Help with HL Abrams

[JLaw157]

My Abrams issue along with Leopard 2 and T 90 was that the idler wheel needed adjusting and the torsion arms needed tightening before operation. No issues there now that I have made these simple adjustments.

[JLaw157]

I get that sir. Thx , and I will learn as i go. Slippery cold grass is hard for us all. I scuffed my tracks a bit with 60 grit. May help, may not. I do have an idea about the rubber pads.

[oldwolf]

So making the metal track option is kind of bogus? I can fix this issue. I realize i'm in the RC world and things don't work as in real life. Thx for the reply.

Well, not entirely bogus. The rest of the track is mostly metal on the real thing and the metal tracks you got are sturdy, just not grippy. After market metal tracks with rubber pads will just be better. It seems to me there are at least three different after market makers of track with rubber pads, some better than others so you probably want to take your time deciding which to get.

One good thing about low friction tracks. If you are just getting into the hobby, tracks that lose traction keep from passing stress on to the rest of the drive train. Not a bad thing when one is first getting used to running a model tank out doors.

[JLaw157]

So making the metal track option is kind of bogus? I can fix this issue. I realize i'm in the RC world and things don't work as in real life. Thx for the reply.

[oldwolf]

Sorry to jump in on a track issue. I have question about new metal tracks on my HL M1A2 Pro. On first runs it seems the metal tracks are very slippery on cold grass. No dirt or mud, snow yet. Is this realistic action or is there something I can do to get more grip. THX

The metal pads on those tracks are rubber blocks on the real tank and quite a bit grippier. There are after market sellers that produce tracks with rubber blocks.

[JLaw157]

Sorry to jump in on a track issue. I have question about new metal tracks on my HL M1A2 Pro. On first runs it seems the metal tracks are very slippery on cold grass. No dirt or mud, snow yet. Is this realistic action or is there something I can do to get more grip like rough up the tracks or just keep using them and they will get better traction as they get roughed up?
THX

[sclui56]

Rubicon99 I know it's an old thread, and I don't know how I misplaced the return rollers for 6+ months, but they were in one of my drawers so I ended up fitting them since I had some time. Thanks again for the tips. BTW, the DKLMRC tracks were throwing on the Leo 2, but they seemed just fine on the HL Abrams.

BTW, the OP's problem & mine could actually be solved differently, the problem is that when the factory glued in the roller's shaft into the "pocket", there's either debris inside the pocket or the person simply didn't seat it home, hence the mounted roller extended slightly and the guide teeth ride on the roller. With some heat on the shaft, the shaft can be removed from the plastic housing and ground down from behind, reseat the shaft+roller and be done. But I like the practicality of the replacement.

[sclui56]

Rubicon99 Thanks a lot!!!

[Rubicon99]

Rubicon99 Finally got some time on this, just to be clear, do you cut off the stepped section with the thread, then possibly enlarge the opening to insert the M41 rollers by its shaft with friction/CA? Thanks.

Yes I removed the shaft and did a some fitting as needed.

[sclui56]

Rubicon99 Finally got some time on this, just to be clear, do you cut off the stepped section with the thread, then possibly enlarge the opening to insert the M41 rollers by its shaft with friction/CA? Thanks.

[sclui56]

Pretty much that simple.

Copy that, thanks!!

[Rubicon99]

Rubicon99 , the metal M41/M26 return rollers just showed up. I take it you simply measure and cut down the original metal support and jam the metal assembly into the support tube?

Pretty much that simple.

[sclui56]

Rubicon99 , the metal M41/M26 return rollers just showed up. I take it you simply measure and cut down the original metal support and jam the metal assembly into the support tube?

[Rubicon99]

Rubicon99. just a small note. The M1 Abrams has always had the support rollers on the inside of the center guides. See picture.

Thank you

Not talking about the real tank in this thread, but thank you for the correction. Sometimes even I get little details wrong trying to keep all these different real tanks suspension straight in my head.

More importantly especially with tanks that have their suspension covered is to get the model to work reliably regardless of correctness in unseen details. Case in point the modification I show above.

[GITanker]

The Abram is supposed to have one return roller wheel on the outside and one wheel on the inside of the guide teeth. IMO not the best setup for an RC tank, but it is correctly modeled to represent the real Abrams.

Rubicon99. just a small note. The M1 Abrams has always had the support rollers on the inside of the center guides. See picture.

Thank you

[sclui56]

The plastic ones work just as well.

Good to know, meanwhile I did a quick fix by shaving the support a bit, at least the horns are no longer riding on top of the rear roller. Bought me some time in waiting for the slow boat. Thanks again!!

[Rubicon99]

Thanks, just got to keep looking I suppose. Found some plastic ones but not the metal....

The plastic ones work just as well.

[sclui56]

Toucan has them “stand alone” in their tank parts but does not usually list them on EBay as “stand alone”. Or you can find them on Aliexpress.com under Heng Long WalkerBulldog or Pershing/Snow Leopard parts. There are plastic and mental version of which I use both.

Thanks, just got to keep looking I suppose. Found some plastic ones but not the metal....

[Rubicon99]

I would like to 2nd that motion. Also, where the best place to score the rubber/metal tracks? Any US vendors?

Since Tamiya tracks have all but dried up that leaves Toucan Hobby as the only reliable source of rubber padded tracks in the US. Fortunately they sell the next best ones (same ones DKLM sells). They are not always available though but are restocked usually in a timely manner.

[Rubicon99]

Rubicon, many thanks for the confirmation, I am totally fine for not being prototypical, besides the rollers are behind the skirts. May I ask where these can be purchased separately? I often see the rollers as part of an upgrade package. Thanks!

Toucan has them “stand alone” in their tank parts but does not usually list them on EBay as “stand alone”. Or you can find them on Aliexpress.com under Heng Long WalkerBulldog or Pershing/Snow Leopard parts. There are plastic and mental version of which I use both.