RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Well, I just got done removing all the excess metal flashing from the tracks, idler and sprockets. Took the better part of 2 hours of filing but now it's done and the track doesn't bind up on the bench.

Now to tear into the hull and start investigating how to replace the idlers. I'm going in blind.

Regards

-Not much help , but these parts are made by Mato - they make a very similar but not identicalTiger , so i think the extra bushes are reinforcements for the HL hull , or not required at all .

They were bushings for the rear idlers. Got one of the Wpn techs to give me a hand and press them in with some of their kit during coffee break.

Now putting the metal track on. Greased the metal gears as well and ran them for a good 10 minutes to ensure even spread and took off the excess.

Regards

Well I guess I didn't ensure track tension was correct. I took it out for a spin around the tank compound at work at end of play yesterday and it seemed fine.

Smooth running and didn't hear any popping or clunking (indicative of track about to be turfed in a real tank) so I thought it was good to go.

Was a bit bored this morning and I figured I'd take out the battery and put in a fresh one and discovered the track had popped and was halfway off the rear idlers. So I took it upon myself with the aid of my 2.5 year old son to fix the problem.

Also open 'er up to discover that a screw inside for the headlights popped off and is now MIA. Got out the clear silicon and used it as glue to ensure that it would stay away from the gears.

Noticed in another thread on track tension for a Tiger someone said 96 links was the golden number. I had 98 so I took out another on both sides. To take out two links I found it was rather tight and I figure that with continued usage the track will be bedded in and loosen up. Once that's done I'll take out the remaining shoe.

Noticed something last night. When firing the MG the bow gun now lights up! Glad to see HL made that mod.

Now to start reading up on how to make zimmerit.

Regards

Hi Beobachtungsbereich,
Just from looking at the photos I would say that the two bushings should go inside the idler wheel that is on the right hand side in the photo. The washer looks like it will hold the bush in place so then looking at the parts that you have the pair of self tapping type screws with the long smooth shoulders ( On the left of the photo ) should then go through the washer,the bush ,the wheel and then screw into your rear idler. Do you have metal suspension arms or plastic.....and is the track metal or plastic ?? you seem to say plastic but then that it is 'Gunblued ' which implies metal ?
.
The 4 small set screws that you show in the picture ( between the bushings and the washers ) are to go through the inner half of the idler wheel ( from behind ) and then screw the outer half firmly onto the inner half of the idler wheel. The hole in the centre of the outer idler is so that you can use a screwdriver to tighten the central screw that goes through the bushing. Just remember to fit the bushing, the washer and the screw BEFORE you screw the two halves together
Personally I always add a drop of Evo-Stik glue! It stops things from vibrating or working loose BUT you can still undo them if you want to.
Alb.

Yeah, sorry about that. The track is metal.

Got the idler together with no issues and used blue Loctight from work to ensure it stayed together. The bushings were pressed in with some of the weapons techs tools which made it easy and they went in straight as an arrow.

Also greased it up with some gen purpose blue grease packed in the bushing and the shouldered screw; should hold up for a while.

Still breaking in the track. Did about 20 minutes in the driveway with my son chasing after it on gravel. No clunking and it didn't pop over the idler like it did the other day at all. A small squeak started though near the end of the run in. Could be a loose roadwheel....I'll be checking it over in the morning.

Perhaps a change to late model metal roadwheels.....hmmmm.

Regards

bit of an update.

Everything is going well with the break in with exception to one thing.

Lost both rear mud flaps! They are somewhere in the tank compound and more than likely destroyed by a troop+ of Leopard tanks and light track vehicles. A fitting death in my opinion!

Also started to do some minor mods of freeing the sides skirts so the false gap is an actual gap. Also looking into rewiring the two lights into one central blackout headlight and a tail light. That should be fun!

Regards

I'm a bit late catching up with your progress,but the rear idler wheels and the bushing and shoulder bolt are rather flimsy considering the amount of stress that assembly is under.

You may consider drilling straight through the hull and replacing the self threading shoulder bolt with an Philips head bolt 5mmx1.00 pitch thread will support the bushing a nylon washer between the wheel and hull and a flat washer,lock washer and nut internally securing the idler wheel in a more stable mounting.

My Jagdpanther even after upgrading the rear idler arms to metal type still relied on that damn self threading bolt,but retained by a single set screw. Well I threaded the arms and used the method i describer to secure the wheel to the arm,worked out great,no more track issues. http://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/forums/v ... ion#p79341