Hi Guys,

I have got a good covering of mud on my HL Panzer III, which looks quite realisitic.

But should I clean my HL after use or just leave it as it is. Will it effect the tank in the long term if I do not clean it?

The mud on the tracks will dry out and will go hard which'll put extra strain on the motors and may blow a tranny. Also the track pins rust.

I always take my tracks off, give them a rinse, let them dry out then spray them with SP-90 (Silicone lubricant)

Thanks Wozwasnt,

I will take the tracks off and clean them but how should I clean the body & wheels - with soapy water?

On a HL PZIII rusted pins may be a benefit. It would increase tension on the pin hole and keep it from slipping out

I put about half an inch of water in my bath and run it flat out forwards and backwards.... then rinse the bath. Quick and easy

Also, I dont know how you guys manage to have your track pins coming lose, busting tracks etc, you must be insanely rough on them

My track pins slide out from regular driving on my driveway. the tracks on mine are made from a slipprey vinyl like plastic and the pins slide in and out with finger pressure. Maybe i got a bad batch. A good mud run may be in order to really lock them in place with grit and rust.

The pins on the PzIII alone slip out by themselves, I had to glue them one by one.

I do pretty much the same.. only not in the bath, but on the sloping tiled driveway to our garage. I position the end of a garden hose at the top, turn the tap on just enough to get a sheet of water running down the smooth gentle incline. Boy, you should see the tanks do pirouettes, side drifts and back-up/spin getaway turns! Mud washes right off the tracks as well as the driveway.

I think you're just insanely lucky. I broke a bulldog link the first outing just by turning it in some leaves. I was able to fix it with some JB Weld. My Panzer's track links would come out just by driving straight in my living room.

Honestly i never really clean my tanks. They are supposed to be dirty. Never had any failures because of it either. If the track gets too muddy i just run them through a puddle really quick to get the excess off and let dry. As long as the dirt doesnt hinder the operation or performance of the tank I leave it on.

So I doubt my track pins will rust - especially as I keep the Pz III in the warm & dry after use.

As for the pins coming out you should read the FAQ section as it recomends spraying them with red primer then painting on a proper track colour of your choice. That stops the pins from coming out.

BTW - I have noticed that if you run your tanks in mud that has grit and small stones in it these will jam up the track - so I will try adding an extra link each side to allow some play in the track, which should allow the grit to fall out rather than wedge between the track and the rear return wheel when the track is on tight.

LarryH57 I like the look of the dirt on your tank too bad it would affect the operation of it if you left it

hehe, the top of my dresser where all my tanks call home is disgusting. there is dried mud and grass on it. didn't help the pershing gummed up with mud solid the other time

when i did have to clean it i took off the treads and washed them off in the shower. then took a screwdriver and scrapped all the mud out of the fenders.

My first few attempts at painting and weathering also included the addition of "mud" and soiled areas on the skirts and wheels, all done with various paints. In the end, I think that I have more success with the real thing. I get them dirty and leave them that way. The most that I do is to take the tank for a few spins on the concrete driveway to knock the worst off of the tracks.