Summary

Photograph of torsional fatigue test rig for tractor rear axle.

Part of a collection of photographs, negatives, moving film, artefacts, documents and trade literature belonging to the H. V. McKay Sunshine Collection. The McKay collection is regarded as one of the most significant industrial heritage collections in Australia. The collection relates to the agricultural manufacturing firm, the Sunshine Harvester Works. The Australian operations of this company were originally founded by Hugh V. McKay in the 1890s in Ballarat. Between 1906 and 1907, McKay moved production to Sunshine where the firm became one of the largest industrial businesses in Australia. Change in ownership is a recurring theme in the company's history. In 1930, it merged with Massey-Harris to become H.V McKay Massey Harris. In the mid-1950s, the company was absorbed by Canadian agricultural firm Massey-Ferguson. Production in Sunshine ceased in the mid-1980s, following almost 100 years of manufacturing agricultural equipment.

Description of Content

A torsional fatigue test rig at the Sunshine testing laboratory of Massey Ferguson. The MF 165/178 tractor rear axle wheel torsional fatigue test rig. The axle wheel is clamped into the heavy steel back plate and the four hydraulic rams working on the cross piece impart a torsional load of 185,000 lbs/ins which the compontent must stand fo ra minimum of 20,000 cycles

Physical Description

Black and white photograph

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