What's Inside a Typical RTR "Ready To Run" RC Tank

[Alpha]

Good tip! I mention this in my individual product reviews. I sort through the BBs and toss out 10%-20% on average. Anything with a hint of a seam gets tossed. Higher quality airsoft BBs are easy to find in most places. 0.20g are best, since there's no hop-up bucking in Heng Long's chamber.

[southernmd_man]

To the new tankers, something to keep in mind...do yourself a favor, and pitch the included 6mm BB's. The molding seam will wreck your airsoft mechanism. Get the seamless BB's, and it'll save some future repairs.

[Hardway]

Send them Santa!!

[Alpha]

Turret:
Inside the turret are the following components:

1) Elevation mechanism - This is usually a geared brushed motor driving a helical armature to elevate (raise) and depress (lower) the cannon barrel.



2) Airsoft firing mechanism for 6mm plastic BB. -When pressing the firing buttons from the radio, the brushed motor (yellow-red wire) compresses a piston/spring rearward until a trip switch is triggered (yellow-yellow wire), at which point the piston slams forward to propel a 6mm BB out of the barrel at the same time the MFCB triggers the "cannon firing" sound and the track recoil effect.



3) Infrared (IR) emitter LED - This is buried in the mantlet of the turret facing forward, so that wherever the cannon barrel is facing, that is where the IR signal will be sent when you "fire" at other tanks during IR battles
4) Infrared (IR) receiver port - Used for the magnetically attached "apple" that the user attaches from the outside of the turret to receive "hits" from other tanks during IR Battles
5) Recoil mechanism [in specific editions of some tanks from Heng Long and others)

[Alpha]

Hopefully this information educates by showing the common components found inside a hobby grade RC RTR tank such as Heng Long, Taigen, Torro, etc. There are variations throughout the hobby, but in general, all RC RTR tanks will include the following parts.

Lower Hull:

1) Motors. Or... your tank is really a pillbox. All RTR tanks have two motors. Most RTRs use two identical motors, each responsible for one of the tracks. To move forward, both of the motors spin their respective tracks forward. To turn, one of them spins forward while the other spins rearward. Certain configurations use a "drive" motor to drive the tank forward, and a "steering" motor to turn.

2) Gearboxes. Each of the motors transfer rotation to the drive shaft via a gearbox. RTR tanks' gearboxes are often exposed. The gearbox ratio is usually fixed, but aftermarket upgrades with other gearbox ratios can be paired with other motors for faster speed, higher torque, etc.

3) "The Brains" - MFCB, MCB, MCU, or by any other name, this is the multi-function board that controls the motors, speaker, power input, turret functions, track functions, LED functions, etc. All RTR tanks' MFCBs also integrate a receiver, but aftermarket MFCBs require the user to add their receiver of choice. Below is an example of Heng Long's latest TK6 series MFCB. All functions are designed to plug in, without any soldering required, for easy replacement and servicing.



4) Speaker - Most RTR tanks include one speaker, although newer RTR MFCBs such as Heng Long's TK6 can power two speakers as an aftermarket upgrade.

5) Battery bay and power switch - Heng Long's switches are accessible on the underside of the tank's lower hull. Some tanks from Mato relocate the switch onto the rear hull face.

6) "Exhaust Effect" or "Smoke" unit - Glycerin is stored in a reservoir which is then heated by a heating element. The heated glycerin vaporizes into a white puff, which is then expelled out of the tank through a tube, pushed by a motor-driven reciprocating piston. Refilling the glycerin is accomplished by the user pouring one or two drops into that same tube while the unit is turned off. One to two drops per hour are sufficient, and it is imperative not to flood the tube, otherwise the vapor cannot exit the tube.

Upper Hull:

1) Turret Ring (for 320 degree rotation, unless modified for 360 degrees) - The black ABS plastic ring seen below
2) Turret Traverse mechanism (usually a geared brushed motor) - The black rectangle mounted against the turret ring below
3) LED Wiring - Headlight LED wiring and tail light LED wiring, depending on the tank's layout