When it comes to features that make a good tank, the tracks and drive system are critical. Everything being equal, a tank is a maneuver weapon for modern cavalry tactics, so I wanted to give the subject its due diligence. When I started this I had no idea how this whole system worked, so I did some reading on basic mechanics and attributes of various tank suspension systems.
I’m using the largest tires for the road wheels, since I have a bunch of those, and it looks good for this size. For the Schachtellaufwerk road wheels, I interweaved single wheels for the test design. I haven’t added the overlapped outer wheels yet , but have the measurements for doing so.
For the idlers, I’m trying out two simple designs, but I think I need to rework this part so that it can actually adjust track tension. A pair of widely spaced motorcycle wheels seem like they’ll be the right size.
For the sprocket, I tried a few designs using gears (as seen on the Tiger) or various sized wheels/tires. I built a 16-tooth helical gear out of a series of interconnected offset 8-way white connector/rod combos on an axle, which works OK. But I’m not doing much else here until I get the tracks sorted out.
For the tracks themselves, I’ve tried doing a K’nex connector/rod track, different wheel/rubber band combos, and a few chain-based designs. I’ve temporarily settled on “borrowing” some Magic Tracks and using the flexible roadway as an ersatz method of traction. The inner surface of the racetrack is smooth, so using a drive wheel or sprocket doesn’t work yet. But as the tank is rolled on the floor, it (sort of) works.
