For those thinking about restoring a wooden Ben Hur

[33rdsignal]

I would suggest buying stock in Gorilla glue, Irwin Quick grips, and a good quality wood filler. This is also a GREAT excuse to buy a good table saw!!

Observations from my project: http://s942.photobucket.com/albums/ad261/33rdsignal/

The original primer colors on the wood are a deep bluish gray, and red oxide. The wood was all primed, assembled and then oversprayed OD(discoved during disassembly)

The metal primer is Red oxide.

Panel Notes:
Left and Right Sides are 96 inches long by 17.5 inches tall. The thinkness of the wood is 5/8th of an inch.
Forward Panel is 45 1/4 inches long by 17 3/4 inches tall. The thinkness of the wood is 5/8th of an inch.
The panels are tongue and grooved and glued.
Panels are secured using 1/4-20 Step Bolts of various lengths. If the nut will rest on wood they will have a flat washer and a square nut.
If the nut will be against metal, then it is just the nut.
There are no lock washers on any of the hardware securing the wood. The square nuts are staked.
The Tie Downs are secured by Bolts and T-Nuts

Rack Notes:
Wood is secured by regular 1/4-20 carriage bolts of length. All bolts have flat washers on the nut side. Square nuts are staked.

General Notes:
PRIMER PRIMER PRIMER!! The wood sucks up paint real quick, so prime the wood first, allow to dry, then paint. I have found one coat of dry primer and 2 coates of paint are sufficient.
Broken bolts are your friend, it is easier to replace the bolt then try to salvage it, 9 times out of 10 you will mar up the wood trying to save the bolt.

[33rdsignal]

Links of Interest:

Step Bolts(This is just to show what it is, shop around for the best deal you will need about a 100 of them just for the side panels)
http://products.coburnmyers.com/viewite ... step-bolts

T Nuts (Again, just show what it is, shop around for the best deal.)


Source for Repro Light Brackets(Excellent service and product)
Tom Campbell: Industele@aol.com

Source for Alot of Wooden Body Parts as well as bows and mechanical pieces (Excellent Service)
http://store.gish.org.uk/category/71-us ... ageindex=1

Canvas:
http://www.newlifecanvas.com/trailers.html
Newlife Review http://www.cckw.org/g518_tarpaulin.htm

Rack Plans:
http://www.cckw.org/rack_plans.htm

Wiring Diagram:(this is for the metal one and doesnt have the junction block in it, but it pretty much the same)
http://www.cckw.org/tech_info_g518.htm

Ben Hur Info:
http://www.cckw.org/ben_hur_trailers.htm

[Gerry42]

morning
just got most of metal back from sand blaster.... now to paint those parts and get rest of smaller parts cleaned and painted...
I was lucky got a wooden trailer complete but but in bad shape..... none of wood could be used again but had all metal parts.....
but maybe they were build different. I was able to get measurements off the wood that was there and see how it was made. but wood was just butted against each other, no tongue and grove. and as far as I can trace trailer it came from Navy to county yard to a guy I know to me. and it didn't look to have been rebuild.... there was a terimal strip on front left frame for two wires runing to rear of trailer?... and I have heard the Ben Hur didn't make any of the wooden trailers?? and also that very few if any had any marking on frame.... only being ID ed on the data plate... and of course that was missing
would like to know who did build it

so thanks for any leads or help

[33rdsignal]

Could very well be. Many manufacturers maybe different methods. i noticed on mine that all sizes of wood was used in the construction of the panels. This would make butt joints near impossible as the tongue and groove is needed to support the odd length/width boards. See picture below.

I believe this construction type was used as an economy of material method. Pick up scraps and make them work.

[33rdsignal]

there was a terimal strip on front left frame for two wires runing to rear of trailer?

This is correct, here is the picture of the one on my trailer. Unfortunatly rusted very badly but enough there to make a copy.

[33rdsignal]

more examples of tongue and groove:





Only the tail gate construction is visible but this mimicks mine in construction. the side panels are not visible as they are enclosed in the metal uprights

[Gerry42]

neat..... nice pictures.... they help a lot.....
with mine in a pile and two five gallon buckets I need all the help I can get

seems as the war progressed and materials were used up they changed a lot of ways things were build for a lot of things

I think I may need to get new bearings and seals..... anyone know the numbers and who has them?

[33rdsignal]

I think I may need to get new bearings and seals..... anyone know the numbers and who has them?

NOS SEALS
http://store.gish.org.uk/category/71-us ... ageindex=1

WHEEL BEARINGS

Inner Bearing (large)
a) Roller and inner cone Timken #3576
b) Outer race cone Timken #3525

Outer Bearing (small)
a) Roller and inner cone Timken #2558
b) Outer race cone Timken #2523

Bearing Seal

US stock # G518-03-82801 (2 seals per package)
Made by Gerstenslager Co. of Wooster, OH
(Gerst. part #3109130)

http://cckw.org/g518_parts.htm