metalhead1986

Here is the other question I have.

The manual says to remove three links from the track before installing. When I removed three links, no matter how far I adjusted the idlers, the tracks would never meet. I ended up removing just one link. This is where I could get the tracks to sit just right without having the idler adjuster too far one way or the other. Is this OK, or have I maybe done something horribly wrong here? Did I maybe not build something in the idler adjuster mechanism right?

Here is how my tracks sit now:



Thanks for any input,

Steve

ausf

Resting on the second outer roadwheel (while stationary) is where the real ones generally sit, so your photo looks right. It's really about performance vs appearance, if you find it binding or jumping the sprocket, tighten it up. They shouldn't be taut like a Sherman, so there's little worry about stressing the gearbox/motors if you want them tighter.

I think the battlers prefer them tighter, I'm a sucker for appearances.

The tires will change it a bit too, as well as the weight with the rest of the tank and battery, I wouldn't go too far with adjustments right now.

DirtyBird69

I agree... your doin fine

thecommander

Yours are way too loose. It looks good now, but you are missing too many parts for a final track adjustment. Finish the tank assembly.... then adjust the tracks. The unladed (too little weight) springs will give too much slack the way you have it now. Right now "the cart is in front of the horse". Here is a helpful hint. Put the batteries, apple and whatever parts (some guys load these things up with metal stowage) and then adjust the tracks. Make sure it tank is off and or battery disconnected. Put the fully built & finished tank on the table/workbench with the rear idlers hanging off the edge. This will allow you to reach the idler adjustment screws underneath with the rest of the tank on a hard level surface. They should snug up at the center of the adjustment range. Too tight and you can't get them off when slackened and too loose and you will throw tracks and have no room for the stretch wear that comes from use. The hanging/sagging track should touch the first or second road wheels. Metal or plastic tacks ...it matters very little. Most guys (like me) prefer them to touch the second which is on the tighter side, like Jeff mentioned. If you need to assemble a track on the tank do it on the sprocket so the wheels teeth help hold the tracks for you during pin insertion. Good luck, Bob

metalhead1986

I wasn't going for a final track adjustment yet. I know that needs to be done after all the rest of the tank is built. My concern was the fact that the kit instructions say to remove three track links, but I could not get the tracks to meet with three removed, no matter how I adjusted the idler. That picture is with only one removed and the idler adjuster set in the middle of its travel.

Steve

metalhead1986

This point may be moot, as I am toying with the idea of sealing up the bottom of the tank with a sheet of styrene to make it look more scale, which means modding to allow for flat head screws and doing something about the stock idler adjuster, like changing it to a HennTec, so I could cover over the screw holes with a sheet of styrene and still adjust track tension. I saw someone do this in another build and was really intrigued by it.

I know this would leave the screws inaccessible and be an issue should I ever need to mess with the gear boxes, but there is always a way around that, too. Like I said, I am toying with the idea. I have not even seen if I can get a flat head screw to fit properly.

Thanks for the words of encouragement and advice.

Steve

thecommander

OK Steve. Then you have a starting point. Where do the adjusters sit now in the range? They should be at the very beginning. Avoid stretching the tracks over wheels. Pulling the pins will give longer track life with less stress until you are a veterans and can do it in your sleep.

ausf

I'm a scale appearance junkie coming to RC from the static world and when I build it's usually off distinct refs with accuracy in mind. That said, I think you're worried a bit too much about the underside. Yes a real tiger had access ports, etc and didn't have giant screw heads protruding, but it also had a lot of buildup of mud, snow, ice as well as scratching and oil staining. Your Tiger can be as good as any static 1/35 sitting on a table at AMPS, but it's still designed to run. The bottom will get abraded, scratched and mucked up as you crash through the grass and it the long run, compromising your ability to remove the gearboxes might come back to bite you.

I muddy up visible screws with a mixture of PVA and pigment just like any other weathering. If needed, it can be chipped off to turn the screw.

Panther F

I gave up that game with the plastic tracks and threw on some metal ones for my Sturmtiger.

I could never get them the way I wanted so off they went (to the UK I believe too) and have loved it ever since.






Jeff

metalhead1986

Commander,

Here is where the idler adjusters are right now:



For the beginning, should they be at the top or bottom of their travel?

Thanks again,

Steve

crxsidan85

i just built a tamiya tiger 1 a few months ago, and i too was confused on that step. i just did what you did and it works fine. the kit comes with spare links, when the kit was new ,were the spare links attached to the track set perhaps?

metalhead1986

No, I have spare links as well as the extra one I removed in that step.

Panther G

Yes you will have problems if you run them that slack. On this scale you really need to be off of the second road wheel for starters. Then you should be able to adjust from there. Just make sure your adjusters are neutral {centered}|at the beginning

Shark27

I guess I'll put in my two cents, these guys are right, I now run metal tracks on my Tiger 1 and the plastic tracks have to be somewhat run tighter, as the tend to stretch a bit more than the metal tracks. The metal tracks will stretch as well but slower. I have tried running the metal tracks so they look more scale, but even they are too loose when they look that way. Here is a short clip from Danville showing how tight my metal tracks are set. Tiger 1 http://youtu.be/IHuvtLBw-ko Steve

cleong

When the tank is running, the top run of the tracks are under tension. 2' 53" does show a decent amount of slack when the tracks are at rest; it does look like it is touching the second of the outer roadwheel rims, which is where I have my Tiger set at, and it has never thrown a track yet (running plastic tracks).