Replacing HL turret traverse and gun elevation with servos?

[atcttge]

OK, I intend to replace the gun elevation and turret traverse mechanisms in HL's Leo2 and M1 tanks when I get the IBU2 Pro. I am new to RC tanks so I have ZERO idea how to install servos and make it work. How do you install these two servos to do the gun elevation and turret traverse? What servos should I use? And how does one wire it up to the IBU2 Pro? Thanks!

[jackalope]

Yes you can but I'm not 100% sure about the PRO version. I have the normal IBU2 in my Tiger and the bow machine gun, main gun recoil and turret elevation are all done by servos. Turret rotation I kept the H/L style motor and used 3M automotive double sided tape to hold it on as I relocated where its mounted in the tank.

[atcttge]

How do you attach the servo to the tank and to the main gun so it elevates? Should I use a continuous servo for turret traverse and main gun elevation?

[jackalope]

I used the 3M tape to attach the servo to the inside of the turret roof. I then used a piece of wire to connect the servo to a piece of plastic glued to the gun breech area. This allows the servo to make the gun barrel go up and down.

Turret rotation on mine is still done with the H/L turret rotation motor and is plugged into the 8 or 9 pin connector which ever it is.

[atcttge]

Is it possible to take a photo of the servo setup you have so I can have a better idea?

[MichaelC]

atcttge,

This should give you an idea of how to do a servo elevation. This particular servo is just a regular 60 degree servo controlled by Clark, but I am sure IBU Pro is the same if not better:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YgjBRJ9-Dg

As to servo rotation, you will obviously need a continuous servo, but there are really two ways of doing it. One is simply replace the Heng Long unit with a servo motor like this:

The other way, which I preferred and is a little more difficult, is to actually line up the servo and mount it on the lower hull. The advantage of this is that the moment you remove the upper hull, the turret becomes free to rotate, just like the real thing:

Hope this help.

MichaelC.

[atcttge]

Thanks Michael! What gear did you use for the servo to mesh with the turret ring?

[MichaelC]

You have to remove the last gear from the Heng Long rotation unit and somehow mount it to the servo. I usually use a circular servo arm and use a screw to secure the gear to the servo circular arm.

[atcttge]

What model of servo are you using for the turret traverse ln your Leo?

[MichaelC]

The Leo picture is from this Facebook link and is not mine. It is also a modded servo that will plug straight into the Heng Long rotational unit plugs:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 897&type=3

Here is the servo mod link:

http://ezerlonginus.com/?/robotics/servo_to_DC/

MichaelC.