Originally Posted by
JREEVES
Thanks for this and your other builds and mods Fsttanks! I'm enjoying making these mods to my Abrams, have the bearing holders on order from Aliexpress and just finished the suspension arm stops mod! Still need to hit the auto store for the nylon washers. This is a lot of fun and your pictures inspire the confidence to go ahead with them. Even though I don't have your tough terrain it's good to know my M1A2 will be ready for it!
Let me ask, when you added the bolts and nylock nuts to your wheels did you sleeve the bushings with something or are the wheels running on the threads of the bolts?
The wheels are riding on the suspension arm "axle" shafts (note these are metal HL arms and metal HL non bearing wheels). The screws are not in contact with the wheels. The wheels are held on with the use of small locking nuts and nylon washers attached to the screw and tightened to a snug point. It is important that the axle shafts and all nylon washers be lightly lubricated. The screw and lock nut will work without the enlarged hub modification seen on my suspension arms and on the back side of the wheels, but without this modification there will not be any reduced wheel wobble, it will just hold the wheels on tighter.
Hope this helps.
The Abrams is still running great. Shown below vvvvvv getting some air time at one of the recent "LA Tank Battle Days". I enjoy putting on a show with it, folks think I am crazy jumping it and can't believe how much of a beating this Abrams can just shake off and keep running.
Screen shot of Abrams "getting air" during drive demo at recent IR tank battle day.