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Metal or plastic?

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:26 pm
by bikerdude
Which tracks are best for running on grass? I'm going to upgrade to metal gearboxs and drive wheels, was going to do the tracks as well, but I've got a feeling I read somewhere that the plastic tracks were better on grass?

Thanks.

Re: Metal or plastic?

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:28 pm
by leopardgreece
Metal [THUMBS UP SIGN]

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Re: Metal or plastic?

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:36 pm
by Model Builder 4
Metal tracks offer a more realistic look ie sagging and as they are heavier can give more traction but they dig in more on grass especially while turning which can cause them to have an effect on the gearboxes by putting more stress on them, personally if you are going to use your tank mainly on grass I would stick with plastic tracks :thumbup:

Cheers, Lee.

Re: Metal or plastic?

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:56 pm
by Tiggr
Metal every time :thumbup:

Re: Metal or plastic?

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:59 pm
by leopardgreece
Metal anywhere ....!!!

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Re: Metal or plastic?

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:14 pm
by jarndice
Do you intend to fight your Tank or do you get a lot of enjoyment from showing it off with the odd drive over the lawn?
If you fight your Tank then you want Plastic everything, the lighter the better,
Otherwise fit metal tracks especially to a Panther/Tiger 1 or 2,
As already mentioned a pair of metal tracks properly set up with the correct amount of sag looks GREEAATT,
You must never forget that fitting Metal tracks imposes great strain on the whole of the transmission, So metal wheels, metal rollers, metal gearboxes, metal sprockets and metal idlers are pretty much essential if you want to have a Reliable as well as an accurate Tank.
Shaun.

Re: Metal or plastic?

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:47 pm
by bikerdude
This will probably upset some, but looks wise, I don't really care, it's more about durability and reliability. We've got 3 tanks, 1 for me and 1 for each son, I've already upgraded mine to metal gearboxes, which has made it noticeably slower, but it seems to cope better with slopes and climbing over things now.

The kids are 5 and 2, so their tanks are taking a lot of abuse. 5y/o has a tiger, 2y/o has a snow leopard. The tiger is already making horrible noises from the gearboxes when trying to turn very tight on grass, and somehow, part of the drive gear on the snow leopard has broken off. So was initially going to just get new metal gearboxes for the tiger, and some replacement metal drive gears for the snow leopard.

Found some of the black gearboxes for the tiger for £30, but the only metal drive gear I can see for the snow leopard comes as a set including metal tracks for £65.

I then started thinking that if the tiger gearboxes are slipping already, the snow leopard probably will too soon, but metal gearboxes for that are £70, then I'd feel I should get the metal drive wheels for my other some tank as well. And then if metal tracks are better I'd want them on mine, another £65...

Suddenly my cheapish alternative for them to play with when we can't got to the boating lake is getting to be even more expensive than the boats!

Would it really need all metal idlers etc? Or would I get away with the metal gearboxes, drive wheels and tracks?

They're not really used for actual fighting, just driving around and over things, in a mainly grass garden on a slope, with a bit of bark, and they seem to like driving them over the 2" wooden fence between the bark and grass...

Re: Metal or plastic?

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:03 pm
by jarndice
If young children are driving then it must be Plastic everything including gearboxes, Plastic tracks and wheels, :thumbup:
They will outlast any Tank using Metal transmissions.
They will be infinitely lighter and less stressed throughout,
Oh and quite a bit cheaper. :haha:
Shaun.

Re: Metal or plastic?

Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:14 pm
by bikerdude
Not sure on that, only had the tiger 1 week and the gearboxes are already well on their way to the bin... I think metal 1's would only have to last 4 weeks before they became cheaper... for the tiger anyway. Snow leopard is still ok ATM, apart from part of the side missing from 1 of the drive wheels.

Re: Metal or plastic?

Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:24 am
by hawkeye3guns
Hi Mate
As a club we have three "have a go" tanks for the kids at shows. 2 tiger's and a walter bulldog they started as basic all plastic tanks, but as you said the gearboxes stated to make loud slipping noises quite quickly so we changed them to the black steel gearboxes from Forgebear's ( about £20.00 a pair ). They seam to handle the abuse with no problems so far apart from the rear idlers are now showing a little wear, but I have bushed them with a brass insert and they are okay again at the moment. LoL.
Hope this is of any help
Denzil