Putting tracks together

[Merlin707]

How on earth do you get the tracks to fit together?

I bought the T74 from Dave ( Forgebear ) the other day and got round to fitting them last night, only to find that it's next to near impossible to do.

Is this a black art or is there a trick to doing it that I am clearly missing?

If someone could please post some step by step pics to assist that would be appreciated as I'm having a nightmare doing this mod.

Thanks.

[ALPHA]

Hey Merlin...More than happy to assist... what would help is if you describe what you did to frustrate yourself first lol... the duckbills are kind of tricky ... but once you get one side the other will follow with greater ease

ALPHA

[tomhugill]

I find heating up the end bits with soldering iron works wonders on my tamiya sherman tracks. Just git to be careful you dont melt anything

[Merlin707]

Hi Alpha these are just the standar T74 without the duckbils.

I can't seem to get the rods to fit in the end parts as the hole is too small or rods too wide.

I'm getting more and more frustrated.

[jarndice]

Merlin I know nothing about the T74 but track pins in my experience are broad at one end and slim at the other, have look at the pin it should be smooth at one end and have a series of ridges at the other, the smooth end goes into the hole in the track and should with a light tap assuming you have everything lined up slide in, the best way of doing this to place the thin end in the hole and with another track pin place the thin end against the ridged end and tap the pin into place. the usual cause of problems is a failure to get the track to line up with the next track so the pin cannot slide through all the way. shaun

[tanku]

I have the same issue as Merlin, fitting metal tracks to the heng long Sherman - just can't see how to fit the end caps. The pins are the same at both ends - smooth and a very,very tight fit
I have tried fitting both pins pins into one end cap on the vice (requires a lot of force) and then sliding this through the links to be joined. see picture. But I then have no idea how to fit the other end cap.I find it impossible to line up the two pins with the other cap and apply enough force. There must be a simple answer/technique

08.jpg (94.67 KiB) Viewed 993 times

[brizo58]

Hi Merlin,
What I tend to do is remove the sprocket wheel put the tracks together off the tank then feed the tracks onto the wheels and refit the drive sprockets . Always works from me.LOL . Brian...

[ALPHA]

Hi Alpha these are just the standar T74 without the duckbils.

I can't seem to get the rods to fit in the end parts as the hole is too small or rods too wide.

I'm getting more and more frustrated.

Yeah...that's pretty common with the Mato Tracks...easy fix...just get the finest drill bit 1/16th or smaller and chase the holes in the track links...links only ...do not chase the holes in the end caps ....what you do after is find which end is knurled ...the knurled or flared end should go on the inner end cap..
I usually put two pins in the inner end cap.... once you are certain of the length of the track...{I usually go by the measure of slack when the tank is sitting on a block of wood or something similar...little less than a half an inch is good.... to get this... install the preferred idler and sprockets...slide the track on from the rear locking it on the sprocket till it hangs a link or two over...then bring the rest up to the sprocket and match the two loose ends together...if there are too many links and the track slack is too great.... you will have to remove a link ...(this is done by grasping one end cap with pliers...the other with a vise grip..and pulling it apart...comes off easy this way)
if the track meets together well ...and the track slack is good...try sliding the end link that you have installed the two pins into the holes ...measure the track slack again... if everything measures up...disassemble the end cap link...take the track off.... slide the end cap link back in....} there are many methods of squishing the remaining end cap on...one is using a solid piece of metal placed beneath the end cap with the pins...and tapping the loose end cap on with a small hammer...the other method is to squish it with a large vise grip ...or plumbers pliers ...I prefer this method...as it simulates the same kind of pressure applied by a bench/arbor press

Then you replace the track opposite of the method you did to remove it .. that would be removing the sprocket and loosening the idler... make sure you don't loose the washer on the idler...it buffers the friction caused from the metal rubbing against the plastic hull

That should be it lol........ Good luck Merlin

ALPHA

[tomhugill]

Hi Alpha these are just the standar T74 without the duckbils.

I can't seem to get the rods to fit in the end parts as the hole is too small or rods too wide.

I'm getting more and more frustrated.

Did you try heating the end bits?

[ALPHA]

I have the same issue as Merlin, fitting metal tracks to the heng long Sherman - just can't see how to fit the end caps. The pins are the same at both ends - smooth and a very,very tight fit
I have tried fitting both pins pins into one end cap on the vice (requires a lot of force) and then sliding this through the links to be joined. see picture. But I then have no idea how to fit the other end cap.I find it impossible to line up the two pins with the other cap and apply enough force. There must be a simple answer/technique

Great picture Tanku ...you are half way there... as mentioned it's best to install the final link off the tank...two methods of compressing the links are described in my post to Merlin... plumbers slip joint pliers are great...so are vise grips..."C" clamps work well too...but you have to make up the difference on the screw in end.(depending on brand) as the head on the spindle is usually counter sunk

ALPHA