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Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> Tanks -> Mark IV - track cleats
Post Info TOPIC: Mark IV - track cleats
Gwyn Evans


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Mark IV - track cleats
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...by which I mean those additional spuds seen on the tracks of some tanks.

Anyone know how many were issued to each tank? Or indeed, whether there was aparticular number in a set?In fact information onany aspect of these would be appreciated, such as how were they fitted? Was there any particular approved pattern or patterns in which they were to be fitted (e.g. grouped together, evenly spaced etc)? Did they work? Was there just the one design or were there different types of cleats (I knowof the ones with spikes for the Hush operation, but more details of these alsowelcome)? Are the ones fitted to Mark IIs the same as those fitted to Mark IVs? Were they used on later Marks?

Actually, as I know so little on this, any contribution would help!

Gwyn

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philthydirtyanimal


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Which ones do you mean, Gwyn? I've called them either 'grouser' or 'spud' in the attached photos.



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Mark Hansen


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Gwyn Evans wrote:

...by which I mean those additional spuds seen on the tracks of some tanks.

Anyone know how many were issued to each tank? Or indeed, whether there was aparticular number in a set?In fact information onany aspect of these would be appreciated, such as how were they fitted? Was there any particular approved pattern or patterns in which they were to be fitted (e.g. grouped together, evenly spaced etc)? Did they work? Was there just the one design or were there different types of cleats (I knowof the ones with spikes for the Hush operation, but more details of these alsowelcome)? Are the ones fitted to Mark IIs the same as those fitted to Mark IVs? Were they used on later Marks?

Actually, as I know so little on this, any contribution would help!

Gwyn



Lotsa questions...

...how were they fitted?...
The more common ones as displayed in Phil's picture on the left appear to be fitted by loosening the bolts located on the inside edge of the track holding the two parts of the spud/grouser/cleat together. Slip it over the track between the rivets holding the track plate together and tighten the bolts.

...Was there just the one design or were there different types of cleats...
Just the two types seem apparent from photos.

...Are the ones fitted to Mark IIs the same as those fitted to Mark IVs?...
Looks like it according to contemporaryphotos. The type that is on Bovington's Mk II that Phil has posted could have been fitted at any time.

...Were they used on later Marks?...
They don't appear to have been and if they were used they would only appear on narrow tracked Mk V's. The other type of spud/grouser/cleat could be widened and could be used on narrow and wide tracked Mk V's.

HTH



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Gwyn Evans


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It was the grouser I had in mind. But thanks for those posts both, they do help.

Gwyn

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philthydirtyanimal


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Some people on this forum have said that the grousers were fitted to every sixth track link. But there are plenty of photographs, that I'm sure you've seen, that show the grousers attached all in one section of track apparantly at random. Maybe there was an 'approved method' and then there was 'real life'!

And, looking at photographs, the grousers on Mark I, II and IV tanks all look the same. I havent seen grousers fitted to Mark III or V tanks in any photos.

The official manual for the Mark IV is available to buy. Maybe it has a section on applying grousers?



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philthydirtyanimal


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Maintenance manual thread

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=63528&p=3&topicID=11598921

says it covers track maintenance.

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Gwyn Evans


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Thanks for that, and having looked at the post I can see a question on how to adjust a tank's compass that I think I can answer - if only I can find the right note in the right notebook! I wonder if I can persuade someone to buy me a Mark IV maintenance manual for my birthday?

Gwyn

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Wollhodden


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philthydirtyanimal wrote:

Some people on this forum have said that the grousers were fitted to every sixth track link. But there are plenty of photographs, that I'm sure you've seen, that show the grousers attached all in one section of track apparantly at random. Maybe there was an 'approved method' and then there was 'real life'!

And, looking at photographs, the grousers on Mark I, II and IV tanks all look the same. I havent seen grousers fitted to Mark III or V tanks in any photos.

The official manual for the Mark IV is available to buy. Maybe it has a section on applying grousers?

 

I'd read that there were issued 44 pieces by tank, they were stored in the stowage box on the roof.
Yes, it was reliant by the official manual to fit 30 at all, at each 6th track. But to be honest, it was carried out by the crew at the last moment (they often fall apart on hard ground) and would you count it such precisly? Maybe there also was personal experience to do it in another way..

But what me just came in mind, at most of the models I'd seen they are equally on both tracks.
But this can only be, if the tank was driving forwars since attaching!? Due they have to brake one side to turn in another direction the chains did not always run simultaneously (or get I wrong?!confuse)

Regards,

Oliver



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Willem Visser


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Hello Oliver,

on turning a tank, one track moves and the other slows down, so yes, they could also be uneven placed on a tank that is going over the battlefield. On models you see them perfectly alligned on both sides. smile

I have read that attaching the grousers was sometimes partly done and “the rst of them were thrown in a ditch”.....

Here is a well know picture of a Mark IV with more grousers than at every sxth track i think,

BB14EC0D-5A5D-4864-A8A0-BE7F95C2BAE9.jpeg

best regards,

Willem



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Wollhodden


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That's an interesting picture! Maybe they found some additional ones in a ditch? biggrin
But also there they are alligned.



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