Is there any way to secure those road wheels better? They slip out of the chasis with minimum force and it's just ridiculous to me that a $800 kit would have such problem! I mean I'm building the thing according to the instruction but there is nothing that holds the road wheel to the lower hull of the tank (V1 ~ V14, which are not secured by anything)!!!

my friend, study the manual word by word, it should work fine. i had no problem with 2 leo2 i built.
good luck,
send to me if you can not make it work.

How are V1 ~ V14 suppose to be held in place? The metal rod thingy can easily slip out of them, and the manual mentions nothing more about them other than how the metal pieces go inside of them.

EDIT: urgh, now I feel stupid. I can't believe I left out the third ball bearing that goes inside the lower hull...

I suppose I should thank you Tom, since you did advise me to look back into the manual

I am so happy you posted this!! My lower hull should be painted in a few days, then I will start on the wheels and suspension. Now I know at least one thing I really need to pay attention to

you are welcome. too bad because i was expecting for a new leopard arrive at my door

The Leo is one of those models that needs every part to work well, like in the cartoons when a small spring leftover after building this great machine (Wile-e-cyote comes to mind) it falls apart![X(]

Pay attention to the V part axels location in the hull as slight difference in arm alignment molded plastic allows for stronger spring tension on the front and rear roadwheels and gentler suspension in the mid portion roadwheels.

Since you brought up the suspension, I will ask a question that will probably make me look really dumb. There are shocks in the kit, but from the looks of it, there is not one shock per wheel set (as I would have expected), and the shocks dont even touch the wheel assembly when just sitting there. There are two wheel sets (I believe) on each side that do not have a shock above them.

I know I will find this out eventaully, but what exactly is providing the "spring" for each set of road wheels if it is not the shocks? Is it the torsion bars? Im sorry, I just do not know a whole lot about tank suspensions.

So far from what I see, springs are for shocks, but shocks are just for show as the suspension of the road wheel works by torsion bars inside of the tank.

About the V part axel, it really sucks for me cause I'm missing V-12... I'm going to have to call Tamiya to see if I can order the entire V set.