Ace Models

[PR19_Kit]

Is this the vehicle that you could "wind up" the transmission because of the odd drive system?

Yes, the Stalwart didn't have normal differentials and it was possible to get it into a situation where all six wheels were going at the same speed even when it was turning. That didn't do the gearboxes and drive shafts any good whatsoever, which exactly why they asked us to strain the various parts to see which ones would be likely to break.

The answer was 'all of them', and I think Alvis installed a centre differential as a result, but the ones I worked on were very early prototypes and I never have had a look at a service vehicle to see how they sorted it out.

[rickshaw]

Is this the vehicle that you could "wind up" the transmission because of the odd drive system?

Yes.  Stalwarts were unique in that respect.   If driven on hard surfaces, the transmissions would become "wound up" and need "unwinding".  This could be accomplished driving over rough surfaces like a line of railway sleepers or even the edge of kerbs in a carpark.   Loose surfaces like mud/gravel allowed the drive system to "play" sufficiently to prevent them becoming "wound up".

What I find interesting is that the Wikipedia claims that Australia used the Stalwart but I have never seen any photos of any of our defence forces using them.   I can't find any photos online, either and I've searched fairly extensively.  There are two or more presently in private hands in the country, imported from the UK after they were sold off at the end of the Cold War.   

[zenrat]

...Stalwarts were unique in that respect.   If driven on hard surfaces, the transmissions would become "wound up" and need "unwinding".  This could be accomplished driving over rough surfaces...

...like the roads round my way.

I've been told similar things about the transmission "winding up" on Toyota Land Cruisers, Off Road Dump Trucks and Wheel Loaders if driven on concrete or bitumen in all wheel drive mode.

[kitnut617]

...Stalwarts were unique in that respect.   If driven on hard surfaces, the transmissions would become "wound up" and need "unwinding".  This could be accomplished driving over rough surfaces...

...like the roads round my way.

I've been told similar things about the transmission "winding up" on Toyota Land Cruisers, Off Road Dump Trucks and Wheel Loaders if driven on concrete or bitumen in all wheel drive mode.

My old 93' Suburban 4X4 which had limited-slip differentials both ends, would do that if I needed to go to full turn with the steering (over here it's called 'binding') but just driving it on gravel, mud or snow would un-bind it. I haven't experienced it yet with my new Dodge Ram 4X4 though --
although the transmission is all electric (I think) and has 8 gears plus the reverse and 4x4 low (I guess you could call it a 17 gear ---- 

[PR19_Kit]

We only got the 'wind-up'  testing the Stalwart at MIRA while dong the sharp turn tests on the Steering Circle, and the Alvis test driver would take a run around the Cross Country course afterward to 'unwind' it.

Not exactly the smoothest test runs I've ever had I must admit, but we only did one lap at a time, thank goodness!

[Hobbes]

...Stalwarts were unique in that respect.   If driven on hard surfaces, the transmissions would become "wound up" and need "unwinding".  This could be accomplished driving over rough surfaces...

...like the roads round my way.

I've been told similar things about the transmission "winding up" on Toyota Land Cruisers, Off Road Dump Trucks and Wheel Loaders if driven on concrete or bitumen in all wheel drive mode.

Depends on the differential setup. If you lock the differentials, this would happen. On a Land Cruiser, you'd have to unlock the diffs before driving on roads.

[zenrat]

...Stalwarts were unique in that respect.   If driven on hard surfaces, the transmissions would become "wound up" and need "unwinding".  This could be accomplished driving over rough surfaces...

...like the roads round my way.

I've been told similar things about the transmission "winding up" on Toyota Land Cruisers, Off Road Dump Trucks and Wheel Loaders if driven on concrete or bitumen in all wheel drive mode.

Depends on the differential setup. If you lock the differentials, this would happen. On a Land Cruiser, you'd have to unlock the diffs before driving on roads.

That makes sense.  Not sure about the cruisers but the Moxies and the Loaders had lockable diffs and were really designed to be used off road not on.

...my new Dodge Ram 4X4...has 8 gears plus the reverse and 4x4 low (I guess you could call it a 17 gear ---- 

What?  no reverse in 4x4 low? 

[kitnut617]

...Stalwarts were unique in that respect.   If driven on hard surfaces, the transmissions would become "wound up" and need "unwinding".  This could be accomplished driving over rough surfaces...

...like the roads round my way.

I've been told similar things about the transmission "winding up" on Toyota Land Cruisers, Off Road Dump Trucks and Wheel Loaders if driven on concrete or bitumen in all wheel drive mode.

Depends on the differential setup. If you lock the differentials, this would happen. On a Land Cruiser, you'd have to unlock the diffs before driving on roads.

That makes sense.  Not sure about the cruisers but the Moxies and the Loaders had lockable diffs and were really designed to be used off road not on.

...my new Dodge Ram 4X4...has 8 gears plus the reverse and 4x4 low (I guess you could call it a 17 gear ---- 

What?  no reverse in 4x4 low? 

  ok it's an 18 gear   

[PR19_Kit]

...Stalwarts were unique in that respect.   If driven on hard surfaces, the transmissions would become "wound up" and need "unwinding".  This could be accomplished driving over rough surfaces...

...like the roads round my way.

I've been told similar things about the transmission "winding up" on Toyota Land Cruisers, Off Road Dump Trucks and Wheel Loaders if driven on concrete or bitumen in all wheel drive mode.

Depends on the differential setup. If you lock the differentials, this would happen. On a Land Cruiser, you'd have to unlock the diffs before driving on roads.

That makes sense.  Not sure about the cruisers but the Moxies and the Loaders had lockable diffs and were really designed to be used off road not on.

...my new Dodge Ram 4X4...has 8 gears plus the reverse and 4x4 low (I guess you could call it a 17 gear ---- 

What?  no reverse in 4x4 low? 

  ok it's an 18 gear   

One of my bikes has 20 gears, another has 21, and I'm building one that has 63.......... 

[Weaver]

Could see that Salamander converted into a whiff riot-control vehicle with mesh over the windows and police markings....

Other things of note on that page:

The Centauro tank destroyer is gorgeous and a good basis for all sorts of whiffery.

The VBL scout car is seen all over the world and is a good generic armoured 'jeep' shape.

The Cockerill gun turret on the LAV-150 is begging to get transplanted onto all sorts of other hulls. The first thing that occurs to me is to put the gun barrel on the Saladin turret and then fit the V-150 with a 20-30mm autocannon.

The T-35A is steampunk as hell...

The Nona-SVK turret (120mm breach-loading mortar) is another prime candidate for turret swaps.

[NARSES2]

Just had a look at the catalogue and they do some really nice artillery pieces, bet they are fiddly though.

The T-35A is steampunk as hell...

Couldn't find that on the site Harold ? One of my favourite tanks

[Captain Canada]

Is that ever a tasty collection ! I'm in for more than a few 

[Weaver]

Just had a look at the catalogue and they do some really nice artillery pieces, bet they are fiddly though.

The T-35A is steampunk as hell...

Couldn't find that on the site Harold ? One of my favourite tanks

It's on that New for 2017 page that Thorvic posted: http://acemodel.com.ua/pages/ace_2017_catalogue.pdf

Page III, at the bottom.

[NARSES2]

Cheers 

[Thorvic]

Could see that Salamander converted into a whiff riot-control vehicle with mesh over the windows and police markings....

Other things of note on that page:

The Centauro tank destroyer is gorgeous and a good basis for all sorts of whiffery.

The VBL scout car is seen all over the world and is a good generic armoured 'jeep' shape.

The Cockerill gun turret on the LAV-150 is begging to get transplanted onto all sorts of other hulls. The first thing that occurs to me is to put the gun barrel on the Saladin turret and then fit the V-150 with a 20-30mm autocannon.

The T-35A is steampunk as hell...

The Nona-SVK turret (120mm breach-loading mortar) is another prime candidate for turret swaps.

Yeap lots of What-If potential what about the Cockeril gun or maybe the Centauro turret on a modified warrior hull as a medium tank.

Now with them doing the Stalwart and the ALVIS range together with the Centurions, we could do with them coming up with the Bedford RL to go with them as that type really has a lot of potential