 tanks also requiring retracking. That is 116 tanks. Oh and the tracks weighed more than twice as much as the tracks seen in this video. You have my sympathies, not much, but some.

The way you chaps all work as a team is brilliant to watch.

Wonderfull to see how it is done. My father was in the Tank Regiment, and did his national service in Hong Kong during the Korean War. They had Comets because the bridges wouldn't handle the weight of a Centurion. He told me that one day they had to change the tracks on all the tanks. The standard procedure was to break ONE track and then drive it onto the new track. Link it up and then do the same with the other track. Well, some bright new officer decided that it could be done twice as fast if the broke both tracks and drove it onto the new tracks. The sergents did not agree as this was done on an almost level parade ground. I say almost level, because the drive wheel on a Comet, and most tanks, is up above the ground that is also where the brakes are. Once the tracks were broken the vehicle rolled forward - off the old track - onto the new track - and then down the slope of the parade ground. The officer then ordered the driver to stop. But, the poor driver had no control of the vehicle at this point. The officer was repremanded. :)

I've always changed track one side at a time on a Bradley... Maybe both sides at once is the way to do that. You guys made that look smooth!

Those ancient old tracks. A testament to how well things can be made and yet rickety as hell. Thanks Aus Armour.

Great stuff! Thank you so much for the 50fps! When you can, switch up to 60, for an instant additional 20% quality improvement! Flames out the back, and big explosions are great: they reassure you your engine is running nice and rich. :) My car does it on the downshift, above 3,500 rpm, almost always. :) Shift up: Blow off. Shift down: Flames! Even my wife loves it. :D

And Baby has new shoes!! I feel with Darryl; I'm in the process of getting THREE implants, but human cadaver bone was used in mine.

Man, those tracks were munted … great work

Geweldig ! Schitterend ! Super !

I understand in the field they would split the track, attach the new track to the old one and then basically drive the tank onto the new track using its own drive sprockets to pull it over the top. No fork lifts out on the front line!

I was expecting the Chieftain to be on scene supervising the track tensioning. Cheers A3 team.

I never had anything special to look forward to on Wednesdays until you lot came along, nice job all!

Changing chains or changing chain pads - what backbreaking work! I still remember it exactly: Open only one chain at the back, "shut down" the APC to the front, turn the chain, knock out the old posters and put in new ones, then turn the chain back onto the pads and use the drive sprocket to pull the chain on and close it. And for completely new chains, first put the segments (10 chain links each) together and screw them together, then align them behind the tank. Then drive the MARDER down from the old chain to the front, then drive the tank backwards - first over the old chain - and finally pull the new chain over the drive sprocket, connect it and tension the chain. Twice per tank... one day job for the platoon for the three tanks Good job on this veteran, guys!

4:21 - seeing the left track pop on the sprocket just makes me think about how The Chieftain goes on and on about how to gauge track tension...

I like too see that tensioning of tracks :D

best show yet

Saving this one to watch on the big screen tonight... Love Grant/Lee tanks!! 💚 Thanks as always guys!! 👍🏾

yup - it's summer down there for sure!

Thanks AAAM. =)

Oh yes. U.S. Army Armor Officer Basic Course,1987, was my introduction to breaking track on the M60A3 and the M1. As passed along probably since the 60s, we would sing, "Breaking track in the hot sun," aptly borrowed from the Bobby Fuller Four (popularized) hit song "I fought the Law" in 1965.

Love watching you blokes doing your thing, great commentary too mate, you’ve certainly got the voice and good humour for it, keep the great content coming, Justin, Karratha WA.

You guys need to check out the start of a R-2800 / R3350 radial powered airplane. Even more noise and smoke. Plus, stack fires and whirling knives of death!

Lookin' good!

I have changed plenty of track, small excavators etc. with a blade and boom to lift itself off ground, and rubber band tracks, a pinch bar and socket are all that’s needed. Worst aspect was cleaning up the grease when releasing the tensioner. Messy, but bulk easier than a tank. Respect. Cheers.

HA! at 13:30 he sees the mechanic going inside and says ..."Like a rat up a drainpipe!" LOve this

Oh men. I love your black label .and thanks for your transparency.

I recently changed the tracks on my 1/35 scale M36 Jackson. It was exhausting so I know what you guys had to go through.

This work on the museum vehicles and basically all the inside kitchen is so interesting to watch! Maybe even more interesting than visiting the museum itself. But I would still gladly visit it if I ever get a chance

I am deeply hopeful you were able to entice the Chieftain to visit summer time Australia for a guest appearance on the track tensioning video.

Thank you for bringing the workshop Wednsday show back very much enjoyed

Changing tracks in the motor pool. Boy, that brings back memories 😅

Welcome to OnlyTanks

I’m loving the banter, you guys are hilarious. Keep up the good work!

I’m an old Cat guy and always interested in track machines. I’ve done many of tracks over the years and I know the feeling that you guys got that morning when you’ve got a set of tracks to change out. Only thing is I’m interested in how you tension up the tracks? Is it through Grease or is it engine or hydraulic pressure?

Kurt, interesting on your comment about changing tracks in War time conditions, there is historical data (including both photos & film footage)- on German Tank crews, especially the Tiger, having to [1] remove road tracks and replace with special tracks to load onto flat -top railway wagons, roll up the road track, secure and then have the 2 sets of tracks placed on the rail wagon deck, behind the tank, [2] - at destination repeat the process to change back to road tracks. Rational - the road track was to wide for the rail flatbed wagon. An interesting look at the past, especially when you look at today - and the loading of the US Abrams onto flat-top railway wagons.

Truly beautiful to watch you guys making heavy jobs look light work. Sure it would take most of us many, many times longer and with hair-pulling moments as well.

Start ya bastard. Now that is awsome brand for a starter fluid

Great work and banter on this one!

Swapping out the tracks, cleaning the bore, and loading a combat load of main gun ammo were always the hardest tasks to perform on an tank. I was on M601s in the 1970s.

Never ever skip rotating the engine before starting! The book says 50 but we always doubled that, replacing bottom cylinder valve rods is a nightmare.

This is hands-down the best channel on RU-vid, kudos to you all

Great episode as usual this week. As a side note I have just completed the dental procedure Darryl is undergoing. Took nearly a year in total.

Sounds great.👍🇦🇺

Telling daz to cover up and Jesse about the language 😅😅love watching you lads 😅😅

You guys did the track split & swap the hard way. Always put the new track on the opposite end from the drive sprockets. Grant is front sprocket, so you put the new track behind the Grant. Split the track between the rear road wheel and the rear idler wheel. Use end connectors to connect the new track to the old track. Back up. The sprockets will move the tank backwards and pull the new track on at the same time. Stop when you get to the point the new track end is out over the rear idler. Disconnect your end connectors. Reconnect your track. Conduct track tension. Presto Wammo, you're done and it's "beer thirty".

WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY, OMG, that was truly gob smacking. Thanks Team, Cheers

Awesome guys, nice one

I love that “quad .50”, just sitting there in the garage!

Fantastic workshop Banter......

Seeing the track laid out on the workshop floor like that reminded me of another FNQ armoured beast - Crocodylus porosus.

I can't wait to drive the m4a1 Sherman tank at this year's Australian armoured artillery museum tank fest this year

I see alot of war movies being made with authentic man made war machines absolutely fabulous thanks restoring history of freedom got love this the courage of young teenagers fighting wars just splendid! The leasing of these tanks to movie studios will keep the restoring efforts happening, there are many stories to be made of heros in action for both sides 😊

That radial sounds incredible.

You need to do a outside run video with this tank. It looks stunning and the noise is amazing.

Love the banter in this one lol. Well done on the swap guys!

I am so jealous that we didn't get the opportunity to use forklifts back when I was on active duty. There would have been a lot fewer long days in the motor pool. Tanker bars, blood, sweat and cussing got the job done!

NICE backfire!! 3:00min

Awesome back and forth banter. It's nice to see the comradery between them. This video had a much more personal vibe to it and it was great. Awesome work as always guys, keep it up!

Thanks

OH MY!!! That process is something else!

Track bashing on 432's and Cvrts was fun enough, big boys toys players have my respect

Shout out to the company that poured the floor for your workshop.

Great video!

Cracking jobs boyos, that Grant's looking better than new with those new tracks on.

I would love to see a part of next weeks video that included tensioning the new track on the Grant.

Track bashing, oh the joys 😉👍

It just boggles the mind to hear "New Old Stock" and realize how many parts are unused. A friend shown me parts for a DC-3 still in the original wrapping a few years back.

Hey AusArmour. Great watching you manipulate those stegosaurus tails. Love your work 👍

I remember reading somewhere that in WW2 the German tankers fighting under the conditions of the Russian winter developed the technique of driving the track over a hand grenade then detonating it to break a worn out and frozen track. I can’t comment on the truth of this but maintaining armored vehicles under those conditions must have been unbelievably difficult.

Must visit place when visit in Australia. From here, from finland first need to flight to Tokyo and then change plane to cairns. Pretty adventure 😂

Nice bit of adult humour this week. Good to see it isn't just Mr. Hewes that has fun working on tanks... and adult humour.😊😄

Man, this brings back memories of breaking track.

A fantastic video, tahnk you

This reminds me of the opening scene in "Sahara.' w/ Humphrey Bogart.

Amazing video.

As a retired US Army tanker I almost didn't want to watch this one. It's gonna give me nightmares I'm sure. And that was baby track when compared to M48, M60 or M1 track

Hell of a lot of work, even under good conditions.

i enjoy my weekly tank fix, thank you

Oh my god I want a can of that starting fluid!!! Even an empty one as that is the funniest and coolest saying to have actually on the label!! Heck would even pay for shipping (probably have to put a hole in the bottom to empty it completely but even sp it would just be a display peice anyway). ❤😂

Nice work

Daryl and Jess should have been outfitted in desert army uniform kit, using track tools out in the field next to shop. Then have a bit of tea afterwards lol