Hello! First off, I am slightly new to the RC tank world, but before this, I was heavily into the 1/6 scale figures. Anyway, I'm in a bind to which what I need to do in order to fit my MATO sprocket for my TAMIYA FO Sherman.

Like others, I had contacted Nick for the JUMBO kit, which is amazing btw, however the drive shaft of the TAMIYA gearbox is thicker and longer. Now some had advised me to shorten the shaft and re tap it, to fit the sprocket.... But my question is, will the MATO gearbox fit onto the TAMIYA Sherman chassis? Thank you gents for your time.

Some of them do and others are a pain. If I can get a machinist off his butt, I will have some new shafts that use the Tamyia boxes and mate up to the Mato sprockets. It takes about ten min. to change a pair out. I had some before, but sold out of them.

Herman

The best way to go would be to get a pair of these axles from Herman and use the gearboxes that are a direct bolt-in for the Tamiya chassis. I have a set yet to be used and they are nice!

BUT... if the MATO axles are long enough just about anything can be made to fit into anything. I doubt they are a direct bolt-in replacement into the Tamiya chassis.

This is the beauty of RC tanking... modifying and overcoming obstacles.




Jeff

The Mato gearboxes won't mount easily (assuming you are talking about the plastic cased ones that came with the Mato sherman?), best to sell them on, or keep them for another project. If you are refering to the brass Mato ones, then yes I think you can make them work (short shaft version) - I've seen others do it, you just need to make a suitable spacer plate to put them at the correct height.

This is what we are talking about. (Although these were made by a DAK member, Sorry Herman)

Before Mato and HL/Taigen we modified the Tamiya gearboxes by replacing the final drive arm. This part works very well for a TAMIYA mod with a bit of work to attache the rest of the bogeys and idler. Mato and HengLong hulls have come along way though. My next project will try a Heng Long hull to save the extensive modification….

No need to be sorry. They solve the problem no matter who makes them. I certainly do not have a patent on them.

Herman

Now with the availability of 3 manufactures of VVSS Sherman hulls, I cant see the point in converting a Tamiya, its so much work just to get the hull made up right and the tracks and sprockets to fit, but my hats off to anybody that does it successfully.

Im currently working on a jumbo, I have a thread a few down maybe a page back now, but I used the mato all metal Sherman lower chassis. I was able to fit the jumbo hull onto the mato hull real easy. The transmission cover was a little more work. Also though, I hate the mato gear boxes. The Henglong plastic ones and the taigen ones are better, but the Tamiya boxes are probably the best.

Thanks for all the advice gents. I really do appreciate all the feedback!