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

Steve and Beau get to work reassembling a restored 1943 StuG III ZF Gearbox!
Subscribe to our channel & hit the notification bell 🔔 so you never miss an upload! ➡️ bit.ly/ausarmo...
Keep up to date with the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum!⬇️⬇️
Facebook ➡️ / ausarmour
Instagram ➡️ / ausarmour
Twitter ➡️ / ausarmour
Website ➡️ ausarmour.com
Email ➡️ [e-mail]

[@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...

[@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.

[@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!

[@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!”

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@dave499]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@Socrates21stCentury]

@@bebo4807 WAS simple and robust and reliable ... now they are overly complicated and break down just like everything else ... 😞

[@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. 👍👍👍

[@davidbarnsley8486]

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

[@gunnoreekie]

It's not Wednesday without my Workshop Wednesday ❤

[@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.

[@4DModding]

A thing of beauty

[@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

[@peterbrown3608]

" ... four springs, three lug nuts, four ball bearings....", I was waiting for him to say "and a partridge in a pear tree!" 😄 I just love the way he remembers where all those bits and pieces go.

[@nigel900]

German engineering at its finest 🫡 Outstanding work! 👍🏻

[@stephenhill560]

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

[@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.😊

[@Claymore5]

Brilliant work by an outstanding mechanic - lovely stuff Steve!

[@crypts-sm9ob8dj5w]

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

[@bigun447]

That transmission design makes me proud of my German Heritage, if only for the craftsmanship used to produce units such as that transmission. German POWs being held in Texas made the baby with the German name a small rocking chair that I still have today. It is assembled so that the seat caning is the key that holds every part into place. My parents never wanted a babysitter as I, a young lad reminded them of their children at home. In the area I live in now, POWs worked the farms and were able to go into town, go to movies, and have money to spend, but the Black residents could not even go to the movies. When the war was over, many POWs just walked away and became citizens of some German heritage towns in the area, while others were repatriated to Germany.

[@traviskidd4292]

This gearbox series has been fantastic!

[@plainnpretty]

i want to see Steve rebuild that Radial engine

[@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!!!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@Matt-de2vn]

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

[@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 !. 😊👍

[@lesterharris6197]

One of the most beautiful pieces of engineering I have ever seen. The way the gear lever moves gear to gear, with lockouts to avoid shifting into a wrong gear, how satisfying to change gears. I am rembering all the horrible machines I have operated over my lifetime, and wish just one of them had been made as well as this.

[@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 🤙🏻

[@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

[@stepheneveritt8241]

Fabulous piece of German Engineering

[@steveluker3531]

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

[@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.

[@schwabrichard9829]

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

[@tankgirl2074]

The level of the original engineering is incredible. 80+ years old, good for many, many more. Beautiful work, gentlemen!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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 😅

[@MurrayBayes]

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

[@cmck472]

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

[@tassie7325]

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

[@nickwilkinson7728]

amazing engineering from eighty + years ago.

[@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 !

[@TheGixernutter]

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

[@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!

[@MGB-learning]

Steve and Beau and team helper did an outstanding job assembling that monster transmission.

[@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.

[@FranktheTank-bk8me]

Fantastic job. A privilege to watch

[@ericmarcadal7898]

Vous êtes des orfèvres dans votre domaine, et que dire de la qualité de conception de ces machines allemande. Bravo continuer comme ça !

[@Javdoc]

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

[@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.

[@MuseumsBloke]

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

[@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.

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

A mechanical marvel. Great job assembling it ❤

[@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.

[@andrewsteele7663]

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

[@ATOMTAYLOR]

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

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

Fascinating stuff! WWII German engineering and manufacturing is amazing.

[@LesWalker2023]

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

[@gromit368]

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

[@mgmg-sb7ze]

Mechanical engineers are very clever ❤❤❤😊😊😊

[@joseantoniofernandez8827]

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

[@davidbamford4721]

What an enormous gearbox!

[@jonka1]

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

[@gerrycooper56]

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

[@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!👍🇦🇺

[@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 .

[@grumpyboomer61]

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

[@Glatzomaniac]

The shifting mechanism is a fine piece of Art of German Engineering 😀😀😀😀 many greets from germany..

[@timn6864]

That's art !!!

[@Psychlist1972]

All those shifting sounds at the end were super satisfying.

[@davidbamford4721]

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

[@richardwirt3193]

Excellent work and what a marvel in engineering

[@DIVERBLOKE1]

As a further footnote and its only just dawned on me why it pleases me to see such engineering working, my grandfather Bernard Stanley Fitch of Beard and Fitch cut gears and made the gearbox for the Bluebird for Donald Campbells land speed car on Pendine sands. He would be very pleased to see this process. I'm sure he's patting me gently on the back right now watching this.

[@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!

[@captngrinell]

What a quality bit of engineering.

[@roses2155]

I'm speechless at the engineering and craftsmanship of this transmission and the incredible intellectual grasp and attention to detail Steve demonstrates with every video. Congratulations to all the amazing minds that created engineering miracles by hand and to those that can restore this wonderful works of mechanical art.

[@Explorerone01]

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

[@theharbinger2573]

It is a thing of beauty. Thanks for sharing.

[@davidlawrencebanks4610]

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

[@KaitlynnUK]

Incredible engineering, and all designed with pencil and paper.

[@CitizenSmith50]

The thing that amazes me is that some genius had to draw this all up with every specification and tolerance, before it could be manufactured ! What a work of art, especially working within the time constraints of having to get it finished ASAP in wartime ! Great job, guys !

[@stefantrnacek1394]

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

[@tdezyn]

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

[@artboy57]

Hope you were paying attention, Kurt, you're rebuilding the next one! Brilliant job.

[@berniebgf]

That was awesome to watch, what a machine.

[@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.

[@youtubecomedy5289]

That’s some jigsaw puzzle you’ve got there 😮, great job putting that back together. 😎👍

[@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.

[@pjv767b5]

Amazing bit of kit, nice work Steve

[@michaeldallimore8590]

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

[@richardearl3815]

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

[@FairladyS130]

A precision piece of mechanical puzzle.