Tiger I Steering Problems

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orckhan
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Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by orckhan »

Hi,

I cant steer my tank to one side while I can to other. There isnt any grinding sound so I presume there is no gear slippage. What might be the problem? Might it be about the sprocket wheel? If not, is the gear set reparable or I have to buy a new one?
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jackalope
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Re: Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by jackalope »

Lift the tank up and set it on a stand to run it and watch the tracks, do they both move? Try to "steer" it while its on the stand do the tracks spin in opposit directions? If you answered no to either or both of these questions the next thing you need to do is take it apart and take a look inside at the gearboxes.

If you find any damage to them you'll have to replace them but fear not its not an expensive fix as you can pick up the black hardened steel gearboxes for under $50.

Good luck see what you find and post back, we'll get to the bottom of this!
ALPHA
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Re: Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by ALPHA »

Does your tank go forward and back....By any chance did you check your trim on the TX?

ALPHA
alphatiger88
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Re: Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by alphatiger88 »

hi , mine did the same out of the box, i found the drive sprocket mounting screws (pull off the center caps to reveal them ) were loose on one side causing a little miss alignment of the teeth and track , a touch of blue threadlock and it was all good , worth checking before you start inspecting the gear boxes , :)

edit: also check to see if the track has skipped the idler at the rear of the resistant side , ie , if the tank wont turn left check the right track and vice versa
orckhan
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Re: Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by orckhan »

Hi, sorry for late reply

I checkhed my tank again. Trim is normal, there is no steering problem when not on ground, tracks are properly placed. I couldnt get the sprocket caps out but sprockets seemed to be well placed when i pulled them.

The problem is, when I steered left, right track moves a little than stops. Note that the "whizz" sound of electric motor is coming while I steer on transmitter but the track does not move.

BTW, how can I take the sprocket caps out, you need a razor to get them out, they are so tightly fit.
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jackalope
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Re: Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by jackalope »

A small straight slot screw driver will allow you to pop off the idlers center cap.

I think I may know whats up with your tank mine did something similar.

I have the 4.1 steel gearboxes and 2 of the gears are pressed together I had a stick get jammed into the left track and that caused the pressed together gears to come apart and was doing the EXACT same thing yours does. When I'd lift it up both tracks would spin and do what I wanted them to do, put it down and the left track wouldn't do anything. I opened my tank up saw the gears had come apart its an easy enough fix. Take the gearbox out of the tank, disassemble the gearbox remove the gears that became un pressed and using 2 sockets to tap JUST the gears back together, 1 or 2 taps should do it. At that point you can put it back in your tank and see if that did the trick. With mine they just came apart again so the next time I roughed the gears up with sand paper and put a good coat of epoxy in between them and then tapped them together again and let them dry for 2 days just to be 100% sure the epoxy was fully cured. So far its been working perfectly now for a couple of months since the epoxy fix.
ALPHA
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Re: Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by ALPHA »

Does your tank have plastic or metal gearboxes...sounds like one of your drive gears is spinning on the spindle

ALPHA
orckhan
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Re: Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by orckhan »

ALPHA wrote:Does your tank have plastic or metal gearboxes...sounds like one of your drive gears is spinning on the spindle

ALPHA
Plastic ones.
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jackalope
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Re: Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by jackalope »

Well then its NOT the same problem I had! :haha: I think I remember reading the plastic gearboxes have a slipper clutch setup but never having owned one I can't be sure. But if they do that'd be a place to start looking.

Are steel gearboxes out of the question? They get rid of a LOT of issues.
ALPHA
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Re: Tiger I Steering Problems

Post by ALPHA »

orckhan wrote:
ALPHA wrote:Does your tank have plastic or metal gearboxes...sounds like one of your drive gears is spinning on the spindle

ALPHA
Plastic ones.
There is a good chance one of the nylon gears is cracked...check the final drive...the one that is on the axle that attaches to the sprocket....then check the rests...another trouble shoot is to add drag to the sprocket by putting your thumb on it to act like a brake ... watch the gears...if one is cracked...the axle will not spin ;)

Good Luck

ALPHA
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