Upgrade Paths, Explained

[Chrislaf]

Thanks again bro you've always got the answers I need. I bought a challenger 2 with metal gearbox but plastic everywhere else and also bought an Abrams with metal tracks and wheels. I also bought metal tracks with rubber pads with corresponding drive and idler wheels for the Abrams that I now wanna put on the challenger

[Rubicon99]

Quick question are metal drive wheels, idler wheels and tracks compatible between the Challenger 2 and Abrams ? Thanks in advance

Only the sprockets are compatible but you must run the corresponding track with those sprockets. Abrams track with Abrams sprockets and vise versa.

[Chrislaf]

Quick question are metal drive wheels, idler wheels and tracks compatible between the Challenger 2 and Abrams ? Thanks in advance

[Rubicon99]

lol think I found it...https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3288...archweb201603_
Thats good to know regarding the drive shaft, I'll pick that up too. Its a shame there aren't any state side vendors.

Yep those are the right ones.

[canklebreaker]

lol think I found it...https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3288...archweb201603_
Thats good to know regarding the drive shaft, I'll pick that up too. Its a shame there aren't any state side vendors.

[Rubicon99]

Cool, I'm familiar with aliexpress. Is it this item: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3227...rchweb201603_?

Nope!

Look up Heng Long Abrams parts. You are looking for bearings not a drive shaft. Although that drive shaft is also a great upgrade to the stock gearbox. I run them on most of my stock gearbox tanks.

[canklebreaker]

Cool, I'm familiar with aliexpress. Is it this item: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3227...rchweb201603_?

[Rubicon99]

Where can I find the main shaft bearing collar upgrade parts for the Abrams? I tried googling them but may not be looking for the right thing?

Aliexpress.com it a Chinese web site but safe to buy from. It’s kinda like their Amazon.

[canklebreaker]

Where can I find the main shaft bearing collar upgrade parts for the Abrams? I tried googling them but may not be looking for the right thing?

[Rubicon99]

Hi I've got a Taigen JS-2 and am wondering if a KV-2 turret would work on the JS-2 ? Thank you

I have swapped a number of turrets to make both historic and fantastic configuration. It depends if both use the same size turret ring and gear. The KV2 uses a small ring and its been a while so I don’t remember if the JS2 uses a small or larger ring.

If they are the same ring size it is a fairly easy swap with just some minor fitting and adjustments to ensure the turret gear lines up with the turret motor’s

Good luck and have fun with your build.

[Chrislaf]

Hi I've got a Taigen JS-2 and am wondering if a KV-2 turret would work on the JS-2 ? Thank you

[UltraVargen]

You'll need the 6.1S, which works well with the HL metal servo recoil unit, and it's much more realistic than the BB version. However, you have to sacrifice BB to use it, but you can add a barrel smoker for extra fun. That said, the HL recoil unit does require a bit of engineering work, depending on the tank being fitted. I found that the server 'throw' was too great on one (the original servo was constantly trying to move the barrel forward, and it failed), so refitted the servo arm to make it shorter.

I'm going to wait until my new barrel comes in, a 34L/24 shorty. Then see which route I go. I'm tempted to go the official 6.1 MFU + servo route (and include barrel smoke), but that'll set me back quite a bit for tank that'll still require more investments than I care for (aftermarket cosmetic parts, paints). And part of me just wants to butcher that airsoft unit to make it work on a budget.

[Timbo68]

That said, with the timing between barrel movement and sound being off.... it might be a better idea to get a 6.1 MFU with a servo recoil unit.

You'll need the 6.1S, which works well with the HL metal servo recoil unit, and it's much more realistic than the BB version. However, you have to sacrifice BB to use it, but you can add a barrel smoker for extra fun. That said, the HL recoil unit does require a bit of engineering work, depending on the tank being fitted. I found that the server 'throw' was too great on one (the original servo was constantly trying to move the barrel forward, and it failed), so refitted the servo arm to make it shorter.

[Rubicon99]

Hmm, didn't think of that. An exterior arm that holds the barrel. Is there an gap between the base of the barrel and the hole of the airsoft unit to make the recoil possible? The fixed barrel on my Panzer III is just jammed in the hole of the unit, unable to move.

Now that I look at some pictures of the KT barrel, and then the Leopard barrel+assembly I see there's a screw holding an arm on the underside of the barrel. Barely visible in this photo because of the dark color:


What I can't figure out is how the arm connects to the air piston. I see no place where it could connect. (I'm assuming all 6.0 airsoft units are the same):



I did find this interesting picture, which doesn't seem official. The arm is on top of the unit. I think I could rig something like this for my Panzer III:



That said, with the timing between barrel movement and sound being off.... it might be a better idea to get a 6.1 MFU with a servo recoil unit.

The last photo is correct that is how they work.

[UltraVargen]

The barrel moves backwards slowly and loads the bb. The bb fires as the gun barrel returns forward. That is why the timing of the barrel and track recoil and different from the cannon firing.

So the sequence is barrel moves backwards and loads a bb, then it returns forward rapidly and fires the bb, the tracks recoil the tank back as normal and the cannon sounds.

The mechanism is a simple arm added to the airsoft piston that attaches to the “free floating” barrel. The arm is located on top of the airsoft gun.

Sorry don’t have any photos but hope this helps out.

Hmm, didn't think of that. An exterior arm that holds the barrel. Is there an gap between the base of the barrel and the hole of the airsoft unit to make the recoil possible? The fixed barrel on my Panzer III is just jammed in the hole of the unit, unable to move.

Now that I look at some pictures of the KT barrel, and then the Leopard barrel+assembly I see there's a screw holding an arm on the underside of the barrel. Barely visible in this photo because of the dark color:


What I can't figure out is how the arm connects to the air piston. I see no place where it could connect. (I'm assuming all 6.0 airsoft units are the same):



I did find this interesting picture, which doesn't seem official. The arm is on top of the unit. I think I could rig something like this for my Panzer III:



That said, with the timing between barrel movement and sound being off.... it might be a better idea to get a 6.1 MFU with a servo recoil unit.

[Rubicon99]

Is there a difference between the airsoft unit in 6.0 tanks that have barrel recoil and those that don't?

I watched a video on Youtube about this. And I opened up the airsoft unit in my Panzer III to see if it would be possible to make the barrel recoil. I found that this would probably be possible by simply widening the hole on the unit and then using a piece of brass tube to connect the barrel directly to the air outlet of the pump.
I would lose the airsoft function but I don't care.

But it does make me wonder how the barrel recoil works on tanks that have it standard, like my King Tiger. I assume there's a hole in the side of the barrel for feeding the BB balls. But I wonder how the rubber retaining ring that stops BB's from rolling out of the barrel is handled.

The barrel moves backwards slowly and loads the bb. The bb fires as the gun barrel returns forward. That is why the timing of the barrel and track recoil and different from the cannon firing.

So the sequence is barrel moves backwards and loads a bb, then it returns forward rapidly and fires the bb, the tracks recoil the tank back as normal and the cannon sounds.

The mechanism is a simple arm added to the airsoft piston that attaches to the “free floating” barrel. The arm is located on top of the airsoft gun.

Sorry don’t have any photos but hope this helps out.

[UltraVargen]

Is there a difference between the airsoft unit in 6.0 tanks that have barrel recoil and those that don't?

I watched a video on Youtube about this. And I opened up the airsoft unit in my Panzer III to see if it would be possible to make the barrel recoil. I found that this would probably be possible by simply widening the hole on the unit and then using a piece of brass tube to connect the barrel directly to the air outlet of the pump.
I would lose the airsoft function but I don't care.

But it does make me wonder how the barrel recoil works on tanks that have it standard, like my King Tiger. I assume there's a hole in the side of the barrel for feeding the BB balls. But I wonder how the rubber retaining ring that stops BB's from rolling out of the barrel is handled.

[Rubicon99]

I saw those pics and those are some friggin awesome tanks !!!!! How many do you have if you don't mind me asking ?

Over the years I have owned, built and sold A LOT of tanks. The current stable is a few dozen or so of MANY different brands. Some are for loaning out at “open” club battles to folks that want to give IR battling a try, some are shelf queens and rarely are run, other are for bashing/fun runs (Instagram tanks) and serious “regulated” tank battles.

By far the bashing/fun run tanks are my favorite. They are used “like tanks”, driven hard, dirty and with little regard for breaking things.

[Chrislaf]

I saw those pics and those are some friggin awesome tanks !!!!! How many do you have if you don't mind me asking ?

[Chrislaf]

Thanks again bro !!!! I'll definitely check it out