Can’t find any actual pictures of that and wanted to know if they were clamped or otherwise secured up there?

Doing some work on the new Takom kit which by the way is very nice. The kit instructions and some other builds I’ve seen show the spare drive sprockets stored laying across the top of the boom. Can’t find any actual pictures of that and wanted to know if they were clamped or otherwise secured up there?

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Doing some work on the new Takom kit which by the way is very nice. The kit instructions and some other builds I’ve seen show the spare drive sprockets stored laying across the top of the boom. Can’t find any actual pictures of that and wanted to know if they were clamped or otherwise secured up there?

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Looking in Heavy Wrecker a few shots suggest either brackets or upstanding bolts roughly along the centre-line of the zigzag top bracing. My guess is maybe a strap-metal hoop to catch a sprocket tooth at one end and a bolt in a tapped hole at the other end of each sprocket ring, using the mounting holes already present. (They cannot be loose, or they'd be shaken off pretty quick...)

By the way, did the tranny cover come without casting marks, or did you shave off kit marks before adding Archer marks?

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27-1025 -
Doing some work on the new Takom kit which by the way is very nice. The kit instructions and some other builds I’ve seen show the spare drive sprockets stored laying across the top of the boom. Can’t find any actual pictures of that and wanted to know if they were clamped or otherwise secured up there?

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Barkingdigger -
Looking in Heavy Wrecker a few shots suggest either brackets or upstanding bolts roughly along the centre-line of the zigzag top bracing. My guess is maybe a strap-metal hoop to catch a sprocket tooth at one end and a bolt in a tapped hole at the other end of each sprocket ring, using the mounting holes already present. (They cannot be loose, or they'd be shaken off pretty quick...)

By the way, did the tranny cover come without casting marks, or did you shave off kit marks before adding Archer marks?

Chris: On page 7 of Zaloga's "US Armored Funnies" is a picture of an M31B1. You can make out two bolts sticking out of the diagonal framework slats that a sprocket would be secured into place. In pictures of the Latrun M31, you see holes where they were. I'll get some pics to you later.

Doing some work on the new Takom kit which by the way is very nice. The kit instructions and some other builds I’ve seen show the spare drive sprockets stored laying across the top of the boom. Can’t find any actual pictures of that and wanted to know if they were clamped or otherwise secured up there?

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Doing some work on the new Takom kit which by the way is very nice. The kit instructions and some other builds I’ve seen show the spare drive sprockets stored laying across the top of the boom. Can’t find any actual pictures of that and wanted to know if they were clamped or otherwise secured up there?

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This is a scan of the picture from the service manual. Years ago a WWII vet gave me a folder with all the prints used in the manual.

The spare sprockets were held on with bolts through the holes in the sprockets into the zig zag straps. A couple are clear, but a couple are not, and probably covered by the cables. The center sprocket is very clear, so that should be how the other two are.

https://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/500/M31_top.jpg

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Doing some work on the new Takom kit which by the way is very nice. The kit instructions and some other builds I’ve seen show the spare drive sprockets stored laying across the top of the boom. Can’t find any actual pictures of that and wanted to know if they were clamped or otherwise secured up there?

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This is a scan of the picture from the service manual. Years ago a WWII vet gave me a folder with all the prints used in the manual.

The spare sprockets were held on with bolts through the holes in the sprockets into the zig zag straps. A couple are clear, but a couple are not, and probably covered by the cables. The center sprocket is very clear, so that should be how the other two are.

https://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/500/M31_top.jpg

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I think we have a winner!!! Great picture and thank you very much for sharing that.

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m4sherman -
Doing some work on the new Takom kit which by the way is very nice. The kit instructions and some other builds I’ve seen show the spare drive sprockets stored laying across the top of the boom. Can’t find any actual pictures of that and wanted to know if they were clamped or otherwise secured up there?

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This is a scan of the picture from the service manual. Years ago a WWII vet gave me a folder with all the prints used in the manual.

The spare sprockets were held on with bolts through the holes in the sprockets into the zig zag straps. A couple are clear, but a couple are not, and probably covered by the cables. The center sprocket is very clear, so that should be how the other two are.

https://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/500/M31_top.jpg

m4sherman -
Found a view from the underside. It looks like the sprockets were bolted on using bolts with jam nuts. Maybe the same bolts used to hold the sprockets to the hubs.

https://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/500/M31_under.jpg

Found a view from the underside. It looks like the sprockets were bolted on using bolts with jam nuts. Maybe the same bolts used to hold the sprockets to the hubs.

https://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/500/M31_under.jpg

Nice progress. That mounting method looks good. Is that string supplied in the kit? Good quality I don't see any loose fibers sticking out.

Thanks Chris,
Your build looks absolutely first rate! Was trying real hard to resist going out and buying one, but you are making it very hard to continue to put up much of a fight.
Cheers,
Rick