Hi, thank you everybody for your interest and encouragements.
Herr Dr. Professor wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 5:54 pm
Louis, I will be quietly watching this amazing project, trying to learn what I can. I agree with you that the plastic gearbox and mismatched motors are puzzling
. That's the kind of gearbox I would save in case it might be used for something else, such as a dual mobile with two different speeds to entertain a cat.
The plastic tracks, too, don't appear too useful, except, perhaps, as applied armor on a late Sherman. But so far, I am puzzled by the reference to "Hagenau." Would this refer to 1705 and a withdrawal to winter quarters? To be sure, we North American northerners just got hit by early winter snows and winds.
Yeah, i will never use such that gearbox. I took out the external gear to transplant on the Mato gearbox so i am not sure it would even be useful to someone else. Hagenau, yes, that is in reference to the snow that Herman is struggling to understand how it feels when you touch it.
jhamm wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 6:26 pm
Hello,
the gearbox is a kind of PDSGB.
One motor is for driving and the other smaller one is for steering.
I never realized PDSGB worked like that. I somehow prefer the sound and feel of individual metal gearbox. Personal choice.
Now starting the Bradley build.
First task is to reinforce the suspension on inner roadwheels because of the planned heavier metal gearbox and tracks. Need at least to replace the 1mm steel torsion bars on the second row of the drive train by 1.5mm torsion bars. I determined that 1.5mm steel push rods below are the perfect material to create torsion bars. These rods can be purchased in lots for a few dollars on Ebay from China. 30 minutes is all it took to create two torsion bars. Remove push rod end points, cut steel bar at the proper length without the screwing section, bent one end for the connection to the roadwheel and create the angled tip for the attachment inside the hull.
I realize that such torsion bar suspension is so cheap and simple, i am planning to reuse this concept on future scratch build models...
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
- Capture.JPG (329.78 KiB) Viewed 1662 times
The second row of roadwheels now has 1.5mm torsion bars like the first and last row. It makes a critical difference. I determine that there is currently no need to convert the other row behind, for now. Compare size with the 1mm torsion bars behind them.
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
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Tests and minor adjustment in the angles of the torsion bar are performed with the weight of the gearbox at the front, check if everything is flat, level and efficient. It is.
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
- Capture3.JPG (225.83 KiB) Viewed 1662 times
Modification of the Mato Panther gearbox to work on the Bradley. The outer gear of the OKMO gearbox is reused. The Mato shaft is cut at the proper length with a Dremel cutter disk, it takes one minute.
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
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Two grooves are created to lock the gear on the shaft.
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
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Brass strips are hammered in place to fill the slot. After this picture was taken, the connection was filled in epoxy resin to keep everything in place and to avoid empty spaces, then it was sanded flush.
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
- Capture6.JPG (233.02 KiB) Viewed 1662 times
And here we have two Mato Bradley gearbox. Notice that one corner of the gearbox cover needed to be cut so that it does not interface with the outer gear. The lip at the tip of the gearbox also needed grinding so that it does not interfere with the installation and operation of the gearbox.
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
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The stub on the sprockets were reduced to ensure the sprockets are aligned with the roadwheels. The sprocket gearbox cover was modified to fit the ball bearing further inside and flush with the gear. This was done with a Dremel sanding drum in minutes. The AFV-Model metal is very hard, it is not possible to modify it with just a hand file.
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
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A completed sprocket unit. It runs on ball bearings on both end points and turns very smoothly and firmly.
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
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The hole inside the sprockets need to have molding residues cleaned up so that it plugs with the sprocket shaft without forcing it. Then the two Hex bolts installed on the sprocket are screwed to hold it in place.
- M3A3 Bradley US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle - RC 1/16 Build
- Capture10.JPG (230.48 KiB) Viewed 1662 times
Continuing on following post
