Workshop Wednesday: FINAL ASSEMBLY of the 1943 StuG III ZF Gearbox!

[@bumblebeebob]

I can't get over how beautiful everything about that transmission is!

[@markedwards158]

Another magnificent video showing a true master craftsman at work. The thing I love about Aus Armour is that you show us a side of armour others dont. You show us the engineering that went into making these pieces, and not just “Here is a Tank, and its scary because” type of video. You guys are master craftsmen who really educate us in the whole process of design and manufacture. Truly outstanding. Thank you.

[@plainnpretty]

well said

[@Cadadadry]

It also shows us why, I guess, it's always preferable to properly maintain rather than brutalize a gearbox...

[@DIVERBLOKE1]

You have to admire the German Engineering here and how tight everything fits and how technical the transmission is inside. Bravo for remembering how it all goes back together. Thanks also for the clear demonstration of the process. If it was in the US we would have endless reminders and flashbacks and sensational announcements of simply putting on a circlip. You guys got on with it and as an engineer myself, I appreciate that. I'll come and see you in a few years as I'm coming over.

[@markhorrell9213]

I hear you mate. These guys could rebuild the Ark n have it running better than Noah!

[@tednordquist5266]

You forgot about the part where the huge unhealthy guy pitches a fit and some boss man yells “You’re outta here!”

[@stephenyoud6125]

Outstanding job Steve & Co. That was one helluva puzzle and could’ve gone horribly wrong. I find the amazing thing with this is that someone had to conceive of this and draw it up with paper pencil and set square Moore than 80 years ago. Incredible

[@bigmac60]

It’s almost like life existed before electronics 😂😂

[@georgejohnson7591]

@@bigmac60 Isambard says, hold my beer!

[@roderernst9990]

@@georgejohnson7591 Germans had beer breaks up to 70s!!

[@TiredOldSparky]

Exactly...

[@Michael-he7xn]

And the fact that all this fine craftsmanship (design / build) was accomplished during wartime. Kinda demonstrates how creative some people can be while others are bent on destruction. Great series guys!

[@depleteduraniumcowboy3516]

Wow. Steve is some sort of mechanical tech wizard. That was an amazing video.

[@willdsm08]

Just think of how much time he spent reading up on how it goes together, along with fiddling off camera to get it right, before he puts it together so effortlessly on camera. Steve deserves a medal.

[@dave499]

I'm really enjoying the mechanical videos with Steve. Great explainer, commentator, and occasional comedian.

[@clchan1953]

Hearing that transmission shift through its gears is just pure ASMR

[@thedeathwobblechannel6539]

It's probably going to shift really good with a modern high-performance lubricant in it. Probably work better than it did when it was new. 👍👍👍

[@obsidianjane4413]

@@thedeathwobblechannel6539 It will still be chunky-clunky compared to a modern gearbox.

[@KerinCrowe]

@@obsidianjane4413 You are comparing chalk with cheese - totally different unless you are comparing heavy vehicles of similar power - even then, you are confused between the transmission and the shift mechanis.

[@obsidianjane4413]

@@KerinCrowe lol. I am a former US Army tank and heavy equipment maintainer. I think its much more likely that you are confused.

[@KerinCrowe]

@@obsidianjane4413 I thought that maintaining equipment meant replacing it in the US Military - Dad got himself a boat, outboard motor, Gelignite, Electrical wiring and a large truck when he was posted to an Island off Rabaul - all he had to do was a little fixing and some maintenance. Got the photos if you don't believe me. The above list helped him feed his unit while they were there. Posted alongside US Marines at Jacquinot Bay for a while also and had a pass to the PX signed by a Walter Sallee under Commnorsol.

[@gunnoreekie]

It's not Wednesday without my Workshop Wednesday ❤

[@shedwork]

Men with the precision of surgeons, the grace of ballerinas and the patience of saints, toiling on a mechanical work of art. The worlds best Stug gearbox reconditioners, all the way from FNQ. Un-effing believable guys. Steve, Beau, and Kurt must go home at the end of the day and say "Best job I ever had." Been looking forward all week. Thank you to the Aus Armour team once again. 👍👍👍

[@steveyountz9184]

Amazing. It is hard to believe this was designed and built without computers and milling machines and while bombs are falling through the roof. 😎

[@JDGillis]

Milling machines were in use long before WWII

[@53jed]

A slide rule is a computer.

[@bigmac60]

😂

[@whatwouldyoudo64]

Yes, super amazing. God blessing the hundreds thousands civilians who were killed while assembling !

[@paoloviti6156]

​@@JDGillisactually milling was used with the parts for the steam engines of ships and the locomotives!

[@whatwouldyoudo64]

Amazing, amazing, amazing! The advanced mechanical engineering of Germany over 80 years ago! Thank you for all your efforts, wow!

[@plainnpretty]

the British fought them 5- 1\2 years

[@bebo4807]

German engineering broke down all the time on the battlefield. Maintenance was a constant problem. US engineering was simple and robust and reliable. THAT is better engineering.

[@knottyal2428]

My flabber has been gasted by the engineering of this gearbox. Even more by the mechanical skills of Steve and Beau in the rebuild! Well done blokes, and Merry Christmas to all at Aus Armour and around the world.

[@DieselAddiction]

Nothing like a smooth shifting ZF Box, love it.

[@FairladyS130]

Yes, and ZF are still in business today.

[@drbichat5229]

Thanks for the info. Just read was founded by Ferdinand von Zeppelin

[@jeremysaunders9916]

Kurt, just finished watching this, already mentioned Steve and Beau's contribution but forgot you. This episode was awesome, the filming was very much appreciated, the detail on this one was great and throughly enjoyable. Thank you.😊

[@stevengriffin7873]

I love the calm and methodical manner of this master craftsman.I also like the way it is explained what the different parts do which means you learn something too.I really appreciate these videos both as entertainment and education.

[@davidbarnsley8486]

Steve did a great job with that one Not being a trained mechanic gearboxes have always given me the hebee jeebies 👍👍

[@warp65]

Still amazes me a design department full of drawing boards, paper and ideas transferred that information to a group of tool makers , machinists and fitters all without a working computer model and brought this beauty to life.

[@c1ph3rpunk]

That’s the part that blows my mind, no CAD modeling or visualizations up front to validate things.

[@Dennys854]

@@c1ph3rpunk Your validation tools were a slide rule, calipers and a file...

[@orbitalair2103]

@@c1ph3rpunk Because it was by men who had a lifetime of experience making such things, passing that knowledge down to other young men. They knew what worked and what didnt work. Engineering drawings were precise, and made for machinists who were just as precise and well trained. Unlike today, where no one knows how the machine works at all.

[@crypts-sm9ob8dj5w]

You are doing nothing short of physical poetry. Absolutely amazing.

[@stephenhill560]

Incredible from the original design and manufacture to Steve’s skills in disassembly and then reassembly

[@Claymore5]

Brilliant work by an outstanding mechanic - lovely stuff Steve!

[@jeremysaunders9916]

Steve and Beau's passion, enthusiasm and skill is great to watch and learn from. Have always been around machinery in various jobs. Now where can I get a tank 😅

[@4DModding]

A thing of beauty

[@yattaran1484]

Incredible restoration work as always. What an amazing German craftsmanship to design such complicated transmission mechanism !. Thanks to elabolate instruction Steve showed, now I feel I can able to shift it collectly !. 😊👍

[@Matt-de2vn]

Awesome stuff. Such a complex design for its age. Well done.

[@traviskidd4292]

This gearbox series has been fantastic!

[@plainnpretty]

i want to see Steve rebuild that Radial engine

[@paulday-lh5mx]

One heck of an engineering marvel. The engineers are nothing short of being sorcerer's. I love how it's all mechanical. No cables and such. Great job you guys. Awesome video Kurt. Right in there to see how it all works.

[@highlander147]

Always a highlight of Wednesdays! I looked at Steve and that external change mechanism like I used to look at a Rubik’s cube (and I’d likely have had as little success as I used to with the cube….) Great job, Steve 👏😊

[@tm5123]

Always nice to see the guys get stug in.

[@bigmac60]

I only took 1 gearbox apart. Never got it rebuilt. Nice to watch an expert. I bagged mine up and got a reconditioned one in exchange 😂😂for it.

[@shed66215]

Really good job by Steve in putting it all back together, but aided by the designers and mechanical craftsmen from its original build.

[@KerryPonting]

Fabulous!!! I hope Santa comes to visit you all this Christmas. The workmanship and the subject material are second to none ! Bless you all!!!

[@cmck472]

Absolutely amazing how that all went together. I wonder when the inside will see the light of day again.

[@10947792]

I really give Steve a ton of credit for not only being able to lead the reassembly of this complex mechanism but actually being able to teach himself and the other team members how to reassemble this gear box. The level of attention to detail to identify, catalogue, label, etc speak volumes on his organizational skills. Sincere thanks for sharing this with us…..it was simply fascinating. Kudos from across the pond.

[@plainnpretty]

very well said

[@ericbadia5]

This video hit different! The way Steve was smiling throughout the entire assembly was got me smiling too! Such a beautiful and explanatory video really. Thanks for your work, and thanks for sharing!

[@TheGixernutter]

Best one yet. Great job on an incredible piece of engineering. My favourite video so far by a big margin. ❤

[@stepheneveritt8241]

Fabulous piece of German Engineering

[@joelambert1243]

I've been a modest shadetree mechanic most of my life. Transmissions have always been "Black magic voodoo" to me. There is a certain beauty to watching all the gears in motion together. Bravo, gentlemen.

[@monsvillerailways5736]

What is incredible is that some engineer and draftsman sat down and worked out and drew this all out with pencils and pen on a drawing board without having access to a digital 3d model to check all the tolerances and clearances. Anazing engineering. 👍

[@BTW...]

Yeah - tight work. Shame it was all about waste.

[@Apowers43]

As an ex Mechanic, that was a piece of beauty. Just for testing, I would have got something to rotate the input shaft while selecting all gears just to check for smooth running in motion. making sure nothing binds up. Thinking of planning a trip from the UK to come see you guys. Only live 30mins away from Bovington and love going there regularly.

[@xacoupeguy]

We did, just wasn't filmed. Alot happens off camera at ausarmour 😊

[@dirkholthaus2231]

Just imagine the men that put that together in 43 and now you guys, it’s absolutely amazing to see how intricate that piece of machinery is 🤙🏻

[@ivanmachnkoppzuxd7722]

👏... a pleasure to see this working well, after all these years....WELL DONE!!!

[@MuseumsBloke]

Stunning work! The shaft and countershaft slowly rotating looks like an hypnotic Escher drawing. A fine job everyone 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@schwabrichard9829]

Steve you are the master of jigsaw puzzles! Your skills are equal to the long forgotten design team of that transmission!

[@tassie7325]

Precision engineering plus amazing artisans, makes for extremely satisfying viewing.

[@poita_m7142]

Woo-hoo!! Only 9min old....lol. more stug progress, thanks guys for the great work, greatly appreciate 🙏

[@DW_drums]

Wow, Steve is truly a world class mechanic !

[@steveluker3531]

Wow that is amazing to see the skilled people that you have in the workshop

[@gromit368]

Watching these builds makes going to AusArmourfest all that more engaging. Thanks Gents. Love your work.

[@FranktheTank-bk8me]

Fantastic job. A privilege to watch

[@Javdoc]

Amazing that little bit of force 3:41 can make all that metal turn so smoothly. The wonders of engineering.....

[@nicolapellegrino1072]

I'm always amazed by how good are you people at aus armor... the level of craftsmanship you show every video you release is astonishing.

[@Desertduleler_88]

Fantastic series on the transmission, amazing piece of engineering for the 1940's. I really enjoyed the rebuild process of this rare transmission.

[@richardraby6266]

A real labour of love, but how fortunate to have found evert important part in such remarkably good condition. And what an engineering marvel this gearbox is for its period. Hats off to the German engineers of the time.

[@andrewsteele7663]

Good evening, Steve & Beau, thank you, that was a riveting episode. Great job, Cheers

[@philipreiffel5077]

And really enjoyed the music towards the end, you pick some great tunes!

[@kayakman49]

C’est juste incroyable, merci énormément pour ces vidéos, ce partage de connaissances, ces explications,… Merci pour la qualités de vos vidéos et l’amour que porte toute l’équipe à la restauration et l’entretien de ces machines. J’espère forcer le destin afin de bouger de France et de vous rendre visite !! Hâte d’être à mercredi prochain, sans vous, mercredi n’est pas.

[@davidbamford4721]

My fix has been thoroughly satisfied! That was quite amazing!

[@william6526]

Its absolutely amazing how Steve can remember where all these parts fit togeather and the assembly process ,he is a real asset to the museum. Along with all the guys that work so hard preserving history for future generations. Without these dedicated men all this would be lost to the scrap yards.

[@warrensilk5316]

I bet you were pleased with the days work. Absolutely awesome engineering but one well aimed missile would have blown it to kingdom come. Mad….. The knowledge you have in restoring these monsters is breathtaking. Cheers .

[@MurrayBayes]

THAT WAS AMAZING TO WATCH THANKS BOYS...JUST WONDERING HOW MANY MAN HOURS GOES INTO MAKING A COMPLETE STUG?????😊😊😅👍👍👍😀😊😃

[@davidbamford4721]

What an enormous gearbox!

[@davefrench6764]

The quality and precision is quite incredible

[@michaeldallimore8590]

Steve continues to impress! What a piece of enginerring art this is.

[@Maiko100876]

My favorite show on KZbin!! Absolutely fabulous work! Beautiful machinery.

[@davidlawrencebanks4610]

Beautiful engineering! Love it, well done chaps 👍👍👍

[@ATOMTAYLOR]

The joy on Steve's face as he works.....

[@PhilipMoor-p7g]

Really loving the Stug transmission saga. Steve is a great addition to the Aus Armour team.

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

A mechanical marvel. Great job assembling it ❤

[@LesWalker2023]

Man! That is nice! Great job guys! A true work of art!

[@joseantoniofernandez8827]

“State of the art” job. Congratulations to the team!!

[@paulorchard7960]

Hi Graham! That transmission is a thing of beauty, the shift mechanism is superb!😅 Kirt, could you please adjust your pick up volume, not all of us have a cute earring, thanks guys!👍🇦🇺

[@peterhilton7211]

A truly unbelievable job Steve and Beau. It’s a true masterpiece of engineering we will never see the likes of again. So glad I got to see it

[@tdezyn]

Brilliant job well done. All the magic hidden by the casing though.

[@boomerang9967]

The complexity of the engineering is amazing 😮

[@richardearl3815]

Waited all week for this. Keep up the great work guys.

[@mikemilburn7823]

Can you imagine making all that manually with out the aid of computers or cad, true craftsmen for sure. Designing it must have been hard on the head as well. reassembling it without manuals is also a feat, great work guys. That 'thud' when the shifter linkage slips into place is so satisfying. Absolutely beautiful.

[@pjchris90]

That is one beautifully designed and manufactured piece of equipment. We are lucky one in new condition has survived for us all to appreciate. My hats off to the staff for the careful disassembly and reassembly all the while being filmed.

[@kwslife116]

Impressive guys! You and that trans. Wow that's nice. All without a computer. Amazing

[@PeterSoden-eb6js]

A certain beauty is one of the comments here and that sums it up very well. That gear change is precise but looks heavy and brutal to use in battle conditions. Extremely impressive work. Guys.

[@robs93jdmaccord]

I have to say between the work you guys do and the camera work as well it’s just amazing how well you guys capture everything and show everything in such a way we can all examine as if we were there, I’ve been on the edge of my seat with each video absolutely love your channel ❤thank you for sharing your amazing work

[@gerrycooper56]

A work of art and a great job by all concerned.

[@John_Mack]

The skill of those who made this... wow! No wonder humans were able to build such amazing things.

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

You can see Steve is right where he wants to be. As for the Gearbox. This is the precision of Rolex on a bigger scale. Superb design and execution and really well explained as to how it works.

[@petesheppard1709]

For some reason, the music accompaniment really stood out to me today. From the 'Get 'er Done' drive to the light wonderment at the end, your choices add immensely to the experience of these videos!

[@russwoodward8251]

I can't say more than what is already in comments, just that this is pretty amazing to see. Steve, Beau and Aus Armour are the best. Thank you.

[@daviddunsby3617]

This is what a Tank/Armour museum is all about. The Engineering that went into these machines is something awesome.

[@michaelmcdonald3195]

Amazing,remembering the sequence of reassembly.I have admiration of the over engineering and craftsmen ship.

[@theharbinger2573]

It is a thing of beauty. Thanks for sharing.

[@stefantrnacek1394]

Absolutely very interesting build. That is an engineering piece of art.

[@fredfarnackle5455]

You took the words out of my mouth... "A thing of beauty"!

[@KaitlynnUK]

Incredible engineering, and all designed with pencil and paper.

[@pjv767b5]

Amazing bit of kit, nice work Steve

[@richardwirt3193]

Excellent work and what a marvel in engineering

[@grahammoore24]

I can't believe the precision of that gear selector mechanism with all the ball bearings totally amazing

[@grumpyboomer61]

It's like assembling a watch. Big and beefy, yet delicate. Well done lads.

[@christianmccollum1028]

What a beautiful transmission. A true work of art. Amazing

[@johnviney7919]

Great job getting that back together. It shifts so well - magic!!

[@nembuher]

Like he was working with such gearboxes in his entire life... Incredible!

[@jonka1]

Wow. How lucky you are to work on this gearbox and how lucky we are to watch your progress.

[@krmould]

That was an incredibly satisfying video. Kudos to Steve, he is great at explaining how everything works. Just looking at how precisely everything fits together, it is shocking that these precision pieces of equipment were then subjected to the rigours of war. It is simply amazing that one of these transmissions has survived in such amazing shape.