I have an older clutch type drive system to put into my motorized static King Tiger project. However, the clutch system does not appeal to me- I like fully proportional control. So I've removed the clutch assemblies, mounted the second clutch gear forward so it no longer meshes with the first clutch gear, mounted a second RS540 so it meshes with the second clutch gear, and VOILA! I have a dual motor (potentially) fully proportional control drive system. Gotta love Tamiya gear sets- everything is collared and allen bolted- easy disassembly and reassembly.

I need to post pics - even I have a hard time understanding what I wrote.

Now I need to order a dual motor ESC from a robotics company I have my eye on. It handles two motors of up to 10 amps each and is reversible. It even has the option of single stick control! I'm too cheap to buy a Tamiya T-03 DMD for $150-200, and this beautiful model deserves more than mere Heng Long electronics. Besides, I think dual RS540's would toast an Rx18 board right quick!

I'll try and take some pics tonight and post.


One question: Do I need to break in a Tamiya gear set like I would a Heng Long set? [sm=what_smile.gif]

Nope, just oil it, grease it, and enjoy. Club member of mine did that way back when, as in when the only FO Tamiya was the brand new Tiger 1. He later went the full package, a FO King about 3 months before Tam intro'd the FO King. Your system will work well. His did for quite some time.
One tip, though. You may want to reverse all your track pins, to wit, remove them one by one and install them from the outside of the track, not the inside. On the inside, as some of the pins will slowly work their way out. one will eventually catch on something and rip the track link. Installing them from the outside seems to eleviate that problem. Also, it's easier to see one that is beginning to work out, and just shove him back in again.

Oh, man....it took me a half hour of cursing and swearing to get one pin out of one of my tracks- had to shorten it by a few links. I've got metal tracks, and the pins are rock solid. But I will think about it- better safe than sorry!

Ahhh...should have been more specific. With metal tracks, if they are the late Kenny Kong tracks with the locking pins, not a problem, leave them as they are. If the pins are not locking, and from the sound of it yours are the locking pins, then yes, change them. I should have been more specific and said "for the stock Tamiya tracks that come with the KT kit, you will want to..." Sorry, my mistake. I will grovel the appropriate amount of time in front of the statue to the Goddess of Massandra.
Some metal tracks from Kenny now have closed ends, in other words from the outer side of the tracks you can not see the pin ends. With these, you can not change the pin location. However, most, if not all, of his newer sets have locking pins, whether they are closed end or not.
I do not know if the tracks from asiatam or some others have locking pins. In the old days, when Kenny, who is the first by far, and still the leader, in metal tracks for our tanks, we had to acc the pins in, or do what I did, and peen the head end of the pin, IOW make our own locking pins. Worked, but oh brother, what a time comsuming process.
Anyhow, groveling will commence.
Oh yeah, forgot to mention one thing. impact has locking pins also,so if the tracks are impact, leave 'em alone. Just after each run, if you have impact tracks, it behoves you to check all the pins and any that have begun to walk out should be pushed back in to seat properly.

No grovelling needed- I appreciate the information as always. I'm not sure who made these- they were supplied with the kit by the (eBay) seller. I do know they are very heavy, and that the pin has two "ears" peened into the sides of the pin at one end. And that the pins I had to pull to shorten teh tracks were very tight (although that does not mean that they all are, or will remain tight). I will watch carefully.

Hey Servo thanks for the tip on reversing all your track pins, I assume that I should do it on the Tiger I tracks too (have Tamiya plastic tracks)? That'll be my next project if so.

Yup, those be the locking pins, donno who made the tracks unless you are willing to post or email a photo. Stock KT tracks last worlds longer with reversing the pins, but metal and locking pins, you should be OK. Just keep an eye on them, as with the real tanks. After every run, check the tracks and pound in any track pins that have walked a little.
What? No groveling before the Goddess of Massandra?? You don't understand. There's wine, and then there is Massandra. As good or better than any Mosel you will ever find, and before I came here, Mosel was the bench mark. Massandra is actually an old Czarist pallace on the south coast, now a museum. The oriiginal Yalta meetings between Stalin and Churchill et al were held there, but then moved to Yalta "for convenience". The valley east of my city has been growing wine for 2500 years or so, and it be pretty good. So, I guess even though you state it is not necessary, I feel the need to do penance for my mistake, and will grovel before the Goddess. The grapes for Massandra come from said valley, as do Inkerman grapes. Inkerman wine is good. Massandra..nectar of the Gods. Both are owned by the Church, by the way.

Pzjgr
On the Tiger 1 tracks, the stockers are pretty strong in their own right, more so than the KT tracks. They have just about full closed loop pin retainers. You don't need to reverse them, except for the convenience of the ease of seeing who is working out. Again, the stated advice of checking the pins after each run, and if it's a long run, sometimes during the run, should keep you in good shape. I personallly switched to metal on my Tiger 1's some years ago, like in '03 or so, for the mass, the added weight. However, I have one that is doing yeoman's service with the original tracks for the local children, and try as they might, they can not break a track...yet. They do, however, have a finite life, and eventually will be worn out and need replacing. The tracks, not the children, that is.
Sev