Good parts.. bad design

[ALPHA]

I'm sure there are many of you that has experienced this... But it was a new one for me
I recently acquired some metal sprockets for my PANZER III....Thought cool they might be better than the metal HLs ...but after installing one... ran into problems with the second...the first issue was there was a good amount of slag (from molding) around the three pins that align the two halves of the sprockets ...thought ok ..that's nothing big... and worked out the slag with some pin files and over drilling the holes on the opposite side...It was then I found the major flaw with these sprockets.... there was nothing to secure the two ...the inner sprocket bolts on fine... but the outer is hollow basically held on with the pressure applied when pushing them together ... so if you ran your tank... they would probably split apart.... leaving your tank a sitting duck ............. sure it would look cool when it happens... but I think would get rather old unless the problem was solved

Anyway.. I stared at the three piece component... and solved the problem ....I drilled the axle bolt cover... by pushing it into position on the outer sprocket.. I could drill it with confidence that the hole would be centered ...by sending the drill bit through the back side of the sprocket...then ... I counter sunk the hole on the outside of the cover.... using longer screws...I was able to secure and lock the sprockets to the drive axles ...so no problems down the road (no pun intended)
Subsequently ... I found the other wheel went on easily because the pins weren't aligned... and found the slag problem to be the same...redid that side as well


these are the culprits

and the covers I had to drill

one of the worst designs I have ever seen

I guess the guy who made them ... just made them... without testing them on a running tank

Lesson learned... be careful when purchasing aftermarket parts

HENG LONG's solution was to mold the outer sprocket with the covers...and countersinking the screw point ...leaving it exposed for easy access

TAIGENS look similar to the badly designed sprockets... but they too countersunk the outer sprocket so it could be locked in place

ALPHA

[trackmech81]

Very good work and tip.

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning,
Thank you for the tip and trick, Alpha. One of the most notorious figures that we encounter with HL tanks is their 'Glue Monkey' That guy can be the bane of your existence if you run into one of his tanks where it is obvious he has run wild with the glue gun on the assembly line.
warm regards,
Painless

[dgsselkirk]

Good Morning,
Thank you for the tip and trick, Alpha. One of the most notorious figures that we encounter with HL tanks is their 'Glue Monkey' That guy can be the bane of your existence if you run into one of his tanks where it is obvious he has run wild with the glue gun on the assembly line.
warm regards,
Painless

I agree, the glue monkey is pure evil! Especially for those who do full rebuilds. I figure he shows his boss the empty glue gun and says "see how many tanks I've done, I'm on my 26th stick today!"

[ALPHA]

Good Morning,
Thank you for the tip and trick, Alpha. One of the most notorious figures that we encounter with HL tanks is their 'Glue Monkey' That guy can be the bane of your existence if you run into one of his tanks where it is obvious he has run wild with the glue gun on the assembly line.
warm regards,
Painless

Hey Painless....being as I do like my HENGLONGS ... I know that monkey's work very well.... I can tell you stories about attempts to remove WALKER and PERSHING PANZERIII PANZER IV road wheels...and how one will come off easy...and the rest have so much glue... I just say hell with this... and cut the wheel in half with a saw

Makes you wonder if he sits on the assembly line... or comes out later at night

At least HENG LONG wised up a little ... as I noticed with my T34... a lot of the parts that used to be glued are left on trees

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

Good Morning,
Thank you for the tip and trick, Alpha. One of the most notorious figures that we encounter with HL tanks is their 'Glue Monkey' That guy can be the bane of your existence if you run into one of his tanks where it is obvious he has run wild with the glue gun on the assembly line.
warm regards,
Painless

I agree, the glue monkey is pure evil! Especially for those who do full rebuilds. I figure he shows his boss the empty glue gun and says "see how many tanks I've done, I'm on my 26th stick today!"

Then when the boss takes a look... finds he has done only two
When I was working on the PANZER III I decided to take off the detail spare bogies they mount on the side... and yes it was the same pattern of events...I wanted to keep the bogie mount...Pried on the first one... and it came off with ease... allowing me to access the screw inside...Thought that's great.. spare wheels That feeling was short lived...as the second wheel was glued permanent ... I had to take off the entire assembly .... cut the wheel in half.... and twist the wheel off...luckily there was minimal damage the the three point base... all I had to do was replace the plastic that the bogie drops on to....but dang ... I question why they even had that much glue there...as there was a screw holding the wheel (like on an axle )...crazy monkey

Have a good one dgsselkirk

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

Funny that, my panzer three has been running these for three years, getting a outstanding reputation for being a great battle tank, there is nothing wrong with this product, drill a hole in the centre cap to aid removal for track maintenance.............

Hi nachtjager... There's nothing wrong with the tank... personally I think the PANZER IIIs are great... especially in urban enviornments...It's just that brand of upgrade sprockets...I don't know what brand they were.. as they came in a unmarked ziplock thing ...So what should have been an easy sprocket change out ...became a three hour adventure

But at least there was a viable solution... and they work fine...as I don't like the idea of the sprockets being glued together... especially when running the metal tracks...being able to split them (like I do on my STUG) allows the tracks to relax even more allowing the inner sprocket to slide off easier

but those sprockets where bad... I even had to chase the teeth with a file as some of them didn't fit the track holes

I just chalk it up on the "live and learn" board

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

Funny that, my panzer three has been running these for three years, getting a outstanding reputation for being a great battle tank, there is nothing wrong with this product, drill a hole in the centre cap to aid removal for track maintenance.............

YOU DRILL YOUR WHEELS ??? BUTCHER just kidding

Hi nachtjager... There's nothing wrong with the tank... personally I think the PANZER IIIs are great... especially in urban enviornments...It's just that brand of upgrade sprockets...I don't know what brand they were.. as they came in a unmarked ziplock thing ...So what should have been an easy sprocket change out ...became a three hour adventure

But at least there was a viable solution... and NOW they work fine...as I don't like the idea of the sprockets being glued together... especially when running the metal tracks...being able to split them (like I do on my STUG) allows the tracks to relax even more allowing the inner sprocket to slide off easier

but those sprockets where bad... I even had to chase the teeth with a file as some of them didn't fit the track holes

I just chalk it up on the "live and learn" board

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

Very good work and tip.

Thanks trachmech81...I don't think there will be many that go through the experience... as the stock metal sprockets.. are usually very good ...I wish I knew the brand of these...then the tip would be a better advisory of what to avoid

Got these from a private party and he didn't know the brand either ...it's OK though....got them for a song.. and I was able to make them work...so even though there was a little spill of milk ... it was nothing to cry over

ALPHA