On the m5 stuart idler wheel it has a rubber outer portion Has anyone ever attempted to make on on the Tamiya kit? If so what did you use and how hard was it? I'm thinking of doing it when I build mine into the recon version I'm also going to use the AFV Club individual links Hope adding the rubber portion doesn't affect the track length
Thankus inus advancus Chadus Ask SS-74 what the us part is #:-)

Call me crazy, but as I thought about you question I remembered a product used to coat handles and such on tools. Maybe something like this could be used. If you make forms for the two sides of the wheel with powder coated scrap, and "paint" the stuff on, who knows...maybe?

Lot of job, as the idler rubber bandaged wasn' t of the same diameter, nor the same design ( look at the lightenin' holes shape ! )...You ' ll have to scratchbuild them !
Happy modellin'...!
' ve a nice day...!

If you need an up close picture of the idler, I have one hanging around on my hard drive. I hadn't studied the Stuart that much, and I had thought it was odd, and I hadn't noticed that Academy's didn't come with the rubber outside, so it was something I looked into. A though would be to take some scraps, pour modelling putty in them, let it harden completely, hook it up to a drill or something, and with some sand paper, sand it down to the thickness required. Something I had thought about tinkering with.

Jed Sargent

Have you considered simply wrapping a length of .005 or .010 thickness styrene strip around the circumference of the Idler Wheel? I do that without any problems. Simple, and just sand the areas where the two ends meet...

Gunnie

Thanks for the ideas guys I think I may try GunTruck's idea of the plastic sheet
Chad