M1A1HA, 9/18/23 update. Delay of Game, two week penalty!

[DNAR]

You can use ordinary lead you find in a fishing equipment store Barry. All you have to do is melt it in a desired shape you want by using a wooden shape tailored similar to your belly armour. You can build this from scrap ply wood lying around. Melt your lead and pour to shape but be careful not to burn yourself. Other options is using a heavy duty "lead" free solder used by plumbers as this is easy to shape. You can get a heavy duty diameter and hammer away to shape it. Other products to look at is counter weights used in model aircrafts such as Deluxe Materials Liquid Gravity. Hope this helps.

[BarryC]

You can use ordinary lead you find in a fishing equipment store Barry. All you have to do is melt it in a desired shape you want by using a wooden shape tailored similar to your belly armour. You can build this from scrap ply wood lying around. Melt your lead and pour to shape but be careful not to burn yourself. Other options is using a heavy duty "lead" free solder used by plumbers as this is easy to shape. You can get a heavy duty diameter and hammer away to shape it. Other products to look at is counter weights used in model aircrafts such as Deluxe Materials Liquid Gravity. Hope this helps.

I have a smelting pot and have used this method many, many time to weight model railroad steam locomotives by boring into a 2x4 and pouring the melted lead into it. I have about 20lbs of tire weights I scrounged up in a truck yard that I can melt as needed. I have found that soft lead sheet is easy to cut and fit and will be acquiring some off eBay.

Still wondering if there is a "target" weight that others employ?

I appreciate all the suggestions,
Barry

[BarryC]

WOW, using steel would solve flexing as well but shaping steel would one serious endeavor!

It would also pick up any thing from the terrain with iron in it, might prove interesting like coming to a halt over a load stone.

Barry

:haha:You got a point lol............but heck...what kind of magnets you going to use???? electro???


ALPHA

Electro Magnets

Barry

[BarryC]

Between grandson's baseball and granddaughter's softball games I did manage to make more progress. I sealed and closed up the battery box opening as well as the on/off switch opening in the hull floor. I also removed the HL receiver mounts. I spent the remainder of the time cutting out the 4 different framing "gables" for the belly armor lower plate.

TAFN,
Barry

[Uncarina]

Very good work! It reminds me of building a plank-on-frame ship model.

Cheers, Tom

[atcttge]

FWIW, I got my lead weights from a tire shop which they use for balancing rims. Has adhesive backing and are flat, in 5g and 10g segments that can be detached from a single bar. Perfect for my needs IMO.

As for the suspension arms, my RC tank weights around 16 pounds, and I've played around it quite hard. The arms are still ok, no issues I've seen. I've decided to go all metal drivetrain ONLY when I've broken the plastic parts. For now, I use the stock wheels, springs, and suspension arms, everything else is metal.

I've also installed the gearshaft support bearings and this has cured my M1's problem with the left track which kept on detaching from the sprocket when running it fast. I had deformed the sprocket when I used a vise to glue the halves together, and ruined it further when I tried to align it while still attached to the gearbox. Adding the gearbox shaft support bearings solved all of that and now it runs steady with no track throwing issues.

[BarryC]

Very good work! It reminds me of building a plank-on-frame ship model.

Cheers, Tom

It does a little, almost as much fun too!

Barry

[BarryC]

FWIW, I got my lead weights from a tire shop which they use for balancing rims. Has adhesive backing and are flat, in 5g and 10g segments that can be detached from a single bar. Perfect for my needs IMO.

As for the suspension arms, my RC tank weights around 16 pounds, and I've played around it quite hard. The arms are still ok, no issues I've seen. I've decided to go all metal drivetrain ONLY when I've broken the plastic parts. For now, I use the stock wheels, springs, and suspension arms, everything else is metal.

I've also installed the gearshaft support bearings and this has cured my M1's problem with the left track which kept on detaching from the sprocket when running it fast. I had deformed the sprocket when I used a vise to glue the halves together, and ruined it further when I tried to align it while still attached to the gearbox. Adding the gearbox shaft support bearings solved all of that and now it runs steady with no track throwing issues.

The weights I picked up in the truck parking lot are the same as the ones you have except a lot dirtier!

I currently have all metal running gear, but did not install the metal Return Rollers and mounts; has anyone?

I ordered the main axle supports as well as the track tensioner but due to a screw-up on my part with my postal code the package made it to within 250 miles before it was returned to entry point here in the US. It has been there some 4 weeks but the postal service says it has been sent back to the sender but so far it has not made it. I have gotten tired of waiting and have ordered them again hoping the other package finds it's way back to Dominique at RC Tank. My fault

Cheers,
Barry

[BarryC]

I have begun visualizing and planning how the electrical and electronics will all fit in. It appears I will have plenty of room.

I do have a question. I will need an On/Off switch between the battery and the ElMod; how is the best way to handle the connection using the large AWG, should I use a larger switch than the stock HL switch?

First I planned the locations using the photo and "paint" then a little one to one. Thoughts?

Cheers,
Barry

[MichaelC]

Barry,

The standard Heng Long switch is pretty cheap, but it will do the job as long as you rewired it properly. IBU already has a built-in fuse, so you don't need to add an inline one, but you definitely need to wire it different than stock. Basically leave the negative straight thru and just use the double pole switch as a single pole for the positive. The Heng Long wiring use one of the pole on the double pole switch as a patch point for the negative so that the trained monkey has an easier time, but if the switch failed, you will have an short.

If you want to switch the switch, you should consider a toggle or something more sturdy.

Edit..... Ooops... Just saw your "Elmod" spot. Don't know if Elmod has a built-in fuse. If not you will need an inline one between the switch and the board.

MichaelC.