My first tank build.

[jackalope]

My Taigen idler wheels and axles and other detail bits got here from Forgebear and I quickly installed them to see if they made it run better and boy do they ever! I compared the H/L idlers to the Taigen ones and there IS no comparison! The H/L one use a screw and a small brass bushing for the wheels to ride on, this allows the wheels to move ever so slightly at first but the more you run it the more the brass wares down until the idler throws the track. The Taigen ones do not use a brass bushing rather they just let the much larger steel axle ride on the metal of the hub which is MUCH larger when compared to the H/L's brass bushing. I haven't broken out and calipers but I'd put the brass bushing of the H/L idlers at about an 1/8 wide where as the Taigen idler has about a half inch to maybe 5/8 for the axle to ride in making for a much more stable idler wheel which in turn means the tracks stay on! THANK GOD! I was seriously considering giving it to Alpha cause I was getting well past pissed at it, now she runs like she should! Grass, up hills at an angle, running along the hill rather then up it or down it, TURNING in the grass, it does it all now!

I also fitted the metal hatches on the hull and turret, corrected the clocking of the commanders copula with the new metal one, installed all the metal detail bits on the turret, opened up the gun port on the turret, removed the tube from the left side of the hull that should not have been there and relocated the switches to under the hatches on the hull.

The turret is also getting a lifting lug installed where it belongs in the storage bin and an added ring at the bottom to close the gap between the turret and the hull. The port for adding BB's was also opened up to allow more ammo to be filled in and the search is on for a correct length barrel for the main gun so that it'll still fire the BB's.

On another note I'm taking my laptop into work tomorrow so a co-worker can fix it so I can download pics onto it so I can show you guys what I'm doing rather then just describe it!

Photo etched grills will be next as will a relocated antenna and a crew is possibly in store as well. Now that she runs as good if not better then my Taigen King Tiger I have NO problem spending money on her!

If anyone has any other fixes I should consider please speak up and let me know what I need to "fix".

[PainlessWolf]

Jack,
It sounds like you have hit most of the major ones but just in case: viewforum.php?f=117 Also, Edwin and Birger are two members who both have photo illustrated threads on ways to turn your HL Tiger 1 into a Tiger 1 I am very glad now that your Tiger has found it's footing.
regards,
Painless

[ALPHA]

My Taigen idler wheels and axles and other detail bits got here from Forgebear and I quickly installed them to see if they made it run better and boy do they ever! I compared the H/L idlers to the Taigen ones and there IS no comparison! The H/L one use a screw and a small brass bushing for the wheels to ride on, this allows the wheels to move ever so slightly at first but the more you run it the more the brass wares down until the idler throws the track. The Taigen ones do not use a brass bushing rather they just let the much larger steel axle ride on the metal of the hub which is MUCH larger when compared to the H/L's brass bushing. I haven't broken out and calipers but I'd put the brass bushing of the H/L idlers at about an 1/8 wide where as the Taigen idler has about a half inch to maybe 5/8 for the axle to ride in making for a much more stable idler wheel which in turn means the tracks stay on! THANK GOD! I was seriously considering giving it to Alpha cause I was getting well past pissed at it, now she runs like she should! Grass, up hills at an angle, running along the hill rather then up it or down it, TURNING in the grass, it does it all now!

I also fitted the metal hatches on the hull and turret, corrected the clocking of the commanders copula with the new metal one, installed all the metal detail bits on the turret, opened up the gun port on the turret, removed the tube from the left side of the hull that should not have been there and relocated the switches to under the hatches on the hull.

The turret is also getting a lifting lug installed where it belongs in the storage bin and an added ring at the bottom to close the gap between the turret and the hull. The port for adding BB's was also opened up to allow more ammo to be filled in and the search is on for a correct length barrel for the main gun so that it'll still fire the BB's.

On another note I'm taking my laptop into work tomorrow so a co-worker can fix it so I can download pics onto it so I can show you guys what I'm doing rather then just describe it!

Laser etched grills will be next as will a relocated antenna and a crew is possibly in store as well. Now that she runs as good if not better then my Taigen King Tiger I have NO problem spending money on her!

If anyone has any other fixes I should consider please speak up and let me know what I need to "fix".

Is that all the bits you got from forgebear before he went on vacation? ... sounds like everything payed off... there is actually a lot you can do to the Heng Long Tiger...Markocaster if you recall did an outstanding job re centering his turret..and several... like Herman's White Tiger have added battle damage ...so sky is the limit....

Will be great to see some photos Jack

ALPHA

[jackalope]

Since this IS a H/L Tiger I know you can do a TON to them! The whole moving the turret thing IDK maybe in the future when I'm bored one day. But battle damage and weathering are both in her future.

[ALPHA]

Since this IS a H/L Tiger I know you can do a TON to them! The whole moving the turret thing IDK maybe in the future when I'm bored one day. But battle damage and weathering are both in her future.

You know Jack ...that's one of the reasons I enjoy modelling mine after GUP.... I usually end up taking things off than adding them on...but yet they still have their challenges...as Simplicity is sometimes harder achieved than those with more complex constructions...and sometimes it's just plain easy lol...which is a good thing because it gives you more play time

ALPHA

[jackalope]

Got a BUNCH more parts on order but I'm having problems with getting a Super Smoker II, I emailed the guy who makes them but no reply. I seriously don't understand how you can run a business and then DON'T RUN IT! Frustrating as HELL having the cash for the parts and the people who have them say they're in stock and ready to ship yet they won't ever answer my emails about buying! So now I wait to find out IF I'm aloud to buy a set of Super Smokers for both of my tanks. LAME!

[ALPHA]

Got a BUNCH more parts on order but I'm having problems with getting a Super Smoker II, I emailed the guy who makes them but no reply. I seriously don't understand how you can run a business and then DON'T RUN IT! Frustrating as HELL having the cash for the parts and the people who have them say they're in stock and ready to ship yet they won't ever answer my emails about buying! So now I wait to find out IF I'm aloud to buy a set of Super Smokers for both of my tanks. LAME!

Unfortunately several of those super smokers are hand made...wouldn't know the reason for not replying to you... but I just happen to know that Sassgrunt waited over a year for his to show up

Keep in mind Jack... you might want to run a seperate power line to the smoker...those things drain the battery pretty fast


ALPHA

[jackalope]

HA! Just heard back from Carl and sent him the money for it. His are plug and play and use a fan that runs in sync with the tanks throttle so at idle a little smoke and when you crank it up it'll smoke like a freight train! I'm like a little kid I can't wait now! He claims his use no more power then the stock ones do but I'll keep that in mind and if it does I just need to figure out how to wire in its own power supply. The cooling fans will use their own batteries and just have either an on off switch or a thermal switch to control them, that is once they come in.

I also have some snap on heat sinks coming for the motors to help keep them cool while moving my 14 pound (so far) beast around.

[ALPHA]

HA! Just heard back from Carl and sent him the money for it. His are plug and play and use a fan that runs in sync with the tanks throttle so at idle a little smoke and when you crank it up it'll smoke like a freight train! I'm like a little kid I can't wait now! He claims his use no more power then the stock ones do but I'll keep that in mind and if it does I just need to figure out how to wire in its own power supply. The cooling fans will use their own batteries and just have either an on off switch or a thermal switch to control them, that is once they come in.

Cool... so it's a DP... sounds like it's made with resistor wire instead of filament....DP makes it a little harder to separate.. can be done... you will have to experiment though

I also have some snap on heat sinks coming for the motors to help keep them cool while moving my 14 pound (so far) beast around.

14 pounds???????? ...that's it?????????? ... the KV weighs in at 20 ... I thought yours was heavier.... but just for fun...try running over your foot ..did that with my KV... under 8 lbs.... OUCH .............


ALPHA

[jackalope]

14 so far. I'm thinking it'll end up in the 16 to 18 pound weight class while I'm SURE my King Tiger will eclipse 20.

I searched for info on his smokers and they use less then half the power of the stock smoker unit and they pump out WAY more smoke so it looks to be a win win there.