Rescued Abrams build

[Handy Lance]

Mail Call!
UMM delivered some helpful tools. Some awesome scribes, a sweet precision sanding block, scribe stencils.
picked up some detail wire.
Things are slowly coming together 👍🏻🏴☠️👍🏻

[Handy Lance]

Picked up some shims to remove some side to side play in running hardware. Torsion bars and running wheels are way too loose. I can now do a nice precise alignment. Found out I can use a 3x10mm stainless steel flanged screws instead of the oem 8mm steel one for wheels. Should hold better. I put a pic of which ones I’ll be using. They are coarse self tappers into the alloy torsion bars. It’s strong but not as good as reg fine thread, so I’ll put longer in👍🏻

I’m so close to getting cracking, really excited.

mail call!
more goodies
transmissions
paints
magnets
primers
blue-ers

Probably start disassembling today.

[Handy Lance]

Got some action in. Stripped the Abrams almost completely.
Sieved my own scale traction additive. A super fine and a fine. I will do a test to see which one looks best under paint.

Tank is split into 11 sections. I’ll detail each section and move on to the next.

I will be deleting the battery box and hatch to make room for my own lower stiffing tray, battery will be a Spektrum G2 7.4v 5000 mah 100c . The G2 doesn’t need a balance port and it self discharges. It’ll be perfect to “permanently” install. I’ll run a long homemade lead from charger to tank.

[SoCalBobS]

What’s traction sand?

[Handy Lance]

What’s traction sand?

I will use it to give the walking surfaces on the hull a cool scale texture. I’ll thin some enamel, light coat, sprinkle this on, tap it off, let it dry, prime, paint, weather. Way better look than the molded surface texture.

[RichJohnson]

All of the M60a3 tanks I have seen on posts set up as monuments have the traction sand applied on the glacis with paint. Man you would never want to skin a knee on that stuff it is very course.

[Handy Lance]

Installed metal axle carriers. Slowly used a step bit, worked perfectly. Carriers pressed in tight. I can use a 1/4 ratchet extension as a perfect alignment tool!!! Fits amazingly well. Should have perfect alignment. The shavings will be saved to make a slurry with acetone. I’ll use it for lots of glueing, reinforcement, details.

[Handy Lance]

Just photos for reference.

[Handy Lance]

But will it float?
New transmissions are mocked up. I was not aware I would have to fabricate my own mounting solution. Be warned. While the hole from the battery box was cut open in the chassis, I took a pic from a view we don’t see much. I will be adding 3-D printed mount, strengtheners (black washers around posts) They will extend all the way up the mounting posts. Picture is prototyping so I didn’t need to waste much filament. They are made of ABS too, so when I glue them with the acetone slurry, it will all become one piece.

[Handy Lance]

Torsion bar Spring direction is important. If they’re accidentally installed on the wrong side, you end up with about 20° extra preload. I added a hole at 12 o’clock that should give me the scale results Im looking for.

[Handy Lance]

Upgraded transmission mounts on left (black in pic) .“Plan”is to drill down through mounts/hull and put screws up into tranny from bottom. Mounts grew from 6mm to 12mm thanks to 3d printed sleeves. Super beefy! Poor looking but highly functional hull patch. I used the old battery box (chopped up) as a patch. All ABS 3d prints weld to the ABS hull very well I use a q-tip dipped in acetone, wipe down both abs pieces, add a bit of pressure and wait. I will put a platform on 5-10mm standoffs, over the patch (to mount stuffs). 🤣👍🏻 no one will ever know how it looks.

[Max-U52]

I've done the same thing on some of my tanks, only I used 1/4 inch brass tubing. Just cut a slot with a hacksaw or dremel and slip the tube over the post and wick some superglue down the sides. It will be interesting to see how the plastic sleeves hold up, so do keep us posted. Did you print those solid, with zero infill? Did you use PLA or ABS for the sleeves?

[Handy Lance]

I've done the same thing on some of my tanks, only I used 1/4 inch brass tubing. Just cut a slot with a hacksaw or dremel and slip the tube over the post and wick some superglue down the sides. It will be interesting to see how the plastic sleeves hold up, so do keep us posted. Did you print those solid, with zero infill? Did you use PLA or ABS for the sleeves?

Printed solid, these are ABS the hull is ABS too. They become one with the chassis with acetone (think weld not glue) . The strength improves tremendously with these, as the available hull plastic to support the mounts is effectively doubled.

[keilau]

Upgraded transmission mounts on left (black in pic) .“Plan”is to drill down through mounts/hull and put screws up into tranny from bottom. Mounts grew from 6mm to 12mm thanks to 3d printed sleeves. Super beefy! Poor looking but highly functional hull patch. I used the old battery box (chopped up) as a patch. All ABS 3d prints weld to the ABS hull very well I use a q-tip dipped in acetone, wipe down both abs pieces, add a bit of pressure and wait. I will put a platform on 5-10mm standoffs, over the patch (to mount stuffs). 🤣👍🏻 no one will ever know how it looks.

I have done something very similar to my 18 years old Heng Long Pershing. I drilled through the gearbox mounting poles to use bolts and nuts for the gearbox. I did not use any ABS sleeve. The original poles became locators of the mounting bolts. The idea is to transfer the gearbox loads from the filmy mounting poles to the chassis bottom.

I did this when I changed the Heng Xin gearbox to a Torro Series 2 gearbox. The change allowed me to use 390 motors on the Pershing.
'

[Handy Lance]

UHMW tape to act as a skid under the chassis. It will be awesome. In one pic there’s a test piece I gouged HARD with scissors, no damage to hull. Added benefit of being incredibly slippery. Should be a great mod for anyone who runs plastic hulls hard. Tape is clear so paint will come through. Sticks nice. Will definitely offer up protection to hits that would be catastrophic to the abs hull.
Battery box delete went smooth. It’ll paint up nice. It’s strong, better than new for sure. It’ll hold the entire tank👍🏻

[Handy Lance]

Upgraded the idler wheel setup. Now each tensioner is connected into a threaded aluminum tube connecting the whole system Some additional supporting comes from the black anti torque support welded in tight, containing two grub screws to hold the tube nice and tight. Much stronger. I’m having a good time.

[Handy Lance]

Awesomeness showed up in the mail today! I am a DIY from head to toe. I usually make what I need. Well I was really satisfied with my order from RichJohnson. It was epic. The antennas have a very cool feel. Awesome dampered spring won’t jiggle around. The recoil is perfect too.
Thanks everyone for infecting my tank disease🤣🏴☠️👍🏻

ps there was a cool bonus in the package but I’m not telling till it’s finished. Thanks Rich

[Rubicon99]

Upgraded the idler wheel setup. Now each tensioner is connected into a threaded aluminum tube connecting the whole system Some additional supporting comes from the black anti torque support welded in tight, containing two grub screws to hold the tube nice and tight. Much stronger. I’m having a good time.

Just a heads up on you idler design. Similar designs have been attempted and all had the same flaw. The "grub screws" on large long tanks like the Abrams and running metal tracks with rubber pads like you have shown prior, when under torque of turning the screw can not hold the round shafts in place very long and the shaft start turning causing the idler wheel to loose proper tension.

Did you add "flat spots" to the shafts to give something for the "grub screws" to hold onto? If not, you might want to consider adding them.

[Handy Lance]

Just a heads up on you idler design. Similar designs have been attempted and all had the same flaw. The "grub screws" on large long tanks like the Abrams and running metal tracks with rubber pads like you have shown prior, when under torque of turning the screw can not hold the round shafts in place very long and the shaft start turning causing the idler wheel to loose proper tension.

Did you add "flat spots" to the shafts to give something for the "grub screws" to hold onto? If not, you might want to consider adding them.

they have been switched to m3 and m4 cap head into brass inserts , they leave considerable dents into the tube. I’ve also added epoxy “gussets” , it does not spin. It’ll tighten really tight. I may run a screw all the way through the center as insurance 👍🏻

[Handy Lance]

Transmission mounts are in! So tight, countersunk perfect. The added sleeves helped a ton. Got the bottom plate mocked up and chassis braces started.
I installed a 1/8 steel rod through the center of my idler setup. No rotation if tightened now for sure. Thanks for the warning Rubicon99. Heads up like that are why I’m here.