# Anyone having their Chariot treads fall apart?



## Scorpitat (Oct 7, 2004)

Question for everyone...

I have the bottom hull and treads of my Chariot assembled, and have run into something incredible. I pulled it out after a few days of sitting, and noticed that the "inner" parts of the tread, where the tires ride in, have started to "break off" on one set of treads. It seems as if the tires are "pushing" thru the tread, and either breaking, or possibly disolving their way thru the tread itself. It appeared at the point where the tread wraps around the end tire, and about 7 or 8 of the strips are broken on one side, allowing the tire to poke out. 

So far, it's only one tread, but I am just waiting for the other side to start. Is anyone else having a problem with this? If so, what could be the cause, and could it be related to the problem that started with the tires marking the plastic kit in shipping? Does anyone at Moebius want to ring in on this issue, and is there a way to contact them about it?

I love the kit, but the treads are the most integral part of the kit. If they start to deteriorate after time, I think we'll all be in serious trouble in the near future! thanks for any help anyone can offer!

Sincerely,
Scorp.

"Boldly GO!" :wave:


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## Moebius (Mar 15, 2007)

Scorpitat said:


> Question for everyone...
> 
> I have the bottom hull and treads of my Chariot assembled, and have run into something incredible. I pulled it out after a few days of sitting, and noticed that the "inner" parts of the tread, where the tires ride in, have started to "break off" on one set of treads. It seems as if the tires are "pushing" thru the tread, and either breaking, or possibly disolving their way thru the tread itself. It appeared at the point where the tread wraps around the end tire, and about 7 or 8 of the strips are broken on one side, allowing the tire to poke out.
> 
> ...



You can contact us through our website, it does have our e-mail address there. This is the first I have heard of this. I have had a builtup that has been going to shows with me for nearly 4 months now, and no signs of anything like this happening. This is in no way related to the "tire burn" issue. Send an e-mail with some pictures, I'de be more than happy to take a look.


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## Scorpitat (Oct 7, 2004)

Thanks Moebius.

Quality, again shines thru with your company. You guys really do follow thru on issues.

I'll try to get some pics taken and e-mailed to you. I just found this to be a very strange thing to happen, on such a wonderful kit. I bought the Space Pod, and loved it, and the Chariot is equally as great. I'm contemplating purchasing the Seaview next, for my winter modeling project. Thanks again, for the quick response, from a loyal customer.

Sincerely,
Scorp.

"Boldly GO!" :wave:


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## Scorpitat (Oct 7, 2004)

Here is how the tires are popping thru the treads, and have broken out the crossmember pieces of rubber. I hope no one else gets this problem. Thanks again for the quick reply Moebius. Shall I write you and send these pics, or should I wait to hear from you via e-mail?

Sincerely,
Scorp.
([email protected])


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## Scorpitat (Oct 7, 2004)

2 more pics to show what is happening. Sorry for the quality of the pics.

Sincerely,
Scorp.


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## Admiral Nelson (Feb 28, 2002)

Scorpitat said:


> Here is how the tires are popping thru the treads, and have broken out the crossmember pieces of rubber. I hope no one else gets this problem. Thanks again for the quick reply Moebius. Shall I write you and send these pics, or should I wait to hear from you via e-mail?
> 
> Sincerely,
> Scorp.
> ([email protected])


Focus, reshoot and repost.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Thats weird. While the photos aren't great I can certainly see the problem...

My treads got crumbly when I glued them with CA and sprayed them with accellerator...


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## gareee (Jan 1, 1970)

Wonder if one or the other ate them?


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## toyroy (Jul 17, 2005)

Mechanically, the bars running across the middle are not very strong. Whether a given set is OK, or breaks, probably has more to do with it's individual chemistry.


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## jbond (Aug 29, 2002)

Interesting...I've got one of the Aoshima 1/48 diecast Maser Tanks from the Godzilla movies, the forward vehicle is a treaded truck, and it's been sitting on a shelf about a year, the tracks are rubber...I just picked it up a few days ago and the tracks fell into several pieces.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Thats why most kit companies are abandoning vinyl or rubber tracks. Dragon always had hard plastic in their armor kits, although a few have a gluable, flexible styrene (not vinyl or rubber). Tamiya's newest kits (Hetzer, Panzer II, Stalin) all have hard plastic gluable tracks. Even Italeri has switched to hard plastic.

Over the years, Tamiya tracks have evolved. In the 60s they were black one-piece rubber "bands" with no detail and a short life span. They rotted quickly. The Moebius tracks feel sort of like these. In the 70s Tamiya went with vinyl for their tracks. They vinyl did not deteriorate and could hold better detail. It was hard to glue, so you had to heat seal, sew, or staple them together. In the 90s they started exploring gluable hard plastic tracks with their Tiger I kit, but also gluable, flexible tracks. The newer gluable vinyl tracks have great detail BUT solvent based paints and even just time make them brittle. They just fall apart one day. So now they go with straight, injection molded styrene links and lengths of track.


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## gareee (Jan 1, 1970)

I noticed a lot of companies are using silicon now as a replacement for rubber or vinyl parts, because of it's stability and durability...

I'd hate to think that next year, (or the year afterwards) that my chariot might not have treads at all...


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

gareee said:


> I noticed a lot of companies are using silicon now as a replacement for rubber or vinyl parts, because of it's stability and durability....


Hey if it works for fake hooters it should work for treads


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## Jaruemalak (Jun 12, 2008)

djnick66 said:


> Hey if it works for fake hooters it should work for treads


The second I read this, a single thought flashed in my mind... "Tank Girl!"

OK, I'm going to take my medication now and lay down...


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## toyroy (Jul 17, 2005)

djnick66 said:


> Thats why most kit companies are abandoning vinyl or rubber tracks...


Very interesting! I used to build Tamiya tanks, back in the 70's. I remember some of them(Tiger I) being molded in metallic color, too. The T-34, which featured a _wired_ remote(!), had black molded rubber tracks w/ a serrated surface inside.

I see the new larger-scale RC models come with resin links, and metal pins. Also die-cast sprocket wheels, and working suspension parts.


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## JohnGuard (Jan 13, 2008)

ok, so is there or is there not a serious problem with the treads falling apart???

i've read about the tires "burning" into the plastic and now report of treads falling apart.

now i'm afraid to build my chariot becuase of these reports.

WHATS THE BOTTOM LINE????


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Personally I haven't had any problems with my Chariot..

No Tire Burning.. No treads falling apart. In fact I rolled My Chariot across the Floor Yesterday.. No Problems other than I need to Glue the sprockets on.


I say go build your Kit..And if you do have any problems, contact Moebius directly:thumbsup:

BP


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