ORIGINAL: Jeff489

It won't fall apart. Just remember drive slow, and remember to drive only to get to or from a fight. If you can shoot them where you are, then don't be driving.

As to charging, many of us use a battery isolation switch with an external charge jack to eliminate low battery drive offs, and the need for opening the tank to charge. There's a schematic on SCAT's website for how to wire it up. If you come to battleday, you'll see many different ideas.

For my Tigers, I bought the optional driver/radio operator hatch hinges, and installed the on/off/charge switch and jack on a small board directly underneath the radio operator's hatch.

ORIGINAL: RSEA

Wow! An untouched, unpainted Tamiya Tiger.. Looks at those tracks! Not a scratch or scrape on them! Soon that thing will be ready! Ready for your tender caress, ready for the feel of that vibrating Maybach, read to set the world on fire with its power and magnitude!

To charge you have to remove the turret and upper deck, unless you install a custom charging jack somewhere on your tank that is connected to the main battery line along with an on/off switch. I don't have a charge jack on mine, if I did I'd give you some info about it. Might try to add one at some point..

I'm sure your tank will survive its first battle. Mine was 2 years old when I got it, I then tore it half apart, modified it, put it back together and it lived (didn't fall apart). But I did end up taking it half apart again, which is the state it is currently in now lol.

ORIGINAL: Jeff489

Tamiya makes a little Y adapter for hooking up one battery to two loads. It's sold with their King Tiger kit and Pershing kit (maybe others too, I just don't recall right now). I'd use just one high quality battery (the battery you have in there is just fine (I've got a few and am impressed by how they charge up). One battery saves weight (which is your enemy).

As for charging batteries in your tank, I charge mine inside using the aforementioned charging system. Yes, they can overheat if improperly charged, but they haven't in many years of doing this. I follow a few common sense rules. I currently use NiMH batteries. I replace my batteries every 2 years (I magic marker the date first charged on the battery before installing) and charge them at a reasonable amperage (3.5a) with a high quality peak detecting charger. They get warm, but not hot when charged.

My basis for doing so is that I choose to run the remote risk of a meltdown instead of enduring what I consider to be a sure thing of turret ring damage and stripped gears from continually removing turrets for maintenance. Time savings is huge too, as it is very convenient to recharge tanks. Many other tank club members do this too. One might not realize it, but we charge batteries inside plastic stuff every day (such as our vehicles, laptops, cellphones, RC transmitters, etc.) without meltdowns. Why not a tank application?

ORIGINAL: karel47

thats unwise to charge your batteries inside your rc tanks, loading batterys gives much heat into your tank, thats not good for your electronics.

karel

ORIGINAL: Ern


It's also unwise to tell your wife how much you spend on tanks ~ especially a Tamiya! [X(]

Are these the hinges you are talking about? http://etoarmour.com/product_detail....oductID=T10013

is that the price for two?

ORIGINAL: Panther G

Bob your killing me. I want that Pershing. LOL. The Tiger just has eaten up half my budget for the year and it is still January. LOL

ORIGINAL: thecommander



The Tiger I looks like it is progressing nicely Soulfly.
Karel and Ern are right on the money with those two statements. Never tell the wife how much everything costs. Just the good deals or sell a few things to keep her off your back. As for the battery charging, it will depend on what you do with your tank and how you use it. If you just drive it occasionally then slow charging in the tank is not too bad as long as you keep a wary eye on it. It you battle the tank as I do, you should not use the battery strap and should NEVER charge the battery in the tank. The heat is not good for the battery, the tank electronics, or is a safe thing to do. I have seen batteries catch fire, rupture, leak and melt into the tank plastic. You should always rotate batteries to cool them down between discharge/use and charging. At Danville we have fans and cool the batteries between these cycles. A Tamiya ''Y'' connector will link the DMD & MF but there are other options. Most of us in Danville use Deans connector in lieu of the Tamiya connectors. It is more dependable and secure. The Y connector adds resistance which is no good. I would recommend you splice/solder the two together and add Deans connectors to the new paired +/- leads. It will not void your warranties on the DMD or MF with Tamiya as this is a common practice. If you do damage the DMD or MF by over-charging the battery Tamiya WILL NOT replace them due to miss use/ abuse. Charge your batteries in a cool area clear of flamables. Your workshop and new tank are worth more than a little convienance. A slow charge is much less risky than a fast charge. You only really need one good high capacity battery for your tank. It will need much less attention and 5000 milleamps are readily available. As for removal of the battery for charging and changing it can be easily removed but removing the turret and slipping it out the large turret ring. That way you can secure the tank deck and air hoses. I do recommend you cover the gearboxes to keep oil & lube in and dirt & loose wires out. Point the connector end of the battery away from your gearboxes on any RC tank. If the battery wires get pinched in the brass gears it will set the tank on fire immediately. I always preach about ''Wire Hygene'' and take great care with my builds to keep it neat and safe. The Tiger has a lot of room but some like the M26 Pershing, are real tight.
I wish you luck and enjoy the build, Bob thecommandernj

Where did you get them gear covers?

ORIGINAL: Jeff489

Those are black capped transmissions from Tamiya, standard on their full option tanks.

Your transmissions look like Type 1 transmissions (also from Tamiya), that are an older design. The black caps have brass gears down toward the final drive where the stress is greatest, and plastic gears up near the motor where the speeds are high (to keep it quiet). Type 1s are just as dependable as the black capped version (in my experience), but will make your tiger run way too fast. Most guys use a 3:1 gear down unit on them to slow them to scale speed, which works real good.

If curious, check out RSEA's thread on his tiger geardown saga. His Tiger has a set just like yours and he installed the geardowns.

ORIGINAL: Badgerboy1970

Nice! I like that late Tiger camo pattern. Funny, I have always been partial to WWII tanks and vehicles over any other era I think I'm a tank snob, while I own a PIII Heng Long which I'm in the process of upgrading, I still love the Tamiya even though it costs more.