Hi guys Can anyone help I am making the Italeri U.S.M.C.M4,whilst trying to fit the tracks both Idlers have snapped off.I referred to my Shep Paine bible and re glued them as he suggest,but the way they are attatched to the hull and the tightness of the kit tracks i doubt this is going to work.have any of you guys had this trouble with this kit, any remedies . I wont consider after market tracks they cost £28.00 the kit cost £9.00, can anyone help.

I don't know what Shep suggests, but options:
1) If possible, drill a hole into the idler's center and attach a piece of brass rod or tubing and drill a matching holl in the connector point on the hull. If the track is indeed too tight, maybe moving the idlers forward just a hair might reduce the tension without compromising the proportions significantly.
2) Replace the rubber band track with appropriate after market individual links which will provide much less tension. The Idlers coule be attached as in the suggestion above of just glued into place.

Hi AJ I seem to have been double posted here.I have looked at the metal rod option but this kit is different than most I have made,the rear Ider axle has to be glued on the rear hull platethe attachment point is tiny considering the tension that will be put on it. What i have done is to super glue them on and have joined the tracks with staples about a quarter inch back fom the normal attachment point,they are on and the Idler is holding , even though i have moved them that much they are still quite tight.I intend showing the tank coming ashore so it will sink some in the soft sand with luck and artistic licience the sand can cover the repair.what do you recon.

I've had this very thing happen with a couple of Italeri Sherman kits in the past.....yes it is a very weak connection at that point and after the first break it's even worse. I have successfully drilled and placed a support pin through the assembly. What I have done with all Italeri Sherman kits since those painful days is place the track over the idler first, then place the drive sprocket in the track, and slide the whole track assembly into place. It seems to work and I haven't snapped any idelrs lately.

I would do something along the same lines as what AJ suggested.. Drill out the broken idlers and run a piece of tubing through for each side..

You could in the future,fill the idler holes,and clean off the idler mount.Then
Drill an off center hole in the idler,so you can rotate it to the front,like an eccentric.Then on the mount,use a metal rod.
Me,I buy after market,just because of this possible problem.All my Italeri suspension based vehicles get the idler mounted,squeezed with a clothespin,for a day or more,before any other work goes on...

Thanks for the advice on this fellas, my bush repair is not my final try the brass rod is looking the best option so far,I have let the super glue set over night I will try and fit the tracks as per instructions if it doesnt work i will go for the brass option .many thanks. :-)