I have the preception, which may be out to lunch, that most people that use 3:1 gearboxes also use metal tracks.

However, I am curious to know if anyone is running 3:1 gearboxes and plastic track, and how does it work out?

you will find running plastic track, the tank speed is a little faster than metal tracks.

Any difference in speed will be very minimal ifactualor not. The metal tracks add weight which helps the tank move through heavier terrain such as grass and loose soil. Metal tracks aren't absolutely needed but do add some advantages over plastic, such as no breakage of track links if some thing was too jam the sprockets or idler wheels. This is where adjustable idler wheel mounts become a very highly recommended addition.

I have 3:1 Asiatam boxes in my PzIII and I am running plastic tracks. The tank works very well and crawls over just about anything...as long as the plastic can get traction.

Thanks for the replies.

Interesting, I am thinikng about the "next tank", may be a Stug III and I was wondering about installing 3:1's with the plastic tracks, your Pz III shouls have a similar hull and running gear, if I am not mistaken.

Yeah the Pz III and Stug use the same lower hull, so it should be no problem. Get the Steel 3:1 gearboxes from RCCommand or the Asiatam 3:1 boxes from Phil at RCTankWars. He also has the mounting plate for the Asiatams as they use a slightly different mounting hole pattern. Either choice is a good one. One of these days i will be going this route with my PzIII but I will most likely use the Asiatam metal hull and suspension assembly. You should check those out, they are SWEEEEEET.

Question,

Do RCCOMAND's gearbox mounting holes line up with all 3 the existing HL mounting bosses for each gearbox? My experinence has been that for Asiatiam one of three bosses needs to be relocated on each side, and for the Mato's two of three bosses need to be relocated.

Frank

My other PzIII has the aluminum hull an Greg is right...SWEET!! I also have the black RCcommand boxes in that tank...they are nice and smooth, but I do not thinkl the produce nearly as much torque as the Asiatam boxes.</p>

yes my tamiyas runs on plastic tracks, metal ones add weight that gives a little advantage better grip and so, i have two HL Panther and Jagdpanther with metal ones, going good the HL plastic tracks breaks easily when jammed, i guy in the club got it with his tiger I HL 1/16 in our little wood 100m by 70m,

rivetcounters 1/6 Tiger I has no throubels at all ... lol ...

My original S&S Tiger runs all nylon 3:1's with it's original suspension,sprockets,idlers and Tamiya tracks.

No problems at all.

The Tamiya tracks are way better than the original HL tracks.

Mark

I've never had a single issue with my stug being underpowered stock. Broke a few track links. My main deal is the all the debri that gets into the palstic tracks and jams up the sprocket, then the plastic clutches always give. I figure if it had metal tracks maybe it wouldnt be so peppy, but the stug has such a narrow track to begin and pretty short length I'd thik kit wasnt needed. The 3:1 is going to slow the tank down isnt it?