Torro "open box" special from Motion RC

[MrChef]

So I pulled the trigger on an Open Box Torro Late Tiger I from Motion RC this morning.

Done deal that I couldn't hold off on much longer. I've been watching it for months. Initially it was listed at $499. then down to $429, then it recently dropped to $329. I waited a week or two and made a final decision.



So it's an open box special with potential MFU issues. I've been following it since it was first listed.

https://www.motionrc.com/products/torro-german-tiger-i-late-1-16-scale-heavy-tank-rtr-open-box-tor1112800105-ob

Of course I'm down for a new Tiger I project. This is quite a deal IMHO. Others please chime in.

It could be a simple fix or of course it could be more.

Orrrr do a Heng Long Tk 7.0 or 7.1 swap. H'mmm decisions, decisions...

Any opinions? I have no problem doing the MFU swap, obviously it'd be easier if I used the V3 Taigen stuff but I'm gung-ho enough to do the TK setup.

Suggestions? Ideas?

But for the price!!! Quite a platform to start a build with...


I also got the daughter board as suggested by some folkss on RCTW for $4.99, some wiring harnesses for $6. and the 360 degree turret kit from Taigen as Motion doesn't stock this stuff.

If it's not an easy fix with those items. I'll do the TK7.0 swap. I may still just do the swap regardless.

HERE WE GO!!!

[Tang - RC.Senshado]

• Damage/Defects: There are issues with the turret; it won't pivot, shoot or recoil, and the cannon won't move up or down. There is some damage to the wooden crate.
• Builder Notes: Possible control board issue.

It could be the MFU is fine but the mechanics of everything in the turret got f'ed up. It said there was damage to the wooden crate, the whole thing must have taken a fall or some shipping mishandling. You'll probably be into it for the price of a brand new one to fix it if it's the MFU and some mechanical bits, but the fun is the learning along the way I guess. Any clue if it's the IR or airsoft version?

[Barmonkey]

Coincidentally, I ordered one too

[Barmonkey]

I believe it is the IR version from looking at the listing for the "new" model.

If the mainboard is fried, I may switch to a Heng Long 7.0 or 7.1 or maybe even a 6.0 or 6.1. I happen to have all four on hand to choose from.

[Barmonkey]

MrChef, what is this daughterboard you speak of?

[sclui56]

MrChef, what is this daughterboard you speak of?

That's the board inside the turret, which is then hooked up to the MFU, more a jumper block. It's strange that there were multiple units, but the description of the damages showed no difference.

[MrChef]

• Damage/Defects: There are issues with the turret; it won't pivot, shoot or recoil, and the cannon won't move up or down. There is some damage to the wooden crate.
• Builder Notes: Possible control board issue.

It could be the MFU is fine but the mechanics of everything in the turret got f'ed up. It said there was damage to the wooden crate, the whole thing must have taken a fall or some shipping mishandling. You'll probably be into it for the price of a brand new one to fix it if it's the MFU and some mechanical bits, but the fun is the learning along the way I guess. Any clue if it's the IR or airsoft version?

IR.

some other folks with more experience than I suggested that it may be simple like the daughterboard. I'll see when it gets here. As I said if the MFU is inop then I'll just do a TK7.0 swap.

[MrChef]

MrChef, what is this daughterboard you speak of?

That's the board inside the turret, which is then hooked up to the MFU, more a jumper block. It's strange that there were multiple units, but the description of the damages showed no difference.

Correct. I got it from Taigen for $4.99 and a turret slip ring since Motion doesn't stock that stuff.

And also agreed that it's interesting there were 3 with the same "issue" description. Parts alone I'd be either close to ahead or even with a build anyway so I figured I'd give it a shot. It's my first time trying something like this.

[MrChef]

Coincidentally, I ordered one too

Wow, well great minds thinking and all... Let's exchange notes and pictures and our processes for fixing them.

[sclui56]

MrChef For sure I will keep an eye on this swap (if you end up swapping). I have a few Taigen/Torro's and at one point contemplated switching to HL 7.x. Perhaps I didn't search well enough, there wasn't a clear "road map" for me to move forward. I ended up using hobby-grade Rx/Tx, which gave me much better driving profiles, but I also lost the use of MG since the factory uses some undocumented mix off CH 5, which even Erik at IMEX didn't know at the time.

[Tang - RC.Senshado]

IR.

some other folks with more experience than I suggested that it may be simple like the daughterboard. I'll see when it gets here. As I said if the MFU is inop then I'll just do a TK7.0 swap.

You'll probably like the driving dynamics the HL has over the stock Torro anyway. I've done a few conversions for the guys in our club to TK 7.1's and have no complaints.

[MrChef]

You'll probably like the driving dynamics the HL has over the stock Torro anyway. I've done a few conversions for the guys in our club to TK 7.1's and have no complaints.

Agreed. I already have a Taigen so yes I do like my Heng Longs control, features and characteristics. But I like the Taigen soundset much better.

[Barmonkey]

I received my Tiger today after a long and unnecessary journey by FedEx. It seems they wanted to take it past me to Nashville and back up to me. Usually packages from Motion come straight to Indiana from Illinois.

Anyway, the package arrived in one piece. The wooden crate is stapled together it appears. So so glue and screws are in order to improve the durability. The left top latch was found in the cardboard box and I didn't see the two small screws that are supposed to attach it.. Cool box though.

The lanyard loop on the transmitter somehow was broken. I don't use that anyway. (Open Box so that's OK).

I first checked the movement controls and forward/back and R/L turns worked as suspected. Turret rotated 360 degrees. The smoker...may need some fiddling with...

As expected, the barrel recoil and barrel elevation did not work. I could hear the elevation motor running but the barrel did not move. There was some odd noise that I think was coming through the speaker when the turret switch was turned on.

[Barmonkey]

I unplugged the wiring from the daughter board and the MFU and separated the turret from the upper hull. I plugged things back in and fiddled with the wiring and the barrel recoil and flash started working...YAY!!!

[Barmonkey]

So now on to the barrel elevation. I figured that a gear was not seated properly and the motor was OK because I could hear it running. I took the bottom off the turret to reveal the wiring and the elevation/recoil unit. (actually it was about this time I got the recoil/flash working). There are two screws that hold the unit together and one screw that holds the barrel to the recoil arm. When I popped the top (er..bottom?) of the unit all of the gears became dislodged. They are only held in place by pressure from the two halves...so be careful. I appears that the axle pin for the gear that rides on the motor's worm gear was no in place. I replaced all of the gears with their axle pins and reassembled the unit. I reconnected the wiring and with a little more fiddling with the wire I got the elevation to work. YAY! I then thought to myself "this isn't going to work when I get it put back together". I wasn't wrong LOL.

[Barmonkey]

Fortunately, all I had to do was do some more fiddling. The wires in the turret were the culprit. I just had to use a pen as a tool to seat the multi-pin connector in the turret.

[Barmonkey]

Here is the inside of the barrel elevation/recoil unit

[Barmonkey]

The bottom gear on the left was the culprit. The pin must have slid out and was probably hitting the gear for the recoil on the right. For some reason that pin is not captured like the other three and probably worked it's way loose during shipping and handling.

There is also a pin for the smaller gear for the recoil. Mine stayed with the other half of the case when I separated them. These pins are a loose fit to the gears, so again, be careful when taking it apart.

Do the operation on a good work table and don't be like me and do it sitting on a couch. I had a tough time finding the pin for the elevation gear

[MrChef]

Heyyy thanks for sharing Barmonkey. So after your fiddling, everything works as it should? I hope mine is similarly straightforward. I'll find out Monday when I have time to open mine and mess about.Very cool deal for those who don't mind exploratory tank surgery. For the money saved I'm up for the challenge.

A question, does it also have barrel smoke? with the flash and recoil?

[Barmonkey]

Sorry, no barrel smoke