Heng Long Walker Bulldog - Birthday makeover/refurb

[Roaming Gnome]

One year old, started as a steel geared, metal track, with metal sprocket and 360 turret. Since then, I added metal wheels and blue motors, and ran the heck out of it. Tried a repaint ahwile back never happy with it so it's going to Tamiya TS-5 for color, research possible configurations first though.

[keilau]

One year old, started as a steel geared, metal track, with metal sprocket and 360 turret. Since then, I added metal wheels and blue motors, and ran the heck out of it. Tried a repaint awhile back never happy with it so it's going to Tamiya TS-5 for color, research possible configurations first though.

Based on your description, you may have missed out on the critical upgrades on the drive chain. I do not have a HL Walker Bulldog, so these suggestions may be necessary, but not necessarily sufficient upgrades for improving the driving quality of your RC tank.

1. HL uses level 2 (out of 4 levels) gearbox on their professional version tanks. It is steel gears with sleeve bearings and the alignment are not very good. I use Torro level 2 ball bearing gearbox which is much better aligned and quieter. While at it, you may consider using the 390 motors. If the 390 scale speed is too fast for your taste, you can scale it back using the MFU.
2. Replace the HL metal track with better quality tracks. Mato makes one for the Walker Bulldog, but I don't know how much an improvement it is over the HL.
3. Add a motor drive ball bearing.

Below is pictures of my Pershing installation.

[Roaming Gnome]

appreciate the advice, I've had zero issues with the running so I don't really plan on changing anything there, mostly going to go for better detailing

[DavidN]

My input.... I have 5 M41 tanks. The idlers are in the front. With the way I drove, somehow, the left arms holding the idlers broke off on 2 tanks. My thoughts... the metal tracks kinda put more strain on the idlers' arms. So I switched over to the plastic tracks. If you don't run the tanks outdoor much or bump it over hard obstacles, you should be fine.

[tank_me]

Since I run metal tracks on my Bulldog (well T49), I was thinking about modeling up a support that I can use over the HL idler shaft. I'm gonna see what I can come up with.

[Roaming Gnome]

My input.... I have 5 M41 tanks. The idlers are in the front. With the way I drove, somehow, the left arms holding the idlers broke off on 2 tanks. My thoughts... the metal tracks kinda put more strain on the idlers' arms. So I switched over to the plastic tracks. If you don't run the tanks outdoor much or bump it over hard obstacles, you should be fine.

On my tank, the idler wheel is metal with beratings and attaches to the hull directly, not adjustable even, not sure what you;re describing, but it runs outside exclusively and hard so plastic would not be a good choice.

[Roaming Gnome]

to clarify, this is the area being discussed, correct?

[tank_me]

to clarify, this is the area being discussed, correct?

Yes. Some people have had that plastic boss snap off where the idler mounts.

[Roaming Gnome]

I can't find any signs of cracks or stress on mine, but at the very least it looks like something I could bust off with one of my famous curb checks. I have had problems with the rear axle support, I installed bearings, had to ream out the collar a bit for them to fit,. and both cracked, I've never been able to find a metal replacement support, some I've glued the tar out if and reinforced with a couple zip ties, it's held, and you never see it.

[DavidN]

Yes! That part where the the screw from the idler would be screwed in. The two tanks that suffered the breaks were a bit old though.

[Roaming Gnome]

wrong thread