leticia

Hi, my name is Leticia. I have the metal mato 1/16 tiger 1 and I want to convert it into a r/c. What all do I need to purchase for it? It came with motors and a gear box. would appreciate any help anyone may give.

YHR

You need to purchase

A Electronic speed control, and tank control system. Your options are

Tamiya
Heng Long
Taigen
Clark
IBU
El -Mod

All have the ability to control the tank, but after that each has slightly different features for IR battling, sound etc.

Search the above names and you should be able to find threads that much discussion about the pro and cons. A few hours of reading and then you may have some specific questions for us to help you decide which one you should buy.

Cheers


Dan

leticia

Thank you

philipat

IR battling is an option. Airsoft is another. Did your Mato tank come with an airsoft gun? Your airsoft options are:

Heng Long
Taigen
Clark

(That I'm aware of)

Max-U52

Hi Letitia, and welcome to the wonderful hobby of rc tanks. It will drive you crazy with frustration at times. You're gonna love it!

The first thing you should ask yourself is what you're going to use this tank for. Is it airsoft or IR, and do you plan to battle with it or just do it the way I do and drive around the yard shooting BBs at everything.

Some guys will disagree with me, but I still believe that for airsoft tanks the stock Taigen electronics are just fine. You can get the whole system delivered to your door in Texas for about $90 but you also need the rest of the actuators, like the turret rotation motor and the elevation unit. I did a Mato Panzer III last year and this is what I put in it.



That's the taigen electronics from island-enterprises on ebay and I used a broken Heng Long M-41 as a donor tank for the rest of the systems, but you can get all that stuff online at places like mato outlet.

So did your tiger come with the IR unit or the airsoft?

Airbrushler

Hello Leticia welcome to the forum and to the hobby
is this what you have, if so you will have to get what YHR and Maxu52 said plus you will need a radio and a receiver depending on the system you get

leticia

Thank you so much for your reply and the picture..I would like to just drive it around shooting things:lol.

leticia

yes that is it airbrusher

Max-U52

Quite a bit will depend on your budget. If you can afford a hobby grade radio and board that's great, but if you have to go economy you could always get a cheap heng long tiger and use all the gear out of that. Places like Xenonproject.com have the HL tiger I for about $90 with shipping under $20 so for just over a hundred you get everything you need but it's a strictly toy grade TX/RX. To be honest, if it was me that's probably what I'd do for just drivin' around shootin' BBs, and I might go up to the 2.4GHz from taigen later on. That's pretty much what I did for my Mato PIII but I had an M-41 that was destroyed beyond repair so that became the donor for everything except the narrow gun elevation unit and the taigen electronics I added later. Right now it's running on a HL 2.4 GHZ, just until I get the hobby grade thing sorted out and get my new radio all set up.

philipat

Can you open the tank and take photos of the inside to show us what you do have already? That will help in giving recommendations of what you might still need.

I agree with maxu52 about the Taigen electronics. They're probably the best bang for the buck if you're using airsoft. They work well and the controls are easy to use. If your tank is bare like airbrushler's photo, you'll need to buy some wiring harnesses and may need to do some soldering. But, you can get most of that as kits already setup for the HL or Taigen electronics. HL will work, but for just a little more money, the Taigen will be much better.

kizwan

That's true. There was a time I just want burn my tanks.

YHR

I have a differing opinion on theTiagen electronics if you actually are thinking of spending money. You can by a decent hobby grade radio for under $40, and will have somehting you can use on mulltiple RC equipment.

Having said that you can probably get someone here to give you the Heng long stuff or Taigen stuff that they pulled out of a tank to go hobby grade.

I bet many of us have the Heng Long 27 Mhz stuff taking up space in a box. If no one close to your location offers up somethng PM me. I can set you up with the stuff to make this mobile and all it will cost you is international postage. That is why I am suggesting you look for someone stateside to supply this stuff as it will be cheaper to mail it to you.. Be aware though that it's usefulness is limited, From your explanation of what you want to do, the stock stuff will get you having some fun.

I have a box full of old HL radio and receivers that I part out on a regular basis. At least with an RX18 you can upgrade to a hobby radio and great sound if you ever choose to.

leticia

YHR very nice of you to offer. thank you!! I went and ordered a heng long tank from amazon. This way I can see where everything supposed to go.

Airbrushler

just let us know if you need anything if someone has something then they are usually good to trade for parts or some just want pay for shipping and would give the part away these guys are the best on here we all try to help each other with whatever we can

YHR

Yes that was some pretty solid advice. You can see how the wiring is supposed to go, and now you have two tanks!!!!