Sound isolation for noisy gearboxes

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Jay-Em
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Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2011 9:11 pm
Location: The Chilly and Flat part of the Netherlands' North.

Sound isolation for noisy gearboxes

Post by Jay-Em »

We all know the noisy rattling that -especially steel- gearboxes can make, even when the gear and pinion gears mesh perfectly.

It’s the result of (amongst other things) the tank body and tub becoming a giant resonator box.
Most people already know, and use this trick, so it’s more aimed at those starting the tank-hobby.

To squelch a large part of the ruckus there’s a fairly cheap & simple solution: Cheap. Foam. Mousepads.
Why mousepads? Well, simply because the shops that sell hobby foam ask a premium for the thicker ( 4 mm and thicker) foam sheets, and mousepads are often much cheaper.

-Get Your hands on the cheapest dense-foam mousepad You can find in Your local China-junk-outlet (it’s the “Action” over here). Check that the thickness is about 4 to 5 mm.
-rip off the picture on top. Usually they are printed on some nylon/silk like material that comes off fairly easily. ( The silk/nylon material is -with a bit of paint- useful for detailing other stuff, sleeping bags, rain capes, stowage, etc.. Keep it! )
-cut two strips of about 10 cm by 4 cm
-cut out a notch near the back of the strip that will drop around the outgoing gear shafts
-shove Your insta-isolator blanket between gearbox and tub. It should fit really tight!
-if there’s enough room between rear top body and gearbox, glue a square bit of foam to the underside of the body above the gearbox

Done!

You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
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SteelBird
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Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 7:03 am

Re: Sound isolation for noisy gearboxes

Post by SteelBird »

A picture would explain everything. Awaiting for your picture.
H/L Pantiger, H/L Leopard 2A6, Mato Panzer III, Hybrid Tiger 1 and some tank wreckage
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