What is it, turnbuckle?

[Winter]

About 18 in long. Got 2 at an estate sale for 20

 

[LXCam]

Old spring compressor?

 

[c1504]

That was my first thought too

 

[RTM]

Yup. Half of a coil spring compressor, always saw them in pairs so it didn't' shoot sideways and scare the poop out of you.

 

[Provincial]

Or knock the poop, guts and all, out of you!

 

[319]

"Track jack", for repairing armored vehicle tracks. Used in pairs. That's an older model.

 

[Farmer J.]

"Track jack", for repairing armored vehicle tracks. Used in pairs. That's an older model.

I have never seen one for armoured vehicles, but we used to use 'Track Marshall' crawler tractors on the farm and the track overhaul guy from Crawfords had tools like that on his van. https://www.rhcrawford.com/robertedwardcrawford
We used to take those tracks off every couple of seasons, depending on the weather how dry the soil was, the flints would wear the grips off the grouser plates. They would weld on new grips, turn the pins and bushes or renew as necessary. It was a surprisingly easy job to knock out the link pin and drive the machine off it's tracks on to a couple of railway sleepers. To re fit we used to lay the tracks out then hook them over the drive sprocket as I drove on to them, the guy used to hold the end link with a bar. At the end of the track I would drive it against a block of wood and tension the track as the guy put the pin in. So he never had to use those 'track jacks' if I was assistant!

Track Marshall Tractor Servicing | Telephone: 01205 750367

www.rhcrawford.com

Those were the days, what fun. 10,000 hrs on a 1868 tracked machine is why my finger joints and hearing are all shot!

 

[319]

A newer model (same concept though) in use on a Sherman at about 11 minutes in.