More work on the Tank

 

I quite like the look of this tank, the AbramsX, so I have decided that my design will be highly influenced by this.

I have been thinking about the build for sometime now and as usual once I have the idea firmly worked out in my head I get on with the build fairly rapidly. I am taking my time on this build however as I want to enjoy the build and ensure the quality is very high. 

Over the last week or so I have been working on the frame and getting everything alined up so the track system tracks correctly. 

The tensioner is faily crude but I have used this design before and it works very well. One modification I will add is that I will keep the tensionner floating, meaning the tension wheels will be free to rotate. This will give the track more flexibilty and almost act like suspension absorbing bumps from front impacts.

Everything being mocked up and spot welded so get the correct alignment.

Amazingly the track tensions really well and I am wondering if I need the top wheels to support the center of the track?

Fitting one of the tracks for the first time. Yes it works. Everything seems to aline but at the moment this is just a mockup. Hopefully when everything is fully welded and tightend up it will still all work.

It is not until it all comes together that I realise that there is not a great deal of room to add all the elements that I will need to fit in. Batteries will go in the center and main electronics at the rear over the motors. Sound system, if I add it will go at the front. 

I will need to get the turret bearing fitted soon as this will involve more welding plus think about placement of the bracket to fit the turret servo.

Now the frame has been welded up fully it needs to have some primer.

Only one track made up at the moment while I wait for more materials to arrive. I will need to cut the rubber pads to go on each track then work out how I will fix them.

Next I will weld up the flanges to the drive sprockets. This is going to be one of the hardest things to do as the alinment must be perfect.

First push test of the track fitted in the frame before everything is welded up.