±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 505
Total: 505
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Community Forums
02: Home
03: Home
04: Community Forums
05: Photo Gallery
06: Community Forums
07: Home
08: Member Screenshots
09: Member Screenshots
10: Member Screenshots
11: Photo Gallery
12: Member Screenshots
13: Home
14: Home
15: Home
16: Home
17: Community Forums
18: Home
19: Downloads
20: Downloads
21: Member Screenshots
22: Home
23: Member Screenshots
24: Home
25: Community Forums
26: Home
27: Member Screenshots
28: Home
29: Home
30: Home
31: Member Screenshots
32: Home
33: Home
34: Home
35: Community Forums
36: Home
37: Home
38: Home
39: Home
40: Community Forums
41: Home
42: Community Forums
43: Home
44: Home
45: Home
46: Home
47: Community Forums
48: Community Forums
49: Community Forums
50: Community Forums
51: Home
52: Home
53: Home
54: Home
55: Home
56: Home
57: Community Forums
58: Community Forums
59: Home
60: Community Forums
61: Downloads
62: Home
63: News Archive
64: Downloads
65: Community Forums
66: News Archive
67: News Archive
68: Community Forums
69: Member Screenshots
70: Community Forums
71: Photo Gallery
72: Community Forums
73: Community Forums
74: Home
75: Community Forums
76: Downloads
77: Community Forums
78: Downloads
79: News Archive
80: Community Forums
81: Your Account
82: Community Forums
83: Home
84: Member Screenshots
85: Photo Gallery
86: Downloads
87: Home
88: Community Forums
89: Community Forums
90: Photo Gallery
91: Home
92: Home
93: Photo Gallery
94: Community Forums
95: Photo Gallery
96: Home
97: Home
98: Photo Gallery
99: Home
100: News Archive
101: Home
102: Community Forums
103: Home
104: News Archive
105: Photo Gallery
106: Community Forums
107: Home
108: Home
109: Community Forums
110: Member Screenshots
111: Home
112: Community Forums
113: Home
114: Member Screenshots
115: Member Screenshots
116: Home
117: Community Forums
118: News
119: Member Screenshots
120: Home
121: Community Forums
122: Community Forums
123: Photo Gallery
124: Home
125: Member Screenshots
126: Home
127: Community Forums
128: Photo Gallery
129: Member Screenshots
130: Home
131: Photo Gallery
132: Community Forums
133: Home
134: Statistics
135: Home
136: Home
137: Community Forums
138: Community Forums
139: Home
140: Community Forums
141: Member Screenshots
142: Your Account
143: News Archive
144: Member Screenshots
145: Community Forums
146: News Archive
147: Photo Gallery
148: Member Screenshots
149: Photo Gallery
150: Community Forums
151: Home
152: Home
153: Community Forums
154: Home
155: Home
156: Tell a Friend
157: Photo Gallery
158: Downloads
159: Home
160: Home
161: Downloads
162: Home
163: Community Forums
164: Community Forums
165: Home
166: Community Forums
167: Downloads
168: Home
169: LinkToUs
170: Member Screenshots
171: Home
172: Home
173: Photo Gallery
174: Community Forums
175: Home
176: Home
177: Home
178: Downloads
179: Home
180: Statistics
181: Community Forums
182: Community Forums
183: Community Forums
184: Member Screenshots
185: Community Forums
186: Home
187: Home
188: Home
189: Community Forums
190: Community Forums
191: Member Screenshots
192: Community Forums
193: Home
194: Community Forums
195: Member Screenshots
196: Home
197: Downloads
198: Community Forums
199: Photo Gallery
200: Community Forums
201: Member Screenshots
202: Home
203: Photo Gallery
204: Member Screenshots
205: Community Forums
206: Community Forums
207: Your Account
208: Member Screenshots
209: Home
210: Home
211: Community Forums
212: Downloads
213: Home
214: Member Screenshots
215: Home
216: Home
217: Home
218: Photo Gallery
219: Home
220: Community Forums
221: Home
222: Home
223: Home
224: Home
225: Home
226: Community Forums
227: Home
228: Member Screenshots
229: Home
230: Community Forums
231: Home
232: News Archive
233: Home
234: Photo Gallery
235: Home
236: Community Forums
237: Photo Gallery
238: Home
239: Home
240: Member Screenshots
241: Home
242: Home
243: Home
244: Downloads
245: Community Forums
246: Community Forums
247: Home
248: Downloads
249: Community Forums
250: Home
251: Community Forums
252: Community Forums
253: Community Forums
254: Community Forums
255: Community Forums
256: Home
257: Community Forums
258: Home
259: News Archive
260: Community Forums
261: Home
262: Community Forums
263: Home
264: Home
265: Photo Gallery
266: Community Forums
267: Community Forums
268: Community Forums
269: Downloads
270: Home
271: Home
272: Home
273: Community Forums
274: Home
275: Home
276: Photo Gallery
277: Community Forums
278: Member Screenshots
279: Your Account
280: Community Forums
281: Home
282: Community Forums
283: Home
284: Home
285: Member Screenshots
286: Home
287: Photo Gallery
288: Community Forums
289: Community Forums
290: Community Forums
291: Home
292: Community Forums
293: Home
294: Tell a Friend
295: Home
296: Home
297: Home
298: Photo Gallery
299: Member Screenshots
300: Home
301: Home
302: Home
303: Community Forums
304: Home
305: Home
306: Home
307: News Archive
308: Community Forums
309: Community Forums
310: Community Forums
311: News Archive
312: Community Forums
313: Community Forums
314: Photo Gallery
315: Community Forums
316: Home
317: Home
318: Home
319: Home
320: Home
321: Photo Gallery
322: Community Forums
323: Home
324: Member Screenshots
325: Community Forums
326: Your Account
327: Community Forums
328: Community Forums
329: Member Screenshots
330: Community Forums
331: Your Account
332: Photo Gallery
333: Community Forums
334: Photo Gallery
335: Home
336: Member Screenshots
337: News Archive
338: Community Forums
339: Home
340: Community Forums
341: Community Forums
342: Photo Gallery
343: Community Forums
344: Community Forums
345: Home
346: Photo Gallery
347: Home
348: News Archive
349: Home
350: Home
351: Community Forums
352: Community Forums
353: Home
354: Home
355: Community Forums
356: Home
357: Home
358: Home
359: Photo Gallery
360: Member Screenshots
361: Member Screenshots
362: Member Screenshots
363: Downloads
364: News
365: Community Forums
366: Community Forums
367: Community Forums
368: Community Forums
369: Photo Gallery
370: Home
371: Community Forums
372: Home
373: Photo Gallery
374: Your Account
375: Downloads
376: Member Screenshots
377: Home
378: Home
379: Community Forums
380: Home
381: Home
382: Downloads
383: Photo Gallery
384: Home
385: Home
386: Member Screenshots
387: Home
388: Community Forums
389: Home
390: Community Forums
391: News Archive
392: Community Forums
393: Home
394: Home
395: Home
396: Member Screenshots
397: Photo Gallery
398: Home
399: Home
400: Statistics
401: Community Forums
402: Community Forums
403: Member Screenshots
404: Community Forums
405: Photo Gallery
406: Home
407: News Archive
408: Community Forums
409: Photo Gallery
410: Home
411: Member Screenshots
412: Home
413: Home
414: Community Forums
415: Home
416: Member Screenshots
417: Home
418: Home
419: Photo Gallery
420: Member Screenshots
421: Home
422: Community Forums
423: Member Screenshots
424: Home
425: Community Forums
426: Community Forums
427: Community Forums
428: News Archive
429: Your Account
430: Home
431: Home
432: Home
433: Community Forums
434: Community Forums
435: Home
436: News
437: Community Forums
438: Home
439: Home
440: Home
441: Community Forums
442: Home
443: Member Screenshots
444: Community Forums
445: Home
446: Community Forums
447: Member Screenshots
448: Member Screenshots
449: Home
450: Community Forums
451: News Archive
452: Home
453: Photo Gallery
454: Community Forums
455: Community Forums
456: Community Forums
457: Community Forums
458: Photo Gallery
459: Home
460: Community Forums
461: Community Forums
462: Member Screenshots
463: Photo Gallery
464: Community Forums
465: Community Forums
466: Home
467: Community Forums
468: Home
469: Photo Gallery
470: Home
471: Home
472: News Archive
473: Community Forums
474: Home
475: Community Forums
476: Home
477: Community Forums
478: Photo Gallery
479: Community Forums
480: Home
481: Home
482: Member Screenshots
483: Your Account
484: News Archive
485: Home
486: Community Forums
487: Home
488: Home
489: Community Forums
490: Member Screenshots
491: Home
492: Home
493: Member Screenshots
494: Community Forums
495: Home
496: Home
497: Community Forums
498: Your Account
499: Member Screenshots
500: Home
501: Community Forums
502: Home
503: Home
504: Home
505: Community Forums

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
M1A1 Track Center Guides
The AFV ASSOCIATION was formed in 1964 to support the thoughts and research of all those interested in Armored Fighting Vehicles and related topics, such as AFV drawings. The emphasis has always been on sharing information and communicating with other members of similar interests; e.g. German armor, Japanese AFVs, or whatever.
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
MarkHolloway
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 08, 2006
Posts: 2054
Location: Beatty, Nevada
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:50 am
Post subject: M1A1 Track Center Guides

On the newer style of track there are center guides with a 'hole' through them and some that are solid metal. Which is the newer style? Thanks.

_________________
"TUMBLEWEED"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:05 am
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

Tumbleweed,
I took these pictures this week of an XM-1 (FSED), Full-Scale Engineering Development (FSED) pilot vehicles (PV). Its located outside Eastgate here at Ft Hood. It's suppossed to be 1 of 11 built. If this is its original track, maybe it will help with your question. I don't know a lot about M1's but I am learning more every day.



_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:12 am
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

I believe this M1 has the solid center guides, I don't have any closer pictures.

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Sabot
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 380
Location: Kentucky
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:11 am
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

- MarkHolloway
On the newer style of track there are center guides with a 'hole' through them and some that are solid metal. Which is the newer style? Thanks.
Mark, the original style was T-156 with forked teeth, the second style is T-158 with a solid tooth, and the late style is T-158LL with the open hole.

_________________
RobG
Back to top
View user's profile AIM Address
MarkHolloway
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 08, 2006
Posts: 2054
Location: Beatty, Nevada
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:07 pm
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

Thanks, Sabot. That's what I was curious about. Nice photos, Jeff. They tested five of those at Fort Bliss in 1978 I think it was.

_________________
"TUMBLEWEED"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Dontos
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:47 pm
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

- MarkHolloway
Thanks, Sabot. That's what I was curious about. Nice photos, Jeff. They tested five of those at Fort Bliss in 1978 I think it was.


Cool ...1978-79. The primary test area, is all the Tank trails in the area behind Biggs Field.

My Senior year of High School.... Burges HS...(Roy that should sound familiar... )

Wish I had kept one of the signs that used to be posted out there....

WARNING: XM1 TANK TESTING AREA. KEEP OUT!! (or something to that effect)

Don
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
Roy_A_Lingle
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1997
Location: El Paso & Ft Bliss, Texas
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:31 pm
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

Hi Don! Hi Folks!

- Dontos

My Senior year of High School.... Burges HS...(Roy that should sound familiar... )

Wish I had kept one of the signs that used to be posted out there....

WARNING: XM1 TANK TESTING AREA. KEEP OUT!! (or something to that effect)


Hey, did you have anything to do with the Burges band? The old band director is the presdent of the local model club now days.

Keep Out! ? Why? The few times I saw them moving around, it looked like it as a max speed and they were quite! They run over you before you knew one was there!

One day out at Donna Anna Base Camp, a group of us had stopped by the road side to watch a 5-ton wrecker pull the pack out of a Abrams. The wrecker was about 75, maybe 100 yards from the road we were standing on. The only noise I was noticing was the engine on the wrecker when the guy next to me, tapped me and pointed to our rear.

There was an Abrams, following a ground guide, passing about three or four feet away from me and I hadn't noticed it's noise over the wrecker's. When you are around M113s, M551s, and M60s, the noise heard from the front and sides of an Abrams was very low.

I think the Army did it right when they developed the Abrams.
Sgt, Scouts Out!

_________________
"You can never have too much reconnaissance."
General G.S. Patton Jr.
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail
Dontos
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:00 pm
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

- Roy_A_Lingle
Hi Don! Hi Folks!

- Dontos

My Senior year of High School.... Burges HS...(Roy that should sound familiar... )

Wish I had kept one of the signs that used to be posted out there....

WARNING: XM1 TANK TESTING AREA. KEEP OUT!! (or something to that effect)


Hey, did you have anything to do with the Burges band? The old band director is the presdent of the local model club now days.

Keep Out! ? Why? The few times I saw them moving around, it looked like it as a max speed and they were quite! They run over you before you knew one was there!

One day out at Donna Anna Base Camp, a group of us had stopped by the road side to watch a 5-ton wrecker pull the pack out of a Abrams. The wrecker was about 75, maybe 100 yards from the road we were standing on. The only noise I was noticing was the engine on the wrecker when the guy next to me, tapped me and pointed to our rear.

There was an Abrams, following a ground guide, passing about three or four feet away from me and I hadn't noticed it's noise over the wrecker's. When you are around M113s, M551s, and M60s, the noise heard from the front and sides of an Abrams was very low.

I think the Army did it right when they developed the Abrams.
Sgt, Scouts Out!


I used to sit on top of some of the dunes, next to the warning signs, and wait for one of the XM-1's to go zooming by....

....almost got crunched by one, one particular time, while 'parking' out in the desert...... Cool (but then thats a different story, not quite appropriate for this DG. )

Anyway,...... I was in the Choir my senior year. Had a lot of friends in the Band though.

Ah the memories....
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:32 am
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

What are the advantages of the various types of center guides? I also noticed that the rear drive sprocket has different outer plates. Whats the story on these? Do they differentiate between models, or are any of them more rare than another?

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Dontos
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:49 am
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

This 'Old Gal' has the Track retaining ring.


The idea is the retaining ring keeps the track from being thrown off the sprocket. ( IN THEORY!!) It also is supposed to 'knock' loose end connectors back on, thus preventing them from being thrown off ( again.... IN THEORY!!).
The retaining ring is bolted over the sprocket, on the sprocket hub.

Reality Check:

The track retaining ring insured that WHEN a tank threw track (to the outside) it 'sliced' or even 'cut' the track blocks. More damage to more track blocks. Requiring replacement blocks in excess of the 2 or 4 that each tank carried.

Also the retaining ring had to be removed to gain access to the sprocket (if replacement is required). It became a hinderance, so 'we' began leaving the retaining rings off.

Proper and continous Track maint. made the retaining ring useless. I always did a walk around when doing a short halt. Besides one could answer natures call AND have a smoke while checking track....

Crews tended to dismount the #7 skirt while in the field. It was basicly useless, and if the #7 became clogged with mud, it had a tendancy to snap the bolts off on rear 'mud flaps', thus kicked up mud would pile up on the back deck and bustle rack. Personal gear would get trashed.

The #7 skirt there is a typical early skirt(XM-1 & 'slick' M-1) In the mid to late 80's and MWO was applied and this types were cut out to allow mud to fall out of the hub. Like that, mud built up and bulged the skirt out, and then would cause damage to the rear flap. In the late 80's # 7 skirts were made with the cut out. (As seen in this photo)



Sorry for the long winded narrative....
HTH
Don
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:09 am
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

The "long winded narrative" is fine! I'm familiar with the walk-around checks when coming to a quick halt during a road march. On the M106 and 1064's, we needed to check the front drive sproket bolts and prop shaft bolts constantly. One one road march at Ft Hood, we were almost all the way to the 4th ID wash rack when the lead M1064 suddenly veared right and almost into the drainage ditch. I remember the TC being tossed aginst the side of of his hatch when it happened. The whole platoon stopped and ran forward figuring the vehicle had thrown track. But upon walking around everything looked fine.
Upon everyone kinding the driver about being a Moron, we told him to start up the vehicle and straighten the vehicle out. He fired it up and when he put it in gear, BAM BAM BAM. He screamed and shut the vehicle off. The front left prop shaft had sheared loose and had beaten a hole clear through the drivers firewall by his feet. A matter of inches kept him from looseing a toe or more. As I was the only one that ever carried a camera, I took pictures of the damage, (but it was with a 35mm and I can't find them now). That shaft also got caught in the hydralic lines and wiring and ripped everything out. That track was deadlined for over a year due to that hole in the hull and remained so until it was patched.
Now I apologize for being long winded!

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Dontos
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:19 am
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

Oh....Almost forgot.....

Track differences



Don
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
Sabot
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 380
Location: Kentucky
PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:50 am
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

There are two basic styles of track as pictured above. The one on the left (forked) has the canted non-replaceable track pads and the type on the right has replaceable track pads. The replaceable pads were created because the non-replaceable type wore out too quickly. It is cheaper to replace pads than the entire tracks.

The replaceable pad track went to a hollow center guide to try to save on weight and were probably cheaper to manufacture because they used less metal.

The old style track is still showing up in Iraq due to shortages in track stocks. There was nothing wrong with the old style track so it can be used. Even track that wears more quickly is better than having unserviceable track.

As Jeff asks, the solid or hollowed center guides have an advantage over the forked ones in the way they are attached. Look closely, you will see the forked ones are attached with one nut and bolt.

Sometimes the forks get bent inwards and you cannot get a socket over the nut between the tines of the fork. The solid or hollowed ones have two nuts/bolts on each side of the guide. The can be easily removed with out interference from the center guide blade.

_________________
RobG
Back to top
View user's profile AIM Address
Roy_A_Lingle
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1997
Location: El Paso & Ft Bliss, Texas
PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:01 pm
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

Hi Sabot! Hi Folks!

- Sabot

Sometimes the forks get bent inwards and you cannot get a socket over the nut between the tines of the fork. The solid or hollowed ones have two nuts/bolts on each side of the guide. The can be easily removed with out interference from the center guide blade.


I bet many an old tanker who fought with bent forks wished he had thought of the idea of putting the bolts on the outside of the center guide.

Isn't that part of why the M88s carried a cutting torch?
Sgt, Scouts Out!

_________________
"You can never have too much reconnaissance."
General G.S. Patton Jr.
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail
Joe_D
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 29, 2006
Posts: 2068
Location: Razorback Country
PostPosted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:56 pm
Post subject: Re: M1A1 Track Center Guides

Hi everyone,
Another advantage to the T158 center guide was it didn't "sing" when you were moving like the old fork ones did. The old ones acted like a tuning fork that gave that familiar high pitched squeal you'd here for miles. With the new ones you could really be sneaky at night. The noisiest thing was the sprocket crunch which was no where near as loud. Yes, you can be sneaky with a tank. Just have patience and the willingness to ground guide long distances.

Joe D
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board
Page 1 of 2
All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Go to page 1, 2  Next



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum