RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi Guys
I have been building and testing the tanks on the RC Playground we have been putting together and noticed that the tanks really struggle on sand and loose soil/mud.
Even the Pershing with metal boxes seems to struggle and easily locks a track etc.
I will be going metal tracks also with idlers but my feeling is the extra load will just make it worse.
Is it just the motors or the on board electrics aswell?
Batteries are 3300 nimh.
Be good to better understand.
Also the tipping point seems not to allow steep gradients. Does this really improve with weighing them down with more metal work?

CAREFUL! Sand can kill an R/C tank. I've broken metal tracks, gearboxes, road wheel bearings, idler wheels take a beating in sand! Adjustable idler wheels swing arms snap in half, sand is BAD! Always try straight line or as gentle a turn as possible.

oh crap!
OK it looks like i gonna have to find another surface to top my RC playground with in the garden then!
I thought it would be easily overcome and i don't mind cleaning parts but seems like nothing will work then!

Plain old dirt works perfect. Just take off the grass and use what you already have.

Read manual. Sand will kill the tank. I've seen videos of heavily modded tanks being run on sand, but I'm pretty sure there's some cotton and stuff inside the tank to mitigate grains getting into the gearboxes.
I believe the uploader is Korean. You should have a look at that.

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I've run my tanks for a short distance on the beach in loose sand. Aside from getting into the tanks, the looser material, particularly when turning, is very hard on the running gear. Use very wide turns. Straight line wasn't so bad, but turns...

Oh, a very thin layer of sand on the hard soil won't be a problem. But, it's essentially a dusting.

I thought i would try anyway and got the 1/24 tank i built up and rescued from the bin. It seems to cope very well with the sand indeed and had no issues apart from that it got really clogged up in the sprockets, but actually just looked worse than it was because it kept running, albeit a bit slower.

The 1/16 tanks with tracks however absolutely hate the sand for sure.

Don't worry the sand will be going and getting repalced, but i had to see for myself.

I also used the 1/24 on the scale muddy garden landscapes and it coped amazingly. I think however it needs more power, so i am going to ditch the 8.4V esc's for 9.6v units. Better get the on board esc cooling fans working properly now and i think i am also going to switch it over to 2.4Ghz as the range on my old 27mhz system is bloody awlful!

Will the HL take 9v without frying?? I’d be a little worried but my first tiger arrives tomorrow so I’ve a lot of work to do on it to upgrade and get it ready.

Depends on what electrics. I have had to replace it all in 1 tank and the other different circuits set to run different voltages.
Not enough info to comment.