24Km march across the beacons, any advice?

[White Noise]

Replace 'Oh no' with ohhh yesssss!!!! I know exactly what to expect up there in terms of terrain, I was atop Pen-y-fan the week before last and had a good look at it, looks like my ideal weather as well. If you think I'm taking all this very lightly then believe me when I say I expect hell up there!! It wont be easy or painless. however I prepare for the worst but maintain high spirits its no good trying to do something unhappy and depressed!

 

No disrespect intended . Why do you ask for advice when you know what ur doing . Walk the walk , then talk ya talk

[TArrryan]

No disrespect intended . Why do you ask for advice when you know what ur doing . Walk the walk , then talk ya talk

 

I see your point and I didn't mean to sound the way I did, only I can prepare myself psychologically, however I'm open too all ideas regarding training. I know the basics of what I'm doing but there is always a better way of doing it and I wanted first hand advice no amount of reading can provide, the advice of people here has proved invaluable, everyone here has my deepest gratitude for thier advice so far!!

 

No prob - REME and still in. Done almost 30 years and only 2 to go til civvy street. Long story but they need some expertise that can't be taught overnight to a new boy so easier to keep me than transfer the knowledge.

 

nice job you have there, I don't suppose you deal with the tank side of things do you? I might have to pick your brains regarding a little project I have in mind later on

 

oh and I completed my benchmark test run In a new time today, ran 35% / walked 65% 2 miles to the beech in exactly 20 minutes with 35lb, knocked 3 minutes off the previous time, completed the return in 28 minutes (walking only) and knocked 5 off Ill make the test run longer as I get fitter

[White Noise]

Sorry Ive just read my post . Think it had a bit to do with a rubbish day at work followed by a few shots of Captain Morgans Rum . All the best .

[TArrryan]

Sorry Ive just read my post . Think it had a bit to do with a rubbish day at work followed by a few shots of Captain Morgans Rum . All the best .

 

: not a problem, we all have out moments. anyone got a idea what my second sponsored charity should be?

[armybloke]

I have an 'in' on tanks - what you got in mind trooper??

[TArrryan]

well I have always had a fascination with engineering, i might seem a little over my head but I wanna design and put together my own tracked vehicle I know it would be extremely difficult but that's why I don't plan to build one for a good few years yet (or until I move out !!) instead I spend my time planning and brainstorming ideas, parts like the engine and gearbox are too complex for me to build first hand but integrating it will be fun. then of course I have tracks, steering, drive train, chassis/body, suspension, etc etc

What I'm having trouble with right now is the hydro-gas suspension, I have the pneumatic/hydraulic side roughed out in my head so I can have a variable suspension (hard and soft, higher/lower) but I'm having trouble putting together a actual suspension unit that will be strong enough! vertical motion aint a problem but horizontal will tear my ideas apart (and I have allot!)

 

go on, tell me I'm mad like everyone else does!! if anything its the planning, designing and testing I really enjoy.

[Mike Hill]

Why not have all the idler's running on Torsion Blocks?

I think many AFV's have a similar system but comprising of Torsion Bars.

 

A Tractor Engine,Gearbox and Rear Diff would work.You need the independent Breaking that will turn a Tracked machine,I think all 2wd Tractors have that.

 

You could Weld up a Steel Sub Frame from Tube,mount your Engine and Drive Train on it.Then make Brackets for the Torsion Bocks and bolt them to it.Then Clad the Sub frame in Mild Sheet Steel.

 

You would need to Have an adjustment system to Tension the Tracks,that would be up the Front at the fore most Wheel on each side.

 

If you used small Car Rims for your Idlers and welded Flanges around them you could probably run Rubber Excavator Tracks.

 

Probably cheaper and easier to buy an Argo and put some Tracks on it though.

[armybloke]

A trip to the Tank Museum at Bovington will enlighten you and quench your thirst for ideas on the 'how' element. Torsion bars with hydrogas suspension is the way forward. It gives a smooth and even ride maintaining road wheels to track contact whilst transitting uneven terrian. The problem you will have is weight. You need the weight of armour to make all this work (or ballast I guess). Having a light-weight tracked vehicle negates the suspension issue to some extent as you wont have the weight to impact ride-height sufficiently. The drive train (engine to track) will be an enormous feat of engineering if starting from scratch? I take it you have got 30 years of spare life and a few £100K? Why not buy a scrap tank then redevelop it into something you want rather than building from nuts and bolts? Sounds like a plan but a barking one to be honest - having worked on these 60 ton pieces of metal for sometime you'll spend most of your time fixing it rather than riding in it!

[TArrryan]

I plan to visit the museum soon! Ill be making allot of notes and taking allot of pictures.

 

Your right, it is a barking idea. however its a plan that will challenge me and push my limits forcing me to learn more. its not fun if its easy

 

thankyou for your suggestion, I'll look into torsion bars with greater detail soon, I have just finished exploring the idea of leaf spring layouts etc, I have plans for a adjustable Hydrogas suspension unit for each of the 10-12 road wheels, pressure controllable from within the drivers compartment using a mix of pneumatics and hydraulics. hard to explain my idea here though!! in its simplest form I suppose I'm using a pneumatic pump to fill the hydro gas tank and then topping up the pressure with hydraulic flow to my desired pressure, theoretically it should give me zero to very high Pressure.

 

I have a plan to use lead ballast, it will also allow me to balance the tank so its not too front/rear heavy. however you have reminded me of another Idea I had, It involves a cylinder with a heavy weight inside, by moving the weight forwards or backwards you can shift the centre of gravity to your liking. I have the think it should allow steeper banks to be climbed (or sheer banks | ) as the extra weight will be applied to the front end pressing it into the bank. ha ha the ideas i think of while working!!!

 

originally I thought the drive train would be a pain in the arse, but after thought the only hard bit I can think of is creating a watertight seal to the drive sprocket, I can send the power from the engine to a lorry differential, from there the power is split between the L & R I'll need the think of a strong braking mechanism to provide skid steer on either side of the diff, from there it should simply be a matter of sending the drive straight out the side to the sprocket (I think a suitably large flange cut up will suffice to start with) hmmm is it possible to take two brake calipers and mount them in such a way that you can fit two or more on a brake disc? might burn out quickly or last longer as the strain is being shared by 2-4 calipers!!

 

I have many years before I can go ahead with it though I wont be allowed to build a tank on the drive at home!! Ill just have to plan and brainstorm my ideas for now

 

On topic again!! I have bought a 100L (plus two 12.5L pockets) bergen to hike in, I cant find my old bergen and my little bag isn't up to the task, might as well get use to one now rather than later