Removing Tracks & Opening the Hull Halves

[BIGMIG]

Track removel and how to open the tank hull is one of the usual first question asked.

REMOVING THE TRACKS---                                         PICTURES TO FOLLOW---

(1) To start it works best to lay the tank on it's side.If the tank has BB's in it you can remove them first,or put a piece of tape over the hatch to keep it closed while doing this procedure.

(2) To remove a pin to seperate the track is best done over the front part of the sprocket (outside part as noted in picture). A push pin or very sharp pointed needle nose plier will work the best for starting the "push" on the pin to be removed.It takes a pretty good force to get the pin pushed loose
and a word of "CAUTION HERE",keep your fingers from under the pin you are pushing on as when it breaks loose it will jab you just like a needle.(I have done this several times and it hurts)

(3) After the pin breakes loose a pair of needle nose pliers works great for continuing to remove the pin.

(4) Now after the pin is removed you can slide the track over the sprocket,idler,and roadwheels.

(5) Repete this procedure on the other side of the tank.

(6) After comlpeting the above you will now have access to the screws holding the two hull halves togeather.



  SEPERATING THE HULL---SCREW REMOVAL---               This (example is on the Tiger tank )

(1) There are four black hoses on the back top of the hull with "two screwed on brackets".The brackets each have two screws and these brackets must be removed,then the hoses can be raised up out of the way when you actually go about seperating the hull halves.

(2) There are " 7--seven screws " that hold the two hull halves togeather that need to be removed.

(3) You need to "take note here" --(there are "5" screws under the fender wells that do not need to be removed to open the hull ) The one's to be removed are the (3) on the belley of the tank with the red circles in the picture.The remaining (4) screws will be "two" on "each side" of the under side of the fender wells.They will be the very front screw on each side,and the next "two" screws are kind of in the middle of the fender well "one"on each side.       (for a total of 7 screws to remove)

(4) the two very back screws "one on each side" do not need to be removed.There are also a set of three screws on the back right hand side under the fender well that hold the speaker in place and do not have to be removed to seperate the hull halves.

(5) You can now seperate the two halves of the hull being " carefull " not to dammage or pull on the wiring inside the hull.There is usually enough length to the wiring to set the upper section along side the tank for further work or inspection.


      That is it,pretty easy to do----

The pictures will be posted below--some on this post and some on the following post.

If some of this is not clear to you--don't hesitate to ask any question in the general forum page--
Hope this is helpfull,and good luck checking out your tank   

                               BIGMIG   ;)

[BIGMIG]

Now the screws to be removed to open the hull pictures---

Note--Remember you are working with plastic so when putting the hull halves back togeather and you tighten the screws,nice and snug is good enough.It is easy to strip or break a mounting post,and start the screws srtaight when reinstalling them. 

[BIGMIG]

Well went this far with show and tell so will conclude this part with showing the tank in it's seperated state.This is a working tank that has some moddifications that was used for these demo pictures.You can now note what they look like inside(smoke and sound model) and the places that are circled red is the points that hold the hull halves togeather.

Pictures below---------                    BIGMIG 

[mroberts1999]

I cant seem to get the pic's. Can they be reposted ?

[jarndice]

Track splitting can be done if you have a spare track pin simply by placing the narrow end against the narrow end of the in situ pin and giving it a sharp tap.