WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY: How to pull apart original WWII StuG III Swing Arms

[@michaelreynolds1904]

I don't think I've ever seen someone struggle so hard to get something apart and smile the entire time. That's a man who loves what he does

[@elliottb7009]

i salute him for not only doing that one swingarm, but for having to relive the nightmare on more.

[@user-wf2lm3vi7o]

From Hilary Doyle taking us through German Tank Destroyers to Aust Armour, a great day for Tank fans!

[@davidpippin3460]

I love how Kurt really doesn't have a mechanical background when looking at the needle bearings "wait we need all these things that fell out?" Love you guys with the banter too! Great work!

[@obsidianjane4413]

it allows for a natural expositional style.

[@plainnpretty]

It gives the human element

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Noone new. Kurt is learning a lot fliming this and he abviously has a genuine interest

[@thedeathwobblechannel6539]

For those bearings we call those roller bearings even though they're not ball-bearings they are rollers. By the way they're the same concept for different loads in applications

[@krmould]

The Germans certainly made amazing equipment, but you can see just how many hours went into making all this complex equipment. Kudos to Beau and the team for the many, MANY hours spent taking them apart and restoring them. This is truly a massive task.

[@jacobstep7153]

Literally XD

[@paulorchard7960]

Lucky you have that schwimmwagon, you might be needing it to get home!😂🤣

[@johnsherborne3245]

Australia is the only place I know where you can drown while standing up!

[@deutzpeter5870]

Hallo aus Deutschland! Tolle Arbeit macht ihr. Respekt! Bei 15:34 Die Mutter nennt man bei uns Kronenmutter. Dafür gibt es passende Schlüssel. Die nennen wirHakenschlüssel. Es gibt aber auch Stecknüsse. Aus einem passendem Rohr kann man aber auch selber ein Werkzeug bauen. Gruß Peter

[@grandpaweber2097]

Besides the subject, which I love, the other part I really like is the skill and personalities of the guys. It makes this site so much more enjoyable. Now, off to work I go :)

[@scottcrawford7310]

Well done lads. Fantastic workshop Wednesday again.

[@aaronsauer6628]

im blown out how much history is on that one block of land

[@garylawless3608]

As a hobby I build armour models, mainly German WW2 vehicles, and when I watch Beau and the guys restore the real thing, it never ceases to amaze me how complicated the German engineering that goes into each vehicle actually is. It gives a great insight into the design and construction of German WW2 armour. The skill and enthusiasm of the all of the guys working on these great historic vehicles, is something you don’t see often. Keep up the great work!

[@AUTiger1964]

German engineers were insane! How did the Germans build as many tanks as they did? The marchining, parts and manhours to assemble a single unit had to be enormous. AND, all done manually, 1 piece at a time! But, they did have from 1933 to 1939, I suppose, but still very impressive. Gonna be fun watching you find a replacement for that needle bearing!😊 Love the videos guys!

[@gleggett3817]

Germany had built very few medium tanks (the StuG is basically a Panzer III chassis) by 1939. Most of the Panzer III built from 1937 to 1939 were prototypes developing the design.

[@robpiy91]

and let's not forget they had trains full of involuntary workers in their concentration camps...

[@themaskedgrappler]

I thought at first that Beau was gonna have an easy time with a piece of tank that didn’t fight him, I was wrong, the heat and hammers appeared soon enough!

[@mikef.1000]

You have to love HEAT when it comes to rust-seized parts. Every workshop needs good blow torches, a range of hammers, and perseverance! Great stuff guys, great banter too.

[@MrCrystalcranium]

Fantastic discovery of that needle roller bearing. I don't know how the Germans expected to keep up with this level of engineering on a mass production scale. Meanwhile the Soviets were building disposable T-34s like bon-bons rolling off a conveyer belt, designed to run a couple of hundred miles until they broke down or were destroyed. The Sherman was somewhere between these two extremes. At the least they were designed to a standard that provided the men inside a chance to fight without too much discomfort and a reasonable chance to get out if they had to. The commander's cupola on the German Panther is another example of WTF were they thinking design. It's beautiful, complex and ridiculous...almost on a par with modern MBTs. You have to admire their skill while shaking your head at their practicality. Terrific episode!!!

[@anxiousmerchant4129]

i dont get this sentiment. bearing mass production was already a large scale and mature industry by the time of ww1

[@swagmanexplores7472]

The complexity of those needle bearings was incredible ! Such a complex solution to a simple problem

[@timwerner7771]

So cool to see the rain. Ever since I read Bill Bryson's book "A sunburnt Land" I assumed All of Australia was a desert

[@SCOTTCROSBY]

I really enjoy watching Work Shop Wednesday! My wife saw Beau and now she's an avid subscriber...... 🙂Keep up the great work guys and gals!!!

[@harpomarx7777]

Thanks for the weekly fix, boys! Enjoyed it!

[@neilfairless4589]

If you're not laughing, you're learning Kurt and you guy's do both in bucket loads. Great to see you and Beau together like that.

[@murmaider2]

The rain really added some ambiance to this episode.

[@Zirler]

Hi guy’s Thank you for preserving history👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Outstanding work Christoph

[@declanjoyce8640]

Fascinating...so much thought and engineering for a killing machine...even so I'm bowled over at the way the Germans built these things..

[@Evocatorum]

I can't wait to see this girl finished!

[@tristan1234567890]

0:42 NOW THATS A TRUE BEAUTY

[@stephenparkes626]

Always amazes me how after 70 years outside those nuts just come off .

[@Christoph-sd3zi]

Made In Germany

[@ozmrrotary]

After 70 years outside in the weather, mine would too.

[@stephenparkes626]

@@ozmrrotary pmsl

[@clintdavies491]

@@ozmrrotary love it.

[@markhorner3561]

And no curse words (at least on camera)! Don't think I could manage that! Brilliant job lads!

[@tommytaylor4458]

Oh yea…getting there guys!!! Guys got to have some fun😂😂😂😂

[@SM-98]

That turret T34 i believe (correct me if i'm wrong) was really beated up, i do not want to imagine the poor crew inside. Happy to see also an Panhard EBR ready to restore, one day i want absolutely visit your museum.

[@garynew9637]

Might have come from a target range

[@polticalme1677]

I can imagine the repairs that were going on in German field workshops! Unless they had those complete swingarm assemblies at hand, they would have had a "lot of fun" doing repairs while the StuG commander was standing behind them, checking his watch every 30 seconds. I really love the engineering that was put into this, but it's rather meant for an army in peacetime. At war you can't afford to work like that. And since German engineers are really smart, they recognized that, so they introduced the big cats with their user friendly running gear and all the other goodies. We didn't change much since WWII, but people seem to love "Made in Germany"!

[@yattaran1484]

Amazing restoration work as always !. Hat off to Beau for doing such a time consuming nightmare work for hours !. Can't wait next update of StuG restoration.😄

[@scaleartsg]

keep up the great work guys!

[@alexandermccarthy]

I love this level of attention to detail. Bravo Beau!

[@PNGeo]

Another riveting episode. Not a lot happened in this one but it was fascinating all the same. I love the mischievous look Beau gets on his face every time he lights the oxy torch! You chaps are true professionals and I admire you for being able to work in a field that is obviously your passion!

[@CanOfRabbitHoles]

I'd really like to see how you guys keep track of all the parts and what goes where when taking these things apart so you can put them back together correctly!

[@timwerner7771]

These suspension parts are made like a Swiss watch only 1000 times bigger. Very cool and Beau knows excatly how they come apart!

[@bek1ndrwnd]

I've been waiting for this guys. the Stug is my go to series. Go go gadget Bo! 🤘

[@georgesherfick2444]

Beau is a star. I really admire is skill and attitude in difficult times.

[@knudvoecking]

It amazes me every single time, when I see how diligently Beau and the others are disassembling and afterwards reassembling the almost 80-year old parts. Great mechanics!

[@bebo4807]

I’m assuming they get paid for this work. So it would be their job. People do this sort of thing every day. But not on video.

[@knudvoecking]

@@bebo4807 True. But there are mechanics and awesome mechanics. And the guys from AusArmor are definitely awesome ones, who have a passion for the job they are doing.

[@vicnoel45662]

As always, a great Wednesday morning treat! Thanks, fellas!

[@napluvr4173]

As a car guy in the American rust belt, I can can understand the the use of big torches and going straight to heat. great job. I also love the ninja turtles reference.

[@thedeathwobblechannel6539]

FYI on the Kubelwagon. The lifter on the camshaft had a built-on wooden push rod. Those were 25 horsepower engines they were very similar to the post-war 36 horsepower in the oval window Beatles

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

It is a seemingly never-ending flow of surprises at how ingenuously these things were designed and built. Looking at how this swing arm assembly could be field maintained by just pumping in grease at one point. With everything overly made to last the rigors of war. I expect the Germans knew to well that the life expectancy of the vehicle wasn't going to be measured in years. Make it to last rather than make it easy to replace.

[@kevinsmith9941]

The first part of the video, where everything just came apart perfectly after all the years, was like watching a magic show. Beau should have said "Ta Da" after each piece came off.

[@stevefoster6299]

Just got to admire German engineering and manufacturing

[@johnsherborne3245]

A masterclass in Value Analysis Engineering.

[@walterwhitaker1395]

The minute that first bolt came loose the song Panzerlied came flooding into my mind LOL!

[@nandi123]

I love this series. It will be very satisfying to see those parts cleaned up and painted.

[@bigredjeepyj3436]

Just two fellas bending wrenches in the garage and having a great time. A great episode.

[@warbirdwf]

Heat... the ultimate "persuader"... Nice job guys!

[@jonathanbiggar4973]

Well done men great work on the rebuild, I reckon a few more Sykes pickivant catalogue’s might need to be left in the bosses office , might save some time and sanity. Thanks again for the entertainment.

[@k5nutt]

Gotta love the blue wrench. It can't fight you if its in liquid form. lol.

[@andywindy]

Gentlemen, a suggestion. When we had to remove a large retaining Castellated nut from along a shaft, rather than risk slipping with a C-spanner (that we didn't have anyway) or being able to remove it with slide-grip pliers (or Stillsons), we 'found' a length of steel tube of an internal diameter that would slip over the shaft but not the nut, and cut Four slots in it, perpendicular to the end, welding steel square tabs in that were then ground to fit in the slots in the Nut. On the smaller ones we drilled holes for Tommy Bars, and for the larger sizes welded a plate across the 'free' end with a 1" square hole for a 1" drive spring breaker bar. I wish I had a picture of our 'Rocket' to send you, but Unfortunately, I don't. Pick up those bearing needles, you're going to need every one of them!

[@jamescharlton924]

Plenty to go in the parts washer! This is also why there are such high prices for WW2 German tanks- built very well but not enough of them as a result

[@thomasmulhall4873]

Just ring up the Parts Department, speak to Hans, and order the parts you need. Works for me for my 2020 Hyundai... Haha great work!

[@paulsilva3346]

THANK You, Bo, and Curt from Aus Armor, dearly near to a FULL 28 MINUTES of wonderful to watch show.

[@simonstock4448]

bravo lads - so therapeutic to watch this from my couch

[@buijs1967]

The rubber on the wheel looks mint!

[@mikatossavainen9930]

Ask if they still have some Stug parts in Finland. They used these tanks many years after the war. They have at least one in running condition in Parola armour museum and one standing next to Helsinki Tampere motorway.

[@yappledapple3469]

It's flat out amazing that you can pull something apart that has been exposed to the elements for what, 80 years, still find grease and that it rolls. One would expect a rusted pile of things that are hard to see delineations on parts or that the rust has fused them. Love these videos!

[@chriswaldron2617]

Going to love seeing the Stug updates. Easily my most favourite tank

[@georgewhite522]

how complicated do you want to make the suspension here engineer? Engineer : yes

[@wboquist]

Yet another stellar episode!

[@gaznet1107]

Well, that was fascinating to see the amount of engineering that goes into just that one piece. Funny how easy the bolts came out and how hard the other bits were to get apart.

[@PRRGG1]

Dedication to the craft. Great job chaps.

[@Mathias_BauService]

German parts made workable with German tools (Knipex) 😃 thumbs up for you guys 👍🏼 I also have an original idler wheel at home 😊 Greetings from Germany!

[@causewaykayak]

Such Patience. The person who funds all this is a real public benefactor.

[@jetnavigator]

His name is Clive Palmer.

[@Jeales12]

​@jetnavigator no, Clive palmer has nothing to do with this museum, the owners name is Rob Lowden.

[@causewaykayak]

@@jetnavigator Thank You. We are in his debt.

[@nachtsumhalbzwei]

Thanks for the new video, its allwas interesting how we preduce stuff 80 years ago.

[@imdeplorable2241]

Fantastic job. We'll done.👍

[@formerparatrooper]

Right, afternoon rain squall in the northern Queensland. I loved those days when I lived at Gove in the NT back in the early 70s, every day during the wet, and the union blokes went to the pub. Great stuff.

[@danielstickney2400]

Another impressive display of patience and perseverance. I imagine these videos of how things came apart will be invaluable when the time comes to put them back together. Many years ago an old tractor mechanic showed me that you could shrink a bushing by running a bead up the bore with a stick welder. It trashed the bushing but it did make it easier to remove.

[@Mag_Aoidh]

Props to you guys as always because that’s a ridiculous amount of work for one roadwheel.

[@paulcoopmans4288]

Rain in Australia ?? Awesome job guys.

[@timorvet1]

Welcome to the tropics....lol.

[@kajnatok]

Simply WOW !!! I am amazed at how complex the engineering behind this type of suspension was at that time. And kudos for you guys for being this patient and sharing this with us !

[@TheSlugstoppa]

Well that's my Wednesday smile again - Thanks fellas.

[@louislohmann6664]

PLS MORE STUG III

[@edwardbrophy9749]

Good job boys Keep it going ☺️ We all want to see it drive & what a day that'll be! 👍 Can't get enough of these stug episodes!

[@Bill53AD]

Great job mates. Beau, remember that the German engineers over designed everything. So, where we would run a bushing, they usually ran bearings. I take it that you guys do not have the nut spanner for the tube nut. Great video. love watching the Stug work.

[@DaiElsan]

Never disappointing. Great work guys.

[@roberthocking9138]

Great job lads, what a struggle

[@stanherman5604]

It's amazing all the engineering for a machine that life span was a few days.

[@lukefriesenhahn8186]

Workshop Wednesdays are always enjoyable. Merry Ash Wednesday!

[@dankorolyk5917]

Classic Beau episode

[@knucklehead7456]

GREAT WORK Lads 🤠

[@allanrichards3752]

This is brilliant to see the really in depth detail on these German machines. This said they are amazingly complicated and expensive to make and engineered to last for ever. It would be interesting to know the manhours to build a StuG versus the manhours to make a Sherman or a T34

[@SPSteve]

Good job, Beau! Knowing the parts breakdown is half the battle.

[@factoryfresh9141]

Great stuff as always… I see you have liquid sunshine over there😉

[@ariedekker7350]

I'll see you there the next time. Thanks for this episode

[@paoloviti6156]

A great job as always 👏 👍! I understood that Kurt has relatively little mechanical background but until now he seems to handle it marvellously 👍👍👍

[@seventhson27]

Gives a better understanding of why they said some of the German equipment (Tiger) was so complicated and expensive to build.

[@pattonpending7390]

its strange how the wheel bearings on my 8 year old truck somehow take way longer to service than those of a unit that has been sitting in the mud for over half a century. Amazing.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Qld,, perfect one day and underwater the next!

[@MGB-learning]

Another outstanding video and presentation. Great video, narration and editing work Kurt!

[@wazza33racer]

7.48 that is a crush collar........it locks both the bearing inner races so they dont 'turn' on the shaft stub axle, wearing out the stub. This was a super,super common problem on heavy truck semi trailers for decades.......the inner race of the bearings would 'turn' on the stub axles ruining them.........manufacturers by the early 2000's came to the same solution to solve the problem, that these StuG axles have. Way, way ahead of its time,quality engineering. Compared to a typical heavy truck steer,stub axles, that swing arm axle could carry 4 or 5,000kg no problem.

[@johnkinnane547]

G’day and greetings from Tasmania I’d go into withdrawals without my fix of tank fix Wednesday you all do great work on these tanks which is not easy and can really appreciate that but it’s remarkable how they look in the end, you all do great work and the dedication shows. Kind regards John

[@simonblades4202]

Great vid guys. At about 19 min in , When you hit the sleeve , you need a bigger hammer on the other side to 'back up the hit! have fun , Thanks

[@54mgtf22]

Love your work 👍

[@davidbarnsley8486]

What a job When it rains there it sure comes down 👍👍

[@andrewsteele7663]

Thanks team, another brilliant episode, cheers

[@shanemossmoss]

Well gone great presentation