Question re. Panther and Jagdpanther Hulls and Gearboxes?

[Marc780]

I noticed that HL Panther lower hull calls for short shaft gearbox while the Jagdpanther needs the long shaft.
Why is this and how do I tell the difference of the hulls?

Reason I am asking, I just bought a plastic lower hull from Ebay for $20. The seller says it was for a Jagdpanther, however I just got a new black steel gearbox from Mato, it is short shaft. I already have plastic gear, long shaft parts I can just swap into the gearbox if need be and that's what I'll do if it needs that length (to buy the shafts separately, even the plastic gear ones, costs as much I might as well just buy another gearbox for $10 more...the shafts are dirt cheap it's the shipping...to just buy the two metal long shafts comes out to $26 shipped and that's the cheapest ).

I have metal sprockets and plastic tracks on the way, even the upper Jagdpanther hull from RCparty ($40 it cost) yet these are the same for both model Panthers. Aren't they?

[tomhugill]

That's very odd as the jagdpanther and panther use the same hull. They use long shaft gearboxes due to the transmission covers.

[ALPHA]

Yup ...what Tom said ..both the same...both use long shaft low profile gearboxes

ALPHA

[tomhugill]

Only the jagdpanther needs low profiles

[MichaelC]

I noticed that HL Panther lower hull calls for short shaft gearbox while the Jagdpanther needs the long shaft.
Why is this and how do I tell the difference of the hulls?

Reason I am asking, I just bought a plastic lower hull from Ebay for $20. The seller says it was for a Jagdpanther, however I just got a new black steel gearbox from Mato, it is short shaft. I already have plastic gear, long shaft parts I can just swap into the gearbox if need be and that's what I'll do if it needs that length (to buy the shafts separately, even the plastic gear ones, costs as much I might as well just buy another gearbox for $10 more...the shafts are dirt cheap it's the shipping...to just buy the two metal long shafts comes out to $26 shipped and that's the cheapest ).

I have metal sprockets and plastic tracks on the way, even the upper Jagdpanther hull from RCparty ($40 it cost) yet these are the same for both model Panthers. Aren't they?

Marc, the Pantiger uses short shafts just like the Tiger Is and some vendor gets the two confused and would called the Pantiger a Panther, especially on replacement parts. I think they usually called the Pantiger Panther, and the real panther Panther G.

Panther G and the JagdPanther uses the same lower hull.

MichaelC.

[ALPHA]

Only the jagdpanther needs low profiles

Actually both have plenty of room where the gearboxes are located...both my Jagd and Panther came with low profiles ...The high would fit as well

ALPHA

[Marc780]

Thanks for the replies fellas , I don't have all the parts yet for fitting, just the gearboxes, short-shaft, that came today. I ran them in for an hour each and then did a test fit, looks like these will fit my hull...but now i have another question- the susp. arms are plastic, and most of them have too much lateral movement. Some of them the stop pin (the thing that limits the arm travel) pops out of the hole in the hull. The road wheels touch each other, hard, seems like probably going to interfere with function.

I removed a few of the road wheels to see if maybe just the susp. arm pivot bolt was loose and allowing this play. Well, I checked maybe 5 of them and they all seem tight so that's not the answer. Is there a trick of some kind to reduce the lateral play of the susp arms? Like adding a longer bolt and washer?

[ALPHA]

Thanks for the replies fellas , I don't have all the parts yet for fitting, just the gearboxes, short-shaft, that came today. I ran them in for an hour each and then did a test fit, looks like these will fit my hull...but now i have another question- the susp. arms are plastic, and most of them have too much lateral movement. Some of them the stop pin (the thing that limits the arm travel) pops out of the hole in the hull. The road wheels touch each other, hard, seems like probably going to interfere with function.

I removed a few of the road wheels to see if maybe just the susp. arm pivot bolt was loose and allowing this play. Well, I checked maybe 5 of them and they all seem tight so that's not the answer. Is there a trick of some kind to reduce the lateral play of the susp arms? Like adding a longer bolt and washer?

Sounds like you have the answer Marc..just make sure the washer fits inside the recessed area of the arm... it should snug it up pretty well

ALPHA

[MichaelC]

Thanks for the replies fellas , I don't have all the parts yet for fitting, just the gearboxes, short-shaft, that came today. I ran them in for an hour each and then did a test fit, looks like these will fit my hull...but now i have another question- the susp. arms are plastic, and most of them have too much lateral movement. Some of them the stop pin (the thing that limits the arm travel) pops out of the hole in the hull. The road wheels touch each other, hard, seems like probably going to interfere with function.

I removed a few of the road wheels to see if maybe just the susp. arm pivot bolt was loose and allowing this play. Well, I checked maybe 5 of them and they all seem tight so that's not the answer. Is there a trick of some kind to reduce the lateral play of the susp arms? Like adding a longer bolt and washer?

Marc,

I think you are now running into the same issues you had with the KT lower........ There is a limitation to the HLs and at sometime you will be better off cost wise with an upgraded Taigen lower. It has been mentioned couple of times, but the Taigen lower also has the proper front lower hull angle, as well as the torsional bar suspension which spreads the load across the lower hull rather than just at the swing arm like you have on the HLs. Replacing them with metal ones just pushes the problem onto the mount point and the plastic lower.

MichaelC.

[Marc780]

Ah Mike, it was only supposed to be a "cheap" Jagdpanther made with my new cheap hull and the electronics I have already...I even went with the Jagdpanther vs. Panther G, for more simplicity. That and I built maybe 3 static models of the JP already and always liked 'em...For my huge fleet, The t-34 runs perfect, the Tiger not perfect yet but getting there (those smaller idler wheels you sent me with the asiatam tensioners helped-I had to take out 2 more tracks per side!) the king tiger waiting and waiting for my Henntec system..if I have two tanks working 100% at the same time I figure I'm doing well.