Good parts.. bad design
Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 5:49 am
I'm sure there are many of you that has experienced this... But it was a new one for me
I recently acquired some metal sprockets for my PANZER III....Thought cool they might be better than the metal HLs ...but after installing one... ran into problems with the second...the first issue was there was a good amount of slag (from molding) around the three pins that align the two halves of the sprockets ...thought ok ..that's nothing big... and worked out the slag with some pin files and over drilling the holes on the opposite side...It was then I found the major flaw with these sprockets.... there was nothing to secure the two ...the inner sprocket bolts on fine... but the outer is hollow
basically held on with the pressure applied when pushing them together ... so if you ran your tank... they would probably split apart.... leaving your tank a sitting duck 
............. sure it would look cool when it happens... but I think would get rather old unless the problem was solved
Anyway.. I stared at the three piece component... and solved the problem ....I drilled the axle bolt cover... by pushing it into position on the outer sprocket.. I could drill it with confidence that the hole would be centered ...by sending the drill bit through the back side of the sprocket...then ... I counter sunk the hole on the outside of the cover.... using longer screws...I was able to secure and lock the sprockets to the drive axles ...so no problems down the road (no pun intended)
Subsequently ... I found the other wheel went on easily because the pins weren't aligned... and found the slag problem to be the same...redid that side as well
these are the culprits
and the covers I had to drill
one of the worst designs I have ever seen
I guess the guy who made them ... just made them... without testing them on a running tank
Lesson learned... be careful when purchasing aftermarket parts
HENG LONG's solution was to mold the outer sprocket with the covers...and countersinking the screw point ...leaving it exposed for easy access
TAIGENS look similar to the badly designed sprockets... but they too countersunk the outer sprocket so it could be locked in place
ALPHA
I recently acquired some metal sprockets for my PANZER III....Thought cool they might be better than the metal HLs ...but after installing one... ran into problems with the second...the first issue was there was a good amount of slag (from molding) around the three pins that align the two halves of the sprockets ...thought ok ..that's nothing big... and worked out the slag with some pin files and over drilling the holes on the opposite side...It was then I found the major flaw with these sprockets.... there was nothing to secure the two ...the inner sprocket bolts on fine... but the outer is hollow
basically held on with the pressure applied when pushing them together ... so if you ran your tank... they would probably split apart.... leaving your tank a sitting duck ............. sure it would look cool when it happens... but I think would get rather old unless the problem was solvedAnyway.. I stared at the three piece component... and solved the problem ....I drilled the axle bolt cover... by pushing it into position on the outer sprocket.. I could drill it with confidence that the hole would be centered ...by sending the drill bit through the back side of the sprocket...then ... I counter sunk the hole on the outside of the cover.... using longer screws...I was able to secure and lock the sprockets to the drive axles ...so no problems down the road (no pun intended)
Subsequently ... I found the other wheel went on easily because the pins weren't aligned... and found the slag problem to be the same...redid that side as well
these are the culprits
and the covers I had to drill
one of the worst designs I have ever seen
I guess the guy who made them ... just made them... without testing them on a running tank
Lesson learned... be careful when purchasing aftermarket parts
HENG LONG's solution was to mold the outer sprocket with the covers...and countersinking the screw point ...leaving it exposed for easy access
TAIGENS look similar to the badly designed sprockets... but they too countersunk the outer sprocket so it could be locked in place
ALPHA
... I had to take off the entire assembly .... cut the wheel in half.... and twist the wheel off...luckily there was minimal damage the the three point base... all I had to do was replace the plastic that the bogie drops on to....but dang ... I question why they even had that much glue there...as there was a screw holding the wheel (like on an axle )...crazy monkey 
??? 
just kidding 