This is a new build log leading on from my earlier posts (June 2020) — Taigen Panzer III - Fitting The Igarashi (Lower RPM-Higher Torque) Motors For More Realistic Scale Like Speed.
Link: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30035
Starting The New Build Log: 1/16 Taigen Metal Edition Panzer III
I have a new unmodified 1/16 Scale Taigen Metal Edition Panzer III Ausf L (metal chassis, steel gearbox’s, tracks & running gear etc.
My aim is to do a complete rebuild of the tank hopefully ending up with a fairly detailed model, more realistic in it’s appearance & the way it performs when it’s running, but with some necessary compromises due to it being R/C.
- 1/16 scale Taigen Metal Edition Panzer III Ausf L
- 1/16 scale Taigen Metal Edition Panzer III Ausf L
I’ve run the tank as supplied with its original Taigen motors & the Taigen 3.1 gearbox’s, it moves way to fast, no smooth transitions between speeds, it run’s more like a toy tank.
I’ve decided to do some experimenting with different gearbox’s & motors
- Original Taigen Motors & 3.1 Gearboxes
- Original Taigen Motors & 3.1 Gearboxes
I first tried it out with the Taigen 5.1 gearbox’s fitted with the original Taigen motors, big improvement with the Taigen 5.1 gearbox’s, but still moving very toy like, so still plenty of room for improvement.
I’ve now removed the original Taigen motors fitted to the Taigen 5.1 gearbox’s & replaced them with the Igarashi 5 pole N2738-51 Motors (Higher Torque-Lower RPM) in order to try to achieve a more realistically running tank with a better scale like speed.
I’m very pleased with the results, what a difference, very smooth with loads more torque, great transition between speeds & very a realistically moving tank. I’ve decided that these motor’s & gearbox’s are one of the best choices for this tank.
It’s now possible to drive the tank easily at very slow speeds & it’s now moving more like the real tank & less like a toy or a scalded cat.
- Original Taigen Motors
- Igarashi Motor & Taigen 5.1 Gearboxe LHS
- A6190C55-57AC-4C36-AC14-072085BBC67B.jpeg (1.04 MiB) Viewed 3123 times
- Igarashi Motors & Taigen 5.1 Gearboxe RHS
- 3BC4305F-9318-4C31-A0C9-AC0BFC280894.jpeg (1.26 MiB) Viewed 3122 times
- Igarashi Motors-5 Pole-N2738-51
- Igarashi Motors & Taigen 5.1 Gearboxes Fitted
Fitting The Igarashi 5 Pole (N2738-51) Motors To The Taigen & Tamiya Gearbox’s:
The Igarashi 5 Pole Motors (Higher Torque - Lower RPM) are more or less a straight forward swap with the original Taigen / Tamiya motors. (Shaft size is the same diameter on all motors)
I re-used the original Taigen motor pinions on the Igarashi motors, these are held on by grub screws, so quite easy to remove & re-fit.
For use on the Taigen Panzer III 5.1 gearbox’s I had to shorten the Igarashi motor shafts by a few mm, the shaft diameter size is the same (2.3mm) on both sets of motors.
On the Taigen Panzer III solder the Igarashi motor wires at 90deg to the solder lugs on the backs of the motors to keep the motor wiring as close to the back of the motors as possible, as the backs of the motors are very close to each other when the Taigen gearbox’s are fitted into the tank.
Also on the Taigen gearbox’s fit the Igarashi motors so the backs are rotated at 90deg to each other so the soldered wiring lugs don’t touch, I used heat shrink sleeving to insulate them. It’s tight but they do fit ok & well worth the effort.
The Igarashi motors & Taigen 5:1 gearbox’s make the Taigen Panzer III move much more realistically.
On the Tamiya Sherman motors (See Later Post Below-28 Nov 2020) I used an RC motor pinion puller, these are available on the internet from places like Amazon & eBay Etc. I used a vice to press the pinions onto the new Igarashi motors.
Lots of helpful “how to” videos on this forum & places like YouTube regarding the removal & refitting of the motor pinions. Also try a search for “removing RC car & truck motor pinions” those guys are always changing pinions.
The motors came from Conrad in Germany link below:
https://www.conrad.com/p/igarashi-n-273 ... rpm-244520
- Replacing Original Taigen Motors & Gearboxes
- Igarashi Motors & Taigen 5.1 Gearboxes
- Igarashi Motors & Taigen 5.1 Gearboxes Fitted
Next Up - The Lower Hull
That’s All For Now
…………Happy Tanking.
Cheers Martin
