HL Tiger 1, I broke my gun elevation in 3 days, help!

[Jim Reeves]

I drove my Tiger into my couch barrel-first and managed to break the servo that raises and lowers the main gun. This is a new 2018 Tiger 1 with the latest 2.4g radio system. I pulled the turret and took the servo apart but couldn't find any stripped gears. So I reassembled it with my best guess of the position I should use for the cam gear, but it was only able to lower the gun and not raise it any longer?
I noticed two things, one that there is a stop molded in the cam gear and the case of the servo, and two, that I had a small washer left over after reassembly.
Now I'm wondering if I can disassemble the servo again, remove the molded stops and use it like the previous 2.4g system, where lowering the gun causes it to rise again? Or did I just assemble it wrong? Any thoughts appreciated!

[Son of a gun-ner]

Oh, how Herr Hitler used to despair over the incompetence of his Wehrmacht when the drove his beloved late panzers into the furniture, he was quite often heard shouting those immortal words, "do I have to go down there and drive my panzers for them? Incompetent fools!"

Maybe your "best guess" needs a slight tweaking

[RenoirLV]

Is there really a servo for elevation? Or that motor which makes the gun cycle up and down?

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[Son of a gun-ner]

I'm guessing it's the same as the new heng long Shermans, they have a little wheel with a peg that turns in both directions in a slot at the side of the bb unit, therefore, no cycling.

[RenoirLV]

I'm guessing it's the same as the new heng long Shermans, they have a little wheel with a peg that turns in both directions in a slot at the side of the bb unit, therefore, no cycling.

Oh that sounds cool. Haven't seen it yet. Or have i? Anyone has any pics?

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[Jim Reeves]

Yes, I would agree that the driver should face the firing squad, but until such ocurrs, I will soldier on!
I describe the black box at the back of the turret behind the airsoft unit which drives gun elevation as a servo, although there is no doubt a better name for it within the ranks here.
I'll attempt to take some pix when I have more light and have it apart again in a few hours. Maybe then what I describe will make more sense.

[Lert]

Is it one of these, older style large-wheel cycling elevation units, like in my JP?



Or one of these, newer style smaller peg-in-track, units like circled red in my StuG?



The peg-in-track is circled in green.

Knowing which one it is will go a way in helping you diagnose it.

[RenoirLV]

I describe the black box at the back of the turret behind the airsoft unit which drives gun elevation as a servo, although there is no doubt a better name for it within the ranks here.

I guess that is the old one. I wonder how one can break it. If it works one way it should work the other way too. Just wait for it to cycle through if it goes the wrong way at the moment.

I have done some barrel first crashes. The HL survived all.

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[Lert]

If it works one way it should work the other way too.

Exactly. However, it is a mechanical piece driven by electrickery, and so can break in all sorts of wonderfully interesting and fascinating ways.

If you tell it to go the way it doesn't go anymore, does the motor activate? IE, is there the whine of the motor trying to drive the unit but no movement? Or does the motor remain still?

If the motor activates but there is no movement, that would hint at a mechanical break, and you could order a replacement unit online. These are very cheap, only a few dollar. Hell, someone generous on the forum might have one lying around they're willing to throw you.

If the motor doesn't activate at all, that would hint at an electronic defect. Like the motor not receiving power when you activate the unit. But the way it does activate when you move it the other way, makes me wonder. I had a similar issue with a HL board a while back, where a turret traverse would only work one way. Turned out the HL electronic board was broken. That's a bit more expensive to replace, but still affordable. A replacement RX-18 board is about 20 bucks, give or take, before S&H.

It doesn't really make sense that a physical bump to the barrel would break the electronic board, but like I said, mechanical and electrickery driven toys can break in all sort of wonderful ways.

[Jim Reeves]

Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions. It is indeed the old version with the large gear with cam atop. I spent a pleasant hour removing the unit and found that the motor would only respond in one direction, to the down position on the left stick of the radio. Because this was supposed to work both up and down on the stick (and did for two days), there was a molded stop in both the large gear and the servo casing. Quick work with dremel and cutoff wheel removed these. Reassembled, the unit now works the same as the earlier 2.4G radio system. Holding the left stick down continuously will now cycle the unit (and the gun) down, then up and so forth. An easy fix to a mysterious problem!