Mato Pz III troubles and solutions

[761st]

I am the excited owner of a Mato Pz III. First let me say I really love this tank. The Clark board is nice. The steering control is perfect for my village diorama. As I put this tank through it's paces I have encountered some problems but nothing to shake me.

1 - Track pins - These are working their way out after every drive. Both sides.



Solution: I replaced it with a set of HL Pz IV tracks I bought for a project 2 years ago.

Today I burnished them and mounted. Next time I will scrub a little harder. You can see where air bubbles collected. I mounted both upside down and had to re-mount them.






2 - Track wheels - TC left, track return wheels, are coming off.

Solution: (possible) superglue to the hub, not axle of inner wheel.

3 - Spring - TC left rear shock absorber was lodged inside the housing.

Solution: superglue at the base of the spring.

4 - Idler wheel, both - Does not appear these were tighten at assembly.

Solution: Tighten and they are both truer however the idler wheels are a little sloppy

5 - De-track, TC left. Took a link out as it had one more than TC right. I had thrown the left track before.

Solution: Not sure.

This Pz III is great to drive. The controls are completely WTF? More to follow.

[robert1488]

just curious, are these problems you're having "right out of the box"?

[bobassetto@me.com]

Wait til you get the Mato Tiger…..WTF hardly describes the controls…..tank is possessed

[quitcherbitchen]

Panzer III are notorious for throwing tracks. solution= correct tension. Not sure the Mato has a track tension adjustment on the back, but they do sell one. I put it on my Heng Long with metal tracks and wheels and set to 1/4"sag and it solved the issue. Take a picture of the back of the tank and the idler wheel.

[sclui56]

761, that sucks. this is one of the posts I read through while debating on a Stug III https://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/foru...t=mato#p196941 granted that was a bit dated, but between that post, your experience, and Zipper's acquisition, I am now convinced - keep my $ and get a HL upper for my Taigen lower. Good luck, I am sure you will have the issues sorted.

[761st]

just curious, are these problems you're having "right out of the box"?

I have had tanks that are problems out of the box and returned them. This one however is not one of them in my experience. This is a keeper. Part of what I like about these rc tanks is working on the keepers as they need it. It's a matter of trouble shooting and finding just the right mix and combo of parts and applications that become that one tank. The drive of this Pz is perfect. Hahahah! Even when I think I understand the controls i booger it up. I drive all my tanks hard and eventually break something. If I don't break it, my son will. Stay tuned for more details.

[761st]

761, that sucks. this is one of the posts I read through while debating on a Stug III https://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/foru...t=mato#p196941 granted that was a bit dated, but between that post, your experience, and Zipper's acquisition, I am now convinced - keep my $ and get a HL upper for my Taigen lower. Good luck, I am sure you will have the issues sorted.

I am not discouraged. I really like this Pz III. I was so excited about my Taigen 76 until the track stretched and the road wheels on one side unscrewed because of rotation (loc-tite). When I ordered the Taigen KT, I returned the first two because there was no barrel elevation. I couldn't sort why. The third one was wonderful. But the turret wobbles like the sailor I was.

I like so much more about this Mato Pz III than is challenging. My experience with my HL Tiger 1 has been a challenge since week one. But all fixable. Again a keeper. The HL Sherman is the only one that has been low maintenance. I have replaced the idler wheels and lost two .50s from rolling it.

[761st]

Panzer III are notorious for throwing tracks. solution= correct tension. Not sure the Mato has a track tension adjustment on the back, but they do sell one. I put it on my Heng Long with metal tracks and wheels and set to 1/4"sag and it solved the issue. Take a picture of the back of the tank and the idler wheel.

Thanks. It does have one. I will adjust that tomorrow. I was thinking about putting a thin washer on the screw holding the idler wheel. It has a small gap.

[761st]

Wait til you get the Mato Tiger…..WTF hardly describes the controls…..tank is possessed

I can hardly wait!!!!

[sclui56]

Sorry about the KT, mine runs fine other than the wobbles. As for the M4, I changed out all the screws and loctite. Lost a couple of bushings and had to make replacements from brass tubing, Taigen doesn't sell those separately. Keep your eyes on the wheels.

[quitcherbitchen]

Adjust the tracks till you get this much sag. too loose and it will de track and too tight and it will bow the Idler.

[761st]

sckui56, Thanks. Fortunately I have an amazing surplus store near me. A lot of hard to source parts can be found. The KT is getting some work later. From what I have learned, they all need work. Especially if your son loves it. Hahahaha!

[761st]

Adjust the tracks till you get this much sag. too loose and it will de track and too tight and it will bow the Idler.

Excellent! Thank you very much.

[tank_me]

My Mato metal PZ3 only sheds tracks when they get loose. Have you adjusted the Clark board to limit the steering to remove the neutral turns? As in skid steer only? Makes the control even better because of the short track base.

[761st]

My Mato metal PZ3 only sheds tracks when they get loose. Have you adjusted the Clark board to limit the steering to remove the neutral turns? As in skid steer only? Makes the control even better because of the short track base.

I have not. As this is my first Mato and Clark, how do I do this?

[tank_me]

On the Clark website for the TK-22 which I believe is the board you have in yours, you use the Sony remote and battle system to set the track control to #3 using the mute button on the remote. It turn off the "super spin"/neutral turns. It just makes the tank behave more like the real one using only the skid steer. It will change the way you drive as moving the stick directly left or right won't make the tank move. You need to add some forward or reverse throttle into the left or right for it to turn.

[761st]

Thanks Tank! I don't have the remote or IR.

[761st]

Weather (humidity and downpours) along with last week of freedom before school starts, have kept me from tank work. I did manage installing magnets for the upper hull and remove the factory thumb screws .

[761st]

In my excitement I forgot to super glue a track return wheel on. Yep. Lost one. Tracks adjusted and no de-track. Did some pigment for now but will re-spray later. Drove the Pz III hard for about 30-45 minutes and it ran like a champ.

[sclui56]

What exactly do you mean by "super glue a track return wheel on"? Aren't they screwed on?