Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
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If your question is electronics related please post it in one of the relevant boards here: viewforum.php?f=31
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- Lance Corporal
- Posts: 169
- Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:32 am
Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
Found someone selling new gearboxes of this type for a very appetizing price and was wondering how people fared with it. Surfing the web, I've heard negative comments about it here and there, but people were using it to power large, heavy tanks. If I used this for a Pz3, would it be alright? Or should I just generally avoid this gearbox?
Thanks
Thanks
- jarndice
- Colonel
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- Location: the mountains of hertfordshire
Re: Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
If it is a Taigen Gearbox built for Heng Long then the 5/1 you need for a Panzer 3 is TG 1203-S which goes for about £60,
If you are unfamiliar with Gearboxes you can find yourself spending a lot of money for something that is just plain wrong.
If it is a Heng Long Metal Gearbox then I suggest you leave it alone the quality is questionable,
The DKLM and the ETO gearboxes are top line in engineering but you pay for that quality.
The Taigen gearbox built for the Heng Long Gearbox mounting plate is usually the first choice of most builders.
Shaun.
If you are unfamiliar with Gearboxes you can find yourself spending a lot of money for something that is just plain wrong.
If it is a Heng Long Metal Gearbox then I suggest you leave it alone the quality is questionable,
The DKLM and the ETO gearboxes are top line in engineering but you pay for that quality.
The Taigen gearbox built for the Heng Long Gearbox mounting plate is usually the first choice of most builders.
Shaun.
I think I am about to upset someone 

Re: Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
Hey the 5:1 I think you mean (low profile ones) I wouldnt use, the ratio isn't as low as the taigen 4:1. If you get the ball bearing taigen ones the price is similar but they're much nicer gearboxes and they do low profile versionsBlackadder123 wrote:Found someone selling new gearboxes of this type for a very appetizing price and was wondering how people fared with it. Surfing the web, I've heard negative comments about it here and there, but people were using it to power large, heavy tanks. If I used this for a Pz3, would it be alright? Or should I just generally avoid this gearbox?
Thanks
- Afrikakorps
- Corporal
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- Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2015 1:40 am
- Location: Australia
Re: Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
Hi Blackadder123,
I have tried the 5:1 TG 1203-S gearboxes in a heavy metal KV-2 and found they did not give sufficient torque. I changed them for Taigen 4:1(high/low motors) and the results were much better. More torque and lower speed.
I am going re-use them as I don't want to waste them, and put them into my HL panzer iv Wirbelwind. The low profile definitely helps with fitment. Also, these gearboxes have a gear wheel that can be moved to provide speed or torque.
All that said, I think they will be good in a light/ medium tank, but only time will tell. I will have to finish the build to know.
Cheers
Afrikakorps
I have tried the 5:1 TG 1203-S gearboxes in a heavy metal KV-2 and found they did not give sufficient torque. I changed them for Taigen 4:1(high/low motors) and the results were much better. More torque and lower speed.
I am going re-use them as I don't want to waste them, and put them into my HL panzer iv Wirbelwind. The low profile definitely helps with fitment. Also, these gearboxes have a gear wheel that can be moved to provide speed or torque.
All that said, I think they will be good in a light/ medium tank, but only time will tell. I will have to finish the build to know.
Cheers
Afrikakorps
Panzer III G
Sherman M4A3 (105)
T-34/76 (1942)
Panzer IV Wirbelwind
Sturmtiger
KV-2
M26 Pershing
T-34/76 (1943)
KV-1
M3 Lee
Ferdinand / Elephant
M16 Half-track
Panther G
M4a1 (75mm)
M41 Walker Bulldog
JS-2
M4a3e8 (76mm)
Japanese Type94
FT-17
Tiger 1
Sherman M4A3 (105)
T-34/76 (1942)
Panzer IV Wirbelwind
Sturmtiger
KV-2
M26 Pershing
T-34/76 (1943)
KV-1
M3 Lee
Ferdinand / Elephant
M16 Half-track
Panther G
M4a1 (75mm)
M41 Walker Bulldog
JS-2
M4a3e8 (76mm)
Japanese Type94
FT-17
Tiger 1
Re: Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
They're what I was talking aboutSon of a gun-ner wrote:Tom, what about these taigen 5:1 gears that Dave sells?tomhugill wrote:Hey the 5:1 I think you mean (low profile ones) I wouldnt use, the ratio isn't as low as the taigen 4:1. If you get the ball bearing taigen ones the price is similar but they're much nicer gearboxes and they do low profile versionsBlackadder123 wrote:Found someone selling new gearboxes of this type for a very appetizing price and was wondering how people fared with it. Surfing the web, I've heard negative comments about it here and there, but people were using it to power large, heavy tanks. If I used this for a Pz3, would it be alright? Or should I just generally avoid this gearbox?
Thanks
http://www.forgebeartanks.com/store/p31 ... 203-S.html
Mick.
- Jake79
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
- Posts: 1058
- Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:10 pm
- Location: Essex,Colchester, UK
Re: Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
If you have a spare motor, I've got a set you can have for £17.50 posted


Tamiya: 2 King Tigers
H/L,Taigen :Initial Tiger 1, Panzer III, Kv 2, Panther G, Bulldog, Leo 2A6
H/L,Taigen :Initial Tiger 1, Panzer III, Kv 2, Panther G, Bulldog, Leo 2A6
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- Lance Corporal
- Posts: 169
- Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:32 am
Re: Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll opt for a 4:1 box since I dont have any spare motors and it costs about the same
- Jake79
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
- Posts: 1058
- Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:10 pm
- Location: Essex,Colchester, UK
Re: Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
ok mate np, these are the taigen pro 5:1 steel gears, idk if there exactly same as the link you showed. 4/1 are really nice tho I have few of them myself.
Tamiya: 2 King Tigers
H/L,Taigen :Initial Tiger 1, Panzer III, Kv 2, Panther G, Bulldog, Leo 2A6
H/L,Taigen :Initial Tiger 1, Panzer III, Kv 2, Panther G, Bulldog, Leo 2A6
- Raminator
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
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- Location: Newcastle, Australia
Re: Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
I've got the 5:1s in my SU-152, I was worried that the 4:1s would be too tall for the sloped back deck. Turns out there's plenty of room there, though.
I think they'd be great in a modern tank, but I'd probably go for the 4:1s in a WW2 tank. They're a bit faster than I was expecting.
I think they'd be great in a modern tank, but I'd probably go for the 4:1s in a WW2 tank. They're a bit faster than I was expecting.
Re: Experience with the 5:1 gearbox?
Real question (maybe I missed the answer) is what are you trying to drive with the 5:1s?
I have an older set in my PzIII build. They were the brass ones and I got them from Asiatam before Taigen started selling them. They are awesome gearboxes for smaller builds. I know that they fit in the PzIII lower hull, which includes the STuG IIIs. In fact, you get more out of them by upgrading the motors to Speed400s. They will just barely fit. These gearboxes do not fit in the PzIV lower hull. It turns out that the PzIV lower hull is slightly narrower than the PzIII, and just narrow enough that these won't fit.
I don't know about the other smaller tanks - Sherman, T-34, etc. You would have to try them or find someone that has.
I will say that my PzIII uses the Asiatam metal lower hull with metal running gear - road wheels, tracks, etc. So, the tank is a little on the heavy side. These gearboxes with Speed400s power it very well through grass, up hills, and give it scale road speeds on hard surfaces. I'm quite happy with them.
That said, I don't think they would work as well with larger tanks, unless you you used a 480 motor. Maybe a 390 would work, but you would definitely need a larger motor. That said, even the 4:1s in a heavy King Tiger probably needs the 480 motors.
I have an older set in my PzIII build. They were the brass ones and I got them from Asiatam before Taigen started selling them. They are awesome gearboxes for smaller builds. I know that they fit in the PzIII lower hull, which includes the STuG IIIs. In fact, you get more out of them by upgrading the motors to Speed400s. They will just barely fit. These gearboxes do not fit in the PzIV lower hull. It turns out that the PzIV lower hull is slightly narrower than the PzIII, and just narrow enough that these won't fit.
I don't know about the other smaller tanks - Sherman, T-34, etc. You would have to try them or find someone that has.
I will say that my PzIII uses the Asiatam metal lower hull with metal running gear - road wheels, tracks, etc. So, the tank is a little on the heavy side. These gearboxes with Speed400s power it very well through grass, up hills, and give it scale road speeds on hard surfaces. I'm quite happy with them.
That said, I don't think they would work as well with larger tanks, unless you you used a 480 motor. Maybe a 390 would work, but you would definitely need a larger motor. That said, even the 4:1s in a heavy King Tiger probably needs the 480 motors.