Been perusing the idea lately of getting a set of metal tracks for my Tamiya Tiger I. I've been away from the RC element of the hobby for awhile, so I'm not up to speed on all the after-market manufacturers. Anyway, from what I can gather, the concensus seems to be between Backyard Armour and Impact, and avoid the ones selling on E-bay (Hong Kong sellers). I don't abuse my tank, and just run it at scale speeds, avoiding gravel, sand, etc. Price really isn't a concern, as I don't mind paying for quality and durability.

Is it necessary to upgrade any of the suspension components with the metal tracks? I think it's required with the King Tiger, but not sure with the Tiger I. Guess I don't need to worry about rusting the (manganese) tracks on this one. Also, which one offers faster service? Most of the BA stuff is out of stock, but says they usually ship within 1-3 weeks. Same with Impact?

Thanks in advance for any advice/opinions.

Backyard Armor? I think guys are still waiting for parts that they ordered last July. [:-]

Kenny Kong and Impact are the high end brands. Wait till tonight when more guys post before buying.

Do yourself a favor and go with [link=http://www.etoarmour.com/]ETO Armor[/link] for all your tank needs. Fast shipping and things ARE in stock.

They have early and late Tiger I tracks from IMPACT to choose from (depending on what version TI you're building) and no, you don't have to upgrade anything when going to metal tracks, but it certainly would help. Ask Bob what's needed when you place an inquiry on your order and he can let you know what's available and what you can get by with just starting out.

Hope this helped some!

NO NO NO on BYA, the guy should not be in business, I have parts that I ordered over a year ago and he does not repond.

ETO (Impact Tracks) is your best set to go with. Bob is the man.

Gary

No required upgrades on a T1 for metal tracks. Just lots of discretionary ones such as new transmissions, idler adjustment replacement, transmission brace kit, and driveshaft support bearings.

T1 will run on the plastic tracks on just about any kind of terrain. In contrast, a KT will break the plastic tracks if you run it on a rough surface.

BYA has shipping issues.

ETO ships quick.

KK takes a few weeks at least.

Thanks for the answers guys! I'm going with ETO, as most of you suggested. Robert was very helpful
(and prompt) in answering my questions. Sounds like you saved me a lot of headaches by steering me away from BYA.

Are the KK tracks and the Impact tracks both closed pin? It appears that there are several grades of tracks, and it is a little unclear which are which.

IMPACT tracks are enclosed pins and uses the IMPACT MLR system to lock the pins in place.

Visit [link=http://www.etoarmour.com/]ETO Armor[/link] for more product information.

I'm running IMPACT, got em from ETO. they run very well.

sarvis

IMPACT is your best bet. Ty who handles Bob's business down in JAX has a set of early T1 track that I gave him 2 years ago when my son Logan was handling IMPACT's sales. He certainly can vouch for the quality if you need another opinion.

Chuck

I just ordered a set of Impacts for my early Tiger. Robert made such an effective sales pitch that I ended up buying the lower hull brace, steel idler arm brackets, and the heavy-duty transmission units! I should have a panzer that lasts a very, very, long time.

You are spot on the money there .I have upgraded my T1 completely on the chassis and its , touch wood , unbreakable. The extra wieght really adds a touch of realism too.

Any idea how much all the upgrades weigh? I'm wondering if it cuts into the run time significantly. Not having second thoughts, just curious.

The weight is about 2 pound or so, but since almost all of it is on the ground and not the tank, it affects running time precisely zero. I have found that the weight of any tank has very little affect on running time. My FO P3 runs virtually the same length of time as the JT or KT, the heaviest. I do run 3300 or 3600 batteries in all my tanks, but just one battery. On the tanks that are factory set for two batteries, I eleminate the splitter harness and run one battery. KT will run about 90 minutes of hard combat on one 3600 battery.

I'm tempted to buy a set of these because I don't think I'll be able to weather the plastic track as well as the metal ones.

Pros and cons on metal anyone?

Thanks

Dazman, depends on what you want to do with the tank and what type of tank. I prefer metal tracks for the weight and traction. I clean them well with soap and water, let them dry for two days, then paint them Model Masters Rust. After 24 hours of drying for that, I then just haze on flat black. As you run the metal tracks, the contact areas wear the paint off and become shiney, like the real thing.
Some tanks run well with metal tracks out of the box. Some need small upgrades, some a lot of upgrades. Again, it depends on how you run the tank, are you going to battle with it (lots of extra stress and strain in combat) and the type of material you actuallly run it in, and first and foremost what brand and model tank do you have.
Give us an idea of these specs, and we can help you more.
Sev

I have the Tamiya Tiger 1 1/16 scale.

OK, he's a good one out of the box. I will email you with details.

Well I just ordered my IMPACT track from Bob at ETO Armour.

Talk about excellent service. Highly recommended!

I was very impressed with the service and Bob's expertise. I had my order within a week. First class all the way!