Installing the Churchill mudguards

[Gary Richardson]

Hi all

I have been looking at how to install the mudguards on the Churchill. I made quite a few modifications to my AVRE and having already installed the lower mudguards and air intakes with covers I was checking page 36 of the manual and noticed it advises removing the lower mudguards ( EX0305) in order to install the top sections (EX0304).
I have not yet decided whether to have the full mudguards or leave out the turret section to show some track. There are photos showing this practice happened to avoid the mudguards jamming the turret, plus it looks interesting.
My question is how to add a method of installing the upper mudguards without having to remove the lower guards each time. I am looking at either a 2mm x 6mm rectangular bar on the rear of part EX0305 with M3 holes tapped in it to match the holes in EX0305 or possibly using M3 reduced head rivet nuts through the holes in EX0305.
I can see from various manufactures the M3 reduced head rivet nuts are between 8.5mm and 9mm in length prior to being installed but I have not been able to confirm the reduction once installed. Bearing in mind the lower mudguard is 1mm thick and the reduced head is 1mm that leaves 7mm prior to constriction.
I am concerned the threaded section will be too long and foul the tracks as it will be fairly close.
If anyone has used M3 rivet nuts or has a spare one they can install into a 1mm piece of material and let me know the result I would be very grateful.

Regards
Gary

[David Hartwell]

Good Morning Garry.

In answer to your question. I have used these a lot over the years and they are a very good fixing. I went off searching and found several tables showing the compressed length under the workpiece. There is a slight variance between manufacturers regarding the overall starting length and this is reflected in the final compressed length. For m3 it was approx 5.5mm- 6.5mm under the workpiece. I haven't got any m3 ones but to check the table I did a little test for you with an m4 one. That compressed length falls between approx 6.5-7.5mm which matches the tables. If you are really tight on space have you considered clinch nuts, they are much shorter. For an example, and there are many other manufacturers of these, I went to the RS site and found m3 ones 827-596. Looking at the data sheet they are very short. I personally have not used these so I have no idea what setting tool you would need to compress them into the workpiece. Hope that helps in some way.

Regards,

Dave.

That is an m4 one through a bit of scrap 1mm.

[Adrian Harris]

> I am concerned the threaded section will be too long and foul the tracks as it will be fairly close.

I don't know the geometry of the Churchill ki, but it is "rear wheel" drive, so the tracks will be pulled taught when driving backwards, so that's something to take into consideration if the sprocket position will lift them from the runners.

Adrian.

[Gary Richardson]

Hi Dave and Adrian

Thanks for the input, its very helpful. I am helping with Guide Dogs for a few more days and will get back to resolving the problems asap.

Regards
Gary

[David Skeldon]

Hi,
In the past I have used a very thin piece of brass or copper bent over and soldered a brass nut on.




David

[Gary Richardson]

Hi,
In the past I have used a very thin piece of brass or copper bent over and soldered a brass nut on.

David

Hi David

That's sounds worth looking at, I am leaning towards an aluminium/brass 2mm thick strip tapped for the bolts and held in place with a couple of countersunk M2 screws. I will try your method as well and see which is going to be easier.

Regards
Gary