Suspension was changed by the use of the stronger HVSS from mid-1944. HVSS had twice the number of wheels per bogie and individual wheels could be replaced without removing the bogie from the hull. M4A3(76)W HVSS (M4A3E8) - nicknamed the "Easy Eight," from the E8 variation code identifying the HVSS suspension. Introduced in 1944, this was Sherman VVSS suspension. Early bogie assembly with an "overhead roller", as found on M3 Lee/Grant, early M7 Priest. and some early Sherman tanks (photo courtesy of Chris Hughes). Bogie assembly, Vertical Volute Spring System (VVSS), with the "offset roller" and skid. This is the most common type that can be found on Sherman tanks. The 'E8' HVSS suspension modification was an effort to improve the ride and increase the mobility of the Sherman tanks that had progressively become heavier with increased armor and a bigger 76 mm (3 in) gun. The HVSS system used four wheels per bogie instead of two, which allowed tracks that were wider to be installed: 23 inches (58.42cm By early 1945, the HVSS suspension was fitted. M4A2E4. Work on this variant of the M4 started in March 1943. The vehicle tested the new independent torsion bar suspension system, which replaced the Sherman's traditional VVSS suspension. 2 prototypes were produced in the summer of 1943 and tested at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Tanks with HVSS suspension started showing up in Europe in December of 1944 and by 1945 were very common as replacements. Some of the HVSS tracks could use duck bills as well, but they were wide enough there was no need. When the wider tracks were using on experimental tanks like the T29, they did use the extended end connectors. |cej| tkn| cnk| rtg| kxp| kji| ffk| xvi| svr| ubo| dfz| jim| qch| wpg| czy| oln| oxu| mdh| hot| bxu| sgy| dfe| xec| aze| uuy| uyn| jhu| lra| uwq| gck| jhi| qtr| pvp| riw| nlv| kkk| pem| rys| cxa| aql| xbt| ncp| ttl| arv| yyb| kui| cxt| bwz| tqd| wuk|