Hi guys,
I’ve just finished my first set of Fruils and am trying them for size-they certainly look good!
I’ve looked at dozens of photos and they all seem to contradict each other on the track direction-have I put these on the right way?
Also, is the sag about right - I read that the tracks should start making contact with the first front outer road wheel-not the first inner whhel right at the front.
Front view (obviously)
Many thanks,
ATVB
Ben [H]
I think they’re on right, but I would have someone else confirm this. I do think there is a bit too much sag though. They should lay nice and flat across the upper roadwheels without sag.
Good stuff,
I’ve left the last few links connected but have just folded the ends in so I can add or subtract as I wish.
When the photo was taken I hadn’t ‘tidied’ up the top run. They need ‘working’ a bit to loosen them up.
Cheers TM,
ATVB,
Ben [:D]
I too can’t say whether you’ve got the tracks running in the right direction, but I do agree that there’s too much sag. Also, if I were you, I’d take a close look at each of the guide horns as it appears that some of them have flash in them. It’s short work with a sharp, pointy probe of some kind to open them all up. Tedious, yes but one of those details that I always check on any set of open guides from Friul.
That Panther is looking really sharp BTW. I think that it’s your best one yet.
First, the sag is a bit too much… Maybe take off a link and see how it looks. You dont want to have any visible sag between the road wheels. Meaning, along the top of the road wheels, the track should be straight, not wavy. Yeah 1 or 2 links less.
Directionally, I think you have it backwards. All of teh Tamiya kits are opposite of yours, and all the historical photos I can locate are also opposite of yours. So I’d swap those around if I were you. Do your own google search, and decide for yourself…
Looking awesome so far… I’ll have to read up on your panther progress now that I’m back after two weeks…
Thanks guys,
I appreciate the kind words!
I’ve left the last few linksattached with wire on each side but they are not fixed so I can do some fine tuning after painting during fitting.
When the photos were taken they had just been assembled so were VERY rough. There are a LOT of guide horns to be cleared. I normally do all that stuff post assembly.
Many thanks and ATVB,
Ben [H]
Hi Ben,
I’m pretty sure that they’re backwards as you have them. On the Panther (and on the Pz.III/IV) the track cleat “leads”.
My bad. Actually mine were on opposite of yours but from a book I saw, they appeared like yours, which led me to believe mine were on wrong.
Just little too much going on… in pictures you can find online or reference books I don’t see any sag at all like this one…
Looking forward to see your build completed!
Cheers DP!
These are the same photos that I have in my collection.
I spent an hour an Goggle and reading my books last night and there did not seem to be one definative way of fitting tracks to a Panther! 50% had the cleat leading, 50% had it reversed!
I think I worded my post ‘misleadingly’-when I said sag I was more referring to the amount of track that makes contact with the first & second roadwheels. They’ll be all nice and flat when I get them painted up and fitted.
Do these look better-reversed and flattened out…?
Thanks guys,
Please let me know what you think?
ATVB
Ben [:D]
Yes, the sag is perfect.