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So after 6 years of saving up I bought a BRDM2...

Tascabe

Tascabe

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kcimb said:
Arrived home today. I'm happy to report it drove...but has a bad head gasket. Brakes work. It is still very trashed on the inside and needs to get blasted all over with sand and repainted.

Needs new batteries. I'm removing all the swim gear and radios soon. It's simply too hot to work on it and I need to sit back and pay some bills off.
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First - Congrats on getting it home and it driving - even if it needs more work that is a great feeling to drive your new toy around. I cannot wait until i can drive my BTR-152 under its own power.

Second - do you plan on putting all the radio gear back in when you are done repainting it? If not I wouldn't mind talking to you about helping you dispose of it :)
 
kcimb

kcimb

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Tascabe said:
First - Congrats on getting it home and it driving - even if it needs more work that is a great feeling to drive your new toy around. I cannot wait until i can drive my BTR-152 under its own power.

Second - do you plan on putting all the radio gear back in when you are done repainting it? If not I wouldn't mind talking to you about helping you dispose of it :)
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I'm planning on keeping it as original as possible except for the swim gear, vane, and wheels. Those are going. Afaik the wheels can propel it in the water. The trim vane is tore up and will need to be blasted and welded/patched.
 
Tascabe

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Taking out the belly wheels is a pretty drastic change from original - but it is your toy and I hear that mod is a common one to give more room inside :)

The wheels may be able to make it move in the water but you will have no navigational control of it.


All that said - I may be interested in any parts to have on hand as spares for when myself or others get their BRDM-2s...finally.
 
BiffJ

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The wheels don't drive it in the water....the propeller does. The prop is in the rear with a cover over it. Levers near the driver open the cover and engage the prop for drive in the water. There is "rudder" just behind the prop to control direction. It is basically a waterjet like a jetski or Seadoo. It is all driven off the transfer case.
The center wheels are there to prevent high center type problems with the long flat bottom of the vehicle. They also add more propulsion in areas where the main drive is marginal. They are chain driven off a drive shaft which is in turn driven from the transfer case. If you don't ever intend to off road the thing than removing the center wheels may not cause any problems. It doesn't really gain you any room inside however unless you cut away the internal boxes which house them. In reality the inside of the vehicle is plenty big and losing the wheels will detract from the value in the future.

Frank
 
3dAngus

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I love these stories.

Amazing the US. Govt says it costs taxpayers about $1million each to bring home a US vehicle, but we can get the Iraqi/Russian vehicles back home for only $thousands.

Keep up the good work. Good thread read here.
 
L

L1A1

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BiffJ said:
The center wheels are there to prevent high center type problems with the long flat bottom of the vehicle. They also add more propulsion in areas where the main drive is marginal. They are chain driven off a drive shaft which is in turn driven from the transfer case. If you don't ever intend to off road the thing than removing the center wheels may not cause any problems. Frank
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Always thought that they were just "rollers" & not powered. Learn something new everyday (thanks).
Matt
 
kcimb

kcimb

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3dAngus said:
I love these stories.

Amazing the US. Govt says it costs taxpayers about $1million each to bring home a US vehicle, but we can get the Iraqi/Russian vehicles back home for only $thousands.

Keep up the good work. Good thread read here.
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To be fair thought the British Army and the Iraqi republican guard did most of the transport work :mrgreen:

Work is hopefully starting next month again and will continue until it gets completed.
 
L

L1A1

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Another Ahab said:
Subscribed. Great project, and one wild machine. Want to learn more:

- Excuse the ignorance, but what are the "belly wheels" all about?
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The belly wheels were an aid for cross country travel as the large flat belly plate would/could cause grounding issues.
Matt
 
Tascabe

Tascabe

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Depending on what all radios and such you had planned to take out - I might be interested in buying them - could help fund more work on your toy :)
 
datadawg

datadawg

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L1A1 said:
The belly wheels were an aid for cross country travel as the large flat belly plate would/could cause grounding issues.
Matt
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When I was looking at the BRDM's, I read that some of the units had the belly wheels taken out in order to increase interior room. The way they sit, they are very intrusive in the space and get lowered to make ground contact. I understand they are also chain driven, so a part of me questions how durable the setup can be, when propelling a big beast offroad. On the other hand, the Russians had to make their gear conscript proof, so maybe the chains are super sized and don't break?
 
Another Ahab

Another Ahab

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datadawg said:
When I was looking at the BRDM's, I read that some of the units had the belly wheels taken out in order to increase interior room. The way they sit, they are very intrusive in the space and get lowered to make ground contact. I understand they are also chain driven, so a part of me questions how durable the setup can be, when propelling a big beast offroad. On the other hand, the Russians had to make their gear conscript proof, so maybe the chains are super sized and don't break?
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It's a cultural thing; If it's Russian, it's likely engineered solid:


russian.jpg
 
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