RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

In keeping with the low cost/picked over for useful parts for other tanks theme, I spent all of $10AUD (thats about 4 cents for you guys with actual currency)to get a Mato track tensioner.
Now its nowhere near a Henntec or similar, but it is going to do the job.

Small retaining screws secure the internal bracket to the sponson walls and they will be well hidden by the tracks & dirt.
The idler mounts slide into these and a replacement brass bush & bolt holds it all together.
There is a stiffener bar that runs between them, but its only a basic way of keeping outward pressure on both set ups.

My real hold up is creating a set of adaptors for use with the matorro steel roadwheels.
Ive brainstormed all options but will have to give in and seek a lathe.
Need a cylinder 7mm diameter, 20mm long, with a flage in the middle 1mm thick.
One end will need a recess for the axle, and a hole thru the middle 4mm.
All the stock sizes are too big or small for brass tube(thats said TOOB for you left hand drivers)any PVC or similar are again just not quite right.
God its just easy to buy the wheels and fit them...............but wheres the fun in that eh !!

Nice work!

Looking forward to your axle shaft dilemma.

HERMAN BIX wrote: tube(thats said TOOB for you left hand drivers)

Ummm...how else would it be pronounced?

Herman, do you think it would be much work to modify this track tensioner to fit the Panther?

Estnische wrote:Herman, do you think it would be much work to modify this track tensioner to fit the Panther?

It came from tankarmy mate.
I think it would work as the ends which are the key components can be fitted independently with the stiffener made to any length.
Depending on the orientation of the black retaining brackets, you should be able to get the correct height for your idlers.

The odd threaded rod stifener could be replaced with a more suitable item if you tapped each idler mount and screwed them onto it from each side, then you would not need to rely on the black brackets to be the key stressed members so much.

At $10 plus post its a reasonable punt

Thanks! That’s what I was thinking. The Panther is narrower, so maybe even shorten the threaded rod and redress the threads to suit. At worst, it doesn’t work out and I spent $10.

The OEM H/L Tiger idler mounts were 143mm wide, and these things fitteed as tight as I can get them are 140mm.
So all I need is a 1.5mm washer or spacer to take up the slack each side.
I found a couple of washers and 2 plastic washers to fit between the screw and the idler which set the things in the right place, and removed any slop in the idlers.
Going to work on a few details now while gear boxes are on the way, and I figure out a way to get the roadwheel adaptors made.

HERMAN BIX wrote:The OEM H/L Tiger idler mounts were 143mm wide, and these things fitteed as tight as I can get them are 140mm.
So all I need is a 1.5mm washer or spacer to take up the slack each side.
I found a couple of washers and 2 plastic washers to fit between the screw and the idler which set the things in the right place, and removed any slop in the idlers.
Going to work on a few details now while gear boxes are on the way, and I figure out a way to get the roadwheel adaptors made.

Pictures?

To help my feeble mind envision the solution.

As requested.
The measurement across the outside of the idler mounts needs to be 143mm

Add washers and plastic shims- voila !!

Lots of interesting stuff about this build Herman, I'm liking your work on the tension system. How well do you find the threaded rod axles working on those idler wheels?

You inspired me to pick up those exacto saws after I saw that pic with the tension adjustment covers.

SovereignZuul wrote:Lots of interesting stuff about this build Herman, I'm liking your work on the tension system. How well do you find the threaded rod axles working on those idler wheels?

You inspired me to pick up those exacto saws after I saw that pic with the tension adjustment covers.

Thanks Mr Zuul and it is ex'Fn'ceptionally good to have you back and active mate.
The threaded rod is not screwed into the mounts-thats the odd thing.
The rod sits in clearance holes with the nuts being used to add outward pressure on both sides.
The black brackets are the bits that carry to load and retain the idlers in position.
Having run my white Tiger a lot with no tension system at all in it has not presented any problems, but the thing did shed the right track all the time(as all H/L Tigers do) until I took the time to shim it into correct alignment.

I reckon the tensioner covers are a much missed point of interest to be honest.
Time will tell eh