Is there any good reason to try adding gearbox bearings?

[Marc780]

A lot of people swear by that lovely brass gear, taigen/asiatam 3 in 1 gearbox but at $90-100 a copy, well thats almost another tank. Still tempted to get one though to see what all the fuss is about.

Heng long sells a gearbox that for a while was called "Ultimate edition II" now it is at their store, on Ali express, and it is just called the bearing model or some such.



They cost either $50 (£33) or $60, i guess the $60 one has a more powerful motor. I emailed HL store and the lady replied that yes, these gearboxes are the same as "ultimate edition II" and do have bearings on everything. 6 bearings for the gears and 2 per the output shaft, not sure if the motor itself has a bearing?

Anyway my question is does anyone have these gearbox and what do you think of them? And, would it be worthwhile to try adding flange bearings yourself? And has anyone done this already, and if so what size and where do you find them?
Or is the increase in performance just not worth the trouble to even do all that?

[jtracks]

Hi Marc, I like bearings. I've been looking into installing flange bearings in my gear boxes that have the black steel gears. They do have bearings on the output shafts but not the gear shafts. I've emailed a guy who sells bearings for RC trucks (Fast Eddies bearings) here in the US. I'd be willing to send him a gearbox so he could fit the bearings. this is my opinion, but I think that some of the old gear boxes that don't have shimmed gears , would be a waste of money to install bearings without first shimming the gears to eliminate the movement.

Joe

[Marc780]

Joe, i think you could make a small fortune if you found the right bearings and sold them. You know it's probably foolhardy to try and guess by looking at a picture of a bearing on the internet, buy 30 of them and when they arrive they are wrong!

You know if you've taken apart a gearbox, those brass bushings that the gears spin in, could easily be replaced by flanged bearings, even if you had to drill out the holes in the metal plate to make them fit. The output shaft you'd want bearings even more so, since it takes all the load, and the shaft is bigger. Instead of that brass bushing, a press in bearing, same for the other side - instead of that brass bushing that is paper thin on the load edge!

If you find bearings that seem like they might work, can i ask that you please give me a pm if this fellow wants to sell some bearings? I've tried sizing some at the local hobby shops, several times - but all their bearings are for RC model cars. and none are even close for what we'd want them for!

[tomhugill]

Joe, i think you could make a small fortune if you found the right bearings and sold them. You know it's probably foolhardy to try and guess by looking at a picture of a bearing on the internet, buy 30 of them and when they arrive they are wrong!

You know if you've taken apart a gearbox, those brass bushings that the gears spin in, could easily be replaced by flanged bearings, even if you had to drill out the holes in the metal plate to make them fit. The output shaft you'd want bearings even more so, since it takes all the load, and the shaft is bigger. Instead of that brass bushing, a press in bearing, same for the other side - instead of that brass bushing that is paper thin on the load edge!

If you find bearings that seem like they might work, can i ask that you please give me a pm if this fellow wants to sell some bearings? I've tried sizing some at the local hobby shops, several times - but all their bearings are for RC model cars. and none are even close for what we'd want them for!

I think imex where getting in bearing sets so you could update your gearboxes

[KTRob]

I have one of those ultimate edition boxes, the shafts have had the ends turned down to accept a standard size bearing. (I think standard shafts are 3.5mm and they reduce them to 3mm).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3x6x2-5mm-3x6 ... 3a9ceb22ee

So if you want these you will need access to a lathe to turn the gear shaft ends down on your standard box. I did look for 3.5mm id but couldn't find any.

I have yet to fit them in anything, but the bearings make it possible to turn the gearset by hand via the output shaft, which I can't do with a set of standard steel gears, so there must be a lot of friction reduction going on?

There are two problems with the HL bearing boxes, they aren't 4:1 and my set has a brass output shaft, that looks like it would need supports?

This is what mine look like:
http://tankarmy.com/heng-long-tank/prod ... oetk0d07p3

It might be worth an email to Imex/Taigen USA?

Robert

[jtracks]

Joe, i think you could make a small fortune if you found the right bearings and sold them. You know it's probably foolhardy to try and guess by looking at a picture of a bearing on the internet, buy 30 of them and when they arrive they are wrong!

You know if you've taken apart a gearbox, those brass bushings that the gears spin in, could easily be replaced by flanged bearings, even if you had to drill out the holes in the metal plate to make them fit. The output shaft you'd want bearings even more so, since it takes all the load, and the shaft is bigger. Instead of that brass bushing, a press in bearing, same for the other side - instead of that brass bushing that is paper thin on the load edge!

If you find bearings that seem like they might work, can i ask that you please give me a pm if this fellow wants to sell some bearings? I've tried sizing some at the local hobby shops, several times - but all their bearings are for RC model cars. and none are even close for what we'd want them for!

Hi Marc, yes, just as soon as I hear back from him and we can work things out I will let everyone know.

Joe

[jtracks]

Joe, i think you could make a small fortune if you found the right bearings and sold them. You know it's probably foolhardy to try and guess by looking at a picture of a bearing on the internet, buy 30 of them and when they arrive they are wrong!

You know if you've taken apart a gearbox, those brass bushings that the gears spin in, could easily be replaced by flanged bearings, even if you had to drill out the holes in the metal plate to make them fit. The output shaft you'd want bearings even more so, since it takes all the load, and the shaft is bigger. Instead of that brass bushing, a press in bearing, same for the other side - instead of that brass bushing that is paper thin on the load edge!

If you find bearings that seem like they might work, can i ask that you please give me a pm if this fellow wants to sell some bearings? I've tried sizing some at the local hobby shops, several times - but all their bearings are for RC model cars. and none are even close for what we'd want them for!

Hi Marc, yes, just as soon as I hear back from him and we can work things out I will let everyone know.

Joe

Hi Marc, so the bearing guy wasn't receptive to me sending him a gear box. He said to measure each bushing and then see what was available on his web site. So, this is going to have to wait until I have some time to take apart a gear box, measure, and then reference his site. I'm not giving up, I just can't get on it right now.

Joe