TheBennyB

Puma showed up this morning. Here are some preliminary pics. Will have more time tonite in the shop when the kiddies are in bed. Looks pretty good, but unfortunately some of the AD 222/223 flaws have carried over. Same hubs as the 222/223 which is a shallow pocket for the axle, and looks to be some off center drilling done on this sucker too. Not going to poopoo on this kit
to early though. Plan is to build the lower hull stock, put in a stock tammy 540/ESC and do some bashing to see what it can handle.

Airbrushler

looks pretty cool

Max-U52

This is gonna be very interesting. Can you be a bit more specific about your planned electronics? TX? Will it have sound? They make an elmod for this, correct? I can't wait to see how the servos go in and if just one can control all that steering gear. It's got 8 wheel steering, right? The front four turn and so do the back four? Have you done a cost estimate for a final cost, everything included? I'm guessing by the time you get it finished you'll have right around a grand into it, that sound about right?

TheBennyB

Gary, yea I've got around a grand ear marked for this. Thats without figuring in any cost's of lower hull/running gear mods if need be. I'll be running the el mod board once it's released. For R/D on the lower
I'm just using a stock tamiya 540 and tamiya or whatever ESC I have laying in my electronics box. I'll be using a 4 ch futaba skysport as I don't like to over complicate any of my AFV's with additional channels or dealing with programming end points, expo, rates, throws, etc. keep that for my aerial stuff. I'll probably just throw in a hitec high torque servo I use for crawlers and see how it performs. Yes it is 8wd and 8ws. I hope to start assembly tonite.

TheBennyB

Well CRAP!! Not even a single screw turned and I find this on step one of the chassis assembly. Looks to be impact damage maybe on initial packaging or atleast I can hope.
The rest of the chassis looks fine. Guess we'll find out how Metal Origins customer support is right out of the gate!

manchu9inf

dude, that sucks! i hope you get some great customer service!! And i hope mine doesn't come that way!

Max-U52

Man, that's a showstopper there. Hopefully they'll not only treat you right, but do it with great haste. For the money you pay for one of those that's a pretty serious thing. I'd call that FUBAR.

Will you still start the prep, like wheels and other subassemblies?

TheBennyB

I may start some of the other assemblies, but my mind doesn't like to work like that. Either have everything ready(Mise en place, to us chef's) and off to the races or hold off till your good to go and work on another project. Metal Origin has been notified of the problems and I'm waiting to hear back. I've heard from another owner that his chassis is fine so I'm guessing it just got dropped or something else before packaging and didn't get noticed. If anyone would like pics of anything in particular let me know. I'll get some more pics of the plastics and such
asap.

Tanque

Almost seems as if it was ejected from the mold too hot....

Jerry

Carson L

Hi Bret,

Those cracked chassis and gearbox housing part will be replace to you.
You can continuous the build with other parts first.

Cheers,

Carson L

Elefant

Quality control ?
Not passed.

cleong

Given that you have built Hooben's T-55 as well...... which was worse?

TheBennyB

Man, don't even get me started Leong. Actually still working on the T-55 as I've been on and off trying to get replacement parts that broke on assembly or were unusable to start. This just
seems to be bad luck and looks to be damage from shipping or slipped through the cracks of QC on packaging. Atleast MO has replied quickly and have agreed to replace the damaged parts, Hooben can
take weeks to hear back and then they still have the balls to charge you for shipping.

rshermanking

Any chance you can let us all know what size bearings we need to get to replace the plastic bushings please.

Robert

TheBennyB

Thanks for all the assistance Carson!

TheBennyB

Will try and get some measurements today. Carson at DKLM R/C will be posting them in his shop soon though.

TheBennyB

To replace plastic bushing PP2 you'll need 5X10X4 mm bearing. For PP1 plastic bushing you'll need 3X6X2-2.5mm bearing. The height on the plastic PP1 came out to 2.33mm so not sure if you want to go smaller with 2mm or larger with 2.5mm? Not sure how tight the fit is with the stock plastic PP1 bushing yet.

MAUS45

Carson, will they sell the Turret parts sprue separately?

rshermanking

Thank you

TheBennyB

Looks like you'll need 2.5 NOT 2mm for the height on bearing to replace PP1. Carson is selling a set on his site as well as a recommended motor.
http://www.dklmrc.com/Bearing_set_fo..._14255264.aspx

Rustytrax

KInda stinks to open a kit you "Dreamed" of and get bad metal.

rivetcounter

Sometimes damaged parts can be supplied by Tamiya along with every other company on the planet, if everyone who orders the kit gets a cracked hull then and only then could it be seen to have a problem, I’m sure Benny will have a replacement soon

Rustytrax

I wouldn't dismiss this as not a problem. Not when the cast part has three different points of failure. Yes it happens, but it's still a problem. Will it get replaced with a defect free part, probably. However this is a clearly an issue with the foundry.
They need to do a few things to fix those issues. That crack isn't from impact. Its from temp issues when the part was cast. The incomplete extrusion is another sign of casting temp issues that didn't allow the material to flow. I highly doubt it was material supply.

Tanque

As I mentioned previously. These parts are cast in dies that need to be cycled where the parts are pulled and ejected from the mold cavity in a correct amount of time to both allow the dies to remain at proper operating temperature but have the part cooled enough to maintain structural integrity. Anything off in the cycle and the part can be damaged when the die is split open and pulled apart. It could be the part is a fluke as the die making process is a pretty well defined art in this age.

My fear has been and remains zinc rot, with all the die cast parts in the 1/16 hobby I hope the alloy QC is top notch.

Particularly as I have two of these things winging their way over to me soon...

Jerry

Rustytrax

Jerry, I hope your units are good to go. I, like you have the need / want for 2 and I very much want this model to be a success. If it is successful, this could be the beginning of some very creative kits.