King Tiger Steel Track Links

[Liam Mahoney]

After much hunting and discussions with Olaf it has become apparent that steel King Tiger track links are getting close to unobtainium so I am looking into getting some steel King Tiger track links cast, and just wanted to gauge the level of interest. Unlike Olaf’s links these will be the based on the mid version A and B links with a total weight of 180g a pair, and will be sold in 102 pair sets that will give 46 per side plus 10 for the turret and spares.

If I get orders/interest for 6 sets the price will be AU$2275 a set (1275 pounds, 1479 Euro depending on the exchange rate) without the pins as the Armortek pins can be used. If new pins are required/wanted they are AU$655 for the 204 pins, locking collars and split pins. If I get interest for 10 or more sets the price will drop to AU$2070 a set, pin will be the same price.

Anyone interested please PM me, hoping to order these in the next few weeks as it is 12-16 week lead time.

Thank you
Liam

[Jerry Carducci]

Hi Liam. Since external email apparently isn't working so well I'll say it here.

I'd like steel tracks for my King Tiger and JagdTiger.

I would need some form of drawing or even better a cad file for the sprocket rings so I could give them to a laser
cutter here who I've used for sprocket rings before when mounting Geiβwerk bronze tracks and who Jacques Littlefield
used for his Big Kid tank sprocket rings as well.

Jerry

[Liam Mahoney]

A quick up date on the steel links for the King Tiger and Jagdtiger, after much back and forth and many changes to the CAD, thanks to Christoffer, I have finally ordered the links from a local casting company.
They will produce dies and the first 10 pair for testing and accuracy confirmation, this will take 6-8 weeks, once they are checked and if they pass it would be another 4-6 weeks for the first set.
Once I have the first set I will test them on my tank for a minimum of 15 hours running and if all goes well the remaining 6 sets will be made.
If everything runs to plan I should be able to ship before Christmas…

At this point all 6 sets are sold if anyone else is interested I may be able to increase the initial order.

Thank you
Liam

[Liam Mahoney]

Hi All
Well after what can only be described as a major headache I finally have the prototype/sample King Tiger track links. There are still a few issues to sort out but overall are quite nice, and these 2, 1/2 link set weigh in at 793grams very nice.

You can see the cold runs on the B link this is due to the very small section of the webs. I was trying to be as close to scale as possible and have paid the penalty, so these will be thickened by 0.1mm each side at the top and 0.2mm at the bottom to help with the metal flow. Once this is done and the inspection passes I will order the first 2 test run sets which I will run for 20 hours to be sure that there are no issues. So all going well (which is almost impossible these days) I should be able to order production sets late May early June with a 6-8 week delivery?

I am hoping to keep the price the same but it seems that everything is costing so much more, the covid tax is constantly increasing. One issue that has arisen is that the links have ended up 0.5mm longer than designed and the standard pins are now just short. Therefore I will have to supply pins and locking bushes to suit, the A link can be filed and the standard pin fit but that would be up to the customer if they do want to use the standard pins and bushes.

I have enquires for 8 sets anyone interested please PM me.

Thank you
Liam

[Gary Phillipson]

Hi Liam,I can see you’re busy at the moment with king tiger/jadgtiger tracks...have you any plans to produce late style tracks for the tiger 1.

[Simon Peck]

Nice looking links Liam. I’m still interested in another set of Tiger I links. Also your fuel drums if you do them again?

[Liam Mahoney]

Hi All
Very sorry for my lack of updates but it has not been a very enjoyable journey, and yes I am still waiting for the first test set to be delivered, not that it will do me any good as this manufacture has now said that he cannot make the production sets for less than 3 times the quoted price, so I am back to the start.
I have found a new supplier that assures me they have the right equipment and has quoted 4-5 weeks for the first inspection parts with the first test set 4-5 weeks after acceptance of inspection parts. So, all going well (it would be nice) I should be ready to please the production order mid to late September.

Once I receive the new links I will post more photos.

Thank you
Liam

[Jerry Carducci]

I appreciate you pursuing this at all Liam..

Jerry

[Christoffer Ahlfors]

I'll second that! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

[Liam Mahoney]

Hi All
It appears that I may be having a win... the new casting company has supplied the first of the samples for inspection prior to production, and they are very impressive if anything a little too shinny but that will soon change once they see the dirt. I have approved production and will have the first complete set for drive testing in 5-6 weeks, once tested I will place an order for 8 sets.

If a get firm commitment for the 8 sets I can keep the price as listed above, with the same option for the pins, AU$2,275 links and AU$655 pins, collars and locking pins (total AU$2930) plus freight and fees. The new castings are also slightly longer so the standard pin will not fit without lightly filing the flat side of the A link.

Could all those that expressed an interest (yes back in the before time) please confirm they still would like to order.

As I am now getting more links cast I will start a dedicate page on steel track links.

Thank you
Liam

[Jerry Carducci]

Ah, you've answered my question.... very tricky!

Jerry

[Jerry Carducci]

Liam I don't recall asking about this; I recall there being some discussion regarding steel sprocket rings.

Is there a plan to have steel sprocket rings made up to work with these steel King Tiger tracks? In lieu of that
if there's a sharable cad file available I'm willing to check with a laser cutter here to have them made. These
folks have been reasonable and I've used them several times already.

Jerry

[Gerhard Michel]

H Jerry,

I use Olaf's steel track links for years, and I only use aluminium sprocket rings. This pairing ist better for the expensive track links than using steel upon steel. My sprocket rings are not worn out at all, and a collegue using it for more than 200 hours of driving has still the first sprocket rings too. Only my Jagdpanther ruined its aluminium drive train with the steel track links, but due to other reasons.

[Liam Mahoney]

Hi Jerry
Yes eventually I intend to make steel sprocket rings, but as Gerhard said the aluminium rings should be fine to use, sometimes the soft can wear out the hard eg. plastic cable tie cutting through a truck chassis.
I will be testing for some time to make sure that they will be ok.

Thanks
Liam

[Jerry Carducci]

I use steel sprocket rings on several of my smaller scale models, both with aluminium tracks (opposite situation to what was mentioned here)
and with the brass tracks from Geiβwerk. I've not run miles with them but have never had issues. Somehow I'd feel better using steel rings with steel tracks.

I have worn out a set of aluminium sprockets on a 1/10 Panther, my very first, I've had for 45 years and it has
aluminium tracks as well; In fact I should probably replace the tracks as well.

I'll always go for steel if available. But I know I have odd ideas.

Jerry