64 year old "new" guy, Heng Long 1/30 drive gear fiasco

[Shovelpilot69]

Hi,
Hello from southeast Iowa, USA !
Cool on all of You for the existence of this forum. I've got alot of hobbies, but still working, so not alot of time for them, or to be overly active on the tnterweb.That said, I hate to be the guy to join up, get what they want/ need, then gone. Retirement looming, so hope for that to change.Until then, I would treasure some advice. I've been interested in modeling/tanking since the 1960's, with a Remco
Bulldog motorized tank ! All kinds of planes, trucks, military vehicles, construction equipment models built and weathered. Built the 1/35 Tamiya r/c Tiger tank. Several years ago, I bought the 1/16 HL Walker Bulldog with metal tracks, 14 mhz.,
crystal controlled ! It's still going strong.
Well, being proportionally controlled, I've been very curious about the Heng Long 1/30 rc Sherman. Well, I received one as a gift from my wife. Was thrilled, charged up the battery, and was impressed. Indeed, it is proportional. However, I noticed it was having an issue, sluggish to turn left. Well, I couldn't have that, so I took it apart, and it appeared to me the inner drive gears had come apart from the outer drive sprockets, so, duh, I decided to glue them...not realizing it's how it all is driven...so now I have the one outer sprocket de-glued, (with acetone which is not doing the plastic any favors....) but white inner gear stuck to the metal axle.
The end of the axle is knurled, is it or the inner drive gear to be affixed to the outer sprocket ? Jeez, any help would be appreciated, especially since my wife DOESN'T
know !! Ha Ha ! I'm sorry for the length of this, but thank You so very much if able to provide help, suggestions, or advice !
Dave

[Ecam]

Welcome to the forum Shovelpilot. Unfortunately I don't know your tank, but....

If the metal shaft is knurled/splined on both ends I can't see how turning would be possible. My guess is it is a common shaft that both drives ride on. That inner gear looks to be the drive for that sprocket. I would guess that some heat to the shaft (holding the shaft in the center of the hull) would release the sprocket. True it can be overdone but start small (let it cool between rounds). It can also be doused with water if you think you've gone too far.

[Meter rat]

Hello and welcome from Argyll and Bute. I am unable to help with your problem, as these tanks are unknown to me. I did read your post over on Hobby Squawk. As we would say up here in Scotland, “you’re humped pal”. Seriously though it might be better to look for replacement parts, on the premise of upgrading your tank. I am open to bribery, in the form of Malt Whisky, not to inform the wife.

[Shovelpilot69]

Ha Ha Meter rat !, thanks... Ecam, good advice. These are new enough there isn't much out there for replacement parts yet...apparently. I have been communicating via email with a nice gentleman at Heng Long that may be a parts resource. It is frustrating in that the confusing part is that it is so simple it shouldn't be(confusing). If outer track drive sprocket is attached to inner drive gear, and the axle shafts being knurled, I just don't get the concept of turning operation..I am continuing to attempt removal, I will try Your suggestion.
Thank You again

[Ecam]

If the one side is stuck that may be the reason it is pulling to one side...

[Shovelpilot69]

True. Again, thanks !
Dave

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Shovelpilot, thanks for the introduction and welcome from southern Wisconsin farmland (few hogs; mostly the usual "rotation": corn/soybeans; corn/soybeans etc.) Are you anywhere near Dubuque or, heavens forbid, Dyersville?
I am sorry you had this trouble. I wish I could help you, but I only know about the 1/16 ones. Ecam is quite good at this, so his advice might help. If you have a photo of the gearbox while it was still assembled, that might help others see the design.
Do you still have that Remco tank? Oh would that be a prize nowadays.
Oh, and I had a fine career, but I sure do recommend retirement. It's the ultimate job promotion!
Please do keep us informed so later you can show us the Sherman in action. Join in the fun and learning, and when you have the time, you'll be an eggs-pert on RCTW, too, subject to all the usual abuse.

[MrChef]

Welcome to the forum Shovelpilot. I can't help you with your tank but it's nice to see new members who come bye and say how-de-doo...

[Shovelpilot69]

Thanks Herr, and MrChef-
Thank You all for the kind words. Yeah, I really blew it, could say I knew better, but obviously that's not accurate !
No, I am in S.E. Iowa, hogs,cattle, corn, soybeans. Lots of whitetail deer to ruin Your day "meeting" one on the road in a 4 wheel vehicle, worse yet, traveling on 2 wheels (one of my other"hobbies") more a way of life, riding my motorcycles. I rode up through Milwaukee and eventually the Baraboo area with my then fiance on the back, now wife, some 20 yeaars ago, I loved the Wisconsin roads and scenery. I do indeed still have the Remco, tucked safely away in one of many totes. It is in far from museum quality condition, having been in active, hard duty service, with me and my 2 brothers. I recall the thing being extremely low geared,
and able to climb about anything, low end torque, a big ol dc motor powered by 2 D cell batteries!
Maybe I will locate said tote when I do hit that golden R word !
Thanks again
Dave

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Now if we could only solve your 1/30 Sherman problem. I have an idea: get something on Amazon for your wife. At the same time, order another 1/30 Sherman. Beat her to the package. Then you can open it yourself, give her a gift, hide the second Sherman away so you can use it as a replacement and also to figure out how to fix the first.
Well, it's an idea...