Torro Heavy Metal King Tiger

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning, Hotte,
2014 is now 'The Year of the Bucket' as least as far as scale armor builds go. *chuckles* Thanks for posting the pictures and videos of your excellent King Tiger.
regards,
Painless

[hotte8487]

Okay, then I'm more a representative of tanks with buckets, also if not all my tanks have one.

[ALPHA]

Okay, then I'm more a representative of tanks with buckets, also if not all my tanks have one.

EXCELLENT ...nothing wrong with BUCKETS.... made a couple last eve... they're cool if you make them

ALPHA

[hotte8487]

After a few rounds in freedom is my King Tiger now already again in the maintenance. Mainly because he has a problem with the road wheels, but some other changes will also made.
First to the problem at the road wheels. Each Torro King Tiger has road wheels from metal and already with ball bearings, but only one per road wheel. Almost each ball bearing has damages, the reason for that is the large lever and the occurring forces at the suspension arms.
A picture of the small ball bearings after dismantling; some of them have already dissolved into their components...



For repair I have ordered the double quantity ball bearings; the road wheels were dismantled...



...and received at the counter side also a seat for a ball bearing. At one road wheel I've made a mistake; I have broken the wheel nave off.



After my anger was gone, I've turned a little brass part as replacement at my lathe…



...and mounted from the inside in the road wheel half, then was both halves reassembled.



The result was impressive; in new state they rotated well on the axis, but now they rotate super soft - like butter - I'm satisfied so far.
At this time got my king tiger a complete paint removal – and was also complete dismantled. Then began mounting – so part for part and there was also some details added. The leading edges at the lower hull were for me too smooth; slight traces of a welding torch were installed.



At some points perhaps a bit too much – a final surface treatment with sandpaper will still follow.



Next step was the track tensioner modification; same principles like at my Tiger I, it was a torsion spring inserted.



It followed once again the production of the required parts...



…here all parts in overview…



…and here some detail photos.









Finally followed the mounting of the track tensioner, thereof the last photos for today.







To be continued...

[edpanzer]

Looks good work I will be following along

[hotte8487]

Looks good work I will be following along

with pleasure...

[hotte8487]

In my last report I had described the modification of the track tensioner; subsequently I’ve mount the original torsion bars and the suspension arms. The spring tension is not adjustable, but fits god to the weight of the Kingtiger and is very easy to remove and to install.



The lower hull and thus the hull bottom is god detailed, all bottom covers are present like at the big original.



However, I have lost one of them, because they are only glued and if you slightly harder touches down on the ground can they tear off and go lost. Because this cover exists twice, I had a good template for their replica from a polystyrene plate.



The new bottom cover was now really screwed to the bottom plate.



Perhaps I will screw all bottom covers at the bottom plate. View lower hull from the rear…



…and from the front.





Due to a gearbox problem in the past - a cotter at the drive shaft had come loose and the gears damaged - was I'm at the search for new gearboxes. I found they at Torro - certainly not the best, but for under 60, - € a sufficient good quality.



How described at the package are this steel gearboxes; all axles are ball beared and the bearing clearance is equal zero.



With the mounting I had no problems because their design was equal to the older gearboxes.







The spark interference suppression was realized over little electronic boards; a good solution as I find.



So much to the necessary changes. But If I have already dismantled my tank, I will also change some details.
That's why it goes now further at the rear wall. Negative is here, that the exhaust covers were screwed with bolts into the rear wall; in original were they mounted with stud bolts. The old paint was removed and also the wooden block for the jack. Thereunder is the on/off-switch for the tank hidden. Maybe I will change this, the wooden block from plastic doesn't look fine; but previously I must find a new place for the switch.
As I said, at first were removed the exhaust covers, exhaust themselves, the rear light and the wooden block…



…the paint removed…



…and then the attachment for the exhaust covers changed.



Incidentally had my Kingtiger received a little cat eye.



Next time it goes on…

[jackalope]

Looks fantastic! All of those little plates on the underside of mine are gone, I'd love to find a new set for mine so if ANYONE has a lead on them please PM me, PLEASE!

[edpanzer]

I think Chris ludwick sells them

[hotte8487]

I think Chris ludwick sells them

This is right, for 17,50 €, look here: http://www.ludwigs-hobby-seite.de/Koeni ... ehoer.html