MC Tank... How To Attach?

[scout.trooper]

I've got an MC kit and I can't for the life of me figure out how to attach the tank (or "back hump" as some might call it). The back armor plate and the tank are two rounded pieces, the tank being more rounded than the back. The two don't join! There's a good 1 1/2 inches separating the two from the inside (see below):

 

How it sits:

 

Slightly parted so you can see the distance of separation:

 

There's no way a rivet would go from the tank to the back plate. Anyone else have an MC kit who solved this problem? Or, anyone without an MC kit, have any ideas on how to join the two? I can't finish the rest of the chest armor until I get this damn tank attached.

[jameserec]

Take a strip of extra armor and make a C shape by bending it with a heat gun. Measure it to fill the gap. Drill holes in the C to rivet into. Epoxy washers into onto the holes so you don't need to try and get in there with pliers. Rivet to the tank bottom first then to the back plate. If there is too much give to the C shape then pop the back plate rivet and close the C to a O with glue. Just a thought unless someone has much better way. The SC kit did not require this. Alternately you could shape a small block of wood to go in there. Rivet into the block from the tank and use a wood screw to attach it to the back plate. From what I've read the rivet in the bottom and top are required for clearance but inside the back plate is whatever works.

[Bobik96]

Did you drill those holes or were they already drilled? It seems like the holes should be closer to the edge where the two pieces meet.

 

I would not drill more holes. The c method stated above May be a good fix. If you go that way I would suggest to put a rivet in the tank to be seen. Then glue the c spacer to the inside of the tank so there is only one rivet showing on the tank.

[cucblack]

Maybe you can use "Coach Bolts" the head looks like a rivet.

Can find it in any local store.

 

look here:

 

http://www.ebay.com/...%3D190833342798

[scout.trooper]

jameserec,

That's a really good idea. I thought about the wood block but I think the "C" shape will work.

 

Bobik96,

Holes were already drilled when I got the kit. Yeah, I know that bottom rivet has to be there for clearance so if I have trouble with that "C" spacer, I'll probably end up gluing that in there then securing it with a bolt for extra hold.

 

cucblack,

Those look interesting. I'm guessing that they get screwed in by hand with a wrench or pliers then secured with a nut on the backside? If I go with the wood block, this might be the best way to secure it with some glue for good measure.

 

Thanks for all tips, scouts! This tank has been driving me nuts for months now

[Chex]

Post some pics that aren't so close up. Also, I've heard of people using small L brackets. I have an SC and it's pretty straight forward.

[Dart]

The bottom of the hump should be flush with the bottom of the back. What you can do is make an L-bracket that you can line up with the top of the hump. Just glue that into the inside top of the hump (preferably with something like an epoxy or something stronger than E-6000) and then screw it in from the inside of the back.

 

As far as the hole at the bottom, you should be able to join that up with a chicago screw. That's how mine is done. When I get home, I'll take a photo of what mine looks like.

[Evil-Inc]

I have a MC Scout kit & never had those issues with it.

If anything, I found that the hump was the easiest thing to work on....

 

It all seemed to "pull together" quite nicely.

[unrealvictim]

I have an MC kit ad mounted mine a few month ago, I redrilled the hole in the back plate to suit. Go check out some build threads for MC kits as some other people have talked about this.

[unrealvictim]

Chek out a build thread by Arnie "The TK going TB" he addresses this issue.

[Southscout]

Chek out a build thread by Arnie "The TK going TB" he addresses this issue.

I also did what Arnie did. And I have a normal bolt there with a wingnut on the inside.