wearing out Tank tracks

[panzer34]

I see a lot of you lads run your tanks on concrete  how does that affect the wear on plastic tracks I mean how fast do they wear out? I would think running on grass would be kinder but you are still going to get wear.are metal tracks better and last longer?

[hatakashi]

Yes of course metal tracks last longer even if run on concrete/tarmac constantly.  But of course, on grass, mud or even sand is better for the tracks.

[BigPanzer]

Hi,

I have my own opinions on metal tracks, which others may well not agree with, but here goes.

I think the plastic tracks that tanks come with are fine if your tank is standard(ish) with regard to weight and power. If you put metal tracks on a standard tank you add a lot to the weight and inertia, which means more strain on the running gear, possible idler problems and shorter running time. If your model has plastic sprockets these will also need to be changed or they will wear quickly.

I've had no problems with plastic track wear running on concrete. Yes, they will wear quicker than metal, but replacements are not expensive and there are plenty of second hand sets around.

However, if your tank is fully loaded with goodies, extra or bigger batteries then metal tracks are a good idea. But will need to bear in mind my previous comment and go for uprated idlers and a tougher gearbox.


Also, you need to have a weak link somewhere. If you pick up a stone then something is either going to break or burn out. I would rather break a cheap plastic track link than an expensive idler or gearbox. Or even a burned out board or motor.

There is nothing wrong with metal tracks. They are just another part of the upgrade path, depending what use you plan for your tank and how often you run it.

Peter

[tankmad]

I agree with Peter most tanks run fine out the box but when you start to upgrade them with metal tracks sprockets gears etc there is more tension and strain on the battery' boards and motors.
Stevie

[panzer34]

I agree that plastic are easier to get hold of I have 4 full ones as spares for my Tiger/Panthers  they did not cost much I had one track snap on me would you believe testing the tank in the hall  I have one Tiger with metal tracks gearboxes and drive wheels / sprockets so if you use your tank on concrete a lot they will wear out quite quick how often on average though? guys

[BigPanzer]

My WSN T34 is heavily modified with HL gearboxes, Tamiya electronics, modified suspension and idlers. It has been seriously abused at times on all sorts of surfaces in its 4 year life and its on its second set of plastic tracks. I didn't need to change the first set, I only put them on because they were going cheap and were better painted than the originals. I would say there is still plenty of life left in them.

My Tamiya Sherman is standard mechanichally apart from the idlers. Its about 3 years old, but hasn't had the abuse that the T34 has. Its on its first set of tracks and there is a bit of wear on the high points, but again plenty of mileage left in them.

Its impossible to say how lomg they will last, but on a reasonalby standard tank I would say quite a long time. Its when you start upgrading that you might get problems with plastic.

Peter

[panzer34]

Sounds a good answer to my question I had visions of changing them every couple of months thanks

[NigelDerEnglander]

I run tanks with both plastic and metal. The problems you have with them is not the material but the original design of the tracks. The Tiger (Pantiger) and PzIII tracks are prone to the plastic breaking at the end where the pin engages as it is exposed to impacts.

The Pershing and T34 track designs protect this in their own different ways and are hence more reliable. Plus the Pershing track plastic seems less brittle than that used in the early Tigers (perhaps the new Tigers use the same plastic nowadays?)

That's why full-size tank tracks and suspensions since WWII use variations of these designs and no-one in their right mind has used the over-engineered designs of the Germans which were unreliable and extremely difficult to maintain.

If my Tiger loses a road wheel the whole thing goes to pot and throws a track. In contrast I've had my T-34 running around happily with a missing road wheel and extra links making the chain as slack as an ugly, drunk, fat girl at 2am in a night club.

What I don't understand is why we didn't get a T-34 off the USSR for evaluation in 1941/1942 and then re-engineer it a bit with a Meteor engine etc? I know we gave them Churchills(?) and the Yanks gave them Shermans, but why didn't one of our Arctic convoys come back with a T-34 as a swapsie? Odd.

Sorry this will probably send this thread off in a new direction!!

Nige

[wibblywobbly]

Nige, I think you are right about sending the thread off in another direction. This girl, do you have her phone number? 

As for the T34 issue, it was bristling with innovation, it wasn't only the sloped armour, the split drive sprockets meant that the track teeth ran on rollers sandwiched between the inner and outer rims. Those Audi style rims with the big holes in allowed broken rollers to be changed with very little effort. The weird design feature was the mg, the gunner couldn't really see what he was firing at?

A brilliant tank, and it was there for the asking, I wonder what we would have done to it to improve on the design?

[Tankie]

I've put metal tracks on 3 of my tanks and the main improvement for me is the realistic 'weathering' you get.  I paint them rusty and dirty and then use makes the contact and moving parts metal show through again.  On the downside they are heavy and have very high rolling resistance thus straining the motors, gearboxes and electrics.  Personally if Heng Long made them some sort of gunmetal grey i'd use them in preference to metal - its the black I can't abide.  In terms of wear my plastic ones are fine and of course cheap to buy.  I tend to only run my tanks on hard surfaces and have never had a plastic track break - again I guess this is because of lower rolling resistance compared to grass/ dirt.