Test Drive

[Jason Richardson]

Hi Guys

I've just installed the motion packs and taken my first test drive.

I have two questions for the experts.

Does the ride height look too low?
It has 93 track links on each side and the tracks still look a little too slack to me.
Is there a distance between the top of the road wheels and the pannier floor that I should be aiming for?

All movement looks fine except the right motor sometimes doesn't respond in reverse when the left motor is in neutral(i.e. under more load). There seems to be a faint audible squeal at this time. Any ideas what this may be due to?

Cheers
Jason

[Adrian Harris]

Hi Jason.

There's a thread about the Tiger suspension here:

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... 1&start=30

On the last page is a photo I took of the under side of the Bovington Tiger, showing the relative positions of the swing arms.

To my eye, your Tiger looks to be about right - the idler is off the ground and the track seems to touch down onto the road wheels in about the right place. There is a specification somewhere about which road wheel it should touch down on - I'm sure someone will be along in a minute with the exact details.

The audible squeal may be either the electronics module reacting to the load, or something in in the drive train slipping.

Adrian.

[Dale jordan]

Way to go Jason. Nice Zim on your hull !! Like Adrian said . Have a look at the centre of your axles they should be level with the bottom of the hull floor more or less . Jason you will have track settle for a while and need to remove some links . when set up right the track should touch the 3rd road wheel then rise up to the sprocket .. PS I had a close up look at your track pins when I clicked on the photo . Jason when you have time nip the split pins off about half there length and bend them back around the head of the track pins it will look much better . Dale

[simon_manning]

not a technical answer to your question of running, but an observation, the older the tiger becomes, the more use they have the better they seem to run, the older well used tigers here in the uk seem to be very smooth, well worn in, i think every part just settles down, regards simon manning.

[Jason Richardson]

Thanks for the advice and kind words.

The tracks will need to be tightened after the small run today, they loosened up quite a bit.
I'll also raise the tank up just a touch later this week so she sits a fraction higher.
Are people using something like a motorcycle scissor lift to raise it up from it's belly so the tracks are off the ground when playing with the suspension?

Jason.

[Graham Ord]

This is what I made. I use a battery powered drill to raise and lower my P IV just enough to clear the tracks from the floor. Not sure how it would perform with heavier Armortek models.
http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... =12&t=2598

[Jason Richardson]

Nice work Graham.
I'm sure I can find something like that.
I don't like my chances of making something like that and not having the tank come down on my foot.

[John Fitzsimons]

My tiger lives on the hydraulic table. I have fitted a plywood board to the table top wide and long enough to fully support the tiger. On either side I have a length of 22mm mdf just track width. This gives the extra clearance to slide my motorbike scissor jack under the hull.

[Jason Richardson]

John that's a good idea, I'll set something like that up.

[Dennis Jones]

Hi Jason,

This is one that I built cost about £10, it has lifted a King Tiger, Panther, Comet, Panzer 3 and a Tiger 1. Just pull the lever and it's up with enough clearance to get the tracks off the ground and it is very stable. Handle comes off so very portable. If you have access to some welding gear then I can supply dimensions.

Dennis.

[John Fitzsimons]

Very nice. You should go into production. Looks quite portable.

[Jason Richardson]

Hi Dennis that's quite nifty. I think John is right, there's a market for that.
I have no access to welding gear unfortunately.
I did manage to find a dirt cheap motorcycle lift on evil-bay, should do the trick.
I'm eager to get her running again and figure out what this audible squeal is all about.

[Bob Gould]

I like that dennis. Light and fast. Great idea