Heng Long 1/16 Tread Adjustment

This board is for talk about tanks after WW2. The ups and downs. The ins and outs. All of it here.
Post Reply
Discoken
Recruit
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed May 19, 2021 5:07 pm

Heng Long 1/16 Tread Adjustment

Post by Discoken »

I just finished a Abrahms & Leapord II, with all metal gear & although the instructions show How to make Track adjustments, it does not show what the Adjustment Tension should be.. If I lay the belly of the tanks on a piece of 2 x 4, the trads will droop, but I do not know how much tension to adjust the treads & from where to measure.... Help.. Ken
User avatar
Jarlath
Corporal
Posts: 402
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:45 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Re: Heng Long 1/16 Tread Adjustment

Post by Jarlath »

Plastic tracks should have a bit of tension when sitting on them, aka not elevated. (Only a slight sag in the track over the return rollers).
Unfortunately it is more likely a "Set the tension", "Run the tank" scenario. If the tracks do not jump off in turns/driving, tension is good enough. Otherwise index tighter if possible.
Too tight and you will be soon buying aftermarket tensioning system that have a crossbar to prevent "cockeye" of the idler.

Standard screw in idlers (Plastic hulls for the most part) will slowly cockeye over time and throw tracks.
I just finished installing an aftermarket set into my son's KT.
It was bought used and has battled for nearly 3 years with plastic gearboxes and driveline.
Low and behold it was starting to throw tracks because the screw mounts were starting to crack and flex.
Metal tracks just speed up this process.
Attachments
Newly installed Henntec
Newly installed Henntec
User avatar
tankme
Warrant Officer 1st Class
Posts: 1947
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 3:51 pm
Location: Elgin, TX
Contact:

Re: Heng Long 1/16 Tread Adjustment

Post by tankme »

Biggest thing is make sure your tracks are running straight. So many times I've gotten tanks where the sprockets and idlers don't line up straight with the road wheels. Tension can depend on the tank also. Russian tanks tend to run less tension, but they also have higher guide teeth for the most part. For most modern tanks you don't want a lot of sag on them, but you don't want them so tight that they cause drag on the driveline or as Jarlath said bend/break the idler. There is a bit of trial and error when setting them.
Derek
Too many project builds to list...
Post Reply

Return to “Modern Tanks”