ok so i got the model to not have any more degenerate triangles but when i do collision geometry tool says theres several open triangles or verticies or something. and when i import the .wrl it shows where the errors are but i use this stl check that max has and it shows no open ends and i kno u solve the problem by welding the verticies but how do u fix it without welding cause when i weld it screws up the look of my model.

oh ok... but wat would you call the mesh to tell tool "hey i want u to make collision geometry off of this here mesh and not the model."

If you are making scenery then you have to have a physics folder in you're scenery folder (data\scenery\Scenery_name_here\physics. Export a separate object as you're collision geometry and name it with _collision at the end. Then use tool and run "tool collision-geometry scenery\scenery_name_here"

As for the problem you mention in the op, try lowering the radius of the weld. Also you can manually move the verts and check for errors around the places the url points out. Remember that the collision model does not have to be the same as the model you see. For instance, for the radiator in the picture a box around it would work fine because you cannot move or probably shoot through the spaces in it.
Edited by jawa on May 4, 2012 at 03:44 PM