wackywheelz

Like this: [link=http://www.raidentech.com/gisc1scrarec.html]http://www.raidentech.com/gisc1scrarec.html[/link]


I recently picked one up, truly massive size but theyre not quite an Abrams -
- wrong suspension
- weird cooling fans in front of drivers hatch/periscopes
- 2 "missiles" sitting on the top LOL !!

It has a bad habit of shedding its tracks, does it something shocking on carpet, concrete and asphault, I think they made it to be driven on glass (less resistance). Tracks are poorly built, plasticky-rubber-wannabe crap, no grip, the joins with the tracklink pins are thicker than the others, which makes it bump and bind as it goes around the sprockets and drivewheels. Today I took it for my first 5 minutes + run, and when I went to go grab it, it smelt like ozone (burnt electrics) although it isnt affected and still functions


Just wanting to know who has one, if they have suffered any/many faults, and if so could they please come forth and comment.

jstrat121

I saw one at a toy store(note: I said,"Toy Store")
It looked very bad,even worse than the 1/16 Abrams I bought on e-bay.
This is one of the most "toyish" tanks I have seen.......yes it is big,but at what cost
I got the 21st century 1/9 torn apart for mods now( its cheap too,but not as bad as the 1/12 one)
Can you return it?
tell them it "smoke checked bad",get a refund and buy something else.........2 cents

Rathead123

Wackywheels, I have a post about that model that you can view, its a few weeks back. Search this forum, you will find it. You asked about problems? That tank is nothing but trouble, turrent controls smoked out in a month, turrent motor in less than two. This tank wouldnt work out of the box, first I had to repair some things, then these other problems surfaced. Since I "tinker" with stuff, I've been working with this thing, but if youre not a "tinkerer" send it back. Its a load of CRAP! I think they get $75.00 bucks plus shipping, for those things, they aint worth the shipping if they gave it to you free. Beware they are all over Ebay, along with the scam artist that sell them. So if anyone else reads this also, these things are worse than anything you have ever seen. This thing should have come with a soldering iron and a roll of solder. I hate to sound so negative but others have had trouble also, maybe they will respond too.

wackywheelz

Well, it just gets better - took it for a 4 metre drive around in my loungeroom - my circuit board has packed it in!!

It refuses to send voltage to the left motor, and instead sends ALL power to the right motor for all directional controls (forward, backward, left, right). All direction controls make the right motor go forward, except reverse which makes it go backwards. LEFT SIDE IS DEAD!!!

Using my volt meter, no power is reaching the left motor, also the headlights, reverse-lights and indicators have become confused. I've opened it up, and apart from the lubricant pretty much everywhere throughout the tank (they went a bit overboard in the factory), nothing appears wrong. Checked both sides of the circuit board, nothing appears physically damaged, ran a toothbrush over the circuits to try to test for dry circuits - no help, no change!!! ARGHHHHHHHH!!!!

So I guess that "burnt ozone" smell emitting from it earlier was a component failing, and now its followed through and died. Anyone got a circuit board from one? (BT500R) []

navspook

I think what you're seeing, and without having to say as much, is a lot of cheap, quickly manufactured junk from China. There's NO quality control in the zillions of small factories there. Heng Long is one example, although to be fair, I think they're learning that the real market lies in products with a reasonable level of quality, so I think they may have some QA now, although I can't say for sure.

It's the ole Walmart syndrome -- sell for less and move lots of them before anyone realizes what they have (or don't have).

I'd save my money and put it toward Tamiya or other reputable manufacturer.

Whacky -- you're right about the Abrams wannabe -- I was part of the Abrams development community and it's fun to see what kinds of weird gizmos show up on some of these models -- what's with the missiles? I think it might have to do with the Chinese perception of what Americans are looking for -- and if you've noticed, many of the (old) Soviet Block weapons carried ground-to-air missiles and some, ground-to-ground missiles on their armored vehicles. ... their boats too... China, being part of the Block, mimmicked almost everything that came from the USSR.

Anyway, if it's possible, I'd stay clear of some of these Chinese products unless you understand what you're getting.

There's my five cents (inflation you know)....

wackywheelz

I also have a Hen Long Tiger 1 (cost me $90AUD/$66USD), which has given me "range" issues from new (2 metres max range), but build quality is much better than this shonky "HaiLiang Toys" Abrams, and thats saying something! It feels as if its made from very rigid non-impact resistance plastic, and I dare say it'd snap easy if hit

I paid about $100 Australian dollars for it, which is approx $73 USD. Wish we could get here what you guys have over there, and for such good prices. Theres tons of 21st Century large scale stuff I want, not even Marui stuff makes it here, only cheaper ripoffs like Hen Long, and these damn 1/12's on ebay. I don't make a habit of using Paypal and buying overseas, but hell, I'm sick of spending cash on these Chinese lemons and having to "deal" with them not working, or spending cash to make them work.

Guess I'll have to:

A) buy a cheap 9.6v rc tank off ebay and steal its electrics in an attempt to get this thing going (tho ideally i'd want 14v, its geared too slow at 12v from the factory!)
B) use my ex-Tamiya/Academy 1/25 "wired" remotes and modify the control for 12-14v
C) wait for my new airbrush, then cut off all the bs like missiles, cooling fans etc and make it actually LOOK like a desert Abrams, static


Tamiya stuff, by the time you get them here (from HK), they cost $750AUD ($550USD) delivered, and you still need to build em (which I dont mind). Having a small family, I just cannot justify spending that much on "one tank", if they dropped 25-33% of its price, damn they'd do well - everyone would buy them! At present I'd prolly nab a second hand one for a more sane price, but no one sells em 2ndhand here, I'd have to source one from UK or US.

I just missed out on an unfinished Tamiya Leopard 1A4 for $150AUD ($110USD) recently, god it pisses me off...

Rathead123

Whacky a new circuit board will be of no use since other circuits will fail shortly after. I only have the DMD funtions still working, all else is up in smoke. Im running mine on 14.4v's with some cobbled together parts. Its much faster, like you said its geared wrong for 9'6v's. Since it uses a seperate board with relays, for the current, to the motors, any dmd you install will be isolated from the 14.4, so you can run a 7.2v, or a 9.6v DMD. I smitch mine with a relay, so it runs 9'6 or 14.4, poor mans two speed I guess. As far as the treads coming off, I dont use but part of the suspension, J&B weld the suspension on the front road wheels, and the two rear road wheels, solid. Keeps track tension tighter, dont shed the treads as easily. A real tank has a tensioner to compensate for suspension travel, also look in he front on the nose idler axle, you can shim it to tighten up the treads. Since Ive done these things, the treads stay on well, only have trouble in tall, 7 to 10 inch grass. Turns well on dirt or gravel, and shorter grass. You'll be better off to convert another DND board to operate this thing, like you described. The original Btr 500, if you could get a new one would only be a matter of time and it will go too.

dinodog

[8D]Hi everyone, sorry I'm a bit late but only just seen the thread and I registered 2 mins ago! I have a couple of these Tanks, check out tamiyaclub.com and look in my showroom "dinodog". The photos where taken sometime ago but It is now finished! I am also Hummer mad as you will see! Kind regards to all, I am off to see the rest of this great site! Cheers dino.

13BT

wow im glad i came across this thread! you guys just saved me a whole heap of trouble

sorry to hear about your hassles..[&o]

i still have my hen long jap tank which barely limps along now but i guess that was my fault. I got cocky and started playing with it in sand. I took it apart for a routine clean and now that its back together the bb firing mechanisn doesnt want to work anymore. Ill have to tinker with it some more. i swear if i ever get it going again, its staying indoors!