IR emitters location

[GITanker]

I am new to the 16th scale tanks. I was given an 15 year old HL Tiger 1. The gears are cracked and stripped, the BB unit no longer works, just to name a few things. I am removing everything inside and replacing it with new electronics and motors. I am replacing the bb unit with an IR system so I can use it for the tank battles. As I have joined a locator club here. My question is where do most people put the IR emitters? I was thinking down the barrel. Is this a good location? What are the pro's and con's. I am making up a list of things I will need to buy and thought to ask this question. I have been reading this site for the last two months and I am enjoying it very much.

Thank you all for your help.

GITanker

[UltraVargen]

Welcome GITanker! Heng Long places the emitter in the mantle on the right side of the barrel if that's any help.
Sone people place it in the tip of the barrel I noticed. I assume it doesn't make much difference as long as it's points forward.

[Rubicon99]

I am new to the 16th scale tanks. I was given an 15 year old HL Tiger 1. The gears are cracked and stripped, the BB unit no longer works, just to name a few things. I am removing everything inside and replacing it with new electronics and motors. I am replacing the bb unit with an IR system so I can use it for the tank battles. As I have joined a locator club here. My question is where do most people put the IR emitters? I was thinking down the barrel. Is this a good location? What are the pro's and con's. I am making up a list of things I will need to buy and thought to ask this question. I have been reading this site for the last two months and I am enjoying it very much.

Thank you all for your help.

GITanker

The barrel is the best location tactically speaking as it has many advantages IF you do not have cannon flash or BB functions. Just make sure the emitter is at least 8-9mm from the barrel opening. This will keep the IR beam from having to much of a “shotgun blast” effect. Having to much blast effect is assured way of not making friends because it tends to kill not only the opposing force but your own team mates next to you or slightly ahead and to the sides.

[GITanker]

Thank you for your replies. I am going to remove the co-axle machine gun light (on the right side of the mantel) that flashes when fired and put the IR emitter in that spot with at lest 9mm from the opening. I just ordered a cannon flash for the barrel. I also purchased a Clark TK 40s board for it and a 2.4 ghz FS 16S control for it. I Have decided to paint it in the Tiger 131 colors (Bovington Museum Tiger 131). What do you all think of the metal tracks for these tanks? Are they worth it?

Thank you

GITanker

[Rubicon99]

Thank you for your replies. I am going to remove the co-axle machine gun light (on the right side of the mantel) that flashes when fired and put the IR emitter in that spot with at lest 9mm from the opening. I just ordered a cannon flash for the barrel. I also purchased a Clark TK 40s board for it and a 2.4 ghz FS 16S control for it. I Have decided to paint it in the Tiger 131 colors (Bovington Museum Tiger 131). What do you all think of the metal tracks for these tanks? Are they worth it?

Thank you

GITanker

Metal tracks are worth the money especially if you like to drive tour tank outdoors over rough terrain.

[Hellcat 7]

Thank you for your replies. I am going to remove the co-axle machine gun light (on the right side of the mantel) that flashes when fired and put the IR emitter in that spot with at lest 9mm from the opening. I just ordered a cannon flash for the barrel. I also purchased a Clark TK 40s board for it and a 2.4 ghz FS 16S control for it. I Have decided to paint it in the Tiger 131 colors (Bovington Museum Tiger 131). What do you all think of the metal tracks for these tanks? Are they worth it?

Thank you

GITanker

How is the Clark TK 40s board and the 2.4 ghz FS 16S control working out for you?

[windmill]

Metal tracks are worth the money especially if you like to drive tour tank outdoors over rough terrain.

More specifically, what are their primary advantages other than lasting longer? I see that one can get 6 or 7 pairs of replacement plastic tracks for the price of 1 pair of metal tracks.

I specifically went with plastic tracks and road wheels for the weight savings based on my experiences with 1/1 scale tracked combat vehicles.

[Vaseline]

The metal tracks are much more durable, they tend to not shed pins as often, and just generally tend to detrack less. road wheels doesnt really matter much either way, but metal sprockets are also a good investment for all the reasons I already mentioned.

[Rubicon99]

More specifically, what are their primary advantages other than lasting longer? I see that one can get 6 or 7 pairs of replacement plastic tracks for the price of 1 pair of metal tracks.

I specifically went with plastic tracks and road wheels for the weight savings based on my experiences with 1/1 scale tracked combat vehicles.

The primary advantage of metal over plastic tracks is they don’t break as easily as plastic which means you can run a tank much more aggressively. Stopping to swap out a track or fix a broken link gets to be a pain and eventually makes running ones r/c tanks not fun. Also the inside “track pads” of the plastic tracks on most HL tanks are hollow and tend to increase the amount of dirt/sand and debris picked up / scooped into the sprockets leading to a higher incidence of de-tracking.

Modern tanks are another note. With some aftermarket metal tracks (Abrams, Leopards, Challenger, T72/90) offer dual pins vs the stock plastic tracks single pin. Dual pin is much more flexible and smoother operating plus it is correct for these tanks.

Weight in R/C tanks is needed to “smooth out” their overall weight balance and suspension performance as they are NOT weight to scale making their suspensions vastly “over sprung” by comparisons to their real world counter parts. Weight is needed to make the suspension work more effectively.

Light r/c tanks with their “over spring” suspensions tend to bounce around looking very toy like. Heavier r/c tanks actually drive smoother, are easier to handle at slower speed, yet faster overall in more “open country” because they do not “bounce around” like light tanks with plastic track.

In summary: Weight in r/c tank (however it is added to the lower hull) helps the suspension articulate, this in turn helps the track better conform to terrain features which leads to increased traction and control. Together all these lead to improved track retention.

Those of us that have been in the r/c tank hobby a while all started out with the same line of thought that you have. Yes It seems to make sense, but over time have almost to a man come to the same conclusion about needing metal tracks and heavier weighted tanks....they just overall work better.

Feel free to take a look at my Instagram @ fsttanks. I have a good number of photos and videos of tanks being driven overly hard. It may help you see why like most people I recommend at some point swapping over to metal tracks, road wheels and adding internal weight.

[GITanker]

How is the Clark TK 40s board and the 2.4 ghz FS 16S control working out for you?

I have used the Clark TK40s board and FS 16s controller now for about a month and enjoy it very much. I like the amount of things you can had to the Clark board. I just purchased the high output LED muzzle flash. I like the effect it has when firing. As close to the real thing as you can get. The FS 16s controller is nice, I now have two 1/16 scale tanks and can use one controller for both. I have not used all of the features of the controller yet. Still learning how to use it.

[Hellcat 7]

I have used the Clark TK40s board and FS 16s controller now for about a month and enjoy it very much. I like the amount of things you can had to the Clark board. I just purchased the high output LED muzzle flash. I like the effect it has when firing. As close to the real thing as you can get. The FS 16s controller is nice, I now have two 1/16 scale tanks and can use one controller for both. I have not used all of the features of the controller yet. Still learning how to use it.

Thanks for the feed back. Did you purchase this on MRC or somewhere else? I dont have a Tank yet, but looking into changing out the stock remote from a HL Tank in the future.

[windmill]

The primary advantage of metal over plastic tracks is they don’t break as easily as plastic which means you can run a tank much more aggressively. Stopping to swap out a track or fix a broken link gets to be a pain and eventually makes running ones r/c tanks not fun. Also the inside “track pads” of the plastic tracks on most HL tanks are hollow and tend to increase the amount of dirt/sand and debris picked up / scooped into the sprockets leading to a higher incidence of de-tracking.

It seems I need to dismiss my previous experiences with Tamiya tanks, and the real stuff.

So then I can take that to mean Heng Long plastic tracks aren't up to Tamiya plastic track standards? I had a Tamiya King Tiger......40 years ago....and never had any issues with its plastic track, and that was with the big, heavy batteries of the day. I also had a Tamiya Flackpanzer Gepard, and its metal tracks were kind of a pain, being easy to throw, and with far less traction.

I had noticed from many videos, Heng long tanks, plastic or metal tracks, do seem way over sprung as you mention. Watching videos of M1 models it really stands out with them bucking and bouncing like a bulldozer with little roadwheel articulation. When the Army phased out steel pots for the kevlars, many were scrapped rather than surplused. Someone thought crushing them with a tank would be a good idea, but it didn't work. The M1s suspension is so supple the track would just flex around it with hardly a mark made when we drove over them.
It seems that reducing the spring tension would be beneficial, but I haven't found much evidence of folks doing it in my research.

Thanks for the information, it gives me much to consider.

[GITanker]

Thanks for the feed back. Did you purchase this on MRC or somewhere else? I dont have a Tank yet, but looking into changing out the stock remote from a HL Tank in the future.

Hellcat,
I got my Clark board and controller from RC Tank Legion. Here is the link for the Clark board and the controller.

https://www.rctanklegion.com/product...it-for-rc-tank

https://www.rctanklegion.com/product...d-receiver-set

I ordered them back in July and they arrived within 5 days.

[Rubicon99]

It seems I need to dismiss my previous experiences with Tamiya tanks, and the real stuff.

So then I can take that to mean Heng Long plastic tracks aren't up to Tamiya plastic track standards? I had a Tamiya King Tiger......40 years ago....and never had any issues with its plastic track, and that was with the big, heavy batteries of the day. I also had a Tamiya Flackpanzer Gepard, and its metal tracks were kind of a pain, being easy to throw, and with far less traction.

I had noticed from many videos, Heng long tanks, plastic or metal tracks, do seem way over sprung as you mention. Watching videos of M1 models it really stands out with them bucking and bouncing like a bulldozer with little roadwheel articulation. When the Army phased out steel pots for the kevlars, many were scrapped rather than surplused. Someone thought crushing them with a tank would be a good idea, but it didn't work. The M1s suspension is so supple the track would just flex around it with hardly a mark made when we drove over them.
It seems that reducing the spring tension would be beneficial, but I haven't found much evidence of folks doing it in my research.

Thanks for the information, it gives me much to consider.

Tamiya tracks of the late 70’s early 80’s are not the new mostly excellent Tamiya tracks or aftermarket tracks of today. Back then there were no options for aftermarket metal tracks for their WWII tanks and the metal ones used on the Leopards and M4 were horrid compared to what is offered today.

Yes Tamiya still uses mostly nylon tracks that are superior in design to the basic stock HL plastic tracks, but they are not as cheap to replace as the HL plastic tracks and still not as strong as modern metal tracks. There are a few exceptions to this. The Tamiya Abrams, Leopard 2 and current M4/51/M26 tracks are a mix of both nylon, steel dual pins, steel link ends and in the case of the Abrams and Leopard 2 rubber track pads.

[windmill]

Tamiya tracks of the late 70’s early 80’s are not the new mostly excellent Tamiya tracks or aftermarket tracks of today. Back then there were no options for aftermarket metal tracks for their WWII tanks and the metal ones used on the Leopards and M4 were horrid compared to what is offered today.

Yes Tamiya still uses mostly nylon tracks that are superior in design to the basic stock HL plastic tracks, but they are not as cheap to replace as the HL plastic tracks and still not as strong as modern metal tracks. There are a few exceptions to this. The Tamiya Abrams, Leopard 2 and current M4/51/M26 tracks are a mix of both nylon, steel dual pins, steel link ends and in the case of the Abrams and Leopard 2 rubber track pads.

The T-72 came today, and I have been driving it around. Even after all these years, it immediately struck me how much better todays Heng Long is than yesterdays Tamiya with steering clutches, and rheostat throttle. Smooth, proportional control at any speed from a snails pace to all out, and functions I could have only dreamed about back then.

So far my only complaint is the interface between the sprocket and end connectors. The sprocket teeth are a little oversize so the end connectors don't fully seat which allows dirt to build up rather than clear out.

As impressed as I am with it out of the box, and since I already have the steel gears, I think I will give the metal tracks a try.

[Rubicon99]

The T-72 came today, and I have been driving it around. Even after all these years, it immediately struck me how much better todays Heng Long is than yesterdays Tamiya with steering clutches, and rheostat throttle. Smooth, proportional control at any speed from a snails pace to all out, and functions I could have only dreamed about back then.

So far my only complaint is the interface between the sprocket and end connectors. The sprocket teeth are a little oversize so the end connectors don't fully seat which allows dirt to build up rather than clear out.

As impressed as I am with it out of the box, and since I already have the steel gears, I think I will give the metal tracks a try.

The issue you are seeing with the track to sprocket fit is caused by the single pin design of the HL plastic (and HL metal) tracks for that tank. They do not have enough “flexibility” and thus do not conform completely to the curvature of the sprocket. If you go with a set of metal tracks look at the ones offered by Mato for the T72/90 (same tracks). These are dual pin like those used on the real tank and have more aggressive track pad “cleats”. They also have taller track guide teeth (important for improved track retention) and clear sand / dirt out much faster.

Below is a well worn T72/90 metal sprocket and track from Mato. You can see just how much better they meshes then your HL stock parts.

[windmill]

Below is a well worn T72/90 metal sprocket and track from Mato. You can see just how much better they meshes then your HL stock parts.

The improvement is clear, but not as good as hoped. I think some file work may be in order.