Universal Carrier Nr 34

[Graham P Hough]

My UC Nr 34 arrived today a day early. Brilliant. After a massive unpack and sort I started the dry build with the suspension units. However please tell me if I am wrong but on 02 Front Bogie Assembly I found that the swing arm pivot in ER0231 for ER020M hole is 6mm dia, whereas it is to take the 5mm x 48mm pin. The 5mm pin fits in the swing arm ER0204M correctly but is slack in ER0231. I solved the problem by pressing on a short length of split 5.5 mm dia brass tube which expands to fit the 'extra' 1mm. All the rest so far fits beautifully.

[Steve Stuart]

The newspapers have not picked up these Monoliths that seem to be appearing all over the planet, is it that they are not shiny, mirrored?
I know that they will have transformative consequences on those who have received them!
I am going to start on mine in the New Year, so I will be pleased to follow the steps already taken by others.
Steve

[Adrian Harris]

Apparently there are steel bushes which fit in the 6mm hole but theydidn't make it to the parts list, so didn't get packed with the kit.

Adrian.

[Graham P Hough]

Ah that explains it. Little job for my lathe, revised idea to make a proper sleeve than the split brass tube.

[Armortek]

You have the parts. They were packed in the bag with the manual and certificate.

[Graham P Hough]

Brilliant - I wondered what those were

[Nige Dalton]

hi Graham

I'm close behind you with No 29, also playing with the suspension mounts. I too am glad to know what the sleeves are for. Did you put the spring assy together on the suspension units? For me the rear units are fine 7.9mm boss' and springs with internal diameter of 8.2. But the front units its the same 7.9mm boss' but the internal diameter of the springs is 7.7mm. Do/did you have a technique to open the springs a touch to get them on the boss? although I suspect they shouldn't be under tension on the boss. Hope I'm not being a thick electrical engineer wandering into the mechanical world! I don't have a lathe to shave a bit off the bosses.

Nige

[Graham P Hough]

Nige, I had the same issue, lucky for me I have an old Boxford lathe and turned down the bosses on ER0209 and ER0208. I suppose you could put them in a drill bit and file them down, it isn't much to take off.
You may find that parts ER0218 will not bed down on ER0231, the main casting for the front bogie, I filed off one side of the two ER0218 to fit.
This is a brilliant kit so far - wonderful engineering, I really don't know how Armortek make all these parts. So far one or two adjustments need to be made but isn't that the joy of these kits.
If you look at the suspension on a full sized vehicle you will see the swing arms ER0204, are shaped with a rounder and profile, and the spring ties have a castle nut on a short tube as my photo, Steve Winstone has M3 castle nuts for sale.

[John Clarke]

Great pictures Graham.

[Christoffer Ahlfors]

Those trucks are awesome!

[John_Allgood]

Thanks for the photos. I'm certain I will be looking at these again when I start my build.

[Graham P Hough]

Bit more work today. These sprocket axles are beautifully made - great to use and lovely to look at.

[Graham P Hough]

You know for the price of this wonderful model I could have bought a new 125cc AJS (Chinese) motorbike, but I have enough bikes for now and I love building this UC. I have been working on the chassis today, what we do without laser cutters, just look at the grill and small metal parts. If you want to upgrade the look of drive sprocket hubs you can machine a shallow dome on the outer hub and BA10 nuts will complete the look. I will post photos when I do it. I don't know hard it is to buy BA10 nuts but I stole these off my son when I pinched his stock of small hardware.

[Graham P Hough]

I love working on this model. Today spent most time on making engine cover handles from 5mm brass tube, slit and opened up, and soft soldered to the cover. From the photo I note one needs resetting. Original handles are 'staggered' on the covers. Also I noticed that the rifle holders, butt end, are fixed to the engine cover and not on a spacer as instructions. I countersunk the blocks for csk screws and tapped the cover 2.5mm to receive them. Csk screws spare from the 25pdr kit.

[Dave Dibb (Armorpax)]

Hi Graham,

I have done the same with the Butt cups for the Enfields but also moved them back to the edge of the grille. I'm going to make a new rear bracket for the middle grab handle to bring it horizontal.

If you bend down the tab that sticks out on the front clips so both sides are the same looks much better.

I found that just running a Dremel round the inside of the springs where they have been cut avoided any machining.

Best regards

Dave