jarndice wrote:Hi Mr Fox, I used White Lithium grease until I started using
"WD-40 Specialist Anti-Friction DRY PTFE Lubricant"
That is the complete title of the product,
WD-40 make anti-friction sprays which are similarly named but are NOT the same,
This stuff is good and worth searching out.
Good luck with your fix and welcome to the Forum,
Shaun
Sounds as if there was a foreign body gumming up the works (bit of plastic, metal swarf, grit etc.,), or some component in that errant side's track and running gear was slightly too tight, and a little wear has eased the tolerances to the extent that the fickle beast has decided to confound us all by workingfoxtrotraptor wrote:Soooooo I'm confused. I was going to start my idler project today. Before that I went to my parents house so daughter a little grandpa and grandma time. They have a nice flat cement driveway as well as a large yard with short grass and some dirt in the back so I decided to give the tank another try to show my dad the issue with the tank.....what happens? Everything works! Perfectly. I ran it up and down at different speeds, up hill down hill, on the grass and dirt and no issues at all. Idler did not get stuck at all. So how can that be? Should I just leave it alone and just chalk it up as it's running fine? I'll still have to open it up to fix the hull problem but this idler thing is leaving me stratching my head
If it runs well next time, maybe forget sending it back. But you could put the wind up the vendor for supplying the tank it in that state (sagging hull, etc..). That way you may save other future customers from needless frustration. Son of a gun-ner wrote:If my memory serves me correct, the idler may be metal coloured, but it's really plastic and the two halves are glued together with the screw trapped inside.
When you take the idler off (I believe with a Philips screwdriver, not pozi), you should notice a small brass bush that the screw passes out of. This screw has a smooth shank with a smaller diameter thread than this shank. So it's easy to notice there is a shoulder where the threaded portion meets the shank, or axle portion. If you hold the idler on its side so the screw/axle completely falls out the hole, gently pull down on the threaded part and look to see if the shoulder/end of non threaded part protrudes slightly past the bush like it should.
Because when you tighten up the screw to fit the wheel on, this shoulder should sit against the small washer thus producing the the free wheeling axle effect.
Without the washer the screw would pull the shoulder into the plastic causing a jam. There is also a possibility the axle portion was manufactured too short or the bush too long, or the hole in the bush is too big causing the idler to try and twist on the axle.
I'm guessing that when you have the Tiger up on blocks there is less load pulling on the idler, but when you try to drive the tank, with all the weight of it there is more force trying to pull the idler forward, and without the proper clearances or too big a hole in the bush the the idler is locking against the plastic mount on the chassis.
I say this because I've had idler problems with three of my tanks, funny enough, all my tigers lol.
As for the body, someone please remind me, doesn't the standard HL tiger one sort of clip together at the front to help locate the two halves before you screw it together? I ask this because it looks like the two halves are not located correctly. Or something inside is trapped between the internal screw post, something I've done when putting a tank together.
I've had various silly little things wrong with my tanks like sticking track links, caused by paint and flash, bits not attached property. All things easily remedied. I still like them, they are cheap and cheerful, with lots of scope, if all tanks were perfect and catered for everybody, how boring would the build section on this forum be, and how limited would this hobby be.
I hope this is helpful. And doesn't put you off, and you enjoy your tank, and many more to come.
Mick.
P.S. the Heng-Long over glueing monkeys sometimes double as over tightening monkeys too.
Aussie wrote:Ill be opening it up for the first time should be fun.
Be aware , there are two screws located under the front spare track.
It just unclips so you can get to the screws.
