Heng long T34 first images

[Tankbear]

I agree with Blimp adding a block to limit the suspension arm is probably a good way to go.

Having double checked video footage of original T34 the idle and drive are higher than the road wheels. So with above mod I think it look right.



Ian.

[stug 85]

It certainly looks the muts nuts I defo want one

[Phil]

I have some metal tracks, so I'll try fitting them on Sunday, out tonight as it is beer o'clock at my friends and it will be rude not to!

Saturday off to Eurogamer at Earls court London, so early start and a day of spotty teenagers running about playing games… who I'm I kidding at 52 years old I'm still a GT6 and PS3 fan!

Anyhoo back to the T34, I reckon the tracks will make the T34 heavy and the wheels will move up, my panther had plastic tracks and when I put metal ones on the tank just sat on the ground with very little suspension movement. We will see.

This pic shows it sitting on a battery, no battery in the tank so the suspension is soft-ish and very smooth, so I reckon it will handle some lead in it maybe?


I have a few gear boxes sitting around now, Panther metal HL, Metal Tiger HL bit crap but usable and plastic version, just pay for postage and they are yours. Let me double check what I have and I'll post another thread up.

I'm sure there will be hot up bits for the T34 soon, I hope, so I'm going to wait a while before my build.

BB is very wicked!

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning Fynsdad,
I stand corrected and bow to your superior wisdom, Sir, noting only that when the nylon gears in my older Heng Longs went South, it was not due to stripped teeth but rather split gear bodies. Age was the factor, no doubt and that is true for any material. ;o)
regards,
Painless Wolf

[alfiecat]

Hi great tank do they supply a tank commander ?

[Phil]

no unfortunately

[Phil]

Good news on the suspension front, found a bit of square plasticard 3.5mm which fits the slot that the lug moves up and down in. You can of put another bit in to raise it even more but 3.5mm is the slot width.



This moves the wheel up without any problem and still have travel.


Another interesting thing is it looks like you can detach the top engine cover, this will make it easer to cut out the plastic ones and put real mesh in its place.

[PainlessWolf]

Good Afternoon, Phil,
That puts that road wheel right up there where it should be. Extra nice! Cool on the Engine Cover as well. Heng Longs are getting easier to work on all of the time.
regards,
Painless Wolf

[wibblywobbly]

Good Morning,
Thanks for the excellent pics and video of this one in action, Phil. Wow, Nylon gears. I didn't know that HL was still using those. Quietness factor? You guys always change them out whenever you find them in a tank so there must be a huge, honking pile of the things somewhere. ;o)
regards,
Painless Wolf

I have actually opted for plastic gears in a few of my tanks now. I just glue up the slipper clutch and they are great, people think that the ratchet noise they hear from plastic gears is the gears grinding away, but its just the clutch clicking round. The gearboxes are so cheap that if anything goes wrong it costs less than £10 to replace them, and at the same time get a mountain of spares from the old ones.

They are incredibly smooth and quiet, well worth a try before spending a fortune on noisy metal ones (of which I also have plenty...and brass ones... etc etc).

[Phil]

Right, had to be done. Small blocks added under suspension arms.


Metal tracks added, sits down quite nicely




Thats it for now, packed away for later!