Drive Sprocket Installation and Tracks

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Not quite there yet but question regarding the Panther drive sprockets and taper lock bushes.

Am I pretty safe to fit the sprockets and fully tighten the bushes up before sorting the tracks out?

Specification mentions 34mm ( +- 1mm) away from the hull side so was planning to get the sprockets fully tightened up to this.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Michael Allen]

Malcolm

Suggest you look at my KT posts in July. I had some real issues here and would have appreciated knowing how to deal with them prior to fitting - and making a big mistake that required replacement parts.

Of course I don’t know if the issues are the same with your build.

Regards

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Hi Michael

Yes, I did see the issues you had

Been reading through the instructions and looks Ok.
I was hoping to fully install the sprockets, get them out of the way and then move on to working on the tracks.

[Armortek]

The important part is making sure the sprockets and roadwheel line up.
Tracks can be added at any time.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Thanks.

Does everything normally just line up with out any issues?

[Malcolm.Plumb]

I have today temporarily fitted one of the drive sprockets at the recommended distance to initially check alignment of the wheels and idlers.

I have a straight steel rod lay between the tyres of the inner road wheels.
The drive sprocket is OK but the rod is very very slightly off centre to the idler wheel.
It is not possible to move the idler wheel in further on the shaft to be 100% spot on.

Just so I know, what sort of tolerances are acceptable with this?
Is 1mm/0.5mm off OK?

[Jerry Carducci]

I would propose that the acceptable tolerance is dictated by the guide horn separation with respect to the idler width. If the sprocket and
road wheels are aligned then the tolerance will be some percentage of the of the guide horn separation minus the idler width. If the idler is so far out that the track rides up on the idler then I'd say that's a problem.

Jerry

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Thanks Jerry

Is it best leave the drive sprocket and idler wheels loose for now and wait to fit the tracks and see how it runs by hand then?

As I mentioned It is only slightly out using a straight rod as a gauge so maybe it will be OK.