The tank design that became the Tiger was initially given tracks 520mm wide [1, see Anlage A] , with 3 rows of wheels arranged symmetrically. The wheels in the central row carried 2 tyres. A cross-section is shown in this diagram.
The wheels had a diameter of 800mm, but by interleaving them, a distance of only 515mm between wheel stations was attained [1, see Anlage A] . The first wheel station had only the central wheel; the next had the inner and outer wheels, and so on.
Due to the eventual weight of the design, an additional wheel was added to each station and the track links were extended on the outside to 725mm. This is a profile of the new arrangement, with the wheel stations distinguished by colour.
The tank had already been designed to the maximum permitted rail guage. The extra wheels were therefore made removable. This profile of an even-numbered wheel station shows the hub. The outermost wheel could be detached from the rest.
The odd-numbered station had to retain enough of its hub to enclose the swing arm. Therefore it could be broken at a flange.
This diagram shows the tight interleaving between adjacent wheel stations. Also, note how deeply the odd-numbered stations are hollowed out so that the oil-filling tap can be reached.
So tight was the spacing, that the flanges had their sides cut away to allow exactly 5mm clearance when adjacent wheels were removed.
[1] Der Panzerkampfwagen VI und seine abarten, Walter J. Spielberger, Motor Buch Verlag
[2] Survey of Tiger 250122, at Bovington museum, by David Byrden
[3] Survey of Tiger 250122, at Bovington, by John Desaleux Survey by John Desaleux of Tiger 250112, at Bovington Museum
[4] Survey of Tiger 250122, at Bovington, by Hilary Louis Doyle
[5] Survey of Tiger 250031 at Koblenz, by Hilary Louis Doyle