Weasel tracks redeux 2019

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by signsup » Sun Apr 07, 2019 3:54 pm

I'm encouraged. So as to not confuse the track issue, I will start a separate thread when I start the actual work on my conveyor belt band and clip reconstruction. I bid on an auction lot of misc. hardware, nuts and bolts and included in them were some button head cap screws that are 5/16" and if they are the right length might be perfect for my rivet replacement bolts. Fingers crossed but I have to unroll the track I have to get to some removed rivets and trial fit.

I did a test on my using two pieces of 1/2" conveyor belting material glued to each other and then to the grouser for replacement road pads. I obtained a small sample of a special adhesive from ProBond for this use and after curing, I can't separate the two layers or the entire pad from the grouser with my bare hands, so I'm hopeful they will hold up to concrete street wear. I will replace the missing road pads on one set of tracks and trial run them prior to removing and replacing all 220 of them. The ones that are OE are worn, cracked or missing chunks out of them, so I'd replace them all with new rubber and overcoat the entire grouser with liquid rubber.

Here's a photo of what I'm thinking of doing.
road pad.jpg
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Robert Brough
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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by signsup » Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:44 am

Well, saw another set of tracks that Bubba had repaired in the usual way with roller chain, but also something that may or may not have been presented yet as a possible Bubba option.
I will post photo later, but, Bubba ran two steel wire cables replacing the outer bands. He did so by running the wire cables inside fuel line rubber hose. Two cables and hoses per band and bolted through the original cleat rivet holes using nuts, bolts and some sort of off the shelf conduit or cable clamp. Didn't look too bad a job.

I know the steel wire has been an option for repairs, but running them through fuel or vacuum or heater hose would almost follow the theory of the original design of using the rubber to protect the cable and eliminate the need for maintainance.

Just another way to skin the same cat.

On a personal note, my recent attempt to band aid my one track for an upcoming event with roller chain lasted 20 ft. Drove the weasel up my driveway and as soon as I attempted to make a slight turn on concrete, the track snapped two grousers up from the repair. My steel wire must be thin and brittle and any quick fixes will just put strain on different grousers. So I'll so another quick band aid and only winch it on and off my trailer in a straight line and wait for the track off restoration later this summer to create and fashion my own outer bands using the original cleats and layers of conveyor belting material fused together. I may now add wire cable to the inside of the inner bands to reduce strain on the outer bands. I don't want to have to do this track restoration again in my tenure.
Robert Brough
Winston, GA
2018 MVPA Honor Service Award
President, GA MVPA

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by ozm29c » Sat Apr 20, 2019 4:34 pm

signsup,
Attached are photos of an Aussi track repair solution that I found years ago. I can say that they were professionally made.
Cheers JW
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GPW 135997
M29C 7333
M29C 4338

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by loulou » Wed Apr 24, 2019 8:03 am

i have picture of the belts for weasel tracks

but impossible to post

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by T24Tomek » Mon May 13, 2019 10:46 am

Hello. I'm Tomek I write for the first time in this forum sorry for my spelling but I'm using a google translator. I read the Singsup post about sticking the conveyor belt as road pads I also had such an idea :-) Unfortunately, the conveyor belts delaminate when turning. Regarding my experience with the rubber belt, I would like to draw the attention of colleagues that if we leave the internal rubber belt in a damaged condition and we repair the tracks with the chain or conveyor belt changes the place of tensioning the track (originally the place of tension tracks are the inner rubber belt based on wheels) moving away from the wheels will cause breaking of individual links, so it seems to me that the whole should be replaced, I personally intend to use conveyor belts with a width of 170mm. I hope that Google translated my thought understandably .

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by prc148 » Tue May 14, 2019 5:49 pm

Image
These have been working well. No tears, splits or delaminations on asphalt. Bolt on and my buddy is now producing in USA. More info to follow.

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by T24Tomek » Thu May 16, 2019 3:07 am

I see that they are mounted on bolts, but probably not through? on the other side the wheels work as you unfolded the fix you have more pics? I weld flat on both sides of the road pad and the screws give horizontally a flat bar and rubber

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by spider56 » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:29 pm

Hello could you say where can I buy band for tracks for my m29c weasel? Thank s boris

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by Pasturepilot1 » Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:49 am

Weaseler wrote:
Sat Feb 23, 2019 9:27 am
Sprockets are the same size drive wheels have two different sizes how do u know u have correct size drive wheels. People ask for advice then they get some then they want to argue. Inner bands need to be 1” fibers need to all be on one side of the conveyor belting. conveyor belt have different percentage of Stretch 03% 05% 10% wat are u going to use? Do u know the correct grouser spacing old tracks are stretched so u can t use those measurements. There is alot of factors to take in account.
I just bought a restored 1945 M29 Weasel with new rebuilt track using the conveyor belt method. The problem that when turning the inside track bangs and sounds like it is trying to jump off the sprocket. I have looked and the timing looks right. 56 grouser using 7"x1/2" belt and 3"X1/2" belt. The rebuild looks like those pictured in various places. There were no plates under the bolt heads securing the belt to grousers. I noticed Snake River placed a plate spanning two bolts. I have made two short laps around 3 acres covered in tall grass and noticed that one grouser is bent and cracked and that a couple of bolts are trying to pull through the belting at that grouser. Thoughts from experienced Weasel owners are requested.

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by Weaseler » Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:47 am

Is the last boogie wheel towards the rear about 2” higher then the one right next to it if not u need to tighten ur tracks

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by Pasturepilot1 » Tue Aug 06, 2019 11:54 am

I'll have to check but they looked level if I remember correctly.

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by Pasturepilot1 » Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:56 pm

Placed a straight edge on bogie wheels and the last one is 1-1/2" 1-5/8" higher.So I guess I'll try to tighten to 2" or so. Too hot today to start on that.

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by signsup » Mon Aug 12, 2019 2:17 pm

For what it's worth, just got back from MVPA National Convention and 6 weasels were on display, three of which had the Liberty tracks on them. Mike was there from Liberty and his selling price for the set of tracks was $14k. He had a used set for $9k and they were marked SOLD by the end of the show. Talked with many weasel owners and nothing new coming down the pike.

I am still planning on moving forward with my track restoration this wingter using two layers of conveyor belting sandwiched with an original cleat in between the layers. Doing a jig to insure correct spacing and ending up with 4 separate bands and then reattaching the original grousers. Have thicker rubber for road pads, but after seeing the Liberty nylon pads which are bolted in through their special grousers, I may rethink the glued on rubber.
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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by W. Winget » Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:11 pm

Here's a radical thought...Why not make a mold which can cast Urethane (about 60 or so Duro) and place a few welded stainless reinforcing pipes inside the mold, (basically an H pattern) and angled up into the center guide tooth, (An inverted "V" in the center of the H) casting a single traditional shoe, then once removed, insert a stainless bolt or thick wall tube as a link pin to join the track shoes. Could even use steel rectangular pipe cut in say 2" lengths as sprocket liners to decrease wear on the shoe itself and reinforce the liner of the hole.
Basically just like steel Bradley, or M113 style track without the weight of steel and rubber bushings to keep it lighter weight. Cast in the two standoff shoe pads as well, or make them as a separate changeable component.
Labor intensive, and a few shoes per day in a shop, but in the end a replaceable 'soft' shoe system VS continuous band.
Just a random thought from a former Mech Infantry unit leader/instructor.
V/R W Winget
Looking for two pair of the final product either way...

Something like this, it's not to scale or in line with a real Weasel track cross section in this diagram I drew up.
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Looking for 1918 Standard B 'Liberty' truck parts

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Re: Weasel tracks redeux 2019

Post by prc148 » Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:20 pm

signsup wrote:
Mon Aug 12, 2019 2:17 pm
For what it's worth, just got back from MVPA National Convention and 6 weasels were on display, three of which had the Liberty tracks on them. Mike was there from Liberty and his selling price for the set of tracks was $14k. He had a used set for $9k and they were marked SOLD by the end of the show. Talked with many weasel owners and nothing new coming down the pike.

I am still planning on moving forward with my track restoration this wingter using two layers of conveyor belting sandwiched with an original cleat in between the layers. Doing a jig to insure correct spacing and ending up with 4 separate bands and then reattaching the original grousers. Have thicker rubber for road pads, but after seeing the Liberty nylon pads which are bolted in through their special grousers, I may rethink the glued on rubber.
It was Dave Yamuilla you saw with the LAR tracks. I chatted with him Saturday.


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