Any tips on how to either loosen or remove one of the small track return rollers from the HL M26? I guess Q&A let my tank slide, and one of mine doesn't spin, thus causing the tank to veer to one side.

Edit: changed "smaller idlers" to "track return rollers"

Try spraying silicone oil in it it might losen up... don't know if they do come off?

they actually come apart. the outside is held to the inside with glue. just spray some oil on the back side and turn by hand a bit.

It's a no go. That idler is tight and won't turn. I will need to separate it.

It could possibly be glued stuck. Try getting that idler cold and lightly flexing it. that may pop the glue join

holding onto the inside wheel, give er a crank. if nothing, i dunno...

I put some drops of CA debonder onto the glue joint between the two wheel halves and used a mini pry bar to pry the outer wheel loose. It turned out they used too much glue and the glue was getting onto the axle. Also, the axle was pressing against the outer hub. I cleaned up the excess glue, and the idler spins better now, but it still doesn't spin freely. I should have ground down the axle a little bit. Maybe next time.

what glue did you use to put it back on? i got an idler where the outside wheel isnt formed completely, and i want to change it out. just dont have any glue atm.

when i do change it out, ill post a pic of how bad it is.

Just a note on ID....those wheels are track return rollers....the idler is the larger wheel at the front, same size as the road wheels, (on front sprocket drives, at the rear) used to adjust the track tension.

Bill

Hey Rich try this it should work use a dremel motor tool and first go around the stuck road wheel with some electrical tape then use some sort of big round bit in your dremel and put tape around it also..then on low RPM press it up against the road wheel so it spins it add some presser do this for a few seconds and it my losen up from spinning it so much with the dremel.

I used Plastic ZAP CA and held it in place for 30 seconds until the CA cured.

Thanks. I wasn't sure about the terminology. I will use "track return rollers" from now on to refer to those small wheels.

By the way, I used the flat blade end of this 90-deg screwdriver to pry the outer wheel off the track return roller. At first, I thought I broke the roller, but luckily it separated at the glue joint.

That's a great idea. Thanks. I wrapped electrical tape around the roller and used a sanding drum at 15,000 rpm for 30 seconds. Now the track return roller spins freely. In fact, I think this would have worked without having to crack open the roller.

Thanks
Sorry i did not reply about this idea before you went through all the trouble of taking the wheel apart.[]