chicago25

Hey Everyone,

i wanted to ask if anyone has installed Ball Bearings in rear idler wheels of their Tamiya Tanks. I have the Tiger, KT and Panther and wanted to install BB in each one of them. If so, I wanted to know:

1. Would the same bearing size fit all three tanks
2. What BB size would I need and how many

Lastly, is there any benefit to installing BB in the rear idler wheels??

Thanks to everyone for your time and help..

Regards,

Alex

Panther G

1 Most likely not, but it may be possible. you will need to measure each for clearance as to which size bearing you would like to use.
2 Refer back to answer 1
3. There is always a benefit to installing bearings in any rolling stock that can cause drag or resistance.

ausf

A few companies offer full sets of the sizes needed for kits. Hit up eBay or google, I'm not sure which kits at the moment. You can match your own, you'll need a micrometer and pull the bushing. The sizes are different in the idlers and road wheels, except the JS-2. Boca bearing is a great source once you have the dimensions (diameter, width and lip), but be prepared to spend a bit.

I know a lot of guys automatically change them out, but I never saw the need for it. I bought the hop up set for the M4, but not the Tiger and there's been no noticeable difference in performance over the years. The Tiger has been going strong with the metal bushings for over 10 years. Considering the wheels aren't really rotating too fast (it's not like motor bearing spinning at 10,000 rpm) I don't worry about it.

The idler isn't moving any faster than the other roadwheels and while it may have extra stress on it, so should the first and last roadwheel.