stretching tank tracks

Srpuln10

You might can try a heat gun and slowly stretch it. I've been lucky and I've not had that happen but I figure it will soon enough

 

The main problem with streching them will be you will make them thinner. Rob suggestion is probably the best one, do it as its done on the real thing.

kcrist84

i have been doing research and maybe i'm not looking in the right spot so i figure i will ask. is there a way to stretch the regular rubber/vinyl tracks that come with a tank? I have a set that is almost 3/8 inches short of connecting when wrapped around wheels and sprockets. I tried to gently stretch and for one it did not help but two i ended up snapping it. i really dont want to have to spend the extra money for aftermarket tracks on top of the model i just paid for. I will be told all about that expense when the spouse see the bill. Any ideas or suggestions or am i just S.O.L.? 

If it helps it is a Tamiya 1/35 panther. But i have had this issue on other builds as well. 

 

The best, and often the easiest solution is not to stretch the tracks, but to decrease the distance between the drive sprocket and compensating idler wheel. This is the way actual track tension is adjusted on real tanks.

If you know before hand that the tracks will be too tight, relocated the idler wheel mounting stud inwards so the overall circumference of the track will be smaller. On older Tamiya kits, the front wheels are often mounted on a metal axle. This makes it even easier to just drill another hole for the axle and slide the axle through the new set of holes.

GMorrison

The army guys say fixing track is the most fun after toting TOW or Milan "man portable" weapons.

 

Its not that bad if you know what your doing.

Unless of course you happen to throw one in a huge burning rubbish dump outside Basra

I have on occasion stretched Tamiya rubber band tracks using a quick-grip bar clamp reversed to make it a spreader. Just go gently, stretch it for a day or so and then give it another gentle squeeze every now and then. After a few days it'll be slightly stretched. You just have to remember not to overdo it.

If you're talking about the old Tamiya Panther A kit, the tracks on that were always very tight. I remember putting just the sprockets and idlers on, installing the track and then adding the road wheels to avoid directly stretching the tracks. They were, of course, tight as a banjo string after all the wheels were mounted.

The army guys say fixing track is the most fun after toting TOW or Milan "man portable" weapons.

Couple of thngs you can do (could/should is a judgement call).

f you have full side skirts, you can stitch the track together wth thread until you get to "tight enough" (whatever that value is).  Then, leave the gap behind the skirts where it will not be seen.

Or, expand the learning experience, and integrate the kit into a diorama.  Have a nice muddy bit on the dio, and hide the gap under the mud. 

Or, in a dio, you could show the track run off the tank and laid out partially on the ground.  Tank track break, and the crews have to replace broken links (which is hy spares are carried).  Also a cool excuse to take the jack and the jacking block off the vehicle and show them in use.  Oh, and, see, this is an excellent reason to have to go get a Field Tool Shop kit, too . . .

Look at trumpeter, Amusing hobby, Takom, Meng, Ryefield Models. Some of their kits are not cheap, some have full interiors and they will all give you a fantastic build and learning experience and there is many here who have much experience so ask any question you want.

If I recall Tamiya makes a set of track links for their panthers.  Not price prohibative.  I used their tracks on several King Tigers they made.  Now days as stated most of the other companies Dragon, Takom, and Meng have far superior tracks in their kits.  Most are  styrene links. Dragon has a semi vinyl (one piece)type that I have been quite pleased with

Thanks for the input. I will take a look at some of those brands. I haven't had a problem with the tamiya kits other than the tracks but I am by no means a tank afficianado. 

kcrist84

I will give the warm water a try. Can't hurt. I am newer to the tank building and am finding it somewhat fascinating. What are some of the better brands of tanks? The few that i have done are tamiya, which is mainly the one's i find at the hobby shop. 

 

thanks. 

 

I don't use those kit tracks, like others i replace them with After markey sets. But warming them is worth a try.

Now there's a question. I am sure you get quite a few different answers. Tamiya do make some really nice kits, but it can depend on what subjects you want and how much experiance you have. Dragon used to be the best for detail IMHO, but are expensive and can be complcated. But some of the newer brands like meng and takom are doing some amazing stuff.

I will give the warm water a try. Can't hurt. I am newer to the tank building and am finding it somewhat fascinating. What are some of the better brands of tanks? The few that i have done are tamiya, which is mainly the one's i find at the hobby shop. 

thanks. 

Have you tried warm/hot water, this may help stretch the track.

Tamils Panthers are not bad kits, but there are now much better ones on the market as research and production techniques and technology gets better. This will invariablely raise prices.

The usage of rubber band tracks of the type you have are in decline as companies are putting moulded track sets in the kits.

Indeed, as been said above on the Panther the idler wheel at the rear sets the track tension and my real Panther track tension is quite slack so that the return run sits on top of the road wheels until the drive wheels at the front pick up the slack which is noticeable that the track is raised from the second to third road wheel from the front. This puts less strain on the track pins and if one snaps makes it easier to replace on the top run due to the slack available.

If your rubber band tracks don't meet and fasten on your Tamiya Panther then your idler wheel is out or the tracks have shrunk which is possible. You also say that you have broken one of which there is no way back.

This means that you are going to have to use aftermarket tracks and confess to SWMBO that you messed up, but you are only a mortal man and self confessed idiot! Make her laugh and she will be easier on you.

When I plan an armour build then I always factor two AM items into the cost of the kit and that is Friul track set and a metal barrel if the kit doesn't come with one.

Yes it does increase the cost of the kit BUT it also improves the look no end with no seam on the metal barrel to deal with and the tracks just sit and hang naturally with no messing needed. Friul's always have spare links in and are easy to put together. They are white metal and so you can put enough links on to fit and give some slack so they look right.

Painting them is easy. Don't bother with primer and give a good coating of either Vallejo metal color Magnesium or steel, let dry an the put on. German tank tracks were made of a magnesium/steel mix and so are pretty dark coloured naturally.

Afrika Korps Panzers tracks would have a more lighter appearance due to the sand having a polishing effect. Try Dark Aluminium from either Valleko Metal Colour or the slightly lighter version from AK Xtreme Metal range.

Welcome to the dark side!

Hello!

On the real life Panther the track has got some stack to rest on top of the road wheels. But that slack is also adjusted by the idler (that's the rear wheel on the Panther). I don't know if it helps you, but before you try new tracks maybe you could reposition the idlers a little - I mean move them forward to make the shorter track long enough.

If you stretch a track and put it on, it will look as tense as a guitar string - not good at all for a tank like that.

You could also use the tracks that broke with some new ones and add a few links from the broken tracks - maybe that could make the tracks long enough.

I hope that helps - good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Side skirts.

Lot's of folks buy AM tracks for their builds. No doubt there are lots of unused rubber Panther tracks gathering dust.