Here is my take on this, Chris. I haven't completed a tank yet and I'm not
sure how all the completed vehicles have dealt with this. I am, however a
longtime student of tank suspensions (full scale). I can't think of a single
design that required the idler to be spring loaded. There DOES need to be some
provision for adjustment. A spring might be handy in a fixed (unsprung)
suspension to automatically adjust for stretch or wear. In a actual sprung
suspension, the suspension springs would act as a sort of adjustment as the
track base will only deform to a limited extent. However, in a simulated
suspension system, such a device might be useful (I'm looking at such a system
for my Voroshilovets). Let me explain. The track base (the area of ground
contact) is a given length on a flat surface. If the track is presented a
bump, the running track length at the base is increased. This increase must be
made up from somewhere. In an actual suspension system, this would cause the
vehicle to ride a bit closer to the ground as the other suspension members
would give to allow the additional base length. In a simulated suspension,
there are no suspension members to make up the difference.
Paul H.
- Original Message -
From: odysseyslipw...@aol.com
To: rctankcombat@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 12:24 AM
Subject: [TANKS] track tension
i was just talking to someone about the tension of the tracks while running
over things. i know it has been said in the past that the idler wheel should be
sprung somehow to take up slack in the tracks as to prevent the tracks from
getting too slack and possibly throwing themselves.
but as i was talking to the person it occurred to me that i shouldn't have
really any track slack as my road wheels are to scale and that the tracks will
be riding over the tops of the road wheels, so as the tank rides over an
object, the track goes up, the wheel goes up and hen the track (on top) goes up
(taking out most of the slack).
the only place i can see there being and exception to this would be the lead
and trailing sets of road wheels.
anyone wish to confirm or debate my thought as to being right or wrong?
on another note, i just got my stainless steel button heads screws/bolts and
washers today and they look nice, but i'll have to order more next week as i
shorted myself about 100 screws/bolts, but for 250 button heads and 300
washers, with shipping, it was just over $37.00 - about $.08 cents each
Chris,
Odyssey Slipways
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