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Armor/AFV: Axis - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Axis forces during World War II.
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Why lighting hole in guide horns ??
Seahawk
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Posted: Thursday, March 29, 2018 - 01:43 AM UTC
Just curious, is it to disperse mud or debris, reduce weight ?

Thanks

Jeff
Frenchy
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Posted: Thursday, March 29, 2018 - 02:26 AM UTC
AFAIK, the hollow center guides (guiding teeth) on the Abrams M1A1/A2 T-158LL tracks is an attempt to reduce the weight of the tracks...Maybe it was the same for WW2 tracks ? Or maybe it was just a way to save on the use of steel.

H.P.
Vierville
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Posted: Thursday, March 29, 2018 - 02:58 AM UTC
I read somewhere that it was a way to save steel.
d6mst0
#453
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Posted: Thursday, March 29, 2018 - 03:00 AM UTC

Quoted Text

AFAIK, the hollow center guides (guiding teeth) on the Abrams M1A1/A2 T-158LL tracks is an attempt to reduce the weight of the tracks...Maybe it was the same for WW2 tracks ? Or maybe it was just a way to save on the use of steel.

H.P.


Both.
brekinapez
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Posted: Thursday, March 29, 2018 - 04:26 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

AFAIK, the hollow center guides (guiding teeth) on the Abrams M1A1/A2 T-158LL tracks is an attempt to reduce the weight of the tracks...Maybe it was the same for WW2 tracks ? Or maybe it was just a way to save on the use of steel.

H.P.


Both.


Yes, both is the correct answer.
rfbaer
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Posted: Thursday, March 29, 2018 - 06:50 AM UTC
It's also about what the car guys (and tracked systems guys) call "unsprung weight", and its relationship to suspension performance. In a nut shell, suspension works better when the stuff on the "movable" side of the suspension "spring", or whatever is used as a "spring", is lighter. That would include the swing arm, road wheel, and track.
KurtLaughlin
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Posted: Thursday, March 29, 2018 - 08:43 PM UTC
They are properly called lightening holes, as in to make an object lighter or weigh less.

In some cases they were necessary to allow practical casting of the part.

KL
Removed by original poster on 05/13/19 - 20:02:18 (GMT).
Seahawk
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Posted: Friday, March 30, 2018 - 01:33 AM UTC
Thanks everyone.

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