Hubcaps for metal idler wheels and drive sprockets

[KH3DP]

I thought I'd share it here, in case someone else runs into it.

I've had Heng Long tanks before, but I recently purchased my first one with metal idlers, road wheels, and drive sprockets, a Pro 7.0 Challenger 2. When I unboxed it, the metal hubcaps were already on all the road wheels, but not the idlers or drive sprockets. Once I unboxed everything, I only found two odd, double sided metal pieces with a cone on one side and a bolt pattern on the other, that didn't fit the idlers or the drive sprockets.

HubcapsTogether1.jpg (73.3 KiB) Viewed 989 times

HubcapsTogether2.jpg (67.44 KiB) Viewed 989 times

I'm kind of embarrassed I didn't figure this out sooner, but I finally realized what I had. The hubcaps for the drive sprockets are small enough to fit inside the hubcaps for the idler wheels, and somehow they had been pushed together so tight that they looked like one piece. I managed to pry them apart, and a lot of metal grit came out all over the table. Apparently the grit was holding them together, because they no longer fit tight together after that.

HubcapsApart.jpg (77.18 KiB) Viewed 989 times

HubcapsApart2.jpg (86.18 KiB) Viewed 989 times

[jarndice]

It is vitally important that covers over sprockets, idlers , wheels and other ports of access to retaining bolts, hexheads and screws are NOT glued in place because you will need to remove/tighten the fitting one day, Depending on the material and size depends on what to use to retain covers/caps in place as unobtrusively as possible,
Small neo-dymion magnets on sprocket covers/caps or Loctite 243 on smaller or non ferrous items will hold the caps/covers in place but they can when needed be removed.