I have never really played around with rc tanks before, but i would like to start to get into the hobby any suggestions and advice would be appreciated.
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I would check around with your local area rc hobby shops to see if there are hobbyists near you that you may contact them.
You could find out if they have local club events to attend.
If not, I would start out with a basic 1/16 scale RTR tank from a dependable source and would stay away from ebay sellers unless they are well known. MotionRC, Toucan, MatoMart have US and Canadian located warehouses which saves you on expensive and long shipping times from overseas. Those three have good standings and will stand behind the product they sell. -
The only real good shops are 30min to 45 min away i used to go to one regularly when i was younger cause they had airsoft gear and equipment sold there, as for hobbyist I am in the dark any suggestions on how to find them?Comment
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Well, there's the internet at your fingers. Just google 'RT Tank events' in your area and see where that takes you. Or get on the phone and call those RC hobby shops. Can't help you much more than that. On a long shot, you might call customer service at one of those three retailers I mentioned before and they may be able to assist you.
What are you really wanting to know about the RC tank hobby? One thing I'll tell you about it - it's addictive - you can't just have one!Comment
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Well as an army infantry vet from a armored brigade combat team that used Bradley's and Abrams tanks i can tell you I absolutely love armored combat vehicles weather they have tracks or 4-8 wheels even as kid, so just looking for something cool to learn and do as a new hobby as well as maybe introduce this hobby to my ladies 8 year old son. But mainly to drive around battle and shoot the bb's just for kicks. So I would imagine the addiction is real cause tanks am I right.Comment
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One word of caution - don't shoot the yellow BBs that come with the tanks.
They are not polished (perfectly round) and will get stuck in the shooting mechanism.
Buy polished 6mm BBs.
P.S. If manhandled by a 8 year old adolescent - be prepared to do some repairs.Comment
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well thanks for the heads up on the stock bb ammo and about the repairs, speaking of that what are repairs like time cost ect?Comment
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Repairs most likely will be with track suspension and tracks if run real hard over rough terrain. Or the plastic accessory parts if the tank is mishandled or rolled over.
It's like any RC hobby - you have to know and learn the limitations of your product. Basic cost of a 1/16 scale RC RTR tank is around $200 and more if you go for options like metal tracks & suspension. At least make sure it has the metal/steel gear box -the plastic ones don't hold up well. The price can get really high if you go for full metal versions - over $1,000 dollars. Just search the internet and you'll see what I mean. Some RC tank enthusiasts are really into their tanks and battles.
Have fun and good luck with your new upcoming hobby.Comment
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Thank you so much for talking to me and answering some general questions, I hope i get into it as much them. ( Probably will cause tanks are cool). I look forward to posting and sharing my first tank hope your there to see it.Comment
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Well you started off right by becoming a member on this forum. There are members here willing to give you advice and help that are way more knowledgeable than I am and have been working with these RC tanks for years. They've helped me along in many ways.Comment
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I figured the forums where a good place to start to speak to like minded individuals such as yourself and others with years in the hobby, I did think of another question for you, how long do the rubber/plastic tank treads hold up outside on grass? and what is wear like?Comment
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Larry kudos to you for joining the forum, introducing yourself and giving a good idea of what you are interested in. Especially Before dropping $$$ or even $$$$ on an RC tank.
As said there are very knowledgeable and helpful members here who can guide and assist you.
Question and read lots here. Use the Search function to find many topics that you may have questions about that may have already been covered in depth. It's amazing what I find when I search when I'm bored or just curious.
I only got involved with this hobby about 6 months ago and of course I'm hooked. Tanks seem to multiply like bunny rabbits at my house.
Above all, Welcome, Have fun and Thank you for your service.
Chef
PS I'm sure your military experience will be an asset when you get involved further in the hobby with relation to customizing and modifying your RC armor.Comment
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The only thing I can honestly tell you from experience is that the metal track, idler, drive and sprocket systems are more expensive to repair/replace. They are problematic at times with not having the correctly matched drive sprockets and anti-slip rings. On grass you'll always have some issues with the grass leaves and twigs getting wound-up in all the drive wheels and sprockets causing the track to stall or detrack no matter if you use plastic or metal track systems. It's best to start out with plastic track systems with metal/steel gearboxes and work your way up when you get more experience running them IMHO.
My suggestion is to go to MotionRC.com (<click on that) where I got my first RC 1/16 scale tank. They are a good company with excellent customer service and free shipping on their tanks. I suggest starting with the HengLong Upgrade series of tanks.Comment
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Be patient and NOT afraid to take things apart. If you are stop now and rethink getting into RC tanks. If you have prior RC experience that is a plus but tanks are not at like cars, trucks or aircraft. The number of moving parts is rather high and all need to work together. This mean a steep learning curve. Every problem YOU WILL encounter has a solution and we can help you through it.Originally posted by Baddest_Larry View Post
What type of tank you start out with will set the tone for enjoyment of the hobby. Some are very forgiving and run reliably, others are not and can / do cause a lot of frustration. My suggestion is to start off with an M4 Sherman or T34 with "steel" gearboxes. These two tanks by far have the best reputation for reliably running in almost any terrain.
Stay away from the modern and Panther tanks at the start so you can shallow that learning curve a bit. These types of tanks can be problematic and often have issues associated with tracks staying on while driving in "off road" conditions.
Other then that have a good battery charger available so you can enjoy driving your driving vs sitting being charged all day.
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Cmndrcody, Mr.Chef, Thank you for all the information and knowledge you gave me, you know Cody I was thinking to myself earlier does it suck like real life when you throw a track on one of these or is it a relatively easy fix? Mr chef, already looking at a nice panther ausf g from hen long right now or the leopard a6 both excellent combat vehicles.Comment
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Well now that you said that I was looking at the hen long panther ausf g or the leopard A6Originally posted by Rubicon99 View PostComment
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The big tanks always look cool, but I'd take "Rubicon99" advice and start with the more reliable Sherman or T34 with steel gearboxes.Originally posted by Baddest_Larry View Post
It's best to start with a good reliable learner tank.
I think "Rubicon99" would also agree that the "IMAX B6AC V2" is a good charger choice for any RC batteries and will save you lots of time on charging your batteries properly to make them last longer.Comment
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Panthers or any Panther based chassis are notorious for throwing tracks when in stock format aka "out of the box".Originally posted by Baddest_Larry View Post
Leopard 2 is a decent tank and one of the better modern type RC tanks, but you with will be needing to reset the track on the sprockets often. It is something you will have to learn and be comfortable doing with It. Just one of those learning curve skill that will be transferrable to other tanks.
If you are dead set on one or the other IMO the Leopard 2 will provide the least headaches.Comment
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Since everyone said a t-34 how about this? https://www.motionrc.com/products/he...tr-hlg3909-001Comment
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