Need Help for Heng Long Abrams 3918-1

[scott5870]

Was running my Abrams today and the right Idler wheel broke off, pulled the idler adjuster right out of the lower hull. Anyone have this happen? Any suggestions for a fix? Does any place sell the plastic lower hull for the Abrams?

[windmill]

I would cut out the broken area, and repair it with plastic stock. Then install a Henn Tec tensioner. https://etoarmor.com/?product=idler-...g-long-us-m1a2

[Alpha]

scott5870 Ouch that looks like it took a sabot round! We don't stock the lower hull, but call the CS Team at 224-633-9090 tomorrow and see if they can special order it. If it were mine, though, I'd prefer to fabricate a repair myself, instead of waiting. The Abrams hull has lots of space in that area so there's plenty of room to work. Of the top of my head, I might do something like this:

1) Remove the undamaged idler from the port side hull
2) Cut a piece of cardstock to recreate the facets on the port side hull.
3) Mark the centerline of the idler post on the cardstock
4) On the starboard side hull, remove all the damaged plastic around the tear, grinding outward until you have an even hole.
5) File the hole so it becomes a 1" square.
6) Using the cardstock as a stencil, trace and cut a piece of metal. Locate the centerline and drill it to accept a new idler (or the old one you salvaged). Drill holes in both the hull and metal plate.
7) Trace and cut a 1" square as well.
8) Bond the 1" square onto the larger plate, aligning them using the center hole as a guide, and then bond both to the hull before the bond fully cures. Strong epoxy or JB-Weld.
9) Rebuild a mount for the idler, align, and install. Alignment is important, to prevent any side loads.

[Rdex2]

Look so sad. It 's necessary to reinforce plastic lower hull before hard running. Lock idler with brass standoff bolts. And glue spring holder with epoxy.

[Rubicon99]

I would cut out the broken area, and repair it with plastic stock. Then install a Henn Tec tensioner. https://etoarmor.com/?product=idler-...g-long-us-m1a2

These are not reliable especially with metal rubber padded tracks on an Abrams or other large modern tank. The locking screws that hold the adjustments strip out rather easily and this causes the idlers to loose tension. In theory they look good but in practice they fail often especially on tanks run outdoors over rough terrain.

[windmill]

These are not reliable especially with metal rubber padded tracks on an Abrams or other large modern tank. The locking screws that hold the adjustments strip out rather easily and this causes the idlers to loose tension. In theory they look good but in practice they fail often especially on tanks run outdoors over rough terrain.

Interesting, I've seen very positive comments about them elsewhere. Is it possibly dependent on what tank its for as they're different?

[scott5870]

Since I run the tank outside in sandy rough terrain, my best fix would be to buy a HL CNC lower hull set. Any ideas where I can get one?

[Rubicon99]

Interesting, I've seen very positive comments about them elsewhere. Is it possibly dependent on what tank its for as they're different?

They work reasonably well on WW2 tanks. Modern tanks with aftermarket metal tracks with rubber pads (like those the OP appears to have) produce very higher torque loading on the idler wheel do to the substantially increased coefficient of fiction these tracks have on all terrain types (This is probably why his idler wheel plastic body mount was ripping off in the first place). Couple this with the added weight of these tracks, their length, not to mention quite often having upgrade red motors to provide enough power to turn with these tracks and the problem I described prior is even more exaggerated.

Folk that have positive reviews in my experience don’t drive their tanks much except indoors and especially not outdoors, have plastic or simply all metal tracks which slide easier in turns and do not run 390 motors. Hence they have rather low torque loads placed on the idler wheels.

Trust me few tank hobby people like to admit sometimes expensive cool looking gadgets they buy for their tanks don’t really work as expected. The Henn Tec idler is one of those that “works, kinda works and doesn’t work” depending on the application of use. But the only way to find this out is to install one or two and actually run tanks hard enough to see if they meet your needs. At which time IF they work, great, IF they don’t then you can’t go back as the install requires permanent modifications to the hull.

Because I run my modern tanks harder then most and these tanks have more powerful motors, aftermarket tracks and often weight a lot do to their add metal upgraded parts. I found the weaknesses of the Henn Tec system rather quickly. It wasn’t until I dug a little deeper in researching the problems I was seeing with their tensioning system did I find others folks that had the same issues as and almost all caused by the same reasons.

Henn Tec knows of the problems I have spoken about and even cautions against using their system with some types of aftermarket tracks and with upgraded motors. I only found this information out after the fact and now make sure others have it before buying so they can make a fully informed decision.

[windmill]

That's good information. I was eyeballing and researching them for my T-72 as a preventative measure. Guess I'll see what I can come up with myself.

[Rubicon99]

That's good information. I was eyeballing and researching them for my T-72 as a preventative measure. Guess I'll see what I can come up with myself.

New T72s and T90 don’t need it. The factory ones work really well. You will gain nothing in the way of function or strength with the Henn Tec T72/90 idler adjuster.

Not to say there aren’t some hull weak point but nothing you can’t reinforce rather easily yourself. I reinforced all mine after the first batch released showed cracking at the froward hull. As I think I mentioned before in another thread HL recently addressed this issue with newer T72/90 forward hull reinforcements. Even still I add my own because I love to drive fast, bash through stuff and jump my T72s far beyond what HL designed them to be able to withstand.

See Instagram @ fsttanks

[Vaseline]

This is good knowledge on the Henn-techs that unfortunately came years too late for my poor Jagdpanther. But I also dont play with my tanks much at this point. At least they make big impressive looking static models.

[windmill]

After considering the options, and the limited space to work with, I reinforced the hull in box sections. I will fill the outermost boxes closest to the idler wheel mounts with JB Weld.

[Rubicon99]

After considering the options, and the limited space to work with, I reinforced the hull in box sections. I will fill the outermost boxes closest to the idler wheel mounts with JB Weld.

The area that cracks and starts to pull away is at the tip of the red lines below. I addressed this with external metal supports attached between the idler wheel mounting gussets on the outer hull. The metal supports are in a V shape and help transfer energy further down and over a wider area of the outer hull. They enter the hull just behind between the gussets and at their terminus further down the hull. Sorry I don’t have photos because I covered the supports with epoxy resin and repainted the hulls.