Rear Idler C-clip

[Rebellion13]

Anyone who has built the taigen Sherman or has needed to replace the rear idler knows how much of a pain they are, one wrong move and they are shot into the ozone. I put a little dab of Vaseline aka petroleum jelly on them either before or after installing/removing that way if it does slip from the pliers it will usually stick to what it hits and if it drops onto the floor it won’t roll away

Cheers
Wade

[jarndice]

I have never built a Sherman but I have built a few Panzer 4s and I always use "R" Clips to retain the Idlers in the Hull, This not only holds the Idler axle in place but it is much easier to remove/replace than a "C" Clip.

Method, I Push the Idler axle through the hull then Hold a marker or scribe against the axle where it enters the inside of the hull and turn the axle,
Out of the hull and into the chuck of my Dremel which is firmly held in its support, then using the Marker/Scribe marking as a guide I spin up the Dremel and using a small file I grind a small slot in the axle for the "R" Clip to seat and job done.

[Son of a gun-ner]

Both useful tips lads
One for the now, and one for the future

You have to love the tips and tricks section, just like buses, nothing for ages, then two or more going the same direction turn up relatively close together

[Rebellion13]

I have never built a Sherman but I have built a few Panzer 4s and I always use "R" Clips to retain the Idlers in the Hull, This not only holds the Idler axle in place but it is much easier to remove/replace than a "C" Clip.

Method, I Push the Idler axle through the hull then Hold a marker or scribe against the axle where it enters the inside of the hull and turn the axle,
Out of the hull and into the chuck of my Dremel which is firmly held in its support, then using the Marker/Scribe marking as a guide I spin up the Dremel and using a small file I grind a small slot in the axle for the "R" Clip to seat and job done.

Hmmm now you have me thinking lol. My son has some of the I believe they are "1/24" crawlers that use the R-clips to hold on the body, and they are tiny, wonder if they would be the appropriate size to fit on the Sherman rear idlers? Inquiring minds want to know This would make things a whole lot easier and you can bend the head of it at a 90 deg angle so it would be easy to grab hold of

[Herr Dr. Professor]

I wonder if I am the only one who had to look up "R Clip." Of course, they are immediately familiar, but I don't recall seeing them small enough for 1/16.
Anyway, just in case, here's a photo of an R Clip.

R Clip.jpg (2.77 KiB) Viewed 787 times

[jarndice]

Trust me Doc they are and many times smaller.

[Son of a gun-ner]

I wonder if I am the only one who had to look up "R Clip." Of course, they are immediately familiar, but I don't recall seeing them small enough for 1/16.
Anyway, just in case, here's a photo of an R Clip.
R Clip.jpg

They became a replacement for split pins in some applications, more convenient if maintenance requires frequent strip downs. Although, R pins were designed to have the straight part run through a hole, I guess using an R pin the way Shaun suggests, for non critical applications will work, in fact, a lot/most heating boilers in Europe use a similar external spring clip to lock push fit connections together within the boiler, connections not too dissimilar from the hose lock garden hose variety.

[jarndice]

SOAG is as usual quite right,
In the case of the "R" Clip as used around the Idler axle' they only have to stop the axle from pulling out of the hull' they do not need to stop them from turning and an element of freeplay is permissible thereby allowing for the movement of the tracks from side to side.
All in all it is merely an alternative to "C" Clips but easier to fit and refit.

[Rebellion13]

My son has one like this 1/24 so you can see how tiny they are

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Yes, rebellion, that's where I first learned about R-Clips, shaking on the pinned-down hoods of late 'sixties muscle cars. Rmmmble rmmmble rrrrrmmble!