Tamiya Centurion track ideas
 

The Tamiya Centurion tracks are made of nylon. It's durable enough, but it doesn't seem to provide enough traction when driving on rocks or pavement. My driveway has maybe 5~ 10% slope, and it has trouble driving and turning on it. It would tend to slide down the driveway. On soil/grass it has no problem at all.

I think track links has very little surface area touching ground. Also nylon surface is quite slippery. It's very scale though, matches historical photos from Korean war.

I was thinking about adding a coat of either shoe goo or UreCoat (smooth-On) on the bar of the track link that touches the ground. I suspect it would peel off easily when the tank is making turns.

Another idea is to CA-glue rubber pads. But, not sure how feasible it is to find many small rubber strips that fit the track link.

I have seen photos of real Centurion tanks fitted with padded tracks. Those tanks seems to be from later periods than Korean war.

Wanted to run by you guys and see if any of you have similar complaints or made similar attempts.

Cheers!

Just don’t don’t buy the metal tracks from DKlM, they don’t fit the Tamiya despite the label

Hi
The Haya centurion has metal tracks - https://www.hayaltd.co.uk/product/ha...n-type-painted - though don't know if they're compatible with Tamiya, perhaps some of our UK members might know?

The rubber padded late Centurion tracks were known as hushpuppies, pretty sure they weren't available for Korea.

Mal

I don't think anyone has tried the TongDE Cent tracks on it yet.

How about pouring out some grey or black plastidip in a tray to a shallow depth that when you lay your tracks in it, only the contact surfaces get coated with the rubber stuff?

Does the traction improve once the tracks have become scratched, scuffed and otherwise roughed up on abrasive terrain? If so, you might try speeding the roughening process by putting it up on a block and running the tracks while lightly holding coarse sand paper against them.

Hello at all,

The metal chains from DKLMRC fit perfectly on the Tamiya drive rings and run perfectly!

Best greetings
Guenther

Yes they fit but they bang against the return rollers terribly (I think), could have been other parts. Have you tried running your tank out doors? I saw my friend do it and they were wreaking havoc on the componets of the chassis beating it up. I think it was the guide teeth hitting things. Also they collect and trap small rocks in the track when the track gets to the sprocket it then tightens up and causes binds.

I also have the DKLMRC tracks on my Tamiya Centurion.
They fit perfectly and run without any problems.

Thanks everyone for chiming in. I have more track options than ever now. If Tamiya would produce the 1/16 scale "hush puppy" tracks I would line up for that.
cleong the PlastiDip is an interesting idea. I just might go ahead and try it on a few links.
oldwolf75 I drove my tanks pretty hard, on rocks, so the nylon looks very beat up. Its surface looks roughed up and perhaps the flip side of it is it would bond to PlastiDip better. No, the roughed up nylon tracks doesn't help the lack of grip, unfortunately.

Any thoughts on increasing the weight of the Model in an attempt to increase traction? 🤔

Use adhesive weights which for alloy rims.
There is enough place in the hull

Durahl and jha13 thanks for chiming in. I did move the battery to the front of the hull, after seeing a post on this forum (I think it's by Fsttanks ) and added some extra weight (including a bag of hardware and an old steel watch) also to the front mainly to make the tank more balanced. They do make a HUGE difference for crawling uphill. But the hull is very roomy and I could definitely add more weight. The tank is slow enough and it shouldn't add too much stress to the gearbox.

Making it crawl on my rock garden is 3x more fun than a RC crawler. Perhaps it's proportional to the number of roadwheels :D

I've recently made a YouTube video of it but I've posted too few to be allowed to show it here. If you search "RC centurion tank super realistic EzRC" you should be able to find it.

Cheers!

Hey! Good looking tank!

The metal tracks from DKLM are perfect for the tank, just drive it like a tank and they will perform.

Thanks for posting the video Panther F . I am on track of posting my own links... just a few more posts!

Good looking Tamiya Centurion. It's nice to see someone using theirs on something other then flat ground. Love the muddy look of the lower hull, road wheels and tracks. 👍👍

Kinda wondering but every time the Centurion struggles when Rock Climbing with one Track slipping the other Track seems to not be moving obviously hindering the Tank from progressing - Is there perhaps an issue going on?

Just found this gem on the iNet about a "Hush Puppy" Track Variant for the Centurion - Maybe something that could be retrofitted to the current Tracks using 3D Printed / Moulded Pads?

With my E-100 and its cleated Tracks I'd probably be fighting the exact opposite problem of too much traction on any surface other than a wooden/stone floor/table:
Attachment 2272696
I'm expecting the Drive Shafts to immediately be stripping the 3D Printed Drive Sprocket Adapters ( despite their Contact Flats being reinforced with Screws ) if I ever drive it around in the Wilds.

The reason your Centurion stops powering on side or the other when climbing as you do, is all based on the Tamiya algorithm. It sees the resistance and to avoid damaging the transmission reduces or shuts off power to the given side. HengLong 6.0 -7.1 systems do this too but to a lesser degree. My Centurion and Sheridan (both using the DMD11) do this and I have seen a few other Centurions and DMD11 equipped tanks have the same"issue". The easy way around it is simply to recognize it happening and adjust your steering inputs by adding a bit of opposite turn. This will make the DMD think you want to turn and it will allow power to the given side. It takes a few times to learn the technique really well but once you do climbing obstacle like what you are become rather easy.

If you have Instagram check out my page @fsttanks, I have a good number of videos of my Centurion, Sheridan and a Leopard 1(all using a DMD 11) overcoming a some "interesting" obstacle.

The Haya Centurion Metal Tracks DO fit the Tamiya Centurion. There is a U Tube download from Andrew at Haya explaining the ease with which they run on a Tamiya Cent.