Joe Rion reviews AFV Club's Late-Model Workable Track Links for the Sd.Kfz 251.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Joe,

Sorry to hear these were so tough for you to use. I've not used one myself and the instructions calling for the cap block to be installed first and then the links snapped together looks like a certain recipe for stress on the links and weakening of the pins which would produce the results you described.

Assuming you still have some on hand, is it possible to assemble these by slipping the two links together first and then adding the cap block to avoid the "snap tite" approach? There looks to be an opening at the top where the pins could be slotted in and then the block added to trap them but can't be sure going by the photos alone. If that's possible then the instructions definitely are calling for a much more difficult method of assembly.

Bill, I feel these tracks could be useful. I tried to assemble them then add the track pad, no luck. I would be happy to mail the remainder of them to you for your opinion. I think another opinion would be helpful.
Joe

I used these tracks several years ago (assuming these are the same) in the AFV combo kit that had a 251 and a towed PAK 40. They were a bit fiddley to assemble and some care was required so as not to shear the pins off. I used a Xuron plier to ever so gently spread the track so as not to shear the pins. Did I mention that you spread the track gently. Very gently. It took a while to get the lengths together, but they did turn out rather nice. There was a issues with the drive sprockets, but the Mk I brain is unable the access that file at the moment.
Cheers
Dave

Dave, it's probably that the AFV club drive sprockets are to thick, so that the tracks don't fit into the slot. The drive sprocket works fine with the rubberband track but not aftermarket tracks. I was able to file down the drive sprockets on their joining edge to make Dragon E Z Tracks work on a AFV club kit.
Joe

Hi

I have a set of Hobby Boss ones which I've removed from sprue and cleaned up which was quite a job. They are very similar to these with the link and pad. I naturally assumed you placed the links together first then carefully glued the track pad over it to capture the pins of the track link within the adjoining track link.

So am I in for a nasty surprise or is this a possible way of assembling these AFV Club ones in the same fashion so you don't have to stress the links.

Alan

Edit. I guess you'd have build a little jig as they need the guide horns facing down. But two strips of plastic set apart for the guide horn to sit in should be okay for the task.

Alan, building a jig will be a help for you. I tried to assemble these tracks both ways with little success. Don't dispair over what I did, give it your best shot. I have built several sets of tracks from a rival company with great success but these don't have the flexability they need in my opinion.
Joe