Heng Long's Modern Tank Choice? (+ WW2)

[brucektrain]

As a starting point https://www.dklmrc.com/browse/cat2389474_3329688.aspx No lists, unless someone else has one?

Armor Kit interesting, But It's unpainted. Which brings me to have to buy more paint and re-painted the whole tank. (Besides I've already got Panzer IV Project with Side Armor model kit to do Repainting whole tank.)

[brucektrain]

Any of these are good tanks. What I would say, if you intend upgrading, to metal. Keep the tracks plastic. Or be prepared for a lot of problems with the tracks coming off, and lack of power. Upgrade the road wheels, idlers, and drive sprockets only, and make sure you have steel gear boxes.

You meant a Track with Metal and Plastic boxes in middle? But there's some of metal track in aliexpress are all metal.

You suggesting to get all metal track (no plastic in between?)

[Stormbringer]

no he meant keep the tracks all plastic but you can upgrade the wheels,idlers and sprockets to metal

[brucektrain]

no he meant keep the tracks all plastic but you can upgrade the wheels,idlers and sprockets to metal

So he meant. For Metal Track usage, Need to upgrade with Metal Wheels, Idlers and Sprockets to metal? Which I plan to do like that way. as with my other tanks i've got. (except the road wheels yet.)

[Meter rat]

You meant a Track with Metal and Plastic boxes in middle? But there's some of metal track in aliexpress are all metal.

You suggesting to get all metal track (no plastic in between?)

Either type of metal track will cause issues. While we in the UK can not see pictures from Imagu, I am aware of what you are referring too. The all metal tracks just look horrid, and will never look good on a modern tank, as they do not look realistic. The tracks with the “plastic boxes in the middle “ better represent modern tracks, with rubber pads, so they can drive on public highways without ripping up the surface. Both types of tracks are heavy, with the ones with the pad being even heavier. Both types of tracks need to be tight, modern tanks behave very differently to your two WW2, ones, depending how hard you run them. All metal tracks look good on these WW2 tanks, because they were never fitted with the rubber pads, and are generally wear in a realistic fashion. These also run loose, so are less prone to coming off. By staying with the all plastic tracks, you will alleviate a lot of track retention problems. If you do buy metal tracks the very least, modification to do is fit drive shaft bearings, to give support to the gearboxes.

T90/T72 will crack the hull at the front idler.

T72 Hull failure.

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Challengers, just love to cause issues. When fitted with metal tracks.

Dirt packed in road wheels.

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Dirt in sprocket.

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Rebuilt track adjuster.

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Hull bracing.

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My Leopard, with it’s all plastic tracks just works. It has never detracked, and needs far less maintenance. The terrain here in Scotland is difficult. Your terrain may be different. There are so many variables. The choice is yours, but for me, I’ll stay with all plastic tracks for now.

[HERMAN BIX]

That T72 you found, if it’s thru a local outfit I still doubt it’s a non ERA version. I tried twice to get a standard version and even called the shop to discuss and still got the ERA one . The pictures are not representative of the product.
However, if by a fluke of nature or act of God you do get one AND it does turn out to be the non ERA version, I will happily swap you a new one for it
I think it was RC High Performance Models that had them locally at the time

[tankme]

The Merkava is a good runner so it would be my vote.

[brucektrain]

Either type of metal track will cause issues. While we in the UK can not see pictures from Imagu, I am aware of what you are referring too. The all metal tracks just look horrid, and will never look good on a modern tank, as they do not look realistic. The tracks with the “plastic boxes in the middle “ better represent modern tracks, with rubber pads, so they can drive on public highways without ripping up the surface. Both types of tracks are heavy, with the ones with the pad being even heavier. Both types of tracks need to be tight, modern tanks behave very differently to your two WW2, ones, depending how hard you run them. All metal tracks look good on these WW2 tanks, because they were never fitted with the rubber pads, and are generally wear in a realistic fashion. These also run loose, so are less prone to coming off. By staying with the all plastic tracks, you will alleviate a lot of track retention problems. If you do buy metal tracks the very least, modification to do is fit drive shaft bearings, to give support to the gearboxes.

Do you have the link for the drive shaft bearings for the T-90? (As i've already brought metal track for the T-90) but this person on video says make sure the track isn't tight and be sure it's just little saggy. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwHMx5Q0big ) And is there's a installation video for the drive shaft upgrade?

But Most of parts of my outdoor is majorly concrete. which would wear out/scratches the plastic track. only small garden of rocks/dirt. and small patch of flat grass.

[brucektrain]

As Now I've thinking about reliability of those modern tank.

Will Start Include or talk about WWII Tank aswell as there better reliability than modern tanks.

2 Tanks I've think of. King Tiger & Sherman Tank.

Or Go get the Leopard. (I'm aware it looks bland and not very much detailed.) But I'll Keep the plastic tracks. (Not sure if upgrade to metal sprockets and idlers. if needed for plastic track) Or should be fine as long if they have metal axle bearings installed?

[Meter rat]

All the models you have considered will be fine on the terrain you have mentioned. Just retain the plastic tracks, and upgrade the sprockets and idler to metal, and fit drive shaft support bearing. It is only when you start adding the heavier metal tracks the problems start. T72/T90 metal tracks look good, because the Russians don’t worry to much about ripping up the road surfaces, so don’t bother with the rubber pads. T72/T90 will be quite happy with about 6mm of slack at the bottom when there is no weight on the tank. The cracks in the hull were after 6 years of hard abuse on the T72.
Rc Tank Liegion, Forgebear, Motion RC, and Haya all carry support bearings. But they can be expensive. I get mine from Amazon, so I don’t have a link. From memory they are 8mm x 12mm x 3mm.
These were built as plastic toys, to be run buy kids inside so the hulls were never designed for the upgrades we do. It seems you are a little overwhelmed? But we are all here to help, and give support. Once you have done one modern tank, and got it running as you like, the rest are easy, as they all require the same modifications. It’s all been done in the past.