Imnotanace

Why is it that you spend good money on a Quality brand of tank only to find out it will cost you more to get it to be a good quality tank??? I am so overwhelmed by all the mods and extras that it takes to get things to be right and not be over priced.
I like to do things right the first time so I don't have to do it again later. Don't get me wrong I don't mind spending for quality but sometimes I wonder how much is to much. I do realize it is a hobby and suppose to make you happy but sometimes it just gets frustating.[:@][:@]

Sorry for venting ,just having a bad day[]

yellowshaker

My Feedback: (1)

Hey brother, what seems to be the problem?

edoubleaz

My Feedback: (1)

All these tanks are works in progress. You can modify, update, repair, improve, or convert them to your own satisfaction. They can be built stock, or tricked out as much as you care to but at least in Tamiya's case (my experience) they will run as delivered.

The second stage of this illness is learning where and when to get the quality stuff at a discount and to make your own parts when it is possible. Keep combing ebay for those used tanks and you will find everything you need eventually. There is hope for us addicted souls and we will make the best of it eventually.

Ethan

pattoncommander

Quality is a catch word. None of these tanks are 100% accurate and need some tweeking to make it look like the real one. RC tanks all have inaccuracies and Chinese toy makers ideas imbedded into the design. Tanks are delivered with incorrect main gun length and diameter, cupolas off center, mantlets backwards and junk stowed on the outside that would not be there on a real tank. Tamiya's new Israeli M-51 is a prime example..it has to be totally remodelled to look anything like an IDF M-51 and even the name is incorrect.
Quality[&:]

How you use your tank also dictates what you need for upgrades. If you just occasionally run for fun, then stock tracks etc are OK but if you want to treat it like a Darlington race car and continuously slam forward and reverse that would kill the crew on any real tank and be oblivious to any actual tank operation, maybe you need all metal components and suspension beef ups.

Best to consider what you have in electronics and control and have fun doing some scale modeling to make it look like a particular 1;1
scale tank. These things were initially made as toys, but they have become a great source for scale models that run.

Spitvalve

Is this your Tamiya King Tiger that's disappointing you? I know how you feel. When I got my Heng Long PZ III it had some issues, too, but for $84.99 I kind of expected it, and have gradually corrected the inaccuracies.

Hang in there,

Mike.

Panther G

You must look at it from this perspective. RC is not cheap in any form. Anything that is RC for or around 100.00 dollars is NOT quality. It may be a level or 2 above toy grade but definitely not Quality. In most cases the receivers for most RC radio systems range from 30.00 too over 100.00 dollars.

Imnotanace

spitvalve
Not so much a disappointment as the more you read and try to learn to make it a good battle tank you see all the things that need changing,stiffened,re geared ,to short ,to lightweight and so on. I knew some of this going into it but you keep finding more and more.
panther g
I know that rc is not cheep, I have a JR 9303 and a few rec. in my planes that are $100.It's the little details and upgrades that I have a problem with.I don't want to offend anyone that is in a business but I just feel somethings are a little steep.+

Imnotanace

P.S
Like I said at the start I'm just having a bad day[:@]

Dmon1996

I can relate to you. I think Tamiya should include everything to do up their models 100%. After all, it is in kit form and as such any shortcomings are obvious once you start building. At the very least, they should sell a version of the models (an Elite Class?) with all the goodies including the battle stuff. At least with a Heng Long tank, it is a prebuilt tank that is ready to go the way it is. Anything that breaks can be upgraded but for the price it is reasonable to expect shortcuts.

But since I tear every tank apart completely and redo it anyway, I am well aware of the startup costs of my builds/rebuilds. I don't like it, but I know how much more I'll need to spend.

Hope your day gets better. I'm stuck at work with a new 6 channel 2.4GHz to trick out on of my Tamiya KT's and no time to do so.....

swathdiver

Depends on what your expectations are. Some of our tanks are "knock arounds", just basic mods for reliability but not detailed so when the kids flip them over or shoot bbs at each other, $20 bills won't get lost in the grass or mud.

I think if you buy one of those Aero-Tech Tigers which are all aluminum miniature versions of an Armortek, there won't be too much to modify for durability!

These RC tanks are a blank canvass to showcase your desires and talents. They don't all have to be the same.

sevoblast

If you're talking about the Tammy KT, you can build it right out of the box and have an excellent runner and very good fighter. You can build it completely stock, and the only thing that REALLY needs to be done, depending on how you intend to run it, is reverse the track pins from an inside insertion to outside insertion.

However, if like some of us you want stones-to-the-wall all out knock 'em down drag 'em out fighters, then there are a few mods you will want to do.

Do let us know what your 'issues' (I hate that word!) are with your tanque, and us 'old guys' will give you the guidance you need.

As most of the lads know here, I build fighters, and as such I have learned a trick or two from the Danville Meets I used to attend before I moved off the Florida coast a few years ago. I don't go in for a huge amount of detail on my or VCO's tanks, but I do detail them some. That being said, my JT will put paid to that statement, but he's a one of deal.

Bottom line, let us know your concerns and we'll be more than willing to help you with them. The KT is a very user friendly tank, and lots of things can be done after the basic build. IOW you can build him and get him running, and then do most upgrades later as far as running gear mods you may or may not want.

Imnotanace

Not so much 'issues" I would like somthing that will not fall apart my first time "working"it hard .I have already done the geardown add on and changed the motors to 480s and am waiting for the new bb's and sprocket guides. I figure I can run the plastic tracks till I save up some more cash. now for the idler "issue" not sure what to do here . Have seen many ways that it's done but not sure what will work that does not cost alot . I try to make my own things if I can but I do not want to mess up a good thing for my first build.
Ron

manchu9inf

Ron,
if you can; build her stock as far as the idlers / tension goes, i battled at Danville the first time with my KT and i did not have any issues with the tank or track. And I ran plastic tracks and stock idler set up too. Whichever idler tension you go with, that is a pretty easy mod to do after the tank is built. I don't think any tank is ever complete! there always will be one more mod you want to do.
Don't get to feeling to frustrated and if you do come to Danville you will have a ton of fun and will be wanting to build another tank or two!

Will

Panther G

Uh, Tamiya kits do come with just about everything you would need. Including the ceramic grease. About the only thing they dont come with is the glue and paint. How much more do you want it to be? Just like any model if you want the full blown PE shelf super queens then you have to buy and build them that way yourself. I dont think I ever heard of someone complain about a Tamiya kit not being complete. That blows my mind. no offense but it Does.

thecommander

Just build it stock and add the upgrades as things fail or as funding improves. I make many upgrades myself. Rather than buy a $80 upgrade to Tamiya KT track tensioners I made mine by fliping the clamps and ading two 20 cent springs to the inside of the hull. I used the stock Tamiya tensioning system on my Jagdtiger for two years. I made the realistic recoil mods to my stock Tamiya recoils myself instead of buying $55 custom unit with a brass gear. I don't buy the blue gear for the turret rotation I just melt/weld the slipper clutch into one solid gear with my soldering iron. I takes about 30 seconds. I often add Dary Turner elevation arms to my tanks, but they are about $10 and are the last ones you will ever buy. Unless you are doing some heavy duty tanking and IR battling...many of these things are overkill. Certain things like bearings and metal replacement tracks or wheels are oftem worthwhile investments.
Bob

Imnotanace

I just want to say thanks for the uplifting posts and help offers,I'm feeling much better now and am waiting for my bearings to start the rest of the build. I have been taking pics as I go and will post them when I figure out how.

Ron