Bombardier Iltis opinion

I would get a lot of recoveries for Iltis that had quit on the highway. Even by the time I got there, you could still smell the boiled out batteries. The fault: Operator neglect. Almost every-time it could be traced to loose battery terminals. Yes, they were a bugger to get to, but the battery maintenance was the operators job. When a terminal was loose, the alternator could not sense the field voltage, so would charge higher and higher....usually capped out at about 38 volts. By the time the operator would report it you needed two batteries and an alternator. Sometimes you might get away with just changing the regulator on the alternator, but not always.

Only once was it not the operators fault...the terminals were loose at the starter. Same condition, but way beyond their capabilities. That one took a few extra minutes to diagnose.

It sure would have been nice if they made the top of the battery boxes flip open, rather than hiding the terminals way back like that. As well, towards the end of their service life, the area that held down the battery retainers would rot away.

Bad memories on a Friday...what a way to start the weekend.
 
beltfed said:
Bombardier took an outdated VW design, built under licence and managed to fleece the Canadian Government for a light duty 1/4 ton 4x4. Not nearly as bad as what Western Star did with the LSVW, but pretty close.
They were pretty much junk when new, being uncomfortable to drive and woefully underpowered/overweight.

The positive is they were VW through and through, and share some commonality with their civilian automotive stuff, so some parts will be cheap & plentiful (relatively speaking).
They were admittedly a tough little car and took a beating well.

Some think they are worth wayyyy more than they are worth - probably due to the milsurp lineage.
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They are a direct descendant of the Audi Quattro AWD rally car and owe a lot of the drivetrain development to the WRC rally scene at the time. Tough little cars but parts are hard to source. A good investment if you have manufacturing capability and a hokey sock full of old VW cars in your yard.
 
#1bcshooter said:
But did the Iltis have this option ? ;)


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The Canadian Army's 106's went to a few reserve infantry units around 1980 (as well as the then 'new' Grizzlies) - the idea was that they would form an anti-armour det that could be attached/augment regular battalions as/if required. Same thing happened with some of the 81mm mortars. Unfortunately there was virtually no 106mm ammunition for training (and very little 81mm) -- there were 'training' options for the mortar and of course some ammunition for the 106mm spotting gun which provided limited practice. The 106's were withdrawn before the Iltis was issued out as I recall -- and there was never a 106mm mounted on a CF Grizzly (that I am aware of)- and the Cougar's had their own 76mm guns of course.

(I dont even know if the trg courses had 106mm ammunition -- in those days they were even pretty stingy with the 84mm CG ammunition)
 
I remember the 106 recoiless rifles being with the militia until the Jeeps were turned in. They remained for a while longer just on their pedestal tripods before they were recalled.

Around 2000, there were one or some being used by Parks Canada in the Rogers pass for avalanche control. Apparently, they had all the remaining Cdn stocks of ammunition at the time. They were operated by Parks Canada employees and as well there were 3 C-1 105mm howitzers operated by 1RCHA for the same purpose. This was related to me by our Wpns Sgt who went out there to service the guns.
 
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