Heng Long Leopard 2A6

[zooma]

My most recent purchase was a Heng Long Leopard 2A6 and I am very pleased with it.

It has the 7.0 radio and is a basic all plastic model.

I have been advised that the plastic gearbox life can be greatly extended by fitting a ball bearing on the output axle - this was inexpensive and easily done from the outside of the tank.

My plan is to run this as an all plastic basic model as it drives really nicely with a very smooth and quiet drive train.

I keep checking the plastic drive sprockets as I am expecting them to fail or start to wear at some stage, but they still look as good as new, so I am happy to run these for as long as I can. The sprockets came with moulded integral plastic track guides and they haven’t “missed a beat” to date.

Time will tell how long the plastic gearbox and sprockets will last, but I am encouraged by the Mr tankalot Leopard video as his is working very well, and (just like his), mine also came with metal suspension arms that I never expected or paid for!......maybe HL are supplying all their basic Leo’s with upgraded metal arms included in the price?

Any “improvements” that I make will probably only be cosmetic, or to personalise the model to suite the way that I want to use it.

A different log (on rctankwarefare) compares what it is like run this inexpensive model alongside much more expensive Tamiya Leopards, but this blog will only refer to how I get on running this very nice inexpensive model from Heng Long.

[zooma]

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I enjoy running this HL Leo with the smoke feature, but last time I took it out the smoke stopped coming out of the two exhaust pipes and started coming up through any joints or gaps that it could find instead.

There are two black plastic caps that fit on top of the smoke unit, and each one has a fairly loose fitting tube pushed onto them to direct the smoke out of the exhaust ports .

After unscrewing the top deck I could look inside the hull to see that both of these had melted and were no longer attached to the tubes.

I had no spare parts so I cut a couple of lengths of yellow Tygon fuel tubing to fit directly onto the smoke unit and the exhaust ports.(it’s all I had !) and screwed the top back on again.

This was a simple fix and it is working well with the smoke now only coming out of the two exhaust ports, and no cash was spent making the repair.

[zooma]

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I glued all of the small detail parts onto the tank but when I needed to take the top deck off of the hull (to repair the smoke pipes), one of the long moulded parts that fits across the back of the tank (don’t know what it is called) stopped them coming apart!

Fortunately I was able to prise one end of it off with a small screwdriver blade (without damaging it) and this then allowed me to get the tank apart.

The end that I prised off is a nice firm “push fit” into its mounting hole so I just pushed it back on again without any more glue and it has not fallen off since, so I would recommend not gluing this part - just rely on a “push-fit” to keep it in place.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

The "long moulded parts that fits across the back of the tank" might be what was at least once called a "Johnson Bar." It was a long all-steel bar with a hefty pointed end that could be used to produce leverage--so much so that it could even be used to move a single railroad car on level ground. Does anyone know if I am correct?

[zooma]

A “Johnson Bar” it is then …….unless someone else knows better

[Herr Dr. Professor]

ahem "...unless someone else knows better" Yes, zooma, I am waiting for someone to correct me or update my old-fashioned term. I looked up the term "Johnson Bar" using Google Advanced Search. It seems that the term was applied to various levers, including some in machinery to control various functions (including hand brakes, etc.). In addition, many have strong, small steel wheels set near very the prying end, used to lift and move heavy objects (up to 11,000 lbs.) I am familiar with those, too. But there are even the more mundane types, probably made of forged steel and found among the "Pioneer Tools" on various tanks. The more common term is "crowbar," but crowbars are generally smaller and useful for attacking stubborn nails in crates or opening safes and bank vaults.

[Ecam]

Many old time tractor trailer drivers refer to the lever that applies air pressure to the trailer brakes as the Johnson or Johnny bar.

[zooma]

Has anyone fitted a "proper" recoiling barrel mechanism to the Heng Long Leopard 2A6 ?

I would like to add a "proper" recoiling barrel to my HL Leo and would like some input from anyone that has already done this please?

With the recoiling barrel I would like to add "muzzle flash" ....and maybe even include a smoking barrel feature....

I am not too concerned about BB firing as I have no plans to shoot BB's from this tank, but the only recoiling mechanism that I have seen for sale on eBay has a metal barrel and has the BB firing mechanism. I don't need to use the BB mechanism, but I fear that having it may prevent an authentic recoil movement and may possibly get in the way of fitting a muzzle flash and barrel smoke system?

I also think that this unit works with the standard kit barrel elevation unit - but I have seen some models that use a separate elevation servo, so I am a little confused and would like some help and/or advice about finding the right unit to give the recoil, muzzle flash and (possibly) barrel smoke.

Bob.

[Meter rat]

Zooma. You will need a HL7.1 board, as it supports servos. I have this recoil from Forgebear.
https://www.forgebeartanks.com/store/p1 ... _Tank.html.
These can be used with the standard HL elevation unit, and if not quite plug and play, are not too difficult to install. Not fitted in a Leopard, installed in a Challenger, but the principle would be similar.
I like these cannon smoke and gun flash.
https://www.rctanklegion.com/products/n ... -flash-kit.
If you look at Imcq11 builds, he modifies standard HL BB mechanisms to effect a recoil. I have used his idea, on my as yet incomplete T72.
viewtopic.php?t=34880
I had help on this forum, to install a different make of recoil in my bodgit Tiger, which I may consider doing again on my Abrams.

[zooma]

Zooma. You will need a HL7.1 board, as it supports servos. I have this recoil from Forgebear.
https://www.forgebeartanks.com/store/p1 ... _Tank.html.
These can be used with the standard HL elevation unit, and if not quite plug and play, are not too difficult to install. Not fitted in a Leopard, installed in a Challenger, but the principle would be similar.
I like these cannon smoke and gun flash.
https://www.rctanklegion.com/products/n ... -flash-kit.
If you look at Imcq11 builds, he modifies standard HL BB mechanisms to effect a recoil. I have used his idea, on my as yet incomplete T72.
viewtopic.php?t=34880
I had help on this forum, to install a different make of recoil in my bodgit Tiger, which I may consider doing again on my Abrams.

Thanks Meter rat,

I have had a few full size car problems recently, but hope to get back on the 1/16 r/c stuff very shortly!

Where is the best place to buy a 7.1 board?

Bob.