Question about drive sprocket location HL/Firefly conv.

[BarryC]

Hi guys,

Looking at photos of post as well as the instruction for the DGS conversion and the location of the drive axle "seems" to be set too far aft. Looking at photos of the Firefly the sprocket and track appear to sit forward of the transmission housing.

Is this because it is so on the HL lower and a result of the height of the gearbox? Elongating the transmission cover is one solution but is it not possible to move the GB forward and trim the vertical gear train supports to allow it to sit further forward.

I do not have a HL lower yet so my question is based only on photos and the builds using the DGS conversion which I would like to say is awesome!

Cheers,
Barry

[tomhugill]

Yes it's a limitation of the gearbox, unfortunately you have the same issue with most Sherman's. You have the same issue with the Tamiya, Mato, Taigen etc.

[MichaelC]

Barry,

If you look at the manual updates from DGS, you will see the instruction to move the final drive cover forward to compensate for the aesthetic, and even with the existing transmission cover without moving the gearbox you still need to cut a notch on the tranny cover AND trim the gearbox sides. Those manual update pics was from when I installed it onto a Heng Long Sherman lower.

There just isn't a set of gearbox that are forward and skinny enough for the Sherman.

MichaelC.

[BarryC]

Barry,

If you look at the manual updates from DGS, you will see the instruction to move the final drive cover forward to compensate for the aesthetic, and even with the existing transmission cover without moving the gearbox you still need to cut a notch on the tranny cover AND trim the gearbox sides. Those manual update pics was from when I installed it onto a Heng Long Sherman lower.

There just isn't a set of gearbox that are forward and skinny enough for the Sherman.

MichaelC.

Michael,

Yes I have looked at the DGS instructions and was hoping someone had an alternative solution. I thought I was seeing a relationship discrepancy between Sherman photos and the way the model drive sprockets fit with respect to the front on the transmission cover. I was hoping there would be a way to get a more scale appearance as it causes the drive sprocket to look "bunched up" to the front boggie.

That's a real let down! The Firefly build is a ways down the road, maybe a solution will present itself in time.

Barry
That's a real let down, I was hoping there would be a way to get a more scale appearance! It causes the drive sprocket to look "bunched up" to the front boggie.

[frankie]

The sprocket to bogie distance is the same on the a4 as it is on a "normal" Sherman. it's the HL gearboxes that do not allow the transmission cover to sit far enough back...

[BarryC]

The sprocket to bogie distance is the same on the a4 as it is on a "normal" Sherman. it's the HL gearboxes that do not allow the transmission cover to sit far enough back...

Thanks Frankie!

I wonder what gearbox would work and make the relationship between sprocket and transmission look closer to scale?

I have looked at photos of a lot of different GBs but unfortunately none have dimensions listed. It appears that if the spacing between the last transfer gear and the axle gear could be extended it would allow the forward end of GB to be low enough. Looks like a good "noodling" will be needed, I think it can be done.

Barry