A curious observation about Heng Long tanks
03-09-2024, 04:07 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
A curious observation about Heng Long tanks
I have 5 HL tanks, the Sherman, Pershing, Walker Bulldog, Challenger II and Abrams, and the all have the same quirk, the distance between the sprocket and idler is a bit longer on one side than the other, resulting in more track slack on on side compared to the other. Even on the Challenger, on the left side I have the tensioner adjusted all the way out and it's still perhaps a bit too loose, the other side is fine with the tensioner about 50% of it's travel. Is this something others have observed?
03-09-2024, 04:38 PM
#2
According to HLs own past statements their products are toys first and foremost regardless of what trim level you buy. Simple as that. To expect Tamiya level of engineering at a toy price would be simply unrealistic.
The Challenger has always been a problematic tank even with the new adjustable idlers. Like almost all modern tanks one side will be tighter then the other do to the offset placement of the road wheels on opposite side of the tank. This is because the majority of modern tank use torso bar suspensions and the off set is required to fit the torsion bars. This is most noticeable if you look at the angle of the track coming off the idlers and sprockets, it can be seen best when the tank is sitting on a flat surface. The track angle is different on each side. HL and other companies simply copy the suspension arm positions even though they may or may not be using torsion bar in their RC tank.
The Challenger has always been a problematic tank even with the new adjustable idlers. Like almost all modern tanks one side will be tighter then the other do to the offset placement of the road wheels on opposite side of the tank. This is because the majority of modern tank use torso bar suspensions and the off set is required to fit the torsion bars. This is most noticeable if you look at the angle of the track coming off the idlers and sprockets, it can be seen best when the tank is sitting on a flat surface. The track angle is different on each side. HL and other companies simply copy the suspension arm positions even though they may or may not be using torsion bar in their RC tank.
Last edited by Fsttanks; 03-09-2024 at 04:49 PM.
03-09-2024, 05:32 PM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
wasn't necessarily a complaint so much as an observation, thought it curious that the same issue existed on every tank I own, now it makes sense to a degree.
03-09-2024, 05:47 PM
#4
I doubt that you will find that on the sherman.
I am suspecting you may be noticing the alignment of the tortion bar arrangement on each side. Tanks that use tortion bars stagger the left and right wheel from side to side as the tortion bars are right next to each other. So that will mean one side the front wheel is further from the idler than on the other side. Likewise the rear wheel is closer to the drive sprocket on the opposite side.
Henglong tanks dont use tortion bars (except merkava) so they are just replicating the difference on the real tank.
As for the track tension, track stretches out. You will have to adjust it relative to how often you drive it, real tanks are always having their tracks worked on.
AS the track stretches out, you increase the idler tension adjustment to take up the slack. Once you cannot do that any more, you remove one link of track and return the idler adjustment to make the new length of track fit with the proper tension.
I am suspecting you may be noticing the alignment of the tortion bar arrangement on each side. Tanks that use tortion bars stagger the left and right wheel from side to side as the tortion bars are right next to each other. So that will mean one side the front wheel is further from the idler than on the other side. Likewise the rear wheel is closer to the drive sprocket on the opposite side.
Henglong tanks dont use tortion bars (except merkava) so they are just replicating the difference on the real tank.
As for the track tension, track stretches out. You will have to adjust it relative to how often you drive it, real tanks are always having their tracks worked on.
AS the track stretches out, you increase the idler tension adjustment to take up the slack. Once you cannot do that any more, you remove one link of track and return the idler adjustment to make the new length of track fit with the proper tension.
03-09-2024, 08:31 PM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
... As for the track tension, track stretches out. You will have to adjust it relative to how often you drive it, real tanks are always having their tracks worked on.
AS the track stretches out, you increase the idler tension adjustment to take up the slack. Once you cannot do that any more, you remove one link of track and return the idler adjustment to make the new length of track fit with the proper tension.
AS the track stretches out, you increase the idler tension adjustment to take up the slack. Once you cannot do that any more, you remove one link of track and return the idler adjustment to make the new length of track fit with the proper tension.
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