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Best after-market tracks for Abrams?
Majekm
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Poland
Joined: April 06, 2008
KitMaker: 39 posts
Armorama: 38 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 01:17 AM UTC
Hello everyone,

Happy New Year!

Could you please let me know your thoughts on the best set of after-market T-158LL tracks for 1/35 Abrams?

I have the Bronco kit and it is great but recently I've been looking at the photos of metal sets from AVF Club, Spade Aces and Fruilmodel.

Seems to me that Bronco has better-defined details overall while the metal ones have end connectors with open holes. The end connectors need to be drilled in the Bronco set. Also, the hollow guide-horns in the metal ones are not always perfectly molded and the openings are sometimes partially filled.

I have never held any metal sets in my hands to confirm if they are better than Bronco ones. Is the higher price justified by better quality?

Many thanks,
Michal
Tojo72
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North Carolina, United States
Joined: June 06, 2006
KitMaker: 4,691 posts
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Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 01:28 AM UTC
For the price I liked the AFV Club tracks,workable,easy to assemble,just avoid enamel washes,makes them brittle and weaken the pins.

I mean the metals are nice,but they are not cheap and I dont think they make all that much diffrence on an M1
brian638
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England - West Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: July 24, 2004
KitMaker: 318 posts
Armorama: 263 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 02:32 AM UTC
I've used the Bronco tracks, I found them to be a little tedious to assemble but look the part. I think that as the top section is hidden then they represent a good option and a good price.

Majekm
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Poland
Joined: April 06, 2008
KitMaker: 39 posts
Armorama: 38 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 02:45 AM UTC
Thanks, guys!

@Brian - when you mention the top part being hidden, do you mean they do not sag around the return rollers properly since they do not weigh enough?

If so, I guess metal ones would be better here.

Thanks,
Michal
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
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Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 03:52 AM UTC

Quoted Text

when you mention the top part being hidden, do you mean they do not sag around the return rollers properly since they do not weigh enough?

If so, I guess metal ones would be better here.



There is no sag on Abrams tracks since they are live tracks. They are kept under pressure to keep them tight by design.

As to AM tracks, I also prefer the AFV Club plastic tracks. They are T158 tracks though, not T158LL tracks. The Bronco T158LL tracks are nice too.
corsutton
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: June 17, 2005
KitMaker: 544 posts
Armorama: 511 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 07:04 AM UTC
I like the Bronco tracks. Yes, they take some time to put together, but they are very good tracks. I have never had good luck with the AFV type tracks as the end connectors always break for me.
Tankbuff
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: November 07, 2014
KitMaker: 83 posts
Armorama: 83 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 07:15 AM UTC
I just used the AFV Club tracks on my latest build. I like them.
Live-Resin
Vendor
LIVE RESIN
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California, United States
Joined: August 14, 2011
KitMaker: 808 posts
Armorama: 796 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 01:33 PM UTC
Live Resin prepare track for Abrams with damaged pads, probably it be on sale in a month
gigi63
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Parma, Italy
Joined: February 09, 2014
KitMaker: 241 posts
Armorama: 241 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 02:29 PM UTC
Now is available the new Friulmodel metal tracks for the Abrams reference ATL 155 Abrams M1A1-M1A2 T 158 type!!!!

Cheers Luigi

http://acciaioverdemodellingblog.blogspot.it/

Majekm
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Poland
Joined: April 06, 2008
KitMaker: 39 posts
Armorama: 38 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 05:12 PM UTC
Thanks, everyone, for your input.
@Gino - thanks for the clarification of the 'live' tracks
@Luigi - have you seen any photos of the Friulmodel metal tracks for the Abrams?

All in all it looks like Bronco are the ones to go for...
C_JACQUEMONT
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Loire-Atlantique, France
Joined: October 09, 2004
KitMaker: 2,433 posts
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Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2015 - 07:19 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Live Resin prepare track for Abrams with damaged pads, probably it be on sale in a month



Interesting! I think I'll get a set.

Cheers,

Christophe
bill_c
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 09, 2008
KitMaker: 10,553 posts
Armorama: 8,109 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 04, 2015 - 02:23 AM UTC
I have used the Bronco tracks and find them to be problematic: whether you assemble them and then paint, or paint first and then assemble, I found they tend to break or pull apart when tensioning on the model.

I suspect the problem is the chemicals in paint attack the plastic pins that hold the links together. Like I said, I've tried painting first, then assembling, and assembling first, then painting. Both times I cursed the tracks a blue streak.

Now that there is a metal option, I would probably go for that on any further Abrams builds.
GeraldOwens
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Florida, United States
Joined: March 30, 2006
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Posted: Sunday, January 04, 2015 - 04:58 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I have used the Bronco tracks and find them to be problematic: whether you assemble them and then paint, or paint first and then assemble, I found they tend to break or pull apart when tensioning on the model.

I suspect the problem is the chemicals in paint attack the plastic pins that hold the links together. Like I said, I've tried painting first, then assembling, and assembling first, then painting. Both times I cursed the tracks a blue streak.

Now that there is a metal option, I would probably go for that on any further Abrams builds.

Sounds like whatever thinner you're using for detail washes is too hot for styrene (lacquer thinners particularly will melt styrene plastic). You can go with acrylics for color coats and water-based paints for washes on sensitive styrene or the gluable, soft, styrene-vinyl mixes (like Tamiya and Dragon now use). Artists' watercolors are available in the same colors as oil paints, and a little flow enhancer will reduce puddling or "tide marks" when they dry.
For assembling the recent clamshell-style tracks (like Bronco), where you're assembling links with a top and a bottom, I like to use old-school Testors tube cement, since it stays where I want it, and gives me a little more working time than the more volatile liquid cements.
bill_c
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MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 09, 2008
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Posted: Monday, January 05, 2015 - 01:31 AM UTC
Thanks, Gerald. My paints are Tamiyas, I don't use any lacquer-based washes or thinners, but I agree that the chemicals in the paints are harming the styrene.
Ultra_aussie
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New South Wales, Australia
Joined: May 20, 2014
KitMaker: 197 posts
Armorama: 145 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 - 03:02 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Live Resin prepare track for Abrams with damaged pads, probably it be on sale in a month


Cannot seem to find them?
accelr8
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Washington, United States
Joined: March 17, 2005
KitMaker: 159 posts
Armorama: 156 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 - 09:39 PM UTC
there is a thread out there about this subject:
http://armorama.com/forums/196105&page=1

If it's specifically T158LL track, then your choices are Bronco, Spade Ace, or Dragon DS if you can get your hands on them. There are good T158 sets out there, but they don't depict the open center guide. I haven't seen the fruilmodel set, but in general my own recommendation is to not waste your time on metal track for modern tanks utilizing "live", rubber bushed track. (I was recently corrected on my terminology). Modern rubber bushed double pin track tends to curl up on itself rather than sag. Unless you plan to make the track tension idler adjustable, you will get sag using the metal tracks which is unrealistic. Sure you can hide it behind the skirts, but you'll also get sag between the idler wheel and the #1 roadwheel. If you don't have the dragon DS, stick with Bronco IMO.
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