• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Working On The M561 Gama Goat

mkcoen

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,637
381
83
Location
Spring Branch, TX
Got #2 tire on this morning. The fronts were the best tires I had to start and 1 wouldn't hold air and this one had serious side wall cracks. The others are 10x worse. Of course I put the best new tires on the front but even the others are worlds better than whats on it now.
 

Attachments

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,991
4,536
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
Got #2 tire on this morning. The fronts were the best tires I had to start and 1 wouldn't hold air and this one had serious side wall cracks. The others are 10x worse. Of course I put the best new tires on the front but even the others are worlds better than whats on it now.
I'm guessing it's the UV damage that beats up the rubber, because those 30-year old tires (likely in covered storage all that time), look brand spanking new compared to the existing tires. You know anything about rubber, mkcoen; is that it?
 
Last edited:

mkcoen

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,637
381
83
Location
Spring Branch, TX
I'm guessing it's the UV damage that beats up the rubber, because those 30-year old tires (likely in covered storage all that time), look brand spanking new compared to the existing tires. You know anything about rubber, mckoen; is that it?
There's a lot of factors but UV damage is definately one of them. The problem with the tires that came on the Goat is that they were flat for a long time so sitting with a lot of weight on the side walls. The new tires were probably from a more active agency that kept them aired up.
 

mkcoen

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,637
381
83
Location
Spring Branch, TX
Those tires do look good!
Turns out the 1st wheel I painted and put on has a different tread pattern on the tire. I guess I'll pull that one and keep it as a spare so I have the same tread on all the shoes. Still there's 90%+ on all 6 it's just the oddball one still had the center mold ridge so it was basically brand new. Hopefully it'll stay that way as I really don't want to have to break out a spare.

The tread on the full set comes half way down the side wall where as the oldball ends at the edge of the side wall.

IMG_3399.jpgimage.jpg
 
Last edited:

combat32

Well-known member
1,639
106
63
Location
Booneville AR.
You must be living right, from what I understand those are hard to come by. Is that oddball tire a good year? Got the rings today thanks,
 

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,991
4,536
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
You must be living right, from what I understand those are hard to come by. Is that oddball tire a good year? Got the rings today thanks,
I'm not a machinist, but I'm thinking any good metal shop could fabricate that in about 15 minutes.

Don't get me wrong; I mean it's a WHOLE lot less trouble agreed when you can just click "purchase" on the lapto; and I love that, but you know what I mean.

Where did you find the mount mkcoen?
 

mkcoen

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,637
381
83
Location
Spring Branch, TX
I'm not a machinist, but I'm thinking any good metal shop could fabricate that in about 15 minutes.

Where did you find the mount mkcoen?
The problem is, without an example you'd never fab one correctly. There is a slight angle to the pipe that doesn't show up in the photo or in the TMs. Yes I could fake it but I prefer things original if possible.

See post #386 for the story of how I got it.
 

TexAndy

Active member
1,427
15
38
Location
Bee County, Texas
The problem is, without an example you'd never fab one correctly. There is a slight angle to the pipe that doesn't show up in the photo or in the TMs. Yes I could fake it but I prefer things original if possible.

See post #386 for the story of how I got it.

I can get some drops from the machinist here in town and you can give them to kieth. He can make reproductions using your mount as a model.
 

mkcoen

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,637
381
83
Location
Spring Branch, TX
Left side tires now changed out. I also got the missing lift rings and rear tow shackles installed. Two more tires and the M60 mount and I might take a day or two off.
 

Attachments

m38inmaine

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,110
63
48
Location
Maine USA
Mark that looks much better. I too have a tire dilemma, I have like new tread but a lot of sidewall rot, not quite as bad as the one pictured. Most of them are recap tires. I did have all the lifting rings, rear shackles in the mail. I have two styles of those tailgate bumpers as well, one carrier has dual bumpers on each side and one has singles.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks