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Armor/AFV
For discussions on tanks, artillery, jeeps, etc.
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Tread pattern on M47 roadwheels?
jstarn
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Illinois, United States
Joined: July 19, 2014
KitMaker: 80 posts
Armorama: 74 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 18, 2018 - 05:01 PM UTC
The M46, M47, M48, and the entire M60 series all use the same 26x6 tire size, and are interchangeable throughout all the vehicles.

What would the benefit be of using a forklift truck tire, when the world is full of roadwheels?

I seem to remember when the Littlefield collection went to auction, seeing pictures of pallets full of spare roadwheels.

And you can still buy replacements:


http://www.tgl-sp.com/m60-road-wheel
Iraqiwildman
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Missouri, United States
Joined: November 24, 2008
KitMaker: 93 posts
Armorama: 81 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 18, 2018 - 09:19 PM UTC

Quoted Text

The M46, M47, M48, and the entire M60 series all use the same 26x6 tire size, and are interchangeable throughout all the vehicles.

What would the benefit be of using a forklift truck tire, when the world is full of roadwheels?

I seem to remember when the Littlefield collection went to auction, seeing pictures of pallets full of spare roadwheels.

And you can still buy replacements:


http://www.tgl-sp.com/m60-road-wheel


I do not think it was done to benefit the tank. I think it was done as a quick and cheap way to repair the wheel by some third-world user of this tank.
I spent a year at Camp Taji, Iraq, where the Iraqi Army repaired their armor. I saw a lot of this kind of sloppy work in the tank graveyard there. We called it "Haji Engineering"
mag135
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Madrid, Spain / España
Joined: July 08, 2006
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 128 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 18, 2018 - 11:13 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Most M47 in the US are repatriated from Military aid recipients. It looks like the road wheels here had new locally sourced rubber put on from local tire factories that can only mold textured rubber. Looking closely at them they look almost like a tire somehow adapted to fit around the road wheel.


any small shop that makes vulcanized rubber makes them to your requirements. Here you can see Panzer I replica wheels made by us in a small shop here in Madrid, Spain:
https://www.facebook.com/DerErstePanzer/
mag135
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Madrid, Spain / España
Joined: July 08, 2006
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 128 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 18, 2018 - 11:22 PM UTC

Quoted Text

He is a photo of a press-on tire with the metal inner ring still attached. Tank road wheels are usually made as a solid unit - the rubber is vulcanized to the steel wheel. Forklifts and other industrial equipment are made so the solid rubber tire can be pressed off with a hydraulic press and a new tire pressed on.


Me and other friends are currently restoring a Sherman, a M48A5, the Pz IV of El Goloso museum and a Panzer I,and ALL of their wheels are made of two parts, the wheel itself and a steel rim with the rubber on.
Iraqiwildman
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Missouri, United States
Joined: November 24, 2008
KitMaker: 93 posts
Armorama: 81 posts
Posted: Friday, January 19, 2018 - 03:26 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

He is a photo of a press-on tire with the metal inner ring still attached. Tank road wheels are usually made as a solid unit - the rubber is vulcanized to the steel wheel. Forklifts and other industrial equipment are made so the solid rubber tire can be pressed off with a hydraulic press and a new tire pressed on.


Me and other friends are currently restoring a Sherman, a M48A5, the Pz IV of El Goloso museum and a Panzer I,and ALL of their wheels are made of two parts, the wheel itself and a steel rim with the rubber on.


I am probable wrong. I was thinking of the M577 and M109 road wheels from when I was in the Field Artillery. I do not remember them being pressable, but that was 20 years ago.
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