Platoon Complete - Heng Long M1A2 Abrams

[skyowa]

Got my Abrams from MRC today, the good news is it came with with correct controller with the turbine sound, the bad news is it didn't even get halfway across the floor before the track track threw a pin and came apart... totally not impressed. The pin was found, if I had to guess I'd say someone tried to CA it, because there a little blob of it on the end, cleaned that off and the pin was a loose fit, nothing to hold it in, got the bag with spare links/pins, different pin completely, dark colored and a well defined knurled end, got it back together and moved on, metal tracks are on the list anyway.

Got through everything else fine, although of the 4 tanks I have now including the plastic track Pershing, this gets the worst traction in snow, there's more track on the ground, but the track design doesn't have a lot of grab it seems. The Pershing is even lighter but the tracks are a more aggressive design, and I'm sure weight help too, I plan on changing the battery connector to a Tamiya so I can use an NiMH pack and get a weight advantage their, future plans include a full bearing gear box and full metal suspension/wheels, preferably with bearings where ever available.

[Evan D]

Modern tanks with their rubber block treads for road work get poor traction. Especially the plastic rendition of them on our model tanks.

[skyowa]

I'm looking at actual tracks from the M1A1 and the A2, looks like the M1A1 might have the better design for off road, still a rubber pad, but arranged in a chevron pattern. I guess we know where the military thinks the schnitz is going to hit the fan...

[keilau]

I'm looking at actual tracks from the M1A1 and the A2, looks like the M1A1 might have the better design for off road, still a rubber pad, but arranged in a chevron pattern. I guess we know where the military thinks the schnitz is going to hit the fan...

On a 1/16 RC tank, the coefficient of friction of plastic, metal or rubber pad on a rotary track are all similar. The improved traction comes from total tank weight and a well balanced tank. The heavier metal track has advantage over the plastic track. A solid metal over a hollow metal.


On my T-34, the Heng Xin gearbox and the Mato metal track have enough weight for the rear. I added lead weights to balance the front of the tank.

[Rubicon99]

I'm looking at actual tracks from the M1A1 and the A2, looks like the M1A1 might have the better design for off road, still a rubber pad, but arranged in a chevron pattern. I guess we know where the military thinks the schnitz is going to hit the fan...

Chevron tracks for the Abrams are hard to find. This set of dual pin T84 tracks for my M26 I had made by JVM3Dconcepts. Huge improvement over stock or all metal tracks.

An option you might want to consider are Tamiya Leopard 2 or Tamiya Abrams tracks. Both are hands down the best all around tracks one can put on any Abrams. Strong, reliable and excellent grip. Price range between $100 - $250 .

Like has been said already weight is your best friend when it comes to tanks. Even the best tracks need heavy weighted tanks to get the most out of them.

[tank_me]

I think Kenny Kong did a new run of the Abrams chevron T156 tracks as I've seen them at the Hobby Summit site on Ebay recently. T156 tracks were used on the original M1s, M1IPs, M1E1s and early M1A1s.

Yeah, just found them on Ebay from Hobby Summit, but they were pretty expensive. They have them listed for $178 plus $48 shipping... Auction title is "1/16 U.S M1A1 Abrams MBT Metal Tracks Set w/sprockets re R/C tank".

[skyowa]

I'd agree to a point on the weight, but I have my Pershing for comparison, the Abrams is heavier but the Pershing runs circles around it in the snow and the only difference is the Pershing's more aggressive chevron tracks, plus the Abrams tracks seem to load up with snow. The Pershing is actually best snow runner of all four of my tanks including the two metal track ones.

Reading up on tank track designs seems to confirm the differences in terrain performance correlated to design, keep in mind I'm speaking specifically about snow here, mostly hard snow.

[skyowa]

progress...

[Hellcat 7]

M1A2

[Hellcat 7]

This is my second Abrams and decided to paint it OD green camo scheme. First time using an airbrush for the camo.

[tank_me]

This is my second Abrams and decided to paint it OD green camo scheme. First time using an airbrush for the camo.

Looks the part. The NATO scheme has always been a bit soft so it's great for a person who is learning to use an airbrush.

[skyowa]

This is my second Abrams and decided to paint it OD green camo scheme. First time using an airbrush for the camo.

I'm leaving mine as is for now paint wise, I'm going to upgrade the drive train first starting with the gearbox

[skyowa]

Just ordered the metal sprocket and idler(with bearing) for the metal tracks from Toucan, waiting to hear from them on the gear box and drive axle bearing before I order those, trying to avoid having to drill or cut.

[skyowa]

On a 1/16 RC tank, the coefficient of friction of plastic, metal or rubber pad on a rotary track are all similar. The improved traction comes from total tank weight and a well balanced tank. The heavier metal track has advantage over the plastic track. A solid metal over a hollow metal.On my T-34, the Heng Xin gearbox and the Mato metal track have enough weight for the rear. I added lead weights to balance the front of the tank.

That begs the question, is there a balance point etc to use as a quide line? The plan here is to add a ball bearing gearbox and a drive axle bearing from Toucan, and then I'm seriously considering a mod I saw a video on to soften the suspension by relocating the pinhole for the spring, but it looks like doing it would also lower the overall height a bit, say around 1/8th to 1/4 inch. Don;t want to invest the time and money and still not ride right.

[keilau]

That begs the question, is there a balance point etc to use as a quide line? The plan here is to add a ball bearing gearbox and a drive axle bearing from Toucan, and then I'm seriously considering a mod I saw a video on to soften the suspension by relocating the pinhole for the spring, but it looks like doing it would also lower the overall height a bit, say around 1/8th to 1/4 inch. Don't want to invest the time and money and still not ride right.

I do not do precise engineering calculations that way I did for real, full size fighter jets. It is eye ball engineering.

After I added the enclosed gearbox and drive axle bearing, the T-34 is obviously rear heavy. I removed the top and start adding weights to the front until the metal track looks even (level horizontally). Drive the tank on a smooth basement floor. If the tank does not tilt too much when I drive back and forth, I am done. (Plastic chassis RC tank are generally light weight and will tilt a little when driving back and forth.) I use the T-34 as example because it is the lightest HL tank among what I have. Most other HL are self balanced.

[skyowa]

Well I know it's tail heavy in stock form, and I ordered the ball bearing gear box and drive axle bearings so it's going to be even more so after that, I have it torn down in prep for all that, unfortunately the gear box had to be shipped from China, the other parts were US warehouse

[skyowa]

So we got the sprocket and idler wheels, and the drive axle bearing kit. I over paid for the bearing kit because it had two metal hubs I didn't realize weren't needed, could have bought a dozen bearings locally for that price, my bad.

The sprocket and idler wheel (from Toucan) were listed for the Mato and Heng Long Abrams, the idler fits OK, wobbles as much as the factory plastic wheel because with the bushing provided, the bushing and bearings have enough room to slide end to end almost 1/16", nush need to find something suitable to use as shim between the bushing and the screw head to fix that I think, the sprocket on the other wasn't right, the center guide was way to narrow, contacted Toucan and they confirmed the sprocket was for Mato only and are sending the correct one hopefully soon. Gearbox is coming from China so by the time it gets here, I've probably have metal tracks in hand too ready to go to.

[skyowa]

got the connector changed to Tamiya so I can run the NiMH packs I already have, easily twice the run time on a 3600mah and the weight is is plusoverall but I still need to get some weight on the front end, metal idler helped a bit but as sits now it's floating about perfectly on the back end, if I can get the front end loaded like that it would be just about perfect.

[skyowa]

[keilau]

I think Kenny Kong did a new run of the Abrams chevron T156 tracks as I've seen them at the Hobby Summit site on Ebay recently. T156 tracks were used on the original M1s, M1IPs, M1E1s and early M1A1s.

Yeah, just found them on Ebay from Hobby Summit, but they were pretty expensive. They have them listed for $178 plus $48 shipping... Auction title is "1/16 U.S M1A1 Abrams MBT Metal Tracks Set w/sprockets re R/C tank".

At Kenny's website, the direct price is $150. I expect you would be quoted the same shipping for a $28 saving.

http://www.kennysmodeltank.com/pricelist.html