- Hub caps drilled and tapped for tiny hex head bolts
- Hub caps drilled and tapped for tiny hex head bolts
As stated in part 1, it was my intention to use the FOA resin final drives which Kees had modified with a large nylon bush sporting 2 sealed ball bearings. However, once fitted to the hull sides with freshly drilled and tapped holes (the shape and size was different to the aluminium Armotek drive casings), with the sprockets fitted it was apparent that they were neither true in the horizontal or vertical planes and thus the sprockets ran “on the piss”, to use an English expression. The solution would be to face off the rear of the casings on a milling machine but I was still concerned about the fragility of the resin castings. Therefore, another call to Monique resulted in a pair of the pukka aluminium casings arriving chez moi. These, of course, fitted perfectly and the sprockets ran true and freely.
As I was using a different motor and drive system, the sprocket drive shafts extend into the hull with the inner ends supported by a pair of self aligning “plumber block” bearings and locking collars. Drive is transmitted by a chain and cogwheel system at 1:1 ratio with the 12 volt motors having a built in reduction gear set.
The motors are mounted on an adjustable sliding bed with tensioning screws and the whole unit fitted to the hull on 6 hexagonal standoffs which space them just above the hull side bars. Testing proved the gearing to be just right with the sprockets turning smoothly and quietly. Chain adjustment was also dead easy thanks to my tensioning system. And yes, I could have bought Armortek motors, side gears, etc. but my budget was not infinite so I stuck with the motors taken from the donor vehicle.
The idlers are Armortek, again donated by Kees' tank but with home fabricated arms and bearing units. The latter, whilst not being strictly scale, do the job, are very substantial and with the added small hex head bolts, don't look too bad. Not that one can easily see them.
I devised my own track tensioning system from aluminium bar, steel angle brackets, bronze bushes, clevis rod ends and Rose joints and it works most efficiently with plenty of wiggle room for adjustment. And then it was time for the wheels.
As already mentioned, I inherited 32 modified FOA plastic wheels with new Armortek tyres and custom spacer hubs. These I replaced with new aluminium wheels, again courtesy of Monique. However, the only ones available were really old stock they took over from Mark and Gill which, for some bizarre reason, had the wrong number of bolt holes – 20 instead of 24.
Up until 2014, I had been running a Wehrmacht vehicle restoration business in the UK and latterly in France. One of my projects was the restoration of the wheels, tyres and some track for the Weald Foundation JP so I was somewhat familiar with these wheels. Making 32 good examples from over 50 we had sourced throughout Europe, I knew that the Panther used a 24 bolt pattern. The original Ausf D stared life with 16 but, following many failures in the field, were modified with reinforcing rivets 'twixt the bolts until the new 24 bolt models became available. Not exactly a good idea as tyre removal with riveted rims would have been nigh on impossible!!
One could have ignored this discrepancy but it offended my eye and I couldn't just leave them as is. Therefore, all but 4 holes on each wheel were filled (the ones at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions were accurate), a marking jig created and 320 fresh holes drilled. The dummy nut/studs supplied by Armortek were Loctited and pressed into place prior to blasting, etch priming and top coating in RAL 7028 Dunkel Gelb. Laborious work but well worth the effort. Kian tells me the new Panther G has the 24 bolt pattern wheels!
32 sealed bearings were acquired from France's largest online bearing supplier at a very good discounted price which then allowed the wheels to be fitted. New hub caps came from Monique which I then modified by drilling and tapping to accept 128 tiny M2.5 hex head bolts, Kees' tyres were fitted and voila, wheels done!
The tracks from the donor vehicle were well used with all the chevrons shaved off from use on concrete and rough surfaces, the pins were all corroded and generally, the tracks looked quite rough. Dismantling, glass bead blasting all 174 links and the fitment of new pins with the push on locking washer system in lieu of tiddly split pins, saw the tracks done and fitted. I used the “golden rivet” master pin method of joining the free ends – i.e a special pin with an M3 thread cut on the washer end which uses a tiny nyloc nut to secure. The pin flat head is painted red to aid with locating same.
So far, the tank had been assembled on a hull width wooden platform which permitted the tracks and wheels to turn without touching the bench. Power tests showed all to be working properly so the vehicle was lowered onto the bench, ballasted with weights to simulate the upper superstructure, batteries, etc., the tracks tensioned and it sat perfectly at an 85 mm ride height. All the calculations, measurements, fettling and grinding of flats on the torsion bars had proven well worth the effort.
Part 3 will focus on the upper works, detailing and electrical installation. Also, the photos will be much better quality – a Smartphone with decent lenses makes all the difference! Stay tuned...
- Hub caps drilled and tapped for tiny hex head bolts