Bill, Heng Long wants you to remember what it was like getting a real tank up and running fresh from the factory, you remember don't you? hehehe Full realism in their models, something Tamiya cannot replicate!

Sounds like the gears are really bound up, I had that happen with a couple of sets, blew a board on one tank. I took a dremel tool to that one before they told me about the toothpaste. Careful running plastic gears with metal tracks, I split the final drive gear and the tank would drive straight but didn't want to turn in dirt. Any resistance and the seam would open up and the gear would slip on the shaft. CA didn't work either, swapped in another plastic gear and broke that one in short order too, had to go metal.

Mato is aware of the issue and is staying in China until they correct them.